Chicago Restaurant Week

[Poffertjes]

The first ever Chicago Restaurant week

http://www.choosechicago.com/eatitup

Coming from DC, and being an active participate in the city's semi-annual restaurant week, I'm a little disappointed in the list of participating restaurants.

But still, $21.95 for lunch, $31.95 for dinner at some of these places (not Buco de Beppo) is a good deal.

[santo_grace]

I was going to ask what people thought of the list and the offer. Having never participated in a restaurant week before, what can you expect to get for the price? I'm assuming you get to choose between a few options for each course, or is that incorrect? For example, at David Burke's Primehouse am I really going to get a good steak since the steaks there are well above $31.95.

In your experience, are the menus posted online as it get closer to the event?

(Regarding Buco de Beppo, I've always been turned off by the place ever since I saw the sign in the outfield of Hohokam (Cubs spring training park in Mesa, AZ) and they advertised sanitary bathrooms. Really?! Is that part of a marketing strategy? Because all it does is make me think of UNsanitary bathrooms, and now I will forever associate it with Buco.)

[ulterior epicure]

Eesh, what an uninspired list of restaurants (in my opinion).

[jesteinf]

I think Naha and Primehouse are the highlights of the list, but that's about all I was impressed with.

Phil Vettel reported on another restaurant week that will happen before the main one discussed above.

Quite coincidentally, members of a group of local independent restaurants called Chicago Originals announced its own Restaurant Week. This one will take place January 27 through Feb. 3, and will feature three-course dinners for $20.08, plus selected bottles of wine offered for $20.08. Among the participants are Café Bernard, Café Matou, Cyrano’s Bistrot & Wine Bar, Mundial Cocina Mestiza, Oceanique (Evanston), Sweets & Savories and Trattoria Roma. For a complete list and online reservations, go to www.chicagooriginals.com.

[nsxtasy]

Actually, I think the list of restaurants isn't bad. While the previously-mentioned Naha's and Burke's are good, there are plenty of other worthy choices, including Aria, Atwood, Carnivale, Fulton's, the Lobby, Park Grill, Smith and Wollensky, etc. They may not be the very best in town, but they're good places, better than average. What strikes me about the list, though, is that with the exception of the hotel restaurant at McCormick Place, they're all downtown, in the tourist area basically from the Loop to the Gold Coast. That's a very small area. Clearly they are gearing this event to visitors from out-of-town. I think the geographic concentration is the reason for the lack of diversity in types of restaurants.

However, this raises the opportunity for you to spend more for dessert than for your dinner, if you follow a specially-priced dinner at the Lobby with their Chocolate Bar for dessert.

The Vettel-reported event that Josh mentions is far more interesting. This other group of restaurants consists of non-chain, independent restaurants. It's a short list (of 12), but it's a nice group, with a fair amount of diversity, with restaurants in downtown Chicago, several Chicago neighborhoods, and even a few suburbs, and food choices including French bistro, Mexican, Italian, and seafood (the marvelous Oceanique). These are places that don't attract a big tourist business.

[BryanZ]

I think Naha and Primehouse are the highlights of the list, but that's about all I was impressed with.

Was going to post the exact same thing. I think Naha is a very solid spot, and some of their items are excellent. Primehouse is also a great choice IF you can get steak. The problem with the lunch special they've had on offer there in the past is that you can't get steak or any of Chef Burke's signature items, making it just another hotel dining room.

[Poffertjes]

Eesh, what an uninspired list of restaurants (in my opinion).

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I completely agree.

From my experience in DC, I was able to eat at 1789, Ten Phen, Ceiba, Oceanaire, iRicchi, and other top tier restaurants. I don't believe the top tier are represented here.

While I congratulate Chicago for starting a Restaurant Week, which it needs to stay on par with other foodie destinations, what a poor list to select from.

Also, from past experience in DC, some restaurants have a Prix Fixe menu especially for restaurant week, with 2-4 choices for app, entree and dessert, others open their entire menu.

[ulterior epicure]

I think Naha and Primehouse are the highlights of the list, but that's about all I was impressed with.

Was going to post the exact same thing. I think Naha is a very solid spot, and some of their items are excellent.

My one meal there three years ago was so bad, I found no reason to return. Perhaps time has mended my wounds and I should give it another try?

Primehouse is also a great choice IF you can get steak.  The problem with the lunch special they've had on offer there in the past is that you can't get steak or any of Chef Burke's signature items, making it just another hotel dining room.

The RW menu remains to be seen... you know, for those prices, I'm not sure what kind of steak you would be getting.

I don't mean to be such a pessamist, but with a few exceptions, I generally avoid RW menus. I don't see any exceptions on the (formal) Chicago RW list. The Chicago Originals list might be more compelling - though, again, I'd have to see what kind of food they're offering for $20+change.

[nsxtasy]

From my experience in DC, I was able to eat at 1789, Ten Phen, Ceiba,  Oceanaire, iRicchi, and other top tier restaurants. I don't believe the top tier are represented here.

