For a ‘hood known for its staunch tradition, Wrigleyville’s really shaking up this season with new stuff. Bat around these four news bites over peanuts and beer to show your fellow fans how in tune you are with what’s up in the land of the Cubs.
OPENING DAY BASHES
The Cubs play the Colorado Rockies at 1:20 p.m. at Wrigley Field (1060 W. Addison St.).
Log on to metromix.com for parties celebrating the Cubs’ home opener.
A new Wrigley Field bar
Wrigley Field hasn’t been christened with a new name thanks to corporate sponsorship (yet), but the shiny new sports bar replacing the Friendly Confines Cafe has. Dubbed Captain Morgan Club and operated by the Harry Caray Restaurant Group, the bar opens at 8 a.m. Monday, with Captain Morgan himself spreading the brand-name cheer. This open-air sports bar for up to 500 will stay open year-round, putting up walls for winter. Don’t expect the same menu as Harry Caray’s Tavern, though — the brief lineup here includes five sandwiches, two salads, hot dogs and nachos. Find it at the southeast corner, near Addison Street and Sheffield Avenue.
Quick hit: The bar’s few specialty drinks aren’t anything to cheer about (ready to order a $7 Captain Cubby made with the namesake rum and Pepsi?), but entrances from both the field and the street allow meet-ups between game watchers and their non-ticketholding pals.
TBOX, baseball season-style
Last December, more than 6,000 bargoers donned holiday get-ups to prance around Wrigleyville in single-digit weather during the 13th annual Twelve Bars of Christmas (TBOX) pub crawl. This spring, hit the streets for Cover Your Bases, a baseball-themed crawl planned forApril 25 by Chris Festa, owner of Festa T-Shirts and the force behind TBOX. While we suspect the drunk Santa count will be significantly lower, the concept’s equally kitschy: Begin at Rebel (3462 N. Clark St. 773-975-2010) and suit up in a shirt featuring all nine baseball positions. Tour eight other nearby bars in 50-minute time slots, collecting a sticker to slap on your shirt at each stop. $12 includes T-shirt and $2.50 Miller Lite bottles or drafts at participating bars. 1:30 p.m. April 25. Tickets: shopfesta.com/coveryourbases. View the bar itinerary on metromix.com.
Quick hit: Players who (literally) cover their bases can enter to win Cubs tickets and return to Rebel for a closing bash (10:30 p.m.).
Monster cocktails on Clark Street
Need a fresh post-game hang? Hit up The Stretch Bar & Grill (3485 N. Clark St. 773-755-3980). NoChance Productions (the folks behind Goodbar and Cortland’s Garage) gave the old Tryst address a face-lift, covering the walls with sleek cedar planks and stocking the bar with Mason jars to serve cocktails ranging from classic (the half-tea, half-lemonade Arnold Palmer) to funky (the 3 Olives Root Beer, made with root beer-flavored vodka, amaretto, Galliano herbal liqueur, cola and cream). Choose between a 16-ounce ($8-$10) and an extra-large 32-ounce size ($14-$18). That’s a full quart, people!
Quick hit: Fun updates on classic American eats (created by Jim August, known for his cooking at Cafe le Coq in Oak Park) include chili made with braised short ribs, triple-decker grilled cheese and playful desserts such as Twinkie truffles and Cracker Jack ice cream.
Rockit expands north
Get ready for Rockit, the sequel, opening as early as the week of April 20 in the former Tuscany space (3700 N. Clark St. 773-645-4400). Though this second location will be more intimate than the original Rockit’s lofty space, you still can expect those trusty antler chandeliers, a two-level layout, weekend brunch, patio seating for80-plus and even some of the same staff.
Quick hit: Billy Dec, CEO of operating company Rockit Ranch Productions, tells us he hopes to continue to replicate Rockit around town, tweaking the concept to fit the ‘hood. Here, that means a kids’ menu. Next up? Maybe Wicker Park or Bucktown, says Dec.
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lmarnett@tribune.com
