I first went to Bistronomic a few years ago, before going to an American Chamber Opera performance, so I took note when I saw Phil Vettel’s review of their Restaurant Week offerings. Because the James Beard Awards are being hosted in Chicago for the first time this year, Bistronomic has taken their inspiration for their Restaurant Week menu from The Essential James Beard Cookbook. I visited for their three-course lunch, offered for $22. Continue reading
I experienced The Lobby at the Peninsula for the first time last year during Restaurant Week. They turned my head with the special touches – the incredible porcini soup amuse bouche, the bread service, the mignardises, the individual pound cake with the check – and the elegant surroundings. Since that first visit, I’ve returned maybe half a dozen times, unfortunately with somewhat mixed results.
After Chef Lee Wolen left, The Lobby made radical changes to the menu, largely simplifying to something closer to a more standard hotel restaurant than a fine dining destination. Judging by this year’s Restaurant Week offerings, they have also eliminated much of what I loved about the restaurant – no amuse, no mignardises, no individual pound cake as a little goodbye. Those are small touches, I know, but they really added to the luxurious, pampering atmosphere (and they were delicious, frankly more memorable than some of the proper dishes). That said, the Restaurant Week menu is also offered at a lower price point this year ($33 for three courses, instead of the $44 last year). Continue reading
As someone who doesn’t have the budget to indulge my love of fine dining as frequently as I’d like, Restaurant Week is one of my favorite weeks of the year. I tried to be particularly discerning about the restaurants I chose, but I couldn’t resist making reservations for Boka twice so that I could try two sets of menus. Since the redesign with Chef Lee Wolen becoming Executive Chef/Partner last year, Michelin-starred Boka has become one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. Their offering may be the best deal of Restaurant Week this year: four carefully composed, beautifully plated courses (cold, hot, entrée, and dessert) for $44. Continue reading
Table, Donkey and Stick is a small but cosy restaurant with a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide on the edge of Logan Square that, as their website proclaims, honors “the eating and drinking traditions of the Alps.” Their Restaurant Week offering is a three-course dinner for $33 that includes a selection from their Wanderteller menu of charcuterie, an appetizer, and an entrée.
In terms of positive attributes, Sunda is a fairly large, trendy restaurant in a prime location with a wide variety menu items. On the other hand, I’m not impressed by the food I ordered, and the prices certainly reflect its River North location. Whether you want to visit the restaurant will likely depend on whether you’re footing the bill yourself and whether you care about food more than location or decor (if the answer to either is “yes,” I’d skip Sunda).
While I was home in the Twin Cities for the holidays, I stopped by Black Sheep Coal Fired Pizza and had one of the most enjoyable restaurant meals I’ve had in a while. It reminded me how good simple pizza can be.
My first meal of 2015 was an afternoon tea that I prepared for a friend; my first restaurant meal of the new year was afternoon tea at The Allis. I am, if you can’t tell, a big fan of afternoon tea. Prior to January 2nd, however, I had only had afternoon tea in Chicago at The Lobby at The Peninsula, which is an elegant and luxurious experience. At $55 each, however, afternoon tea at The Lobby is an expensive treat. In comparison, the $18 price tag at The Allis is a veritable bargain. Unfortunately, in this case, significantly lower quality accompanies the much lower price.
Afternoon Tea
The First National Tour of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella is as fun and frothy as the ball gowns they wear. The recent Broadway production adds an updated, Tony-nominated book by Douglas Carter Beane with a sly, clever sense of humor to the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein score. Gorgeous costumes, a talented cast, high production values, and a script far funnier than I’d anticipated all contribute to a stellar tour.
Cafe Spiaggia Restaurant Week menu
Although I’ve never been to the full Spiaggia restaurant, its younger sibling restaurant Cafe Spiaggia is my go-to Italian restaurant in Chicago. The food is always well-executed, and of the half dozen-plus times I’ve visited, I’ve never had a bad dish there. Continue reading
I’m always looking for a good burger and a good dessert, and I’ve read excellent reviews of both at Mindy’s Hot Chocolate. In particular, Mindy Segal is known for being one of the best pastry chefs in Chicago, perhaps even the entire country, so I’ve been meaning to make my way out to her Bucktown restaurant for quite some time. I enjoyed my meal there during Restaurant Week, so I planned a couple additional return trips later in the year. Continue reading
Night Out Reviews 