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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 week, Chicago becomes the puppet capital of the world for the International Puppet Theater Festival

“Little Carl,” a play about gun violence, will be performed by Chicago company Theatre Y’s youth ensemble, part of the 2024 Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival.

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

Dip into Chicago’s Italian beef history: From peanut weddings to ‘The Bear,’ how this sandwich became a staple

Italian beef sandwich at Portillo's 100 W. Ontario St., July 9, 2014.
Italian beef sandwich at Portillo’s 100 W. Ontario St., July 9, 2014.

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.

‘Death and Other Details’ review: Hulu’s answer to ‘Knives Out’ stars Mandy Patinkin on a cruise

Mandy Patinkin plays Rufus Cotesworth, “the world’s greatest detective,” in the swanky whodunit “Death and Other Details.”

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.

5 Chicago Restaurant Week menus we’re excited to try

Bife a Cavalo, horseback-riding steak, at Sinhá Elegant Cuisine, 2018 W. Adams St., Jan. 12, 2024.
Bife a Cavalo, horseback-riding steak, at Sinhá Elegant Cuisine, 2018 W. Adams St., Jan. 12, 2024.

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.

‘The Zone of Interest’ review: In this unforgettable Holocaust film, life outside of Auschwitz is devastatingly normal

Christian Friedel portrays Rudolph Hoss, commandant of the Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp, in “The Zone of Interest.”

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.

More Top Picks Best Pikler Triangles For Toddlers

Want to party like it’s 1899? One Chicagoan is working to revive Cohasset Punch liqueur

Cohasset Punch, a liqueur served in Chicago from 1899 to the late 1980s and seen here on Jan. 11, 2024, is being revived by Greg Shutters, who is passionate about history.
Cohasset Punch, a liqueur served in Chicago from 1899 to the late 1980s and seen here on Jan. 11, 2024, is being revived by Greg Shutters, who is passionate about history.

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.

Bringing some warmth with a book about the ’63 Bears and some other sports tales from the podcast world

Chicago Bears' first division championship since 1956 is mirrored in the faces of head coach George Halas, second from right, and his aides as the game ends on Dec. 15, 1963, at Wrigley Field. Also seen here are coaches Sid Luckman, from left, George Allen and Phil Handler.
Chicago Bears’ first division championship since 1956 is mirrored in the faces of head coach George Halas, second from right, and his aides as the game ends on Dec. 15, 1963, at Wrigley Field. Also seen here are coaches Sid Luckman, from left, George Allen and Phil Handler.

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.

A meal, plus lessons in life and reconciling with your ex, courtesy of Juliette Binoche and ‘The Taste of Things’

A highly skilled cook (Juliette Binoche) teaches her employer and sometime lover a lesson in patience as well as love in “The Taste of Things.”

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.

Landmarks: Enzo’s, one of the last links to Chicago Heights’ old downtown, set to close

Enzo's Beef & Sausage has been serving up Chicago-style sandwiches along Chicago Road in Chicago Heights since the late 1960s and operated as the EZ Snack diner for two decades prior to that on Illinois Street. Its owner said he will close the restaurant in March.
Enzo’s Beef & Sausage has been serving up Chicago-style sandwiches along Chicago Road in Chicago Heights since the late 1960s and operated as the EZ Snack diner for two decades prior to that on Illinois Street. Its owner said he will close the restaurant in March.

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.

2024 winter arts guides: Our critics’ top picks for TV, movies, theater, music, museums and more

From left: Jodie Foster and Kali Reis star in “True Detective: Night Country.”

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.