Chicago's Yummy Treasures

I think one of the most fascinating things about Chicago is its explorative nature in food, art, and all things culture. Chicago is a city that has great history hidden beneath its midwest charm. You could have anything from foie-gras and caviar at the fanciest of French restaurants to pizza and beer at the bar right next door. This is a city that prides itself on its class and charm.

Chicago has great neighborhoods that are uniquely nuanced in character. Greektown is showered in patriotic Greet flags, restaurant signs typographically matched to ancient characters, and even mini columns at the end of Halsted street welcoming visitors from the east, west, and south. Lincoln Park provides a multitude of high-end classic french bistros, contemporary American dives, and traditional pub fares.

The ever-changing loop district of Chicago provides trendy galleries and even trendier fusion restaurants including spectacular French-Vietnamese restaurants to hipster hole in the wall sushi joints that people wait in line for. Everything you could think of is in this great city.

Quick Tips:

I suggest taking the time to go on-line and researching the popular places to go in Chicago. Most newspapers and magazine publications in Chicago offer on-line editions such as Time Out Chicago, Metro-mix, and the Chicago Reader. These all come out with thorough restaurant reviews and are almost always on the ball with their reviews. Also, get as much information about the restaurant before you go. Check out weekly specials - some restaurants have a night where they offer a discounted grand prixe menu - those are well worth the money. Usually discounts fall on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings.

Try not to go to chain restaurants that you could find anywhere else - it always disappoints me when I have friends that visit and ask to go to Rain Forest Cafe, Pizzeria Uno, or Hard Rock Cafe. Please people... you can find those even in Asia. Try local favorites like Giodanos or Lou Malnati's for authentic deep dish pizza. Try going to Gibson's for a nice big steak. Try skipping restaurants on Michigan Ave and exploring the west loop where ultra sheek restaurants like Butter and one-sixty blue resides.


One thing is always true - use common sense when planning for restaurant visits. Always call ahead for reserved seating because the popular hidden places are just not big enough. With the average full-serviced dining experience ranging from 1.5 - 2.5 hours at many of the restaurant I've suggested in this journal, it's clear that turnover rate is extremely slow. So rather than turning a night out into a frustrating night of searching for less than par alternatives, be smart, and call ahead.

Best Way To Get Around:

Chicago's public transportation system has its goods and bads. It's good for getting to work if you work in the loop and are going to stay within the orange, red, and brown lines, but other than that - taxi, car, or by foot are the best ways to go. The CTA system is pretty limited, especially in the evenings - I wouldn't call it the safest.

If you're staying in the loop area, there are plenty of restaurants within walking distance or only a 5 dollar cab ride away. If staying in the gold coast area (where the majority of the Michigan avenue shops are) there are plenty of bistros, cafes, and full service bars to be found right outside your door.

Anywhere else, I'd definitely recommend a taxi - the drivers know their way around and generally do a good job of getting you to your final destination without ripping you off.

I first encountered upon this charming and modern taqueria with my co-workers for a farewell lunch party. Be ready to rub elbows with local designers and art scenesters in this up and coming West Loop/River East neighborhood.

The first thing that you just cannot pass up is their unique margarita list. My favorite is the guava margarita that the bartender prides himself on having concocted. He makes sure there's an ample amount of premium tequila, but not too much to burn off your taste buds. The highlight of the drink is the specially imported guava juice that actually has bits and chunks of the fruit in it - packed with flavor!

Another delightful offering are the chips, guacamole, green, and red salsas. All these items are made in house and it's definitely worth trying out all three. The quacamole is much smoother than other Spanish restaurants, and the salsas are very unique. I believe the green salsa is made with green tomatoes and the spicy salsa has quite the lingering effect (those known to experience heartburn, beware). The guava margarita never fails to cleanse the palate if the spices in the salsa are too strong.

