Harp & Fiddle’s French onion soup

By Trent Modglin

French onion soup at Harp and Fiddle

There are lots of worthy options to warm you up at Harp & Fiddle, but we find it tough to pass up a bowl of their Guinness French onion soup on one of those cold, blustery days. This is a slow-cooked, four-onion soup with a hint of Guinness and topped with toasted crostini and a decadent blend of melted havarti, provolone and parmesan cheeses.

Word of advice to you newbies: Give it a few minutes before you go diving in, because it comes out piping hot. Spread that cheese around and give it a minute or two. It’ll be worth the wait.

110 Main Street in Park Ridge. TheHarpAndFiddle.com

Venison fajitas at Don Juan’s Cantina

Maria Concannon, who opened the original Don Juan’s in Edison Park back in 1982, was a visionary of sorts, widely credited for bringing authentic Mexican food to the area. “She’s educated so many people about Mexican food and culture,” co-owner Jake Concannon says of his mom, now in her mid-80s.

We’re talking farm-raised New Zealand venison tenderloin fajitas with roasted chile poblano and red peppers, sweet potato chile chipotle gratin, and a chile ancho red wine bordelaise and herb reduction. So tender, so flavorful.

While a diverse menu — filled with oversized burritos, breaded chicken Milanese sandwiches, sizzling steak fajitas and tasty shrimp tacos — awaits, you’re going to want to take advantage of an annual winter special here at Don Juan’s. We’re talking farm-raised New Zealand venison tenderloin fajitas with roasted chile poblano and red peppers, sweet potato chile chipotle gratin, and a chile ancho red wine bordelaise and herb reduction. So tender, so flavorful. Don’t miss out this winter while supplies last.

Insider’s tip: Don Juan’s is an underrated spot to catch the game, and margarita pitchers are half price on Thursdays.

650 N. Northwest Highway in Park Ridge. DJsCantina.com

Sloppy joes and mac & cheese at Howard Street Inn

Howard Street Inn is always home to a diverse crowd of groups, families and sports fans of all ages. A gigantic menu too. And did we mention it has arguably the best happy hour and daily specials in the area?

One of those specials we love so much happens on Thursdays, when you can get two sloppy joes and a bowl of creamy mac and cheese for just $7.95. If that doesn’t take you back to some fond childhood memories, nothing will. Perfect after a day of skating in Rosemont or sledding in Centennial Park. Another quality Thursday special: $3 martinis.

6700 W. Howard Street in Niles. HowardStreetInn.com

Carbonara in a jar at Zia’s Social

Hard to believe this hotspot from award-winning chef Joe Calabrese is already four years old. Even though we’ll miss Zia’s beautiful patio for the next few months, there are a thousand reasons to visit this winter. The short rib lasagna and chicken parm are always family favorites of ours, but the cold-weather choice here is the table-side show that’s aptly called “Carbonara in a Jar.”

Corkscrew fusilli noodles with pancetta, prosciutto and herbs all gets shaken together with creamy egg yolk in a large glass jar right in front of you, then poured — steaming hot — into a bowl for you to enjoy.

It’s comprised of corkscrew fusilli noodles with pancetta, prosciutto and herbs, all of which gets shaken together with creamy egg yolk in a large glass jar right in front of you, then poured — steaming hot — into a bowl for you to enjoy. Unique, rich and perfect for a chilly evening.

6158 N. Northwest Highway in Norwood Park. ZiasSocial.com

Aash-e-reshteh soup at Shemroon Kabab House

It may not be easy to pronounce, but you also won’t be able to put your spoon down when it arrives at your table. This Persian favorite consists of a mix of fresh chopped herbs, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, onions, garlic and noodles with slow-cooked creamed whey drizzled on top with little mound of caramelized onions. Hearty enough to stand on its own, but also a perfect start to a meal if you’re sharing plates of kebobs, vegetables and rice later.

“It’s on our regular menu year round, but it tends to really get popular in the cold weather,” says owner Mehdi Hajiaghazadeh. “It’s a wonderful blend of flavors and has so many good ingredients that it’s even been known to make you feel better when you’re under the weather.”

You can get this very soup (or chicken noodle or lentil) for free with the purchase of an entree during their early dinner hour (4-5 p.m.) special.

