kstaigs's Profile
Is Schwa still open?
I have a reservation for next week, which I made 2 weeks ago. So I sure hope it is open, it was as of the time I called and talked to a guy there. I called for 3 days every half hour or so between noon and six, when I succeeded it was a Thursday right at noon. I am prepared for the fact that they might cancel day of, which seems to be common, but hoping for the best!
Solo Traveler In Need or Rec's for Two Days
Yeah, there are a ton of bars in Andersonville, you could start at Hopleaf and then just make your way up Clark and stop in where it looked likely. I like Simon's, too, it is a hole in the wall to say the least. And the beer list at the new Irish pub Lade Gregory's is really good and their food is very reasonably priced for the quality/quantity, but there tend to be a lot of families there if you go during dinner service. Take the red line to Berwyn, walk south to Foster, west to Clark, and you will be all set for a night out.
In the area of the Belmont stop, my choices would be Schuba's (kind of a haul, but they tend to get great bands in the back room) or Delilah's (loud kind of punk rock dive bar). Most of the other places close to you are going to be meat market drunk fests of either straight or gay persuasion. Which, again, may be a bonus for you as a solo traveler, I don't know!
The main thing is in any of the areas you are looking into, a bus or train ride will put you in an area with plenty of options. Logan Square, Bucktown (North/Milwaukee/Damen), and Andersonville are all riddled with places to grab a drink. As is where you are staying. So if one place doesn't grab you, walk to another! Hope your trip is a good one.
Solo Traveler In Need or Rec's for Two Days
Of the current recommendations, I would most highly recommend Hopleaf. The food is wonderful and really tailored to beer, and they have a great selection of local and international (especially Belgian) choices. It is a bit far north, but just a short walk from the red line, which you are (probably) on. I like Revolution, but it is on the blue line, which might be tricky for you, but depending on where you are coming from, you could walk from L&E and Revolution off the same Logan Square stop, which is a bonus. I may get scolded for saying, but I am not sure you would be into anything right around where you are staying...Wrigleyville is not exactly known for it's cuisine (or any beer other than miller lite) and Lakeview tends toward a more wine centered cuisine, I would say. If you are into the Irish pub thing, Gingerman isn't bad in Wrigley, and Duke of Perth is very decent in Lakeview. Or Cody's if you like darts (a little further off public transport). But please, if anyone can think of anything in those areas, prove me wrong and give me a reason to revisit!
Just so you are prepared, Piece does karaoke Thursday night, and live band karaoke Saturday night. It is up to you whether that is great news, or pause for thought. If you do go there, I would also try to hit up Big Star (off the same blue line stop) for amazing tacos and a decent beer list. They are more whiskey focused, but I think you could find something to drink. And the tacos....oh, the tacos.
Best restaurants in Chicago to give an engagement ring
I would agree with the North Pond recommendation, and you should call ahead and let them know of your plan. My husband and I celebrated an anniversary dinner there a few years ago, and while it is not my all time favorite restaurant in the city, that evening was one of my all time favorite evenings. They really went all out to make our special occasion just that, very special and romantic. We had mentioned that it was an anniversary beforehand, and they met us with champagne, seated us in the best possible spot for the lovely view, and had specially printed menus for us which had our names and a happy anniversary greeting(I still have those menus somewhere). I cannot imagine a better place to propose. Then again, I am partial to Arts and Crafts architecture, so the ambiance also contributed to the cozy romantic atmosphere for me....I cannot imagine feeling that romantic at the ultra-modern Blackbird or Tru, even though both are excellent, food-wise. I would also not necessarily recommend Everest, I just don't see them going above and beyond to make sure it will be a perfect night for you.
2 nights in Chicago - Alinea and ???
