Chanukwanzamas, LTH Holiday Party, 12/3, Avli Estiatorio

Chanukwanzamas, LTH Holiday Party, 12/3 Avli Estiatorio

The first year of our holiday party, we went Bohemian (Klas), then we moved through Chinese (Ed’s Potsticker House), Jewish (Manny’s), BBQ and Mexican (Chuck’s), Chinese again (Sun Wah) and last year Swedish (Tre Kroner).

But we’ve never gone Greek.

Until now.

This year, we’re holding our event at Avli Estiatorio, December 3, 2011, starting at 6:30PM

Avli, a GNR winner, has been lovingly praised by many LTH notables:

“fantastic, eye-opening” ronnie_suburban

“doing some very innovative things with a familiar cuisine” stevez

“Clean fresh well executed flavors, interactive thoughtful friendly owner.” GWiv

“loukaniko…is first-rate” LAZ

"freshness and very high quality of the ingredients impressed the whole table" Gypsy Boy

“I really love this place” Jazzfood


Fried zucchini with skordalia.


Locanico, Greek sausage with orange rind and herbs.


Braised lamb shanks with giant Greek white beans.


Lentil salad.

Menu. Avli's Owner Louie Alexikas, a big fan of LTH, is working out the party menu, which will include dishes from their regular menu, many of which have been discussed here, as well as some festive/special off-menu items that will be prepared especially for our party.

Starters:
Filo stuffed shrimp - cheese and herbs
Greek cheese course - smoked Metsovo, Cretan Graviera, and Ipirus kefalotyri, Greek fig and olive puree

Salad:
Winter Dakos: Seared tomatoes and baked goat cheese over Creatan barley rusks

Appetizers:
Gigandes - giant Greek white beans in a tomato sauce
Zucchini chips & Skordalia
Grilled Octopus

Entrees:
Sun-dried tomato and olive stuffed Leg of Lamb (Avli's holiday special)
Cretan Honey'd beef (A new special that is very popular)
Berkshire pork loin or chop w/feta and giant bean crumble
Papoutsakia - stuffed eggplant
Artichokes and peas

Desserts:
Castana ke Meli - Roasted chestnuts with Greek honey

Tickets. Tickets are set at $61.80, and that includes dinner (alcohol is extra and will be individually billed; BYO wine and beer: $5 corkage for wine; no corkage for beer), tax, tip, and a buck or so toward the LTH picnic permit next year. As in years past, all ticket sales will go through Brown Paper Tickets (small transaction fee required). Just go to the site and enter your information. Ticket sales close at noon, December 2, 2011. Once you’re paid, we’ll get updates from Brown Paper Tickets and we’ll enter your name on the guest list. Seating is limited to 90.

Order tickets here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/209203

Tickets are non-refundable though they are transferrable, so if you buy a ticket and your plans change, you can sell your ticket to another member of the LTH community. If you do sell your ticket, please let us know who you sold it to.

Gift Exchange. If you want, please bring a food-related raffle item. For the raffle/gift exchange, all gifts go into a pool and names are drawn. Please bring gifts that they'd be happy to receive. If you do bring a gift, you get a ticket and are guaranteed one gift in exchange. We’ve set the price for each gift around $15. Please don't wrap the gift -- we like to see what people are winning before they win it -- but please do put your name (real name or screen name or both) on the gift so that lucky winners know who to thank.

If, like me, you’ve never been to Avli, the Laundry Mall, or Winnetka, then this is the chance of a lifetime -- or at least a very suitable opportunity -- to check out all of those exotic locales when you come to Chanukwanzamas, LTHForum.Com Holiday Party 2011.

Avli Estiatorio
566 Chestnut St
Winnetka, IL 60093
Phone (847) 446-9300

GUEST LIST

1. David Hammond
2. Carolyn Berg
3. stevez
4. Chow Poodle
5. ronnie_suburban
6. julie_suburban
7. tarte tatin
8. Cathy2
9. Chouxfly
10. Mamagotcha
11. Josephine
12. Ray
13. boudreaulicious
14. GAF
15. Guest of GAF
16. JimInLoganSquare
17. Mrs. JimInLoganSquare
18. EvA
19. Cabbagehead
20. mbh friend
21. mbh
22. Leek
23. Mr. Leek
24. Jeremy S (please pm your screen name)
25. soft boiled
26. Amy with softboiled
27. lazygal09
28. irisarbor
29. Mr. irisarbor (Frank)
30. RAB
31. REB
32. laikom
33. Terese laikom
34. borborigmy
35. Jill, borborigmy's guest
36. Jill, borborigmy's guest
37. Turkob
38. Mrs. Turkob
39. George, Turkob's guest
40. Constantine, Turkob's guest
41. Hellodali
42. Hannah, Pairs4Life friend
43. Bobby, Pairs4Life friend
44. milz50
45. Helen G,
46. Gunnar, Helen G's husband
47. Marianne, Helen G's daughter
48. Laura, Cathy2's sister
49. Brittany, Cathy2's niece
50. Phil, Cathy2's guest
51. gypsyboy
52. JermAngela
53. Chingation
54. Lemoneater
55. Tim - Mr. Lemoneater
56. Jazzfood
57. Jazzfood's Fiance
58. Pairs4Life
59. Ellen F, Cathy2's friend
60. Mark5
61. evelyn
62. Giovanna
63. edc
64. Susan (edc)
65. Cinnamon Girl
66. Spiceman