Insider’s tip: You can get this very soup (or chicken noodle or lentil) for free with the purchase of an entree during their early dinner hour (4-5 p.m.) special. Tuesday’s Ladies Night includes a glass of wine with any entree, and most bottles of wine are half off on Wednesdays.

430 W. Touhy Ave. in Park Ridge. ShemroonKababHouse.com

Lobster fra Diavolo at Fire + Wine

Beat the Monday blues at the new Fire + Wine in Uptown Park Ridge, where pasta dishes are half price to start your week off on the right foot — or fork, in this case. The entire menu is a whirlwind of delicious options, but we got hooked on the lobster fra diavolo this fall (among other things).

A bed of pasta is topped with a generous portion of succulent shrimp, tender lobster, mushrooms, chives and a slightly spicy tomato sauce.

A bed of pennoni pasta is topped with a generous portion of succulent shrimp, tender lobster, mushrooms, chives and a slightly spicy tomato sauce. It’s just an incredible dish on a menu full of can’t-miss options.

608 W. Touhy Ave., unit C2 in Park Ridge. FireAndWine.net

Lamb chops latholemono at Social 18 Greek Kitchen

By now you’ve certainly grabbed a burger or gyro from Mully’s Grill — aka “the new Wally’s.” But have you enjoyed the Greek favorites from Social18, its sister restaurant and bar at the front of the building? The roasted chicken is always a favorite, but something you must try is the half pound of New Zealand lamb chops that are broiled with herbs, evoo, lemon and oregano.

Insider’s tip: Check out their daily specials, weekday happy hour and late-night events. It’s also become quite the spot for football watching.

24 Main Street in Park Ridge. Social18.com

Bourbon-glazed pork chop at Tavern on the Point

The short rib grilled cheese, fried chicken dinner and seared scallops regularly demand our attention at this Edison Park favorite, but there’s just something about a hearty pork chop that speaks to us in the wintertime. This is a 14-ounce bone-in pork chop that’s charbroiled and topped with a Jack Daniel’s glaze and served on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes.

Tavern on the Point’s 14-ounce bone-in pork chop is charbroiled and topped with a Jack Daniel’s glaze and served on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes.

Insider’s tip: Plenty of drink specials and half-price appetizers make for a rock solid weekday happy hour here from 3-6 p.m.

6724 N. Northwest Highway in Edison Park. TavernOnThePoint.com

Chicken and frites at Café Touché

This tribute to the casual bistros of France is the pride of Zagat award-winning chef Joseph Calabrese. Enjoy a warm European ambiance and delectable menu, and don’t forget to take advantage of the complimentary valet parking on those chilly evenings.

The chicken and frites consists of a half-roasted, all-natural chicken with herbs de provence, bacon, pearl onions and mushrooms, arriving at your table buried under a mound of fries sprinkled with sea salt. The mild onions and thick-cut bacon tips add a superb blend of flavors to the juicy chicken, and the frites could easily be a meal in their own right.

6731 N. Northwest Highway in Edison Park. CafeTouche.com

Chennai chicken 65 biryani at Mughal the Biryani House

If you’re looking for a modern, authentic Indian restaurant with a ton of options for everyone (vegetarian, chicken, lamb, fish, soups, rice dishes, etc.) at varying levels of spice, this is your spot. We enjoyed the Chennai chicken 65 biryani recently, and it’s a game changer. A large bowl of spiced rice layered with herbs and boneless biryani chicken that is marinated in a variety of seasonings, then topped with onions and lime.

It’ll warm you up on a cold evening, but its kick is totally manageable. Be prepared for leftovers, or plan to share with one or two people.

510 W. Touhy in Park Ridge. MughalTheBiryaniHouse.com

Une Année Brewery’s burnt ends

The menu at this popular Niles brewery is BBQ-focused, and there’s a good reason for that. They do it well. Very well. Lots of mouth-watering potential here, but we often find it too difficult to ignore their burnt ends. A half pound of the most well marbled part of their tender brisket is smoked, cubed and slathered in sauce. Pick a side like coleslaw, fries, smoked sweet potato, chili or mac and cheese and savor every bite.

Also worth noting is their weekday happy hour from 2:30-5:30 p.m., featuring half off appetizers and $4 select drafts, as well as a spacious patio for those warmer days.

6543 Gross Point Road in Niles. UneAnnee.com

The menu at this popular Niles brewery is BBQ-focused, and there’s a good reason for that. They do it well. Very well.