Eat. Watch. Do. — Mother’s Day food specials and staycation ideas, plus ‘London Road’ review

It’s Thursday, Chicago.

May the Force be with you on this sunny Star Wars Day. We hope you’re re-upping your vitamin D outdoors this weekend, now that it seems the skies will be sun-friendly for a spell.

This week in food news, we have some exciting new openings, as well as a review for a barbecue-focused pop-up inside Spilt Milk Tavern. We’ve also compiled over 60 restaurants doing dine-in and takeout specials for Mother’s Day next Sunday, which means you still have time to plan the perfect day for mom.

If you’re tuning into real-life royal festivities this weekend, the premiere of “Bridgerton” prequel “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story” may be on your radar as well, and critic Nina Metz examines the series in her latest column here.

Have a great weekend, we’ll see you here next week.

— Lauryn Azu, deputy senior editor

Carmelo Esterrich, Columbia College professor of humanities and cultural studies, will be celebrating May 4 to the tune of John Williams’ “The Imperial March.” For several years, Esterrich has taught courses on the myth, meaning, political implications and fan fiction generated by “Star Wars.” His 2021 book “Star Wars Multiverse” analyzes the cultural phenomenon, and Tribune film critic Michael Phillips interviews Esterrich about the film series’ lasting legacy here.

At pop-up restaurant Umamicue in Logan Square, pitmaster Charles Wong is exploring Chinese- and Vietnamese-inspired barbecue inside Spilt Milk Tavern. But Wong’s success didn’t happen overnight — he left a career in finance to follow his culinary aspirations.

Today “Umamicue’s decidedly Vietnamese American prime brisket banh mi has become Wong’s signature,” critic Louisa Chu writes, where “crunchy pickled daikon and carrots nestle within swipes of housemade chile barbecue sauce and Kewpie mayonnaise.” Read the rest of her review here.

The “Bridgerton” prequel, “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story,” premieres on Netflix this weekend and explores the fictional queen’s rise to power. Fans of the original series will find a lot of the same compelling aspects, like opulent settings and a likable and diverse ensemble cast. But Tribune critic Nina Metz writes that “both series sidestep a glaring reality: The significant links to slavery among Britain’s wealthy and elite.” Read her thoughts on the series’ depiction of monarchy here.

No gift for mom yet? Chicago-area restaurants may have you covered this Mother’s Day, and it’s not too late to book a nice brunch or breakfast-in-bed order.

Read on here for a special near you.

“London Road,” the Shattered Globe Theatre Company’s first musical in years, is “about the craving for what used to pass as normalcy, about how much we miss everyday life when some kind of crisis envelops us,” critic Chris Jones writes. The play is more like a docudrama, chronicling the aftermath of the murders of five sex workers in a quiet English town, directed by Elizabeth Margolius. Read his complete review of the powerful performance here.

Chef Stephanie Izard just reopened Little Goat Diner in Lakeview’s Southport Corridor last month after relocating from the West Loop. The menu features soft-serve ice cream, all-day breakfast, burgers and a Cheez-It sundae. Read more about the restaurant and seven other recently opened places to eat here.

Kara Jackson’s full-length album “Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?” earned rave reviews from The New Yorker, Pitchfork, NPR and other publications. She dedicated the album to her late childhood friend Maya-Gabrielle Gary, and explores the complexity of grief in her lyrics. Read her interview with critic Hannah Edgar here.

Three Chicagoans will be competing in the latest season of “The Great American Baking Show,” which premieres Friday on The Roku Channel. The contestants shared their experiences baking and filming the show, plus their favorite recipes here.

This Saturday at the Auditorium Theatre, musicians with the Chicago Philharmonic will bring “The Batman” score to life as part of the “DC in Concert” series. The orchestra will play on stage beneath the screen showing the film, and it’s part of a bevy of upcoming film score programming in Chicago. Read more about the screening — critic Michael Phillips says to “go, and listen, and watch” — here.

If you want to give your mom or mother figure the chance to get away, yet stay local, this Mother’s Day, heed the advice of writer Julia Beck for where to take mom for a night on the town, and how to support female entrepreneurs in the process, here.