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| Le Colonial is one of 10 restaurants recommended by concierges at Chicago’s top hotels. |
The exhibit hall has closed for the day, and the line of people waiting for a taxi looks as if it stretches all the way to Indiana. Not surprisingly, the $7 muffin you bought this morning to tide you over until lunch has turned out to be your only meal of the day. Over the heads of those standing in front of you, you’re able to glimpse a view of the early twilight behind the glittering lights of Chicago’s skyline. It’s dinnertime!
Chicagoans are experts on many things-baseball heartache, crooked politics, and the benefits of hard work. But above all, they know how to eat. More than 6,000 restaurants are located in the city’s downtown area. Sprinkled throughout the city, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Japanese, Chinese, German, and French-Vietnamese cuisines await your enjoyment (via reservations in some cases).
So, when it’s finally your turn for a taxi, where will you go? With so many restaurants to chose from, how do you decide where to spend your company’s dime? To help navigate your palate through Chicago’s downtown restaurant scene, Medical Imaging asked concierges at the city’s most respected hotels about their personal favorite places to enjoy a meal. Whether you’re dining alone or hosting others in the industry, the following is a handpicked list of favorites by the people who know how to get the most out of Chicago dining.
avec
615 W Randolph St ? (312) 377-2002
Hours:
Sunday: 3:30-10 pm
Monday-Thursday: 3:30 pm-Midnight
Friday-Saturday: 3:30 pm-1 am
Lounge:
Sunday: 3:30 pm-Midnight
Monday-Saturday: 3:30 pm-2 am
A trendy, no-frills wine bar and restaurant, avec keeps things simple. Offering a mixture of traditional American with French, Mediterranean, and Spanish influences, no two dining experiences at avec will be the same. The menu features such items as charcuterie (salami, chorizo, and soppressata smoked in house), simple salads, and small wine-friendly dishes cooked in a wood-burning oven. The cedar-lined dining room is as rustic as the menu, and the ambiance is ideal for intimate conversations over a carafe of wine. Dress is upscale, and with a seating capacity of 48, avec does not dare offer reservations.
The Berghoff Restaurant
17 W Adams St ? (312) 427-3170
www.berghoff.com
Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 11 am-9 pm
Friday: 11:30 am-9:30 pm
Saturday: 11:30 am-10 pm
Closed Sunday and Holidays
Prosit! Pass the Wiener schnitzel and order another round of bier, because there’s no better place in town than the Berghoff to enjoy traditional, old-world German dining. Founded in 1898, the family-owned operation is Chicago’s oldest restaurant and holds the city’s first post-Prohibition liquor license. Fashioned after the large, elegant dance halls common in the golden days of Deutschland, warm oak paneling and hand-painted murals cover the walls, extending up to the high ceilings adorned with glass-candle chandeliers. “There’s no other dining room like ours in the city,” says Clara Smith, manager of the Berghoff. “The decor is elegant, but the atmosphere is casual and classic.” Be sure to say bitte when ordering the Berghoff’s signature Wiener schnitzel and sauerbraten, creamed spinach, and fresh rye bread. The restaurant brews its own beer, root beer, and bourbon as well as maintains a bakery and butchery. Reservations are accepted, but not mandatory.
Catch 35 Seafood Restaurant
35 W Wacker Dr ? (312) 346-3500
www.catch35.com
Hours:
Monday-Friday, Lunch: 11:30 am-2 pm
Monday-Thursday, Dinner: 5-9:30 pm
Friday-Saturday, Dinner: 5-10 pm
Sunday, Dinner: 5-9 pm;
lounge stays open 1 hour after last seating
“Catch 35 is a dying breed of restaurant,” says Lynne Buzza, general manager for the upscale seafood and steak restaurant. In fact, Chicagoans know Catch 35 as one of the only elegant piano dining experiences in the city. Located in the famous Leo Burnett building, live jazz-or what Buzza calls “piano standards”-emanates from the grand piano located in the comfortable lounge. The river-side dining room offers customers a menu that features 35 daily seafood specials, such as blackened swordfish, pan-seared tuna, and soft-shell crabs (when in season, of course). Dress is business casual, and reservations are recommended.