There are 85 seats maximum.

Just purchased my ticket! So excited to get back to Avli with LTH!

We'll be there. Love the Greek theme!

Cabbagehead and I will be there. We always enjoy our meals at Avli. Thanks for making the arrangements!

Never been to this place, but we love Greek- so what could be bad?

Just got 2 tickets, for myself and Teresa. Missed last year and kicked myself for it! Looking forward!

I can't miss this. Is Louie clearing a space for dancing?

Can't wait to see the menu!

Menu
Avli's Owner Louie Alexikas, a big fan of LTH, has worked out the party menu:

Starters:
Filo stuffed shrimp - cheese and herbs
Greek cheese course - smoked Metsovo, Cretan Graviera, and Ipirus kefalotyri, Greek fig and olive puree

Salad:
Winter Dakos: Seared tomatoes and baked goat cheese over Creatan barley rusks

Appetizers:
Gigandes - giant Greek white beans in a tomato sauce
Zucchini chips & Skordalia
Grilled Octopus

Entrees:
Sun-dried tomato and olive stuffed Leg of Lamb (Avli's holiday special)
Cretan Honey'd beef (A new special that is very popular)
Berkshire pork loin or chop w/feta and giant bean crumble
Papoutsakia - stuffed eggplant
Artichokes and peas

Desserts:
Castana ke Meli - Roasted chestnuts with Greek honey

This menu looks great! I can hardly wait.

mmmmm Grilled Octopus.....
(think Homer Simpson saying donuts....)

Wow! Really terrific-looking menu! Can't wait.

Looks awesome. Unfortunately our Next tickets are for that night so we won't be able to make it. I hope everyone has fun though...and happy holidays to all!

Damn. Previous party commitment that night. Hate missing it, especially at Avli. I'm sure a good time will be had by all, though.

HI,

SteveZ advised there will be Great Neighborhood Restaurant/Resource posters for the raffle.

There are 28 seats left!

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:SteveZ advised there will be Great Neighborhood Restaurant/Resource posters for the raffle.

Not for the raffle. They are door prizes. Everyone will get one. I've got some other stuff for the raffle.

Hi Everyone!

A few more things for the Annual Holiday Party:

I have gotten a few goodies myself from vendors to hand out! So expect an Avli goodie bag too
Also, there will be 1 more dessert I just haven't finalized which on yet.

Hope to see you all soon,

Louie

Just got another ticket for my sister, Evelyn. Her LTH handle is also evelyn.

Baking gingerbread today...
it took 3 tries to get the dome right....
sigh.

irisarbor wrote:Baking gingerbread today...
it took 3 tries to get the dome right....
sigh.

That's so amazing.

Hi all,

In keeping with the spirit of the season and our established tradition of giving during the holidays (thanks, Vital Information, for starting this tradition), we're encouraging each guest to bring a few cans of food to the party on Saturday night, where it will be collected, and later delivered to the West Deerfield Township Food Pantry.

You generosity will be greatly appreciated by those in need, especially at this time of year.

Thanks,

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:Hi all,

In keeping with the spirit of the season and our established tradition of giving during the holidays (thanks, Vital Information, for starting this tradition), we're encouraging each guest to bring a few cans of food to the party on Saturday night, where it will be collected, and later delivered to the West Deerfield Township Food Pantry.

You generosity will be greatly appreciated by those in need, especially at this time of year.

Thanks,

=R=

Thanks, Ronnie, for keeping the tradition going.

Does the food pantry have any specific requests? (we need THIS not THAT sort of thing)

I will suggest Rob's suggestions a few years ago apply just about anywhere:

Subject: LTH Forum Food Drive

Vital Information wrote:As it is time for the LTHForum Holiday Party, it is also time for the LTHForum food drive (and food drive debate ). At the December 6 party at Chuck's, please bring an item that will be provided to the Oak Park Food Pantry. As you can imagine, demand for the food pantry has increased. On my last two volunteer shifts, I would say there has been at least a 50% increase in the amount of families asking for food donations. The very generous contributions from the Holiday Party in the past years has really helped the Food Pantry help the community*

Sure, you can donate any non-perishable food item you want with this big caveat: this is not a pantry cleaning expedition. No smoked oysters. Nothing from Trader Joe's that seemed cool at the time.