Certainly Topolobampo is a very special Chicago experience. But I would honestly recommend Sprout. It is unlike anything I have ever had, because it is the sole reflection of Chef Levitski's personal tastes, which are blazingly unique. Certainly I would place it above G&TG. I just got my first reservation at Schwa for the end of this month, so I cannot speak from experience, but I would say amongst my industry friends it is thought of the most highly, even often trumping Alinea. But since you are already going to Alinea, it would seem that Schwa might be too close in style (Carlson was supposed to be the sous there before he decided to open Schwa). I second North Pond for beauty and atmosphere, but not for food...it is good, but not amazing in my estimation, especially for the price. Unfortunately, though, a good brunch downtown is hard to find...if you are up for a train trip, Lula cafe is well thought of, but my personal favorite would be Over Easy. It would be a bit of a haul, but man is it good. The Violet Hour always reminds me of several Williamsburg/Brooklyn Heights spots I have been to, so it would either be great for you or just more of the same....my favorite bar in the city is also its smallest, the Matchbox. It is a love it or hate it experience, though, they will gladly kick you out if they think you are being a jerk, and it is mostly filled with regulars with dirty mouths. The drinks are fabulous, though, they have great by the glass pours, and it is definitely unique!
Sunday night anniversary dinner in Milwaukee
Oh no, I am so sorry to hear you had a bad experience at Longman & Eagle! We were at a special beer dinner and it was tremendous. I have seen many of your posts on the Chicago boards, and they always seem to almost mirror my tastes...I guess every restaurant can have one bad (or maybe one good?) night!
Trust me, Sanford was the first place I looked, but they are closed on Sunday nights. We will have to make another trip up for it, as it seems infallible. It isn't such a long drive, after all. Of course we have a lengthy list of Chicago places we have yet to try...ah, to have more time, more money, and a faster metabolism!
Sunday night anniversary dinner in Milwaukee
Well thank you all so much for the excellent posts! I plan to make a list of all of the bar/brunch recommendations so that we will be prepared while we are there. We were waiting to make a decision until we saw what the Roots cellar menu includes, and we have made the decision to take a chance there. Smothered pork chop, brussel sprouts, and cornbread for $14.95? How can we say no! The only risk is that they do not take reservations, so we will stock up on second choice options just in case. I did call to see if they offer desserts (a must have for me) and the very nice and helpful woman who I talked to listed several wonderful options. Done and done.
I feel kind of bad after all of you recommended Lake Park Bistro as the best choice, but we have had so many special romantic dinners at high end French places here in Chicago, we just feel like doing something casual and different. My husband mentioned that one of the best very special dinners we have had recently was at Longman and Eagle (nsxtasy, I assume you are familiar), and it is as loud, crowded, and bar-like as they come. And he is right, I think we both tend to enjoy ourselves more when the stuffy level is low.
So thank you all, truly, for the very thorough and comprehensive postings, our anniversary will be all the better for your help! And if this becomes a yearly tradition (which I hope it will), we will now have an assortment of great options for our future trips. Cheers!
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Lake Park Restaurant
7 E Old Ridge Rd, Hobart, IN 46342
Sunday night anniversary dinner in Milwaukee
My husband and I are driving up from Chicago for a one night stay in Milwaukee. We are staying at the Intercontinental, arriving on the late side (no earlier than 6pm) and looking for somewhere special to have dinner. The catch is that it is a Sunday night, which removes a great many of the restaurants I have looked at in previous threads. No Sanford, no Coquette Cafe, no Hinterland. Not to mention just about everything else on the much discussed Milwaukee top 30 list. So we are left with, I think, a choice between Lake Park Bistro, Crazy Water, or the cellar family style dinner at Roots. From what I understand, those are in descending order of price/fanciness, correct? We don't need fancy, but we do hope for a memorable, somewhat romantic (not super loud/bar) atmosphere, and more importantly, great food. Which of those would you all recommend most highly? Are there any other places open on a Sunday that we are missing?