Finally, rather than going for what I consider to be slightly steep prices for main entrées, I'd go for the 8 taco set for $28. It's the perfect size for two people. Think of tapas - their tacos come in handful sizes, but the chef certainly packs the meat in, living you stuffed after you've had three or four. The tacos are actually warm, thick, soft shells and the fillings come in unique form. My favorites are the skirt steak with potatoes, ahi tuna with mango, chicken chipotle, braised duck with sweet corn, and a hidden specialty that is not on the menu, and not offered everyday, the lamb. The steak is cooked to perfection, the ahi tuna is seasoned well, and the braised duck contrasts well with the sweet corn. Most of the tacos come topped with cilantro, so if you're not big on that, ask for it on the side. I also recommend asking for a side of the chipotle mayo which really adds a little something to each bite.

Overall, this is a fun place for dates, girls night out, any any sized party. The servers know how to accommodate everyone's needs. I definitely recommend calling ahead and making a reservation - although, having a few tastefully fruity margarita's at one of the two bars isn't a bad idea either.

At first glance, the menu seems quite simple and limited in options, but as the waiter expertly guides you through the menu and the chef's specialties, you'll realize that your evening will be quite the culinary expedition.

The chef manages to blend the best of French and Vietnamese cuisines together into clean and tasteful dishes that are just as beautiful to the eye as they are to the palate.

My date and I visited Le Lan on a Tuesday night, which is when they offer a $38 three-course dinner. I highly recommend this taking up this offer. You get a choice of one of two salads, an entrée, and one of their spectacular desserts. We ordered an appetizer on top of the three course meal which was the duo of Vietnamese spring rolls. The cold was sweet and cool, and the warm is fried and had deeper flavors.

For my first course, I chose the Roquefort sorbet salad which came with baby mixed greens, haricot verts, thinly sliced apples, and toasted nuts. I think the most surprising piece of this salad was the Roquefort sorbet which comes in a tiny scoop and is lined with the toasted nuts. At first, the taste is indescribable, but the contrast to that acerbic cheese flavor with the toasted nuts was perfect.

The highlight of the night was my entrée. I'm not a huge fan of beef and have never seen it presented other than for what it is - a slab of meat - but the chefs at le Lan really nailed this one on the head. I chose the Asian spiced beef tenderloin, and it was just gorgeous. Almost too beautifully presented to eat. It came on a rectangular platter with two slices of beef layered on top of a bed of white quinoa. The pankoed bok choy was a masterpiece in itself! It was steamed and somehow one thin leaf was spread out and dipped in tempura batter - it stayed extremely crispy even on top of the red wine sauce. The long string beans were cooked to perfection. But the beef tenderloin was the true star. I never saw a knife literally sink into the meat as it did at le Lan. The beef was so tender and flavorful that it seemed like it had been marinating for days.

My date had the pan seared red snapper which was absolutely divine. It's an extremely light dish, yet completely satisfying. The fish is rid of that fishy taste and texture and fully enveloped with the taste of leeks and watercress - which might not sound appetizing at first, but the combination works so well together.

Finally, for dessert, we were both in heaven. He chose the hazelnut souffle which also came with pumpkin spice sorbet. The souffle was light and the warmth of it worked well with the chilled sorbet. I had the chocolate molten cake with thyme ice cream. Clearly, it was a great evening. I highly recommend this restaurant - it will awaken your senses.

Check their website for other deals - I believe they also do a pre-theater pre-fixe menu on Wednesday and Saturdays. And of course Tuesday pre-fixe is $38.

Definitely call ahead for seating at this extremely trendy Japanese bar/restaurant that specializes in nigiri and maki rolls. The restaurant is very minimalist in interior design, but the food is far from minimalist - there was definitely some big thinking behind this menu.

I went to Sushi Wabi with my co-workers for lunch and we started out with edamame and white miso soup to munch on while looking through the option filled menu. Since there were 8 of us, we decided to order rolls and share them. The rolls definitely vary in every way shape and form. They have something to offer for sushi newbies and aficionados.

We decided to go with the 2 caterpillars, dragon, fire, godzilla, kampyo, rainbow, spider and tarantula rolls. The only roll that actually had raw fish in it was the rainbow roll which has tuna, eel, smoked salmon, and avocado. The kampyo is a nice offering for vegetarians. It contains marinated gourd and is surrounded with sesame seeds. The gourd isn't too mushy, and its marinated well - although not overpowering the sweetness of the gourd.

