Local

Join us for our 2nd Annual Lettuce Wine & Dine You event hosted at Mon Ami Gabi. 11950 Democracy Drive, Reston, VA, and enjoy the variety of flavors that are Lettuce Entertain You® restaurants.  This special four course dinner will be held on Monday, September 26 and will feature signature dishes from Mon Ami Gabi, Community Canteen, Wildfire and Big Bowl. Executive Chefs from each restaurant will be on hand to discuss the influences behind each dish and present their own food and wine pairing.  The event begins with a reception at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m.

September 17 at 9:00 AM
Class location:
Big Bowl
11915 Democracy Drive
Reston, VA 20190

Big Bowl’s popular dumplings are among the top served items at the restaurants. Served with either a classic ginger soy or a fiery hot pepper dip, these meaty little pockets do not fail to satisfy.

September 10; 1:30 and 2:30 PM

Big Bowl has close ties to local growers. They have partnered this year with Heritage Prairie Farm in LaFox, IL, where they have two acres of farmland set aside to grow 19 varieties of sustainable and organic produce. All of the varieties have been personally selected from heirloom seeds by Executive Chef and Partner Marc Bernard. Big Bowl employees make bi-weekly trips to the farm to tend the fields, and the results can be seen on the stir fry bar and in fresh, seasonal specials.

A Big Bowl cooking demonstration and football are always in season, especially in the fall and during this year's inaugural Magnificant Mile Shopping Festival when Chef Dave Histed gets an assist Sunday, September 3 from Bears right tackle, J’Marcus Webb.

Starting at 1 p.m. at the Shops at Northbridge, 520 N.

If it's Monday, it must be half-priced bottles of wines at all of the Big Bowl locations in the Chicago area - both downtown restaurants and the one in Lincolnshire and Schaumburg.

The wine list, created by Master Sommelier Alpana Signh, features fair trade, organic and sustainable wines. It also includes wines produced in Illinois that are fun and refreshing.

 

In the spirit of ancient Chinese customs, Big Bowl and Heritage Prairie Farm will host a grand banquet to celebrate the bounty and uniqueness of their partnership around the auspicious full moon.
 
The Red Moon Farm Dinner, featuring 15 dishes, will be Thursday, August 18, 2011 beginning at 6 p.m., at the farm, located at 2N 308 Brundige Road in La Fox, IL.  This special event is priced at $65 per person, exclusive of tax.
 

Every year, "Northern Virginia Magazine" publishes a 'Best Of' issue, featuring everything from dining, shopping, services and so on. Big Bowl in Reston is honored to have been selected for 'Best Potstickers.' Potstickers are a serious matter at Big Bowl. They are the number one served appetizer, and an item that people order again and again. Our are made with all natural chicken and served with three delicious dippings sauces; sesame mustard, plum and a classic ginger soy.

Join Big Bowl and seventeen area restaurants at the Taste of Lincolnshire this weekend for a host of food, live music and entertainment, and fun activities for the family. This popular summer festival is presented by the Greater Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce at the Village Green in Lincolnshire. For more information and a schedule of live music and events, click here.

Join us on Thursday, July 14 for our first ever Lettuce Wine & Dine You Lincolnshire wine dinner event, featuring the variety of flavors that are Lettuce Entertain You® Restaurants, featuring Big Bowl & Wildfire!  Guests will be taken on a culinary journey through Eastern & Western cuisines, while enjoying cocktails and wine pairings along the way!  The delicious trip includes an assortment of Big Bowl signature starters such as Shrimp Summer Rolls, followed by a s

Join us for our 9^th year of participation. This year’s festivities will take place June 17^th and 18^th on Market Street in beautiful Reston Town Center.

Big Bowl on Ohio Street and Big Bowl in Schaumburg are both offering Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) to the residents of River North and in Schaumburg. 

Beginning June 7^th and continuing every Tuesday through October 4^th, Simply Wisconsin will drop off locally grown produce, organic eggs, and other products to both locations.  Anyone who has purchased a seasonal “share” from the farm will pick up their products and enjoy the benefits of eating locally grown, organic

Join Big Bowl at the Taste of Edina this Thursday, along with other area restaurants and offerings from Edina’s three liquor stores. This annual event celebrates the town’s “Food, Wine and Community,” and proceeds benefit the Edina Chamber of Commerce.

Other participating restaurants include D’Amico and Sons, The Good Earth, P.F. Changs, Salut Bar Americain , Eden Avenue Grill, among others. As far as wines, every varietal from Chardonnay to Zinfandels will be found.

May 21 – 9:00 AM

At Big Bowl, the Summer Rolls are some of the most popular appetizers. Fresh, light, and not fried, the rolls can be made with a variety of fillings, from seafood to chicken to vegetables. Summer Rolls are called Gỏi cuốn in Vietnamese; literally “mix salad roll,” and these tasty rolls are a perfect starter or light meal on their own. Chef Oscar Huerta demonstrates how to make Big Bowl’s popular appetizer at home.