We came up for our anniversary 2 years ago and stayed at the Iron Horse, ate at Smyth, and didn't really explore any of the rest of the area. It was great, we loved it there, but we want to explore further this time. Since we are arriving on the late side (probably not until 7pm or so), we are also looking for places to grab drinks after dinner, as we will want to stay out late and make the most of our limited time away from the kids. Any Sunday late night tips? Especially (but not limited to) downtown by the Intercontinental hotel? We are open to any kind of bar but would probably prefer to avoid a meat market or frat bar kind of vibe. Places I have seen mentioned as at least open are Balzac, Jackalope, and Mo's Irish Pub.
And finally (I know, this is a long post), any places that do a Monday breakfast/brunch/lunch that we should think about? Any and all info. would be most appreciated, thanks!
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Bartolotta's Lake Park Bistro
3133 E. Newberry Blvd, Milwaukee, WI 53221
Crazy Water
839 S 2nd St, Milwaukee, WI 53204
Mo's Irish Pub
142 W Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53203
Very quick solo wine tasting afternoon/evening in Santa Barbara/Los Olivos
I just wanted to write a quick note about my evening in Solvang, which was truly the highlight of my whole trip. I arrived at around 3:30pm, and instantly loved the Hadsten House. Lovely decor, and warm inviting staff who made great recommendations upon check-in. I headed straight out towards Los Olivos, stopping at Rideau on the way (pleasant atmosphere, wines were too sweet for my taste). Once in Los Olivos, I stopped first at Cocoliquot, which was disappointing...the woman behind the counter all but ignored me and only told me the varietal with each pour, gave no information about what I was tasting at all, and I found the wines lifeless. I went to Andrew Murray next, which was a big destination for me as I have loved everything of his I have tasted, and the wines were every bit as good as I could have hoped. The woman pouring gave lots of good information but wasn't very friendly..no big deal, but as a solo traveler I realized I wanted someone to talk to about the wines. So at this point I decided to cut my losses as I was enjoying the wine but not having exactly a great time, and still very confident in driving the few miles back.
I made it to the hotel in time for the end of the complimentary wine and cheese happy hour, and had a great time chatting with guests and the bartender. I had a few hours before dinner, so I went to Wandering Dog, where they were doing a blind tasting. This was great for me, as it fostered a lot of conversation among the people in the bar, and I did really well on guessing the wines, which caused the owner of the bar to take a personal interest in recommending a bottle for me to take home. Everyone there seemed to be local and in the industry, so it was really fun to talk about wine. Finally off to dinner...wow. I had been snacking on cheese and what not throughout the day so I didn't feel up to ordering several courses, which was kind of sad as everything looked amazing. The halibut I had for my entree was perfect, flavorful and tender and wonderful. Then a warm chocolate cake with chocolate ice cream for dessert, which was typical but just what I wanted. I wish I could be more detailed, but by this time I was a wee bit tipsy, and I have forgotten some of the finer details of the dishes. I do remember that they were wonderful, and that the service was impeccable.
When I went to pay the bill, they told me that a couple at the other end of the restaurant had paid for my dinner. They had already left and I never got to thank them, and I hadn't even spoken to them during dinner. I did notice them seeming to enjoy the conversation I had with the couple next to me, so...I guess I was just that charming! Or maybe I seemed that tipsy and they were afraid I would forget to pay...whatever the reason, it was kind of a magical end to a terrific day. The next morning I decided to forgo drinking (I had a 6 hour drive ahead of me) and just check out the shops. I had a tasty full breakfast at the hotel (included with my stay), and wandered for a bit, and then made my way back to OC. And that was it! I was so glad to have stayed in Solvang, thank you so much for all your help in making decisions. Cheers!
Very quick solo wine tasting afternoon/evening in Santa Barbara/Los Olivos
I went ahead and got a reservation for dinner at Mirabelle, given the excellent reviews both here and on tripadvisor. The Hadsten House offers coupons for several wineries, so I am going to tailor my tastings around those...they list them on their website and there are several in which I was interested, most in Los Olivos (Andrew Murray, Kaena, Scott Cellars, Epiphany). I will try to stop at at least one tasting room at an actual vineyard, I am thinking Brander? It looks unique at least, and it would be a free tasting. There is no coupon for Beckman, but I do like their wines and it is on the way, so it might be worth it as well. Thank you both again (and again) for all of the help, please feel free to throw as many more tips my way as you have! I will be sure to report back after the trip.
