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A healthy cocktail can sound like an oxymoron, but Mercadito’s beverage directors, Tippling Brothers’ Paul Tanguay and Tad Carducci, just introduced a new sip at the River North Mexican restaurant. The V-9 is a reinvention of the classic vegetable juice, and starts with a “super juice” made with kale, cilantro, pineapple juice, and ginger root, then spikes it with herradura blanco tequila and balances it with lime juice and agave nectar for sweetness. Begin by breaking out the juicer or blender and creating a blend of veggies, then pull out a bottle of silver tequila. This won’t replace your morning juice, but it may make you feel better about imbibing on a weeknight.

If you work around River North, good news – two restaurants have just added new lunch service, which means you can skip the brown bag and dine on foie gras sausage and tea-smoked duck breast for lunch this week at Baume & Brix and Sumi Robata Bar.

Takito Kitchen, which opened in Wicker Park in March, adds seasonal ingredients and chef spins to classic Mexican dishes. Plus it just started offering taco deals, which make it easier to try more of the menu in one visit.