LAZ

Artopolis is a great suggestion but all kinds of Greek food works well at room temperature. Greek Islands has some wonderful cold dishes and a create-your-own combination menu that makes it easy to get an assortment of smaller portions. Don't miss the loukaniko!

I'm not really talking about unique ambiance, high-end culinary values or even ethnic fare so much as nonchains vs. chains. There are loads of mom-and-pop restaurants in strip malls in the city of Chicago. Again, I bring up the example of the Jimmy John's across from the high school. The owner obviously decided that opening this franchise would be more profitable or otherwise better than opening an independent sandwich shop in the same location. Other than a certain amount of name recognition and cooperative advertising, I don't understand the cost-benefit. I'm also wondering why, when people think of Midwestern cuisine, they tend to think of the homogeneous chain fare in these small-town and suburban examples, instead of thinking of the wealth of ethnic and innovative dishes available in cities like Chicago and Detroit, whereas when they think of coastal foods, they think of L.A., San Francisco, New York and Boston. So Michael Bauer can dismiss a dish by describing it as fit for Midwestern tourists. Aren't the suburbs and small towns there as full of bland chains as ours?

It's fairly well established that the Chicago-style hot dog originated with a Maxwell Street vending cart during the Depression. Jack Drexler, proprietor of Fluky's, claims the original cart belonged to his father, and few dispute this claim.

This is a reason for the proliferation of chain restaurants generally. It doesn't explain why chain restaurants should be more economically viable than independents outside urban settings. For example, my neighborhood has a Jimmy Johns. It's across the street from a high school, so I can see why it would be a desirable location. But why would somebody choose to open a Jimmy Johns there and pay franchise fees when, probably, an independent sandwich shop or a hot dog stand would do just as well? Population density appeals to both chain restaurants and independents. I can understand why there would be more restaurants in urban areas than non-urban communities. I don't understand why, proportionately, of those restaurants that there are, more should be chains outside cities. It works the other way, too. I was somewhere on the North Side recently (I forget just where), thirsty and in a hurry, and I just wanted to get a Coke at a drive-thru. But there wasn't a McDonald's or Burger King for miles. (I'm not a kneejerk anti-chain bigot; they have their place.) There are plenty of families with kids in the city, probably more than in the suburbs. It's easy to dismiss the 'burbs as full of white-bread eating breeders, but I look around at my neighbors and I don't see that as the case. And while I don't believe that the suburbs are homogeneous -- even if they were, that doesn't explain why more non-ethnic but independent restaurants don't open in the suburbs and small towns. In the Chicago area, anyway, real estate in any halfway desirable city neighborhood is much more expensive than in all but the most affluent suburbs, so that argument doesn't hold up. You can buy a three-bedroom house on half an acre in the NW suburbs for less than you'd pay for a condo in Wicker Park. I can't believe that commercial-property prices aren't proportionate, even for new construction. And it isn't all new construction. Look at Park Ridge, where independents are gradually being replaced by chains. I can see that the location of independents (and, I guess, small chains, where one restaurateur owns several places within a region) tends to be more quixotic than that of chains. Joe Entrepreneur lives in Rogers Park; he wants a short commute to work, so he decides to open a restaurant there. Or he's from Burma and looks around and sees that there aren't any Burmese restaurants in his neighborhood and he decides to open a place so that he and his compatriots can get something they like to eat. Whereas chains tend to do market research before launching new locations. But why does that research tell them that West Bend, Wis., is a better place to open an Applebees than Albany Park, and conversely, why aren't there more quixotic entrepreneurs looking at opening up in small towns and suburbs?

Will someone please explain to me why some relatively poor, even crime-filled Chicago neighborhoods can boast a wealth of independent and ethnic restaurants -- maybe small, maybe shabby, but functional -- and relatively affluent suburbs and stable small towns are full of godawful Jimmy Johns and mediocre Applebees? Compare, say, Pilsen to Prospect Heights, or Bridgeport to Bloomington, Ill. Why is that the first restaurants to go into expanding suburban areas, like the Randall Road corridor in the western suburbs, are all chains? Is it just density? I understand that suburban restaurants tend to draw less weeknight business than urban ones do, but I don't understand why. And I don't understand why a chain outlet, particularly a franchise, can sustain this any better than an independent restaurant.

