Does Chicago have a comprehensive store for Spanish items? Bonito Tuna in oil, sardines, jarred peppers, etc.
Something like the Spanish Table in Seattle.
Thanks!

http://jhochicago.com/en/events-and-d...

Skating in the Sky @ John Hancock is awesome, perfectly Chicago & ideal for visiting Californians.
Then, put 'em all in cabs (they are used to driving) for a trip over to the Publican.
Let the mayhem resolve itself over beers & great food.
Who cares if you can't all sit together?

Ham Chop
Chicken
Beer

I went here with my wife about a month ago, I had heard so many good things about it, it was average to below average at best.
We ordered the Bread sampler, they were dry, tasteless, some were even hard. They actually tasted stale & old.
My wife's salad was ok, but she commented it was very, very small & didn't have enough dressing.
Our pastas were ok, not great, one came out relatively cold.
We went early, @ 5:30PM, and expected items executed well, there were less than 10 people in the restaurant at this time.
It really wasn't good, we won't be returning.

http://www.nwcookin.com/

Drive to Fortune Fish & Gourmet, find the front door, ask for a salesperson to help you buy wholesale. They should help you COD, so bring some cash to pay, but they are the best in the city.
Better yet, call first.
Fish as good or better than either coast, I know for a fact.
1060 Thorndale Ave
Bensenville, IL (near O'hare)

Fox & Obel might work.

My wife & I went yesterday, pretty disappointing.
The Barbacoa lunch special was "gristley", seemed very poor quality. The bread was dry, crumbly & tasteless. The sandwich was average at best.
We also had the Chicken Parmesan sandwich, same response. The meat was dry, very little flavor to the sandwich, completely forgettable.
We had the side of potato salad, which was so salty, we couldn't eat more than one bite.
The side of Kale tasted awful, like dirty paper with some lemon on it.

We were really surprised because we really like the Publican. This seemed not even close to the quality we expected.
We both agreed it did not merit a return, too bad....
Has anyone else had this experience?

"Deserving places that aren't getting much love" << Even though I understand what your asking for, unpopular places are unpopular for a reason, they stink.
There's a Chinese place by my house that is forever awful, tons of seating!
And a 19 year old in Chicago? It's a dream to visit great restaurants, with Chicago citizens, not average food tourist dumps.
Try heading to Avec, early, should have no problem getting seated right when they open.

Second the Avec rec

The Ahogada @ Xoco? C'mon, it's outstanding.

Here are some others:
Avec
La Madia
Lillie's Q (Top Notch BBQ)
Balena (a little higher price point, but excellent food)
Publican
Publican Quality Meats
Ombra
Telegraph Wine Bar
Au Cheval

Don't forget to enjoy an outstanding hot dog anywhere you get a rec, there are many, many great places.

If your Saturday night does come free, Avec for sure.

Funny, I'm living in Chicago now & after my departure, I found that nothing really compelled me to try the "LA" spots before I left. I spent my last evening with my wife in a favorite Mexican dive near LAX, they make an outstanding Carnita's taco.
I decided instead to spend time at the Getty & the Huntington, two "LA" places that I will miss dearly.
However, I don't think it's a secret, that the restaurants here are quietly kicking LA's culinary butt!
Avec, Balena, Ada St, Nellcote, to name a few...

Money is not an issue, however, I don't believe in any correlation between cost & quality (clothing is excluded from this rule).
I've eaten at a number of outstanding sushi places here that are far better than Urasawa & far less expensive.
It's the quality of the ingredients that really matter!
So, just for reference, I'm ending one of my days here this week @ Pie N Burger.

I like Langer's as well, but Chicago has so many great delis...Kaufman's, Max & Benny's, etc.

I love LA, but with two little ones now, schools are dismal. I will check Roy's off my list, funny, I don't think I've ever even eaten at a Roy's!

Leaving LA for Chicago after 20 outstanding years, just curious where others might choose to dine if faced with the same scenario? I only have one week left!

I'm not really sure what time you are en route to LAX, but I would highly recommend Cabbage Patch in Playa Vista. I think they close @ 4PM, might be too early, but there is no indication of time mentioned by the OP.

Glorious!
Tunalluvion <<< not so sure about this???

2nd Europane, we have two toddlers as well.

I have tried several over many years & always find love for Groundwork Venice on Rose.
I like a plain old cup of drip coffee & many of their roasts work perfectly for me.

Just an FYI, I think you might enjoy coffee at Handsome vs. DD. Even though DD serves delicious Intelligentsia, they had some really bad pours the 4 or 5 times I ordered. My choices ran the spectrum from drip to latte to iced to cappuccino.
Again, sandwiches are good.
Little Bear, not yet, I think the food menu looks as good as the beer. menu. Any thoughts on Pizzanista?

Spotty service, fantastic sandwiches.

I love Cabbage Patch, delicious.
12531 Beatrice Street

In & Out Burger in Westchester.
Get it to go,they have a back patio in back, next to the parking lot with the most unbelievable views of incoming LAX aircraft. I've lived here my whole life & I still get excited when I've made plans to be over there for an afternoon.
Trendy? Check
Sense of LA? Check
Patio & Outdoor Seating? Check
Moderate? Check

Second choice would be Wurstküche downtown. I love the views of the skyline at night from their patio, for some reason it's a very "LA" place. Trendy too, so get there on the early side!

Urth Caffe

I know, I really couldn't wait to try this place.
We just tried The Luggage Room in Pasadena, surprised I liked their pizza far better than SR, much better salads as well.
Have you been? If so, would love to hear your thoughts!

Tried two pizzas here last week, nothing special or remarkable at all.
Tasted a lot like the tasteless pizza at Sammy's.
Sotto's is far better.
Outstanding dessert, butterscotch & sea salt something? Fantastic!

Sotto
Dark, candles, good wine & mixed drinks, great food, valet parking.
Can be loud, but, if the dates going well, you can use the excuse to lean closer?

Indifferent service is probably tops, but, I usually give up when I can't get a glass of water refilled for an entire meal, drives me crazy (a component of indifferent service).
Actually, my wife & I took our small kids to the new Daily Dose downtown. We sat outside & there were, maybe, 6 people smoking, which caused horrible smoke drafts blowing right on us.
Guess what? We packed our food to go & won't be back!