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Illinois is called the Land of Lincoln because of the 16th prez, and because nothing says "corrupt Chicago politician" quite like slowly cruising the graft-filled streets in your Town Car. Here from Chicago to stuff more than just your ballot box: Townhouse Kitchen & Bar, soft-opening this weekend in the Galleria.

With modern art-lined brick & wood walls, and illumination pouring down from both the sun and 20 cylindrical chandeliers, Townhouse is a 150-seat "American Brasserie, with European and Asian influences", making this the Tedy Bruschi (or Kristin Kreuk!) of restaurants. The imposing marble-topped bar will hand over craft brews (Breckenridge Vanilla, Kona Pipeline, Widmer Drifter...) and cocktails like the reposado Blood Orange Rita, Tito's Tea (the Austin stuff + Jeremiah Weed), and the gin/muddled cuke/sage syrup/Champagne Sage Coach, which would never ice its own kicker. Abundance gracing the teak tables will stretch from bourbon-glazed Pecan Pork Chops, to the pho-spiced Asian Turkey Burger with Sriracha aioli, to some serious taco madness: spiced tuna, kung pao shrimp, and even kimchi duck, who despite being Korean's easier to understand than his cousin Donald.

There's a family-style option to be had, or go the other direction with shared plates like a yellowfin stack, short rib sliders, and bacon-wrapped shrimp skewers, also a campaign ad you've gotta run if you're gonna have any hope of beating Rahm Emanuel.

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Also waiting for you: boatloads of wine. They're open this weekend, so start planning your order by spying the full food & booze menus, right here.