Eat. Watch. Do. — Italian beef through the ages, winter arts guide, plus Restaurant Week menus

It’s Thursday, Chicago.

Maybe you’re brave enough to poke your head out the door after plunging temperatures and icy roads this week. Or maybe you’re letting the hibernation continue — we won’t judge.

In food news, chow down on the history of Chicago’s most iconic sandwich, which was once overtaken by another meaty mess in terms of popularity. Or pore over our reports on five standout Chicago Restaurant Menus.

Over in entertainment, we have a review for a new murder mystery on Hulu, and a roundup of the best museums, comedy shows and more to explore this winter.

Enjoy the weekend, we’ll see you back here next week.

— Lauryn Azu, deputy senior editor

This year’s festival will have productions from five continents, with most shows intended for adults. Read what to expect here.

When most people think of Chicago’s sandwich of choice, the first answer is usually the Italian beef. That hasn’t always been the case. Brush up on your history here.

A murder mystery on a swanky Mediterranean cruise, with Mandy Patinkin’s private eye on the case, has enamored Tribune critic Nina Metz. Read her full review here.

Eat. Watch. Do.

Weekly

What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life … now.

From Cuban classics to a menu inspired by French and Asian flavors, the Tribune Food team has selected five Chicago Restaurant Week menus we’re excited to try. Read about them here.

Tribune critic Michael Phillips calls writer-director Jonathan Glazer’s “Zone of Interest,” based on the novel of the same name, “an achievement destined for serious debate.” Read more about the film here.

Cohasset Punch, a ruby-red beverage served in Chicago from 1899 to the late 1980s, is being revived by Chicagoan Greg Shutters. Explore the drink’s heritage here.

To give you some relief from the seasonal sports weariness, Tribune reporter Rick Kogan has the rundown on two books that should warm these winter days. Get engrossed in the stories of Chicago sports legends here.

Juliette Binoche of “The Taste of Things”: “As human beings we carry everything with us, all the time, and it’s all being revealed while you’re shooting. That is the magic of it.” Read the full interview here.

Enzo’s & Carmelcorn, an Italian beef joint and candy store that was a mainstay in downtown Chicago Heights since the 1940s and has ties to notorious gangster Albert Tocco, is set to close in March. Read its storied history here.

From the writers, columnists and critics of A+E, all of the Tribune’s winter 2024 guides for arts and entertainment. See the full list here.