My favorite roll was the dragon roll which contained tempura shrimp, eel, avocado, and came topped with sweet eel sauce. The kicker to our lunch was the godzilla which sounds exactly how it looks! It's a huge roll filled with tempura shrimp, orange tobikko, avocado, creme cheese, green onion, chili sauce, and mayo. Beware, the roll is a bit spicy, and will take as much stretching as your mouth can take to stuff a whole piece in. If you're not big on cheese and sauces, you might want to stay away from this - it is a bit on the heavy side, and all the sauces overpower the shrimp and tobikko. Another roll I really enjoyed was the tarantula. This is a variation on their spider roll. It has soft shell crap, fresh crab, cucumber, avocado, green onion, chili sauce, red tobbiko, massago, and mayo. Another one that is huge, but definitely worth every chew!

The bigger rolls go up to 16 dollars, and go as low as 4 dollars for the veggie offerings. If you're not big on rolls, the restaurant offers plenty of sides and entrées that are priced quite high if you compare to other Sushi restaurants. However, the portion and quality of food at Sushi Wabi definitely beats out competitors.

This is a great destination for a quick business lunch or a fun date. Although, I don't recommend lingering too long because the place is always packed, the space is compact and the servers make it a point to rush you through your meal. Please do make a reservation before you go as the wait can go up to an hour at this hip destination.

Mon Ami Gabi is part of the famous Lettuce Entertain You restaurant enterprise. They own other popular restaurants like Ba Ba Bareeba and Petterino's. The restaurant itself is in the Belden Stratford Hotel in Lincoln Park. It serves classic French food with hearty portions - definitely come on an empty stomach.

I planned our studio's company holiday dinner at this restaurant so we had a pre-selected menu with wonderful options. It was only $45/person for an appetizer, salad, entrée, and dessert. The appetizers are simple and could definitely be shared by two or three people. The baked cheese and tomato is basically a thick tomato soup with cheese and toasted French bread. It's very good and definitely warms you up on a cold December night. I had the sea scallop gratinee which was very rich. The scallops were perfectly cooked - and it laid in a cream sauce topped with cheese.

The salad choices we had were between the Salade Maison which is basically a mixed green salad with flat bread croutons, blue, and vinaigrette and the Belgium Endive which was just wonderful. The salad came with endives, mixed greens, cubed pears, blue cheese, and vinaigrette. By the end of course two, I was getting stuffed - but I definitely had enough room for the star of the evening, filet mignon and fries.

The filet mignon was cooked to perfection and the knife literally just sank into the meat. The buttery wine sauce was the perfect topping to the steak and the fries were thin and crispy. Some of the other options for our entrée was the Dijon crusted salmon which came on top of a bed of mashed potatoes, and the lemon chicken puillard which came with wonderfully crisp snap peas and mashed potatoes.

Now, by the end of course three, if you're not stuffed to the brim, you might get yourself checked for tapeworm! As I mentioned earlier, they don't skimp on portion size. The desserts, although not spectacular in taste or presentation, came in plentiful amounts. I highly recommend sharing the profiteroles or chocolate mousse between three or four people. Both come with more than enough. The crème brûlée was decent, but not that memorable.

Overall, this is a fun place for families looking for a hearty meal that all will enjoy. It's definitely a family establishment -don't let it's location and prices fool you. I could definitely tell most of the guests in the restaurants were regulars and enjoy the family ambience.

They also offer great private rooms for parties of up to 30 - the minimum order is $1250 in a room like that, but that's easy to surpass. For the 9 people that attended our dinner party, the bill came up to $701 which I thought was extremely reasonable. We ordered a nice Pinot Gris for our white and Beaujolais for our red - the servers made sure our glasses never reached empty.

Bistro 110 is one of my favorite spots to dine at, whether it be a weekend brunch with the family, a birthday dinner with the significant other, or a casual lunch with a friend or co-worker. This hearty French bistro is the most unpretentious establishment in Chicago. With a friendly waitstaff and busboys that are always smiling, you can't help but feel that Bistro 110 is a cozy place that treats its guests well and that the staff are proud to be a part of.