Very quick solo wine tasting afternoon/evening in Santa Barbara/Los Olivos
Thank you, glbtrtr. I had gone back and forth between staying in Solvang or in SB, and I chose the latter because I am more of a night person and I know that things close up early in Solvang. Your thoughtful post made me reconsider, and I canceled my reservation in SB and am now staying at the Hadsten House in Solvang. The Ballard looked lovely, but I just can't swing it on my budget. So now I can walk to various tasting rooms in town, and I think I will still try to hit one or two of the tasting rooms on the way up, which will be safer with only a short drive to my hotel. There are several just off 154 and just outside of Solvang.
There is a restaurant in the hotel which looks good, if not exactly inspired. Do you happen to be familiar with it? I have also heard good things about Root 246, which I could walk to as well, have you ever dined there? Anywhere else in Solvang you might recommend?
Again, thank you so much for the help, I feel much better about my choice to play it safe and not drive as extensively. I also used to go to Solvang with my family every year as a kid, and I look forward to reviving some memories while I am there!
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Root 246
420 Alisal Road, Solvang, CA 93463
Very quick solo wine tasting afternoon/evening in Santa Barbara/Los Olivos
I am flying into LAX at 11am next Thursday, zipping up PCH to Santa Barbara for one evening, and then driving to OC the following afternoon. I have read a ton about the various options for wine tasting in the area, but given that I won't be there until 3pm or so, I was hoping for some feedback on my projected plan, which is to leave my SB hotel and head straight up to Los Olivos, stopping at Gainey and/or Beckman on the way, and then hoping to hit at least one or two tasting rooms (especially Andrew Murray) in Los Olivos proper before they close (most at 5pm, some at 6pm). Possibly also stopping at the Hitching Post on my way back for dinner. Am I crazy to try to fit all this in? Is the Hitching Post worth it, or has it gotten tainted by Sideways popularity? I also have the following day, but I am wary of tasting during the day and then driving the several hours back down the coast. If I tried to do a tour in the morning and held back somewhat on the tasting volume, would I be ok, do you think? I love wine and I am fairly knowledgeable, but have not done any official tasting outside of one day trip in Missouri (don't ask).
Also, any recs for nightspots in SB for a lady on her own (but married and not looking to score or anything)? I would probably take friendly over trendy, bar over nightclub...
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Hitching Post
3325 Point Sal Rd, Casmalia, CA 93429
One week in London, too many options, lots of questions.
I meant Wild Honey, sorry. Oops.
One week in London, too many options, lots of questions.
What great help you all are, I cannot thank you enough! I will plan to do the market Thursday, and I will be sure to search the threads for tips on what to look for there. I am not sure my husband will be as excited as I to go to a formal tea, and I kind of assumed it wouldn't be much fun on my own...but I may be able to convince him. We shall see. Thanks for the Masala Zone warning. We are very close to Bombay Brasserie, but it seems very expensive. I am thinking Indian Zing, it has gotten some positive attention on these boards, and is convenient to us, tube-wise. And I will be sure to watch out for the heat at Addie's Thai. I keep thinking that the right dish might quell my aversion to spicy food, but I just have no desire to cause myself pain or ruin my ability to taste the rest of a meal!
Now if I can just lessen the terror alert levels in Europe, we will be all set. I suppose I shouldn't pack my collection of American flag themed sweaters and cowboy hats, hm?
One week in London, too many options, lots of questions.
I just checked the reservations available for the Harwood Arms, and there is already virtually nothing left! I went ahead and reserved for 9pm Wednesday night, to be safe. Thanks for the warning, t_g!