Of course, rush "hour" lasts from 6 to 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3:30 to 8 p.m. Other than that, driving around the city is a breeze. Unless, of course, there's a Cubs game. Or a festival. And then, there's parking.... The cost of parking your car for a couple of hours out in a neighborhood that has ethnic restaurants while you go to dinner is going to be much cheaper than parking on the Gold Coast all day. Anyway, orenlund, do yourself a favor, and time the trip from any prospective home to school during the periods you're likely to need to travel before you sign a lease. And check out parking availability and cost near your school before you commit to digs that will force you to commute by car. It's possible to eat well no matter where in Chicagoland you live, especially if you're willing to go to a little trouble, but rush-hour transportation can be a huge hassle.

I don't know where you are now, but one thing you have to recognize is that in Chicago, commuting can be a major time sink, especially if the place where you live and the place you need to go every day aren't directly connected by public transit. It's really far better to live near where you work/study and be prepared to travel for your dining and recreational needs. As others have mentioned, there's great stuff all over the city and suburbs and you'll want to explore all of it. If you're too tired, because it takes you an hour or more to get home at the end of the day and you have to be up early because you have a long commute, having a few great places to eat in your immediate neighborhood aren't going to compensate. If you don't want to live on the Gold Coast -- which is, of course, one of the city's most expensive neighborhoods -- you probably want to look at somewhere along the Red Line.

Emphatic agreement on both counts. Jungle Jim's is absolutely not to be missed. Plan on spending several hours. It's huge. You can't really equate Cinti chili with anything anybody else things of as "chili" ... except for the sauce on Detroit-area Coney dogs. I haven't been to Cincinnati for a couple of years, but I used to be a regular visitor. Besides Jungle Jim's, my must-visit list always included: Blue Gibbon, a Chinese restaurant that serves the best orange beef I've ever eaten, excellent sesame noodles and other good stuff. Graeter's or Aglamesis Bros., local ice-cream parlors that make their own ice cream using a small-batch process, and also their own chocolates, including that lesser-known Cincinnati specialty, the opera cream, and the Ohio State candy, the buckeye.

No, but "colossal" is right. It's about the size of a large Idaho potato. The texture doesn't quite match the Ore-Ida product, but the flavor is just right.

2007 Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence Grant Achatz of Alinea, Celebrity Chef of the Year Elissa Narow of Custom House, Celebrity Pastry Chef Michael Carlson of Schwa, Rising Chef Suzanne Imaz of NoMi, Rising Pastry Chef Craig Sindelar of Alinea, Best Sommelier Alinea, Best Fine Dining Le Bouchon, Best Neighborhood Restaurant Designed Cuisine, Best Catering Company The awards were presented Friday, Feb. 2, during the Grand Chefs' Gala, a benefit for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, at the Fairmont Chicago. Except for the catering, nominations came from assorted local food media, with final voting by local chefs and restaurateurs. Banchet did not attend; he's in France for Paul Bocuse's birthday. Dominique Tougne passed out the awards.

There's a large menu, with prime steaks as well as seafood. I thought the fish dishes kind of on the fussy side, though tasty, and the sushi nothing special. But there's lots to choose from, so I'd happily go back, even though it is a little costly (not overpriced, but expensive). My favorite items came from the starters menu -- pastrami salmon, truffled deviled eggs with caviar -- and sides -- colossol tater tots. I also love the venue, with the terrific views of the river, great outdoor seating in summer and dining rooms on a grand scale. That's almost more attractive than the food. (I know, I know, that's not a very foodie attitude, but sometimes you want to go somewhere that's not a no-frills storefront or a bistro with exposed brick and funky local art.)

Where it all began, Des Plaines, Illinois

One other point of context: Tramonto and Gand have spent much of their careers working for Lettuce Entertain You Enterpises, which is notorious for fiddling with newly opened restaurants until they attract the maximum number of customers. I have almost never been to an LEYE newcomer that remained substantially the same after a few months of opening.

Yeah, I had the same reaction. I think it's great that it's there, and it's more than Chicago's managed to put together in the way of a central market, but it seemed rather tourist-oriented and overpriced compared to markets in other cities. It's probably better when the farmer's market is going.

What a food company promotes isn't necessarily representative -- they'll publicize anything that features their product. The U.S. Dry Bean Council once promoted a recipe like this one as "Old Chicago Bean Pie": I searched -- really hard -- for someone, anyone, in Chicago who had heard of it. After talking to dozens of Chicago chefs, foodies and old Chicagoans, I finally discovered that the pie was served at gatherings of the Black Muslim community. Now, the Nation of Islam is certainly based in Chicago, but there's no way anyone could call bean pie a popular or well-known Chicago food (although I notice that a New Jersey bakery that sells bean pie calls itself Chicago Pies).

