Bite Nite returned to Oak Park March 1 after a three-year hiatus post-pandemic.
Hosted at the Nineteenth Century Club by the Oak Park-River Forest Chamber of Commerce, the event attracted more than 260 guests and 30 volunteers who sampled local food and drinks from 26 vendors.
The purpose of Bite Nite is to connect businesses with the community, said chamber executive director Darien Marion-Burton — whether the vendors are tried and true favorites, or just opening up shop.
Kinslahger Brewing Company will celebrate its eight-year anniversary this weekend. Though Kinslahger has participated in every Bite Nite, its owner Keith Huizinga brought two new beers for people to try.
Val’s Helles, a German-style lager, is named after Val’s halla Records in Oak Park, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. Ein Beer No. 8 is a light bock beer that’s a part of Kinslaughter’s annual series.
Emilio Morrone, marketing director and a manager at Salerno’s Pizza, said this was the restaurant’s first time at Bite Nite, though his father co-founded Salerno’s nearly 18 years ago. At Salerno’s table, he handed out cups of fettuccine alfredo, both with and without chicken. He also offered pasta Isabella, a rigatoni with vodka sauce and homemade Italian sausage, and mostaccioli with marinara sauce, both family recipes.
“We wanted to show people that we offer more than just pizza,” Marrone said. “We’re trying to stay relevant in Oak Park and showcase our family’s food.”
Though the event was Pretty Please Bistro’s first Bite Nite, since the restaurant opened in January, Nicole Newsom — who co-owns Pretty Please Bistro with her sister, Tracey Tucker, and Deron Tucker — said guests “bombarded us.”
“They have said they’re looking forward to us being here tonight,” Tracey Tucker added. In addition to offering bites of chicken on waffle buns, Pretty Please Bistro made two lemonades. Their top-selling Pardon Me lemonade has a touch of cream and coconut, while the Please and Thank You lemonade is pink and fruity.
“These are our signature lemonades, but you absolutely have to stop by and try our food,” Newsom said. “We are home of the macaroni-and-cheese waffle cone: the perfect marriage of sweet and savory.”
It was also the first Bite Nite for Kettlestrings Restaurant Group, which opened their first restaurant Kettlestrings Tavern in 2020. Rob Guenthner, president of Kettlestrings Restaurant Group and of the board of directors of the OPRF Chamber of Commerce, said that he wishes Bite Nite drives new customers to Oak Park restaurants: “I hope everybody finds something in the community that they maybe didn’t know about or didn’t get around to trying.”