One week in London, too many options, lots of questions.
Update: After more board scouring, and given your advice, zuriga, we will be trying Master's Superfish for sure. We have made a reservation for a Saturday lunch at Milk and Honey, which looks superb and is very affordable. I will be sure to seek out a proper Full English one morning. We love Lebanese, and will look for Ishbilia. The Harwood Arms does their pub quiz Tuesday night, but I am going out to Cambridge overnight Tuesday (Ely actually) to visit a friend. I intend to rely on her judgment of where we will eat and drink there. We are probably going to take our chances at just walking into the Harwood Arms for bar food some night (I have to have a venison scotch egg), and perhaps make a reservation for another night if it is as good as everyone says. I expect it will be, the menu is amazing. We are going to stick with St John on Monday. I am planning to visit the Tate and Borough market on one of my solo weekdays.
Is a true English tea worth doing all by myself? At one of the posh hotels? Or are there places for scones and clotted cream that anyone might recommend which are a little less fancy?
Thank you so much for all the replies so far. I am becoming a bit obsessed with researching options for while we are there, but I just can't stand the idea of wasting our limited time and money just because we got hungry and didn't know where to go. Last time I was in London I had several horrible meals in the more touristy centers (the worst fish and chips I have ever had in Piccadilly) and I am trying to avoid it this time. So keep the replies coming!
One week in London, too many options, lots of questions.
My husband and I are going to be in London for one week in mid October. We arrive late Saturday night and will be staying at the Sofitel Heathrow. So first question: does anyone know of a place to get anything to eat/drink after 11pm at the airport? Specifically in terminals 3 or 5?
We will then be staying just off the Earl's Court tube stop, which, from copious reading of these boards, seems to be primarily surrounded by Asian restaurants of all description. Addie's Thai stands out as a solid option from this genre. Several sichuan restaurants are often mentioned as favorites, but I am ashamed to admit I am easily put off by extreme heat. We are also interested in checking out the Troubador, any thoughts on the food there? Is anyone familiar with The Blackbird? It is directly opposite our hotel, so if it is decent, it would be handy. Is Masala Zone worthwhile? We would like to walk down to the Harwood Arms, should we do dinner or lunch, and is a reservation necessary? Any other pubs/restaurants around there worth stopping into? Specifically, does anyone have a favorite pub that does a pub quiz Sunday, Wednesday or Thursday night? We might fail miserably given the, I assume, largely British based questions, but we are suckers for trivia. We have reservations for St John Monday night, which will be our largest splurge for the trip (sadly only the one) and my husband will be working in Uxbridge during the week, leaving me to explore on my own during the day and perhaps we will dine together in the evenings.
And then we will spend Friday-Monday in Knightsbridge, at the Jumeirah Lowndes. I have read good things about Star Tavern and Pantechnicon in that vicinity, any thoughts? We could do one more nice dinner, or very nice lunch (something under 40gbp a person) for Saturday or Sunday, Sadly many of the places I in which I am most interested seem to be far pricier for a set lunch on a weekend, from what I can see. Am I missing any wonderful deals for a Saturday or Sunday lunch at one of the Michelin rated standouts?
We are coming in from Chicago, which is a pretty fantastic city for food. We would like to focus on what we can't get at home. To me this means true British, Indian, anything innovative and modern that is specific to a certain chef, fish and chips, game...what am I missing? We eat anything, we are on a restricted but malleable budget (I will foresake breakfast and grab a bag of crisps for lunch if it is worth it to fund a somewhat pricey dinner) , and we are willing to travel out of our area(s) for something really special. We aren't looking for celebrity sightings, trendy and overpriced, or touristy. I tend to get excited by French inspired, artistically plated, unique flavor combinations....god, that sounds pretentious, doesn't it? My husband just likes good food.
So. How is that for a novel? Thanks in advance to anyone who wades through it to find the questions within! And further thanks to anyone with time and interest in answering them.