Chicago Firehouse Restaurant
1401 S Michigan Ave ? (312) 786-1401
www.chicagofirehouse.com
Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 11:30 am-10 pm
Friday: 11:30 am-10:30 pm
Saturday: 5-10:30 pm
Sunday: 2-9 pm
Exactly what is American Cuisine? The best place to find out, according to our surveyed concierges, is at the Chicago Firehouse Restaurant. Named after the restored turn-of-the-century firehouse that the establishment occupies, dinners at the Firehouse are anything but ordinary. The kitchen ignites delectable dishes, such as pan-fried rainbow trout, bleu cheese-crusted rib eye, and a mango-and-chili-barbecued pork chop. The full bar and extensive American wine list will extinguish your thirst and spark conversation among diners. The Firehouse is one of a handful of restaurants located near McCormick Place, making it a convenient meeting place for lunch. Afternoon dishes are on the lighter side, with salads, burgers, sandwiches, and smaller versions of dinner favorites on the menu. Dress is casual; reservations are accepted, but recommended only for parties to be seated in the formal dining room.
Gino’s East
633 N Wells ? (312) 943-1124
www.ginoseast.com
Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 11 am-10:30 pm
Friday -Saturday: 11 am-Midnight
Sunday: Noon-10 pm
So, you want to loosen your tie and see about all the hype for Chicago pizza? Well, Gino’s East puts the style in Chicago-style pizza. Originally located in a quaint brownstone apartment building on the northeast side of the city, Gino’s and its pizza became a legend with Chicagoans, national celebrities, and visitors from around the world. Trading its dark cavernous dining rooms for the voluminous space formally known as Planet Hollywood, Gino’s East now can be found in the River North area. The restaurant’s signature deep-dish pizza is made by hand and is created with a secret recipe golden crust, vine-ripened tomatoes, and a variety of fresh ingredients. Chicago concierges agree that Gino’s offers the greatest of Chicago’s culinary treasures: the Italian sausage pizza. A sheet of specially seasoned sausage tops this giant pie, allowing for every slice to have a thick blanket of flavor that makes Chicago famous for its pizza. After you sign the check, don’t put that pen away. Take part in a unique restaurant tradition by signing your name on Gino’s walls, tables, chairs, and even the glittering star ceiling. Dress is casual, and reservations are strongly recommended for parties of 15 or more.
Japonais
600 W Chicago Ave ? (312) 822-9600
www.japonaischicago.com
Hours:
Monday-Friday, Lunch: 11:30-2:30 pm
Monday-Thursday, Dinner: 5-10:30 pm
Friday-Saturday, Dinner: 5-11 pm
Sunday, Dinner: 5 pm-1 am
Lounge:
Sunday-Wednesday: 5 pm-1 am
Thursday-Friday: 5 pm-2 am
Saturday: 5 pm-3 am
Considered by locals to be one of the most extravagant dining experiences in the city, Japonais is a blend of contemporary Asian and French cuisines. The 300-seat, industrial-chic space features two dining rooms, a sushi bar, and a downstairs lounge and patio. The menu is an eclectic mix of hot and cold appetizers, house specialties, cooked entr?es, and sushi that will not disappoint. Appetizers include crab cakes, lobster spring rolls, and Kobe carpaccio. Entr?es include Le Quack Japonais, duck served mushu-style with hoisin sauce. And, if you make it to dessert, you can be tempted easily by the restaurant’s dark chocolate mascarpone cake. Dress is upscale, and reservations are highly recommended.