This is a religious argument, like the best place for Chicago pizza, or which part of the country produces the best barbecue. Worshipers of Kopp's, Leon's, Gilles and other, less well-known spots are all equally partisan. See http://www.onmilwaukee.com/dining/articles/custardguide.html I've only been driving up from Chicago for some 20 years, but I'm married to an ex-Milwaukeean; we stand firmly behind Kopp's. But try more than one and make your own judgment. You might also want to check the flavors of the day at respective stands for which has a flavor that best suits your tastes. One thing I especially like about Kopp's is that their special flavors are more than just mix-ins added to the vanilla. I'm especially fond of the red raspberry, which features whole fruit in rich raspberry custard. I'll also endorse Lake Park Bistro, though it is dressier than the original request. Usinger's is worth a look even if you don't buy anything, and summer sausage doesn't require refrigeration. It's also across the street from Mader's, a historic German restaurant. (Our favorite was John Ernst, which has closed, but we had quite a good meal at Mader's just a couple of months ago. I especially recommend the intensely flavored sauerbraten. Unfortunately, Milwaukee, like other cities, is losing ground on German fare. Here's a list of what's left: http://www.milwaukee.com/dining/german.shtml .) I think Wauwatosa has banned smoking, but elsewhere in the Milwaukee area you may be hard-pressed to find many sitdown restaurants that are completely smoke-free. This list says that Karl Ratsch's, another old-time German spot, is nonsmoking.

Nowhere in Milwaukee is far from anywhere else, so if you've got a car you can go pretty much anywhere. I definitely recommend Kopps. Here's another favorite: Old Town Serbian Gourmet House 414/612-0206 http://www.wwbci.com/oldtown 522 W. Lincoln Ave. Milwaukee A white-tablecloth restaurant serving Old World fare in massive portions. If you can make time, it's worth visiting Old World Third Street for The Spice House, http://www.thespicehouse.com, and the Usinger's factory store, http://www.usinger.com/tidbits_shop.php.

Yes, Piron is one of those I was thinking of. On a somewhat larger scale, there's Vosges Haut Chocolat, http://www.vosgeschocolate.com, makers of exotically spiced chocolates. Coco Rouge, http://www.cocorouge.com, also produces unusual truffles. On a more traditional front, there is Canady, http://www.canadylechocolatierchicago.com. For more family-style treats: Mr. Kite's Gold Coast Confectionary, 312/664-7170, 1153 N. State St., Chicago. And let us not forget Margie's, http://www.margiescandies.com, a Chicago treasure. You may also be interested in the Blommer Chocolate Factory, http://www.blommerstore.com, where they start with cacao beans. No tours, alas, but they do have an outlet store.

Shopping.... Chicago is a great place to shop for ethnic food ingredients although the best stores tend to be out in the neighborhoods or in the suburbs. It is, though, absolutely worth it to find a way to Niles to visit H Mart for Korean foodstuffs and all kinds of produce, for example, and to head to Devon Avenue for Indian food shopping (Patel Brothers made the Saveur 100). Depending on your enjoyment of grocery shopping and interest in the cuisine, it might be worth a trip to Arlington Heights for Mitsuwa (Japanese) or to one of the various Uni-Marts (Filipino) or even to drop into a Treasure Island for a unique urban shopping experience. We have wonderful sausage makers of almost every ethnicity, some top-notch cheese purveyors, and interesting delicatessens and groceries of various types. If you have particular ethnic interests, there are other places that merit visiting. For example, a terrific store for smoked fish, open weekends only, but you'd better know what the kind you want looks like or be able to read Russian. We also have some excellent chocolatiers and ice cream makers. Provide some more specifics on your interests and you'll likely get better recommendations.