Sprout?
My husband and I went last night, and I can honestly say it was one of the best meals of my entire life. Top 3, easy. I keep meaning to write a comprehensive review, but I can't seem to find the words to do this meal justice. Here are the basics: For $60, you choose your own 3 course meal (which is actually 5 courses) from a short but varied menu. Each selection simply states the star ingredient followed by a few supporting players that give you a sense of the overall dish. Our excellent server, Christopher, was there to fill in the blanks and describe anything in more detail.
So for me it was Foie Gras for the first course, Rabbit for the second, and Beet for dessert. The Foie came as a mousse on a slice of very dark bread, with walnuts, cauliflower, cucumber, and golden beets. This was by far the best foie I have ever had, and I am picky about foie. My husband had "Beef", which was a carpaccio, folded around a smoked trout salad, with vinegary fingerling (I think) potatoes, and a carrot puree. Amazing.
The palate cleanser was too much for us...a vanilla lemon ice which we both found cloying. But this was our only negative in the whole evening.
Next came the rabbit, which may have been the best dish, in this, the best meal ever. It was so beautifully balanced...the earthy rabbit and truffle dumplings were elevated by incredibly fresh peas and grassy pea shoots into a kind of culinary celebration of spring. I swear, I am not usually the type to wax poetical like that, but it was just that good. My husband ordered the "ono", which Christopher described as a deconstructed bloody mary, and indeed it was. The fish came in a spicy piquillo tomato broth, with olive, shrimp, and celery. I preferred mine (obviously), but the ono was great, too.
The hidden 4th course is a cheese course, in this case a grilled cheese with aged cheddar, granny smith apples, and caramelized onions, and a house-made lavender mustard on the side. The cheese was griddled in such a way as to create the perfect crispy edge around the outside of the sandwich. It was served with a complementary tasting of a clean, crisp white...tempranillo perhaps? I admit, the wine was paired wonderfully for each course, but I tended to forget to even drink it because I was so focused on the food. They had a nice list, especially by the glass, but we opted for the $25 pairing.
And then dessert. Holy lord. On my BEAUTIFUL plate: sliced beets in their own reduction with a beet creme, a chocolate brownie made with beet puree topped with a quenelle of chocolate mousse, one of a goat cheese creme, and a sugared slice of some amazingly gorgeous striped beet, all set on a bed of chocolate ganache. It was freaking delicious, and incredibly, not too beety. And my husband got "corn". A bed of corn creme anglais with a corn bread pudding, corn kernels in caramel, and corn ice cream, topped with kettle corn. SO fun, and playful, and yet refined...a fascinating exploration of a simple ingredient.
So. That got longer than I expected, but I had to share. Please go, it is tremendous. The space is beautiful, the service is excellent, the food is beyond compare. Everything is so wonderfully light hearted and yet so well done.
One night in Wine Country...
Thank you all for the initial responses. I have done some more research both on these boards and through various websites and maps, and I now plan to call Storybook and change our tour to Tuesday morning. That way, if we stay in Calistoga (which seems the most reasonable option price-wise) we can head directly up north, have plenty of time for the tour and a tasting, and then start winding back down. Any thoughts on the following, very rough, itinerary?:
Quick breakfast at the hotel
Early tour at Storybook (if they don't yell at me for changing!)
Stop at Frank Family for a tasting
Picnic lunch, followed by tasting, at Pride
Head back home
I am interested in Miner, Duckhorn, and Frog's Leap as well...so maybe one or even two of these on the way up, on Monday? And if time allows, maybe even one on our way back down, Tuesday late afternoon? Any others we should add to the already overwhelming and impossible to fulfill wish list?
As for dinner, I can't find a menu for Cook to peruse, but I will say I am leaning heavily toward Terra. The menu looks right up our alley, and tops out just within our price range. I especially love the wine list, which seems pricey, but diverse. Martini Ranch also looks like a nice option, but the menu seemed more in line with our casual fine dining options here in Chicago, a little less...rustic? Is that the word?