I eat at Bistro 110 at least twice a month, and each time I can never pass up their French onion soup. Unlike other restaurants that serve up extremely oily and salty versions of this classic, Bistro 110 has mastered a version that doesn't leave you panting for more water. They do pack on the cheese, so make sure to share the soup with a friend. Along with the French onion soup for starters, I also recommend the mussels in a lime and olive oil sauce. They give hearty portions, so if you'd rather save your stomach for something else, by-pass the mussels, or you could just have them as your main meal. The mussels come with a very toasted slice of baguette and a small bowl of french fries that can be dangerously addicting.

For their main dish, I always go for the scallops on a bed of buttery polenta and spinach. Their scallops are cooked to perfection and the polenta paired up with the spinach add a nice touch to the meal. Also a favorite of mine are the savory crepes filled with chicken, spinach, and covered in a hollandaise sauce. Of course this French bistro wouldn't be complete without the classic steak frites. They're generous with their steak portions and more than generous with the thinly sliced frites which are complimented with a sun-dried tomato paste.

I believe every night they offer specials and at lunch and brunch they offer the chefs quartet which is a tray of four small dishes. Your salad, cheese and crackers, entrée, and dessert come out at one time - in very small portions. I don't recommend it if you're wanting to leave with a full stomach. Although at $19 it's not so bad of a taster platter for those who'd like a nice intro to classic French cuisine.

Now, this is a secret I hate to share, but Bistro 110 also offers a heavenly slice of cake for birthdays, anniversaries, and any other special occasion that your server deems special enough to celebrate. You can't find a cake this fabulous anywhere else. The slice is huge, definitely large enough to share with two or three people. It's a two-layered chocolate cake with chocolate ganache filling and a toffee bar candy crust. The cake itself is so moist, you can't go wrong with it. Overall, expect to spend approx. $40-$60 dollars/person on a glass of wine, and three courses.

Had a girls night with the ladies at the latest west loop destination we've been meaning to try for the longest time. I failed to make the reservation enough in advance so we ended up with a 9:30 reservation. I called after I put in my opentable.com reservation and the hostess was so sweet. She recommended that we come in at 8:30 for drinks and they'd scoot us in once a table for four turned around quick enough. At 8:30 on the dot I met my friend Jamie at the bar and we asked the bartender....I mean mixologist for recommendations. I didn't wanted something strong, dry and not too sweet. Jamie went for the french 75 and I ended up with the sepia mule. Both drinks were excellent. We enjoyed a conversation with a couple sitting next to us and every sip of our luscious cocktails made us feel as we were drinking our way through a portal taking us back in time to another romantic era. By 8:50 the other two in our party had arrived and the hostess sat us immediately.

The ambiance in the main dining room right behind the walls of the hostess stand and bar was one word: lush. The chairs, large and comfy. The lighting dim and mysterious. The servers - on their feet and at our service. Our server explained the menu head to toe and started us off with a great bottle of french red two orders of flatbreads - the smoked apple bacon and jonah crab. The flatbreads were excellent and left us breathless thinking we could survive the whole meal on just those. But, the night went on and so did our stomachs. My friend and I had the bank cod with saffron noodles. The cod filet was cooked to perfection and the slightly sweet and spicy saffron noodles offered a nice contrast to the salty marinade on the fish. My friend Katie had the amish chicken - the best she's ever had. She said the chicken was so moist and soft that she could just cut through with her fork. Jamie had the skate wing - another winner. After our entree, we decided that we were perfectly satisfied but not overly stuffed so we ordered three desserts and another french red that came highly recommended by our server.

We had the apple turnover, a chocolate dessert and some other sweet concoction that the server recommended. Come 12:15, the restaurant was empty and we were finishing up! We hadn't even noticed that we were the last ones there. The server never rushed us and the other waitstaff just finished their business quietly as they allowed us to finish our night at our own pace. It was such a great experience!

Be sure to make your reservations at least one month in advance - especially if you want to dine on the weekends and during prime hours (6pm-9pm). For the three courses and two bottles of wine we split the bill at $80/person including tax and tip. Well worth every penny!