nsxtasy made a very nice list. Here's a bit of categorization, with a few additions: Dry aged (at least one steak) The Capital Grille (C,S) - www.thecapitalgrille.com Custom House ( C) - www.customhouse.cc David Burke's Primehouse ( C) - www.brguestrestaurants.com/restaurants/primehouse Drake Bros.' Steakhouse ( C)-www.drakebros.com Jury's Food & Drink ( C) - www.jurysrestaurant.com (choice grade) Kinzie Chophouse ( C) - www.kinziechophouse.com Krapil's the Great Steak (S) - 708/448-2012, 6600 W. 111th St., Worth Saloon ( C) - www.saloonsteakhouse.com Smith and Wollensky ( C) - www.smithandwollensky.com Stetson's Steak & Chop House ( C) - www.stetsonschophouse.com Tramonto's Steak and Seafood (S) - www.cenitare.com Weber Grill Restaurant (C,S) - www.webergrillrestaurant.com (choice grade) Prime beef (mostly) Avenue M ( C)- avenue-m.com Charcoal Oven (S), 847/675-8062, 4400 Golf Road, Skokie Chicago Chop House ( C) - www.chicagochophouse.com Erie Cafe ( C) - www.eriecafe.com Fulton's on the River ( C) - www.fultonsontheriver.com Gene and Georgetti ( C) - www.geneandgeorgetti.com Gibson's (C,S) - www.gibsonssteakhouse.com Harry Caray's (C, S) - www.harrycarays.com Joe's ( C) - www.icon.com/joes Keefer's ( C) - www.keefersrestaurant.com Morton's (C,S) - www.mortons.com The Palm (C,S) - www.thepalm.com Pete Miller's (S) - www.petemillers.com Ruth's Chris (C,S) - www.ruthschris.com Choice beef (might have one or two prime cuts) Carmichael's Chicago Steak House ( C) - 312/433-0025, 1052 W. Monroe St., Chicago Carson's (C,S) - www.ribs.com Don Roth's Blackhawk (S) - www.theblackhawk.com Jack Gibbons Garden (S) - 708/687-2331, 14700 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Forest Mike Ditka's ( C) - www.mikeditkaschicago.com Myron & Phil's (S) - www.myronandphils.com Sullivan's (C,S) - www.sullivansteakhouse.com Tango Sur ( C) - 773/477-5466, 3766 N. Southport Ave., Chicago Wildfire (C,S) - www.wildfirerestaurant.com I'm fond of dry-aged beef, but as others have said elsewhere, other factors play a role, such as how the meat is cooked and seasoned. I have had steaks I really enjoyed at Carmichael's, for example, where the meat isn't even prime grade but Certified Angus choice. (Full disclosure, I love steak in any form, so while I can appreciate differences in style and quality, I can also love the Grecian skirt steak at a diner.) If I were picking a place to take a beef connoisseur, I'd likely take them to Primehouse, but if I wanted also to give them a real Chicago experience, I'd probably choose the Chicago Chop House or Harry Caray's. Other variables include how much planning time I had and the night of the week and the time of year. Carmichael's and Fulton's, for example, have glorious outdoor dining areas. Gene & Georgetti can be fun, but it's best if you go with a regular. I'll agree with LindsayAnn that Lawry's is a great place ... but they don't serve steaks.

Just to comment, since this thread has been referred to elsewhere: Edward Don has closed.

This is a joke, right?

This is a tangent from the original discussion about using local products, but I can't resist it. As a native Midwesterner, I'd strongly disagree that there isn't a Midwestern culinary accent. Of course, there is. But, like Midwestern linguistic accents, it's often perceived to be "standard American." I grew up in Detroit (where broadcasters were once sent to learn to speak standard American English) and I now live in Chicago and I find very distinct differences between everyday food in these cities and what people eat when I travel to other regions. There's a bigger emphasis on meat and potatoes here than on the East or West Coasts, or even in the South, for example. When my friends who moved to Seattle came on a visit, the first thing they wanted was a steak, and they claimed -- whether true or not, I can't say -- that they couldn't get steak as good as ours at home. (And the place we were eating was only in the middle rank of Chicago steakhouses; the meat was wet-aged, USDA Choice.) Even though we now see seafood from all over the world here, lots of Midwesterners shy away from things that swim, and when they do eat them, they have a predilection for freshwater fish: whitefish, perch, trout, pike. Dairy products get more emphasis here than on the coasts. We also have our share of ethnic influences from immigrants, exhibited in dishes like chicken Vesuvio and Cincinnati chili. You don't see this region's cuisine emphasized in fine-dining situations very often -- the erstwhile Prairie in Chicago was a notable exception -- but it certainly exists. It also tends to be pooh-poohed and dismissed by people from other regions, especially people who disdain red meat and dismiss this area as "flyover country."

Sounds like it could be: Par Do Kang San 847/808-8822 1250 S. River Road Prospect Heights I think they use a gas fire for their at-table grills. Not far from Rosemont is New Seoul, which uses oak charcoal. New Seoul Restaurant 847/439-3720 638 W. Algonquin Road #4 Des Plaines

Urban Harvest, 4 S. Vail St., Arlington Heights, usually stocks it, though it's best to call ahead at (847) 632-0860 to make sure. When I called in August, their price was $38 per half pound. The Treasure Island store at 911 Ridge Road. Wilmette, also usually carries foie gras; it was $43 per pound in August; they also advised calling ahead: 847/256-5033. Sunset Food Mart stores, including 1451 Peterson Road, Libertyville, (847) 573-9570, will special-order, at approximately $50 per pound, with a few days' notice. I'm assuming you're looking for raw fresh foie. If you want prepared terrines or pates, there are lots of other options.