"Time Out Chicago" has selected Big Bowl as being in the top five picks for restaurants "Doing Cool Things With Kids Menus." There isn’t any mac and cheese; there are kid sized portions of the dishes that adults like to eat at Big Bowl, which makes kids feel pretty special. Parents can also feel good that their kids are eating all natural chicken, beef or pork, and there are no trans fats or corn syrup in any of the kids menu items.

Check out the “Time Out Kids” magazine for many more recommendations on kid friendly dining and events.

The opportunity to give the Earth one giant hug of appreciation comes around again on Saturday, March 26 for the globally celebrated Earth Hour.

As in years past, all Big Bowl locations will participate by turning off and dimming as many lights as possible from the designated Earth hour of 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.(your local time).

Continuing in the tradition of focusing on all things local, this month’s Fortune Hour at Big Bowl on Ohio presents locally produced artwork and locally crafted beer. Attendance is free!

Artwork by Richee Estrada

Chicago artist Estrada is known for using recycled materials and paints to create his work.

Each year during our Chinese New Year celebration, one of our favorite things to do is to give free dumpling cooking classes.* Why do we do this? Well, we love Chinese New Year. It’s about new beginnings and creating good fortune for yourself and others, and this is one of the ways we like to say thank you to our guests.

But why dumplings?

Even the hardiest winter warriors appreciate coming in from the cold, especially those with kids or anyone who needs a mental health day now and again. The ideal place? A day at the museum when it's free.

When winter starts to settle in and unsettle us with its cold temperatures, the equalizing factor is soup - a bowl of goodness that's hot, warm and comforting.

At Big Bowl, the hot and sour soup remedies the cold with its depth of flavor, heat and zing. A classic soup from China's north which knows a thing or two about the cold, hot and sour soup is both yin and yang. No wonder it so easily warms after coming in from the cold.

In the spirit of the season, this Thursday's Fortune Hour at Big Bowl on Ohio is all about giving back to the community. We are collecting new and gently used coats, hats and gloves for underserved and needy students from Spencer Elementary in Chicago.

This Saturday, November 20, check out the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival in downtown Chicago. The lighting procession is hosted by Grand Marshall Mickey Mouse and close friend Minnie as they lead the way in the illumination of more than one million lights on Michigan Avenue, from Oak Street to Wacker Drive.

Just because the weather is getting cooler, it does not mean that our local farmers are hibernating like bears. It's true, you won't find strawberries, but it's squash season and the brussel sprouts are coming in...there is a plethora of beautiful produce available. In addition, you can find local cheeses and baked goods, local meats, eggs and poultry.
"But where are they? They are not in the usual spot." Like any sensible people, they have moved indoors.

On Thursday, November 4, Chef Raul Gutierrez gave another cooking demonstration at the Williams Sonoma in Edina. Chef Raul showed the techniques for cooking Big Bowl's chicken broth, which is at the heart of many soups and sauces in the restaurant. He then demonstrated how to easily turn the broth into a meal in a bowl, with a recipe and maybe a little creativity at home.

Pint-sized creatures and other masked goblins will soon be on the prowl for Halloween, which means cities throughout Illinois have designated days and hours for trick-or-treating. Click here for a complete list.

As a reminder, communities are also providing a check-list of safety measures that can apply to any city. Take a look here for a refresher.

 

 

The day has finally arrived...Block 37 is here! The last buildings to have stood on this site--bordered by State, Washington, Dearborn and Randolph-- were leveled in 1989. Since that time the property has had a number of functions; from public art gallery to ice skating rink.

Heritage Prairie Farm, Elburn Illinois (one hour west of Chicago)
Early Dinner, 4:30 to 7:30 pm
$125 dinner
Includes round-trip transportation from Chicago
Guests will also receive a goody bag containing over $100 worth of LEYE gift certificates and surpises from Whole Foods

The Autumn Harvest Supper will benefit FamilyFarmed.org, one of the country’s leading non-profit organizations that supports family farmers and local food.

Chef Raul Gutierrez was back at Williams-Sonoma in Edina today, with another cooking demonstration of some of Big Bowl's most popular items; Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps and Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps. Some people call lettuce wraps the tacos of Asian food, using a crisp lettuce leaf to hold the flavorful filling instead of a tortilla. Chef Raul showed two opposing styles; the classic savory Chinese vs the light, bright crisp flavor of the Thai version.

On the first Thursday of every month, the Big Bowl on Ohio and Rush has an after work party called the "Fortune Hour." Every month is a little different, but we always try to spread good fortune by celebrating local products, businesses, and even local artists.

