Opening

The new location of Le Colonial (57. E. Oak St., Gold Coast) is now open for business. Much of the menu is the same as it was at the previous location, but expect some new dishes, higher-end ingredients, and totally new presentations.

Morsels

In case you haven’t heard yet, there was a big fight between celebrity chef Cat Cora and the folks at Alinea this past weekend. The Trib has a full rundown, but here’s the short version: Cora showed up without a reservation and expected to be seated, and when Alinea couldn’t accommodate her, she got so mad she caused a scene and flipped off the staff. She then posted the whole mess to Instagram. But Alinea owner Nick Kokonas (not known for backing down in a fight) wrote an epic response, backed up with call logs and surveillance photos, detailing his version of the story. Bottom line? Make a reservation before you show up at Chicago’s only Michelin three-star restaurant. 

This Friday is International Women’s Day, and BLVD is ready to help you celebrate and do some good at the same time. This Friday and Saturday, the restaurant will be featuring by-the-glass pours from magnum bottles of Red Tail Ridge “Seneca Lake” Riesling (created by winemaker Nancy Irelan) and donating a portion of the proceeds to Girls in the Game, a local organization that promotes health and leadership skills in young women through sports.

The James Beard Awards announced this year’s semifinalists, and plenty of Chicago chefs and restaurants made the first cut. Kyōten and Passerotto are up for Best New Restaurant, Sarah Grueneberg of Monteverde is nominated for Outstanding Chef, and Income Tax is up for Outstanding Wine Program. As always, Best Chef: Great Lakes is dominated by Chicago names.