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Dream a Little Dream

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6 Questions for chef Tony Priolo, 37

Priolo, 37, is leaving Coco Pazzo on March 29th to open Piccolo Sogno (“little dream”), a casual, 80-seat Italian restaurant in the former Thyme/Timo space (464 N. Halsted St.)

D: You’ve been at Coco Pazzo a long time. Why the change?
TP: It’s been 11 years. I love this place but it’s time for me to give it a try on my own. I owe it to them to make sure this place is still going to be the same, so I’m training Chris [Macchia] from [Coco Pazzo] Café. He’s one of my best friends.

D: Where are you from originally?
TP: Grew up on Northwest Side by Harlem Avenue. Went to CHIC…

15 Minutes with … The White Tie Affair

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Move over, Fall Out Boy. The White Tie Affair, which bears a striking sonic resemblance to Pete Wentz and Co., is the latest boy band to come out of Chicago. The group, which signed with Epic Records a year ago, has been touring in support of its upcoming album, Get in Where You Fit In, out this April (check out the band’s new double video for the singles “Allow Me to Introduce Myself … Mr. Right” and “Candle (Sick and Tired)” on ngtv.com). The guys…

Seven Days, Seven Nights Out

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Don’t make us tell you twice: The weekend starts tonight, which means it’s time to get those social calendars squared away. And since Leap Year falls on Friday, we all score an extra night out—and you know how much LGS loves that. We’ve cherry-picked the best of what’s coming up in nightlife in the next seven days…

Randolph Street Gets Richer

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Coming Soon

Briejo (211 Harrison St., Oak Park), a promising spot in Oak Park’s arts district, is slotted to open in early May, with a helping hand from Jody André (Speakeasy) and Nicole Parthemore (She She). André and Parthemore are developing the menu for Brigette Lytle’s “American eclectic” restaurant. “It’ll be fine dining but a lot of comfort food,” says Lytle. “Like a center cut pork chop seared in a butter brandy. A truffled risotto. Also very thin-crust pizzas as well. Maybe five a night.”

Quotable

“Any time a person goes into a delicatessen and orders a pastrami on white bread…

The Weekend Starts Thursday

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Valentine’s Day is sufficiently behind us. In case you were wondering, The Boyfriend did a great job with his surprise plans. We dined at NoMi, at a table overlooking Michigan Avenue. Calling it “romantic” doesn’t even cut it. And my last-minute gift for him: tickets to Citizen Cope, whose music The Boyfriend introduced me to, and who plays the Vic this Saturday. See, even I can be sentimental—sometimes.

Moving forward, there’s no shortage of potential celebrity sightings and events this weekend. When it rains it pours…

Gluten-Free Goodies

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Bubbly Cuisine

When Alinea alums enter kitchens elsewhere, it’s always interesting. Andrew Brochu, 26, a veteran of Grant Achatz’s kitchen, has been named the exec chef at jazz lounge Pops For Champagne (601 N. State St.; 312-266-7677)—a seemingly unlikely place for an Alinea disciple. “I am working with the wine director to make sure that everything is Champagne-friendly,” says Brochu. “A lot of seafood, a lot of light flavors, nothing too sharp that will overwhelm the Champagnes.” For example, Brochu developed intriguing small plates such as Bollinger-poached lobster with smoked paprika risotto, pickled fennel, and lobster broth; and desserts such as chocolate cake with raspberries, milk pudding, violet gel, and…

Sure-Fire Sparks

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The pressure’s on for the perfect date, particularly around Valentine’s Day. Here are some foolproof, out-of-the-ordinary ideas to make your crush fall head over heels.

Naan-Stop Excitement

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The One Thing Randolph Ain’t Got

Angela Hepler-Lee, already a queen of Randolph Street as a partner in crowd-magnets Sushi Wabi and De Cero, adds another jewel to the crown in April: Veera Sway (844 W. Randolph St.; 312-491-0844), a 50-seat modern Indian spot next door to Sushi Wabi. “Indian for Americans is really untouched,” says Hepler-Lee, who named the restaurant for a chef in London who inspired the idea. The plan: “approachable Indian” in a rustic-yet-contemporary space designed by Amelia Briske, who masterminded a gut rehab of an old produce stand. The kitchen, run by Moto alum Tyler Williams, will be equipped with two tandoor ovens—one for bread, one for everything else; his menu will include coconut-seared scallops and lamb sausage with apricots and almonds, plus classics like chicken tikka masala. Williams, a self-described “mutt from Michigan,” is bolstering his knowledge of the cuisine in the home of Ranjana Bhargava, whom he identifies…