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CHICAGO READERHoliday Club It's not often that you get pine nuts on a salad in a bar, but there they were on top of a generous portion of mixed greens with a balsamic vinaigrette. And that was just half the plate: on the other side were two thick slices of very tasty meat loaf and a healthy scoop of homemade mashed potatoes and gravy--all for $5 as a Wednesday special? You gotta be kidding me. Never mind the "swingers" (as in Rat Pack) theme; this friendly, unpretentious place attracts all types. On the night I visited I sat next to a Serbo-Croatian woman who was zestfully wolfing down quesadillas. "It's the homemade salsa," she said. "I can't get enough of it." On my left were a couple guys sharing a bucket of "grenades," those silly-looking miniature bottles of beer; next to her was an Irish guy who wound up being bounced when he grew drunkenly belligerent. He should have shut up and helped share his neighbor's nachos, an imposingly large heap. Other appetizers include calamari, cheese and gravy fries, and mac 'n' cheese; in addition to sandwiches, a burger, and wraps, there are specialty pizzas--pesto, a margherita, barbecue chicken. Sealing the deal, the barkeeps make a mean manhattan. Friendly, unpretentious bar offering surprisingly good food at great value. Not yet rated. Reader. 2007 Chicago's Best Wing Fest Press Release 2008 In this corner, the defending champion: Holiday Club. In the opposing corner, challengers: Mahoney’s Pub and Grill, Gators Wing Shack, Cactus, Doyle’s Pub, Goose Island Brewpub, Timothy O’Toole’s, Mullens, Jimmy V’s, Crossroads Tavern & Eatery, WoW Wingery, Merkle’s Bar & Grill, Corcorans, Wings Around the World, and others. At stake? The coveted “BEST OF FEST” trophy (WingFest’s Stanley Cup), and the title of “Best Wings in Chicagoland”. Sunday, February 24th marks the date at Bailey Auditorium (1340 W. Washington) when these top wing restaurants will come together to see who has the best wings at the annual WingFest. A match not to be missed! And it’s for a good cause! To date WingFest has raised over $100,000 for various charities, and this year Chicago Neighbors United (a community based organization which provides educational scholarships to inner city youth) is happy to be the beneficiary of this top of the line good time. Each restaurant may enter two of the four categories: hot, mild, barbeque and exotic, judging to be handled by randomly selected patrons. There will be winners in each category, but only the restaurant with the highest overall score is awarded the cup. Back for his ninth consecutive year as Host and Celebrity Judge, WXRT’S own Lin Brehmer will be providing the play by play for the “Lord of the Wings” eating contest, (as seen on YouTube) one of the days most talked about highlights. The live blues music of Cadillac Dave and the Chicago Redhots add an authentically Chicago touch to an event already bursting at the seams with Chicag-ality. Tickets for WingFest are $24 for general admission; that price includes all the wings you can eat, live entertainment, raffle ticket, continuous sponsor giveaways, and loads of surprises. There are VIP tickets available for $50 includes all of the above plus a drink package, parking pass, goody bag, and access to the VIP area. Tickets are available online at Tickets.com, or at WingFest.net. As this event does sell out each year event organizers urge those wishing to attend to buy their tickets early. For more information call: 312-664-6656ex124.
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