And thanks for the heads up, originalfig, I didn't even think about the dark on Monday possibility. Another reason why Terra fits the bill, it is closed on Tuesdays. But I am still looking for feedback and open to suggestion, so fire away!!
One night in Wine Country...
Dinner is really open, we are planning to spend our money on food and drink and stay somewhere relatively cheap (so probably somewhere a little further out, or a cheaper chain alternative more centrally located). So for dinner, we will be looking for something as locally sourced as possible, something we can't get in Chicago...maybe up to $300 for both of us, including tip and wine? An old friend who used to live in Sonoma recommended Mustard's, though I have seen varied reviews on these boards. I did scan a few threads concerning food in the area, and nothing jumped out as an obvious choice. We both eat everything, we both work in the industry, we are both more concerned with the food than ambiance or service.
We have no problem staying in a specific area, as we know we won't be able to explore much of the area, but since we will be driving in and back out from the south, I wasn't sure if there was somewhere we might pass through that would be worth stopping on our way north. I realize this is a very general and open question, I was just hoping to see some people's favorites, maybe get some tips and then embark further on my own research!
One night in Wine Country...
I know, I know, we could spend weeks and still not scrape the surface. Hence my dilemma. We are flying in from Chicago to visit family in Carmel, and they have agreed to watch our daughter for one night while we drive up for a tasting adventure. We will leave Monday morning, June 29th, and stay the night, spend the entire next day and drive back to Palo Alto Tuesday evening. I have scheduled a tour at Storybook at 2pm on Tuesday (it's a wine we both enjoy and often drink on special occasions), but otherwise, we have no plans. I am hoping we will make it to one tasting Monday afternoon, and then have a nice dinner that night. Is it fair to assume we could hit one more winery Tuesday morning, do lunch (either picnic or at a restaurant), and then make it to Storybook? Neither of us have ever been north of San Fransisco, and while we love food and wine, tasting opportunities are limited in the Midwest, so any help would be much appreciated!
Suggestions near the Old Town School of Folk Music?
I would recommend Chalkboard. They have wonderful seasonal cuisine which changes with the chef's mood, which I would describe as contemporary American with traditional influences. I had a decent experience at Fiddlehead also, and would go back for the wine flights, but I would plan for the possibility of slow/poor service.
Dinner with 80 something parents near Navy Pier
I would say Shula's would be an ideal choice, since it is in the building and the food is good (if you like steakhouse fare). Volare is about 3 blocks away (201 E Grand) and is often listed among the better italian joints in the city. I would imagine the hotel could easily coordinate transportation to Navy Pier, and I have found that Riva (on the pier) has nice seafood in a really lovely setting (I would recommend the nicer top floor, there is an elevator). Kind of touristy, but very fresh seafood, and one of the best views of the lake. But that would probably necessitate some kind of taxi or shuttle, which might not be convenient for you....hope you have a lovely dinner, whatever you choose!
If you had time for one lunch in St Louis...
My husband and I will be coming into St Louis from Chicago for a Tom Waits show, staying the night, and hanging out until mid afternoon the next day (Friday). Where should we have lunch? We are both open to any cuisine (ranging from diner to haute). The show is at the Fox theatre and we are staying downtown, right next to the train station. We won't have a car, so something nearby would be great. Anyone?
Foie! Foie is back!
Next Thursday (May 22nd I think?) there is a foie tasting menu (6 courses I believe) with wine pairings at Sweets and Savories for only $75 a person. Amazing. And I can't go. I am sad, trust me. Judging from past meals there, Chef David does great things with foie.
Sol de Mexico neighborhood—ok to walk?