Le Colonial
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| Le Colonial is one of a number of extravagantly themed restaurants that cater to foreign atmospheres of the past. The restaurant relives the period of French colonialism in Vietnam that lasted until 1954. |
937 N Rush St ? (312) 255-0088
www.lecolonialchicago.com
Hours:
Monday-Sunday, Lunch: Noon-2:30 pm
Monday-Friday, Dinner: 5-11 pm
Saturday, Dinner: 5 pm-Midnight
Sunday, Dinner: 5-10 pm
Another restaurant on the list of concierge favorites is Le Colonial, which serves French-influenced Vietnamese cuisine. The ambiance at Le Colonial is unlike any other in the city. The 1920s decor easily transports guests back to the period of French colonialism in Vietnam. Fans, hanging from high tin ceilings, swing lazily while patrons relax in wicker chairs surrounded by potted ferns and baked mirrors. The most popular menu items include Ca chien Saigon, a crisp-seared whole red snapper; Ca Hap, a fresh fillet of Chilean sea bass served on steamed cellophane noodles, mushrooms, and scallions, and topped with a ginger broth; and Mi Xao don Chay, crispy noodles with tofu and stir-fried mixed vegetables. The dining room is quaint and intimate, seating 90 people. Dress is as upscale as the classic decor, and reservations are strongly recommended.
Opera
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| Opera was originally a film storage facility owned by MGM Studios. Today, patrons enjoy the privacy of the restaurant’s converted vaults. |
1301 S Wabash Ave ? (312) 461-0161
www.opera-chicago.com
Hours:
Sunday-Wednesday: 5-10 pm
Thursday: 5-11 pm
Friday-Saturday: 5 pm-Midnight
During a visit to Shanghai several years ago, Jerry Keliner had the opportunity to view a Chinese opera. Much to his surprise, the show seemed more focused on the presentation of the food being served than the performance on stage. Keliner returned to Chicago and opened his own version of the eclectic production of colorful and savory dishes, which he fittingly called Opera. The restaurant offers classic Chinese dishes prepared in contemporary fashion. The establishment does not play host to typical Chinese carryout; instead, it provides customers with upscale versions of familiar dishes, such as whole steamed red snapper and Peking duck. Opera plays up its decadence in its desserts, which include steamed banana-and-date pudding with date-and-cognac ice cream and a caramelized banana cream sauce.
Parthenon
314 S Halsted St ? (312) 726-2407
www.theparthenon.com
Hours:
Sunday-Friday: 11 am-1 am
Saturday: 11 am-2 am
So what if CT scans and high throughput aren’t considered Olympic events, you can still get your share of Greek festivities and culture while dining at Parthenon. Located in the heart of character-filled Greek Town, the Parthenon is home to several disputable claims. The owners state that their restaurant is the oldest in the neighborhood; that they invented flaming saganaki in 1968, (which has since been exported to Greece); and that they brought gyros to Chicago. Regardless the validity of these claims, Parthenon offers more than 140 dishes, including sea bass, red snapper, calamari, moussaka, lamb’s head, and vegetarian preparations. Portions are larger than normal-you can even order a whole roasted suckling pig that feeds 12, but call ahead. Dress is business casual, and reservations are recommended for parties more than six.
Volare
210 E. Grand Ave ? (312) 410-9900
www.volarerestaurant.com
Hours:
Monday-Friday, Lunch: 11am-3 pm
Monday-Sunday, Dinner: 5-11:30 pm
We’ve saved the best for last. The overwhelming favorite restaurant by the concierges we surveyed is Volare. The restaurant is named after the famous Dean Martin song that shares its name. This Italian restaurant, as described by owner Bennie Siddu, does not provide the quiet atmosphere found in traditional Italian operations. The large, open dining room consists of 100 tables situated in a relatively narrow space under low lighting. Boisterous conversations aside, the crystal chandeliers and white linen tablecloths secure Volare’s ambiance as an elegant Italian establishment. According to Siddu, the menu consists of original Italian cuisine, including homemade pastas. The restaurant also offers a full bar and a wine list of more than 80 selections. Dress is business casual, and reservations are recommended.
Breaking the Ice
Combining business with dinner tonight? Get the conversation flowing easily with these little-known Chicago facts.
-LS |
is associate editor of Medical Imaging.
