October was a big month for Chicago. From the Cubs' unexpected and legendary playoff run to a great lineup of funky and inspiring concerts, last month was a fabulous introduction to fall in the city. Now, we're looking back on the best things we saw, ate and drank over the past month.
Döner Box from DönerMen
I adore DönerMen’s currywurst, perfectly grilled sausage doused with spicy tomato curry, so much that I always get it when I visit the food truck. I branched out this month, though, and went with the Döner Box, and I’m going to add it to my regular lunch rotation. It starts with a base of fries, which are topped with tender, spiced chicken, greens, a whole bunch of tomatoes, cucumbers and onions, fiery harissa and a cooling dollop of yogurt. The fries and chicken are hearty, but the veggies keep it feeling light.—Amy Cavanaugh
The Cubs' inspiring run to the NLCS
The Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908. Heck, coming into this season the team had never clinched a playoff series at Wrigley Field. That all changed last month when the North Siders clobbered the Pittsburgh Pirates in a winner-take-all Wild Card game before trouncing the mighty St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Division Series. The team would later get swept by the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series, but their success in this year's playoffs points to a very bright future. I'm a die hard White Sox fan, but the Cubs' run sent a shiver up my spine and I shamelessly jumped on the bandwagon. I wasn't alone. The entire city was sick with Cubbie Fever, and the collective excitement was palpable across town. With a young core of great players, the Cubs are poised to be championship contenders for years to come.—Clayton Guse
Mew at Metro
I’d seen Danish rock band Mew before, at Pitchfork, and they were great, so I knew the October 6 show at Metro wouldn’t disappoint. But when I arrived to a less than full venue, I wondered where everyone was and whether it’d be another one of those shows where I stared imploringly at the crowd—“Act like you want to be here! Let’s sing and have fun, okay, please?” Well, that didn’t end up being a problem this night. While the show didn’t sell out (that I’m aware of), everyone there wore ridiculous grins on their faces once Mew took the stage, outmatched only by the giddiness of boyish frontman Jonas Bjerre himself. From old favorites like “Snow Brigade” to the new single “Satellites,” this crowd was in the palm of Mew’s hand for every soaring vocal and blistering guitar riff. It’s the most fun I’ve had at a show in years.—Laura Rote
Red Star Bar at Whole Foods Market DePaul
As uncool as this might sound, I’ve become one of those people who hangs at Whole Foods. No, I’m not there to chug $6 asparagus water or scarf down organic mac and cheese—I come for the beer. Located on the second floor of the grocery chain’s DePaul location, the Red Star Bar (a nod to Chicago’s flag) serves up $3 bottles for shoppers in addition to a (surprisingly) affordable selection of draft beers and snacks. There’s also free Wi-Fi, a couple of TVs and a community record player with a crate of LPs to dig through. Best of all, the tap list focuses on local breweries—on my most recent visit, Lake Effect Brewing’s fruit-based Brett series was on draft. I’m not gonna drop my paycheck on artesian cheeses and free-range eggs, but I can afford to stop by for a beer (or two).—Zach Long
BYOB at Same Day Cafe
Same Day Cafe opened in Logan Square last May, and I quickly became a big fan of their simple menu and housemade sodas. In mid-October, the restaurant announced that it'd be adding a BYOB option and dinner hours, which made my wallet cry with joy. Instead of dropping a nice chunk of change on a few mimosa pitchers at another nearby brunch spot, I can now grab some cheap champagne from a nearby liquor store and mix it with some of Same Day's fresh-squeezed orange juice while munching on some avocado toast. When the weak stuff just won't cut it, the eatery's grapefruit and lime sodas are perfect mixers for a flask of gin. The new BYOB option is a welcome addition to an already amazing brunch scene in Logan Square. —CG
Sarah Vowell at Chicago Humanities Fest