I am so pleased to hear Sol De Mexico getting it's due here. It is a wonderful choice, and I would say the "safer" alternatives that have been mentioned can't compare with the friendly, warm atmosphere, not to mention the glorious moles. And it is absolutely safe. I live in what might be termed an even "grittier" area to the west of Cicero, and even there I walk my dog by myself at night (and I am a small-ish girl). It is ethnically diverse, largely Polish and Hispanic, and many signs in the area are not in English, which may contribute to some people's reservations about it (hence "gritty"). But I would feel safer here then in the loop after dark, to be honest. I agree with Eldon Kreider's recommendation, I would take the blue line to Belmont, take the very regular and all-night running Belmont bus (the Diversey bus stops at 10pm I believe), get off on Cicero, and walk the few blocks south. Have a great meal!
Avondale/Belmont Cragin Area?
I agree. A good way to try some different moles is the sopes app. If I remember correctly it features a couple different kinds. It has been a while since we have been in, sadly, but I plan to remedy that soon...
pre-concert dinner near Old Town School of Folk Music
Just to follow up, thanks to this thread, my husband and I dined at Fiddlehead before the show (we went to the same show as the poster) and we had a great time. Although none of the dishes was a stand out, everything tasted fresh and all the meats were very well cooked. The real stars of the night were the wine and cheese flights. They had a great selection of both, and it is always so much fun to be able to try 3 different wines and stay sober! And I know it isn't the point of the thread, but the concert was AMAZING!
Wine pairing help, please?
I just wanted to post an update, post-dinner. We had to postpone the whole affair due to a stomach flu epidemic, but when it finally did happen, it was a great success. Here are the wines I chose, based on your recommendations. and those of the helpful staff of Sam's Wines:
1st course (sea scallop/fennel/kumquat): 2006 Sincerely Sav Blanc from South Africa. It was perfection, really lovely and balanced on it's own, and with the dish. And $9.99 a bottle!
2nd course (sweet potato soup w/orange and chipotle): 2004 Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi Del Vesuvio DOC. This was a gamble for me, as I was unfamiliar with the grapes. It was lovely. Nice citrus, some peach and apricot, and a good minerality which worked with the rich soup. Always fun to try something brand new!
3rd course (Arctic char with soy/honey and asian quinoa): 2006 Chateau D' Orschwihr Reisling. Just what we had discussed here, and it did work well, but it's not a wine I would necessarily want to sip on it's own. Just personal taste, I think. I also think it would have been better had I incorporated the wasabi sauce which I intended, but alas, it failed on me and wasn't worth serving. That spice note would have really added the finishing touch to this pairing.
4th course (pork tenderloin with mustard, apricot chutney, and swiss chard): 2004 Saulo Espelt (spanish, a blend of Granacha and Carinena). This was great, I liked the wine on it's own, and then when I tried it with the dish it was like the two were made for each other. A steal at $8.99, really easy and drinkable and perfectly accessible for a largely white wine drinking group, but with enough interest for my husband and I (who are more on the red side). My mom stuck with the reisling for this course, and said it worked well for her.
Then we took a break and sipped a late harvest Santa Julia Torrantes. which was nice, not too syrupy, with lots of honey. We kind of poured a little of this and that as we ate the cheeses, and the Santa Julia actually worked well with them, although I would have loved it more if I had chosen something creamy, like a chevre. It was great with the fig cake, though.
And that was it! No dessert, we were too full. I was really pleased that we were able to taste from so many regions, it was nice to stay out of CA for once. So thanks to all for helping to make the evening special!
pre-concert dinner near Old Town School of Folk Music
Are you going to the Magnetic Fields show? I will be at the 10:30pm show that night, and my husband and I are also figuring out where to eat. I work at Sola, so you can take my positve revue of it with a grain of salt if you wish, but I do agree with nsxstasy that it is a great place. Make a reservation if you want to go there, it fills up on Saturday nights. Chalkboard has wonderful food, but it might already be full. We were thinking of going to Bad Dog, which is a more hip tavern type place with really good food, but it is pretty noisy, so it might not be up your alley. I also really like Jury's, which is a little more family comfort food-ish. All are on Lincoln.
