a la card

Who doesn’t love food – especially when one lives in the culinary capital of the world (what can we say – we’re modest)? Who doesn’t love vino and specialty cocktails? Who doesn’t love a good old fashioned game of cards? You’re probably thinking…which of these is not like the other? Well, with the advent of Natasha Liberman’s brainchild, a la card, the outcast of the aforementioned triumvirate seamlessly melds in with the others, proving that three can make a very good (and delicious) crowd.

A la card is a brilliant invention, especially for the consummate foodie. Liberman has put together a deck of 52 cards. No aces, jokers or queens here; each card is actually a $10 coupon for a different Chi-town restaurant. And not just any restaurant is included in this culinary deck – the top playing card proudly boasts that all restaurants (spanning 25 different neighborhoods, varied cuisines and multiple price points) are “chef-driven, owner-operated.”

Open your box of cards to find – in alphabetical order – a sampling of Chicago’s culinary finest. On one end of the spectrum, you’ve got Hot Doug’s, Jerry’s Sandwiches and Manny’s Deli; on the other (more expensive) end, you’ve got James Beard Award-winning chef Carrie Nahabedian’s Naha, David Burke’s Primehouse and MK.

According to Natasha, “a la card is a consortium of 52 Chicago restaurants…our business model is such that we invite the restaurants to participate – it’s not paid advertising for them – there is absolutely no cost to the restaurateur to participate. We feel this really speaks to the caliber of our participating restaurants. We select the restaurants based on merit – killer food and great passion from the chef/owner. Our focus is non-corporate, chef-driven/owner-operated places. We really want to support the ingenuity and good ole heart and soul you find within independent business.”

Now let’s do some math. A deck of 52 cards – each containing a $10 gift certificate – costs the buyer/foodie/wine-lover/awesome-gift-giver a measly $30. By the power of deduction, this deck pays for itself in three meals. Going out on a limb here, we’d say that most people go out to eat, at least, three times a year. Further than that (we’re really utilizing our high school mathematical skills here) – for $30, you can obtain $520 worth of $10 gift certificates. What does this equal? A no-brainer!

Not to mention, $1 of every deck is donated to Common Threads, a not-for-profit organization that educates children on the importance of nutrition and physical well-being, fostering an appreciation for cultural diversity through cooking.

Pop by Foodstuffs, Kafka Wine Company or the Printer’s Row Wine Shop (amongst others) or visit the a la card website to get your very own deck of culinary excellence. Remember – this ain’t your grandma’s card game.

A la food, a la wine, a la Chicago, a la card.