At the Chicago Humanities Festival, Sarah Vowell read from her newest book, Lafayette in the Somewhat United States, about a French soldier who fought alongside us in the Revolutionary War. I was (again) delighted by her ability to make anything, even American history, fascinating, funny and relevant. Even more impressive was Vowell off the cuff. Her anecdotes sizzled with wit and wisdom and she brought the house down with playful jabs at the Art Institute, the French and even an audience member who’d asked if she could write a book on the Articles of Confederation during the Q&A (she won’t). She was so sharp and genuinely funny in the moment that my unfairly high expectations for my “Evening with Sarah Vowell,” were magically exceeded.—Madeline Wolfson
Pop-up Magazine at Athenaeum Theatre
I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect when I first heard about the “pop-up magazine.” “Are they going to act out stories onstage?” I thought. Well, sort of, but not really. The stories (and the personalities) were so much bigger than that. They were bigger than the stage and they came from every angle—the storyteller at the mic, the Magik*Magik Orchestra at stage left, photos and video onscreen in the back. I got lost in the telling of them, from the blind man obsessed with recording thunder to the ingenious robber who loved architecture to the slideshow of photos of poverty in places we’ve never heard of in our very own backyards. More than a dozen stories unfolded on the stage, and they’ve stayed with me still today. It was also my first time seeing Chicago’s Manual Cinema, a group of puppeteers and artists who combine shadow puppetry, props, cinema and sound to tell mesmerizing tales. Moving rapidly from one side to the other of their projectors, this highly choreographed display was, like most things during the event, simply magical.—LR
FFS (Franz Ferdinand + Sparks) at the Vic
Similar to Reese’s classic marriage of chocolate and peanut butter, FFS combines two of my favorite musical flavors: The theatrical art-rock of Sparks and the angular pop of Franz Ferdinand. The supergroup’s headlining set at the Vic was equal parts catchy and campy, drawing liberally from its excellent self-titled debut. Frontmen Alex Kapranos and Russell Mael played off of one another like a demented Hall and Oates, injecting their earworm melodies with cheeky lyricism (the band’s final song was entitled “Piss Off”). As for my favorite moment of the night? That would be when the perpetually scowling Ron Mael got up from behind his keyboard and began dancing during a rendition of Sparks’ “The Number One Song in Heaven.”—ZL
Fairy Tale menu at Elizabeth
Chef Iliana Regan and her team at Elizabeth have gone full whimsy with their fall menu. Inspired by fairy tales with a focus on German and French cuisine, each course shares a taste of a different story, from Snow White to Hansel and Gretel. After being handed a pill and vial at the start that simply says “Eat Me, Drink Me,” an ode to Alice in Wonderland, you immediately jump down the rabbit hole as you dine on mushroom tea (while Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” plays in the background), a foie gras soup with beet leather, onion ash with dry aged duck and even candied moss and juniper marshmallows. Regan’s curious cuisine takes you off the page and into the woods, her playful spirit translating perfectly to plate, creating a memorable and delicious tale.—Lisa White
Beef tartare at Longman & Eagle
It doesn’t get much more decadent than Longman & Eagle’s take on steak tartare—the tender beef is accented with foie gras, a creamy, fragrant truffle sauce and Medjool dates. Spoon it all onto buttered challah for a rich, satisfying starter.—AC
The Lincoln Park gem that is Balena
I don’t know why it took me so long to give Balena a try. Chris Pandel’s Italian restaurant opened more than three years ago, and given its Lincoln Park location next door to the Royal George Theatre and across the street from Steppenwolf, I’m in the area several times a year. I finally checked it out for dinner before seeing a show at the Steppenwolf Garage; I had a tasty agnolotti (a stuffed pasta) filled with roasted squash, while my friend ordered an excellent margherita pizza that, at 14 inches, would’ve been enough to share (we’ll know for next time). The cocktails were well made, too—I had the Creole, made with whiskey, amaro, vermouth and mole bitters. And Balena knows how to cater to a theatergoing crowd—our server offered to hold our leftovers so we could come back and pick them up after the show. I’ll be back soon.—Kris Vire
Did you try something new this month? Leave a review of restaurants, venues or even events at timeout.com/reviewchicago.