Join Big Bowl, Wildfire and ten other local eateries at the 12th annual Taste of the Lakes

Date: Friday, September 24, 2010
Time: 6:30 pm to 11:30 pm
Where: Bay View Event Center, Excelsior, MN

Don't miss this fun filled evening of food, music, wine, auctions and more, all benefiting the following:

-ICA Your Local Food Shelf
-Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners
-WeCan..Western Communities Action Network, Inc

Participating Restaurants :
Big Bowl
Wildfire
Bayside Griil
Bayview Family Ve

Last Tuesday, the chefs and managers from the three Minnesota Big Bowls spent a day out at Untiedt’s Farm in Waverly Minnesota. Big Bowl chefs dedicate a lot of time and energy to sourcing local produce, and Untiedt’s has become one of our main suppliers. Untiedt’s goals are right up our alley; family, employee and agricultural harmony.

A taste of prosperity accompanies each Big Bowl Fortune Hour, and now the ongoing event can make us all the richer in the arts.

The next Fortune Hour - Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010 from 5 p.m. tp 7 p.m. - brings the artwork of Michael Reese Heavner, an ironworker-turned painter who uses reclaimed wood and discarded paint as a medum. His artwork will be available for purchase at the event and remain on display for two weeks. Heavner, known as "Heavy," began painting as a way to reuse wood from an 1860s barn.

We had so much fun at our last “Farm to Bar”* bash at Ohio and Rush, we are bringing it to Big Bowl in Minnetonka, MN, on Thursday September 16th from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. In conjunction with Big Bowl’s philosophy of using local and seasonal produce whenever possible, we are applying the same principles to the special cocktails for this event.

Wildfire, Big Bowl, Mon Ami Gabi and Community Canteen partner to present a special food and wine pairing dinner.

The calendar says summer but spring cleaning is in order for those who want to dispose of old computers, cell phones, electronics and other appliances at the Village of Lincolnshire's Electronic Collection Event on Friday, Aug. 20, 2010. The items can be dropped of at at the Public Works Facility, 205 Schelter Rd., Lincolnshire from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

All plastic and metal will be recycled. Computer hard drives will be ground and recycled with metal. The acceptable items according to SWALCO (Solid Waste Agency of Lake County) which is handling the event include:

Chef Ozzie Ocegueda from Big Bowl on Cedar thinks that this has been one of the best summer growing seasons in the past few years. The variety that has been available at the farmer's market has been amazing, and the flavors outstanding. There are just some summers where you get the perfect combination of sun and rainfall that brings everything to ultimate fruition.

Ozzie has been spending a couple of days every week picking up what's best at the market, and he decided that it was time to give back.

Who are the people at Big Bowl and what do they do? Meet them here under the Spotlight.

Who: Bobby Rogers

Alias:  Triple B for "Big Bowl Bob"

Years at Big Bowl: 10

Position: Divisional Trainer, Staff Whisperer.

What you would do if you weren't working at Big Bowl: professional tri athlete and a personal
trainer with a focus in nutrition.

Reston celebrates its 46th birthday this weekend at Reston Town Center with two days of festivities featuring live music, performances, and three stages of fun, including one dedicated to kids. The party starts at noon on both days and ends around 10 p.m. Saturday, and 7 p.m. Sunday.

A full schedule of events can be found here but some of the not-to-be-missed fun are included in our Top 10 Reston Festival Fun Weekend:

A part of what makes Big Bow such a great place to dine and return to time and time again is the people. We'll regularly shine the spotlight on the individuals who make Big Bowl a fun dining experience so if you have a favorite server or know of an attention-deserving someone at your local Big Bowl, please let us know. For now, tune into AM 950 on July 31 when Chef Keith will be featured on the radio show hosted by Susan Berkson.

Keith Wood, chef at Big Bowl Roseville

The 4th of July is over but backyard barbecues, picnics and summer gatherings have many more weeks to come. Here's a look at favorite outdoor games.

How do you pass the time? Got any favorites? Share them below for others to enjoy.

 

Walk or bike to the Green City Market, pick up truly farm fresh eggs, peruse table after glorious table of just picked seasonal produce and then take a seat to watch Executive Chef Marc Bernard's cooking demonstration at 10:30 a.m., tomorrow, June 26. You'd be hard pressed to find a better way to spend a Saturday morning in the city.

Who has the best takeout in the Twin Cities? According to the June issue of Edina Magazine, it's Big Bowl.

For the sixth year, the editors of Edina Magazine, one of the suburban publications of Metro Mag, asked readers to name their favorite destinations. They responded in "droves, telling us everything from the best day care and best barber, to best dessert and best massage therapist," says the magazine.

Big Bowl in Schaumburg is bringing the farmer closer to the community through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).

Every Wednesday beginning June 16 through October, Simply Wisconsin will drop off locally grown produce, organic eggs, meat, and other products to the Big Bowl in Schaumburg, allowing consumers who have purchased a seasonal “share” to enjoy organic fruits, vegetables and other items directly from nearby farms.

Big Bowl supports local farmers. If you live in the St. Paul area check out the St. Paul Farmers' Market.

We’re pleased that Didier Farms, established in 1912, has not given way to McMansions and continues to provide the community with its impressive farmstand, greenhouse of potted flowers and plants, pumpkin patches that would make Charlie Brown proud and the tours provided to area schools.