That said, I, me personally, VI, would highly suggest you bring what I call luxuries. Caviar for the food pantry you ask? Is it a holiday thing. Nope. I mean food pantry luxuries, and by that, I mean things people really want, and really need, but are not somehow included in the usual. These include:

- Coffee
- Sugar
- Cooking oils (this would be my number 1 suggestion)
- Flour and any baking supplies
- Mayo
- Any and all paper products such as toilet paper, paper towels, napkins and tissues
- Diapers

The LTHForum Community is a giving community. They've answered this food drive call repeatedly as well as answering other calls such as the Thanksgiving BBQs and the Katrina feed. It makes the Holiday Party that much more special.

Rob

*Although based in Oak Park, the food pantry serves individuals from many areas in Cook County.

leek wrote:Does the food pantry have any specific requests? (we need THIS not THAT sort of thing)

The folks at the food pantry tell me they are most in need of the following:

Protein, such as tuna, salmon, chicken, etc.
Laundry Detergent, in smaller -- but not individual-sized -- containers
Low-Sugar, Low-Salt Fruits and Vegetables
Paper Goods, like toilet paper and paper towels (but not diapers)

I hope that helps folks figure out what they can bring.

Thanks again,

=R=

Menu
Avli's Owner Louie Alexikas, a big fan of LTH, has worked out the party menu:

Starters:
Filo stuffed shrimp - cheese and herbs
Greek cheese course - smoked Metsovo, Cretan Graviera, and Ipirus kefalotyri, Greek fig and olive puree

Salad:
Winter Dakos: Seared tomatoes and baked goat cheese over Creatan barley rusks

Appetizers:
Gigandes - giant Greek white beans in a tomato sauce
Zucchini chips & Skordalia
Grilled Octopus

Entrees:
Sun-dried tomato and olive stuffed Leg of Lamb (Avli's holiday special)
Cretan Honey'd beef (A new special that is very popular)
Berkshire pork loin or chop w/feta and giant bean crumble
Papoutsakia - stuffed eggplant
Artichokes and peas

Desserts:
Castana ke Meli - Roasted chestnuts with Greek honey



GUEST LIST
1. David Hammond
2. Carolyn Berg
3. stevez
4. Chow Poodle
5. ronnie_suburban
6. julie_suburban
7. tarte tatin
8. Cathy2
9. Chouxfly
10. Mamagotcha
11. Josephine
12. Ray
13. boudreaulicious
14. GAF
15. Guest of GAF
16. JimInLoganSquare
17. Mrs. JimInLoganSquare
18. EvA
19. Cabbagehead
20. mbh friend
21. mbh
22. Leek
23. Mr. Leek
24. Jeremy S (please pm your screen name)
25. soft boiled
26. Amy with softboiled
27. lazygal09
28. irisarbor
29. Mr. irisarbor (Frank)
30. RAB
31. REB
32. laikom
33. Terese laikom
34. borborigmy
35. Jill, borborigmy's guest
36. Jill, borborigmy's guest
37. Turkob
38. Mrs. Turkob
39. George, Turkob's guest
40. Constantine, Turkob's guest
41. Hellodali
42. Hannah, Pairs4Life friend
43. Bobby, Pairs4Life friend
44. milz50
45. Helen G,
46. Gunnar, Helen G's husband
47. Marianne, Helen G's daughter
48. Laura, Cathy2's sister
49. Brittany, Cathy2's niece
50. Phil, Cathy2's guest
51. gypsyboy
52. JermAngela
53. Chingation
54. Lemoneater
55. Tim - Mr. Lemoneater
56. Jazzfood
57. Jazzfood's Fiance
58. Pairs4Life
59. Ellen F, Cathy2's friend
60. Mark5
61. evelyn
62. Giovanna
63. edc
64. Susan (edc)
65. Cinnamon Girl
66. Spiceman

There are 85 seats maximum.

When purchasing your ticket, please send me a PM with your screen name and name of your guest(s). I use this for making name tags later as well as checking people in.

Regards,

Hi,

Reservations are open until Friday at 6 pm.

Giovanna and Hellodali will reprise their roles as Carol Merrill and Vanna White for the gift raffle.

Please bring a gift you would like to receive with a value of $15. Items have ranged from homebaked and canned goods to food travel souvenirs. Affix your name, so the recipient will know whom to thank.

Looking forward to Saturday!

Regards,

To get your raffle imaginations going...

Another amazing creation!

mbh wrote:Another amazing creation!

Wow! But what's going to top that besides a side of hand massaged Kobe-Beef? It is beautiful as usual.