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The ones chosen are representative of what I like to call our "casual fine dining" restaurants - maybe not our very best, but reasonably good choices, especially if (for whatever reason) you are restricting yourself to the downtown area. I'm not familiar with DC dining - it's been quite a few years since I've been there - but the one name that's familiar to me is the Oceanaire, which I've visited at their Indianapolis location (and like a lot), and corresponds fairly well to Fulton's, which is part of the Restaurant Week here.

(As an aside, I hear the Oceanaire is planning to open a location in the Chicago area in the near future. Which I consider very good news.)

Are you saying that DC's version includes the fancy splurge type restaurants corresponding to our Alinea, Avenues, Everest, Tru, Trotter's, NoMI, Moto, and Spiaggia? With the exception of NoMI, one possible reason for the exclusion of this group is that none of them is open for lunch.

My one meal there three years ago was so bad, I found no reason to return.  Perhaps time has mended my wounds and I should give it another try?

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I would. Yours is the first negative report on Naha I've heard, after hearing and reading many positive ones.

Edited January 16, 2008 by nsxtasy (log)

[ulterior epicure]

My one meal there three years ago was so bad, I found no reason to return.  Perhaps time has mended my wounds and I should give it another try?

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I would. Yours is the first negative report on Naha I've heard, after hearing and reading many positive ones.

I know, I know... it's so disconcerting when one's experience runs contrary to many others.

[nsxtasy]

I know, I know... it's so disconcerting when one's experience runs contrary to many others.

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I know; I've felt the same way about numerous places, in Chicago as well as out of town. And what compounds the problem, here at home in Chicago, is that there are so very many good restaurants, and so many new ones opening all the time, that none of us gets a chance to try all of them. I bet every one of us has a list (at least mentally) of at least a dozen places, maybe many more (I know I do), that we've never been to and want to try. And going back to a place where we've had a bad experience almost always loses out to the prospect of trying one of those places, and also loses out to returning to a place that we've liked in the past (of which there are many as well).

[Lenski]

My last experiences at NAHA (some friends like it) have been very disappointing. Maybe it was different five years ago, but everything I had heard about NAHA has never translated into a satisfactory meal.

[LolaTran]

The list lost credibility with the inclusion of Buca di Peppo.

[nsxtasy]

For those who are asking what the Restaurant Week menu consists of, for Naha at least, their website says that "menus will be posted on this website by the end of the month for this special event."

[Poffertjes]

From my experience in DC, I was able to eat at 1789, Ten Phen, Ceiba,  Oceanaire, iRicchi, and other top tier restaurants. I don't believe the top tier are represented here.

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Are you saying that DC's version includes the fancy splurge type restaurants corresponding to our Alinea, Avenues, Everest, Tru, Trotter's, NoMI, Moto, and Spiaggia? With the exception of NoMI, one possible reason for the exclusion of this group is that none of them is open for lunch.

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Yes, the "fancy splurge type restaurants" participate in Restaurant Week in DC, if they are only open for dinner, than they only participate for dinner.

Here is the list from DC's Restaurant Week, going on right now.

http://www.washington.org/restaurantwk/

Admittedly, there are some chains, but I'd like to think a $30.08 dinner at 1789 would make up for that. Also, my dc friends inform me that several of the higher end places have wines available for Restaurant week at $30.08 as well.

edited to add the DC website

Edited January 16, 2008 by Poffertjes (log)

[Barbara Moss]

Is there any way to tell what a restaurant is serving during Restaurant Week? I would like to try some of the places but I also would like to know if it was something I felt like eating. Do you have a choice?

[Alex]

You can check each restaurant's web site. This is the Restaurant Week's web site, but I didn't see any menus. Kiki's Bistro has the menu posted on their web site. Naha doesn't intend to post theirs; you'll have to call.

[prpapi66]

i'm the chef at carnivale and it pains me to think people dont associate my restaurant with quality, maybe because of my size people assume i'm like cheesecake factory or something. truth be told i use almost all the same ingredients as Blackbird, Spring, Naha, Tru, and charlie trotter's. i also give you a much bigger portion size and am much less expensive. Almost all the menu items featured on my restaurant week menu are local, organic, or sustainable. can buca de beppo say that? IF you want real iberico ham i have it, does blackbird or spiaggia? i also support many local farmers even though its much more expensive to do so, all the seafood on my menu is wild or sustainably farmed, can these other restaurants say that?

[Jon Dubrick]

i'm the chef at carnivale and it pains me to think people dont associate my restaurant with quality, maybe because of my size people assume i'm like cheesecake factory or something. truth be told i use almost all the same ingredients as  Blackbird, Spring, Naha, Tru, and charlie trotter's. i also give you a much bigger portion size and am much less expensive. Almost all the menu items featured on my restaurant week menu are local, organic, or sustainable. can buca de beppo say that? IF you want real iberico ham i have it, does blackbird or spiaggia? i also support many local farmers even though its much more expensive to do so, all the seafood on my menu is wild or sustainably farmed, can these other restaurants say that?

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Chef,

I am a chef and restaurant owner myself and I love going to your place...when I can get a seat:) Great drinks, fair staff but your food is consistent and good. Just thought you might want to hear that.

[nsxtasy]

i'm the chef at carnivale and it pains me to think people dont associate my restaurant with quality

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Lack of mention is more likely a reflection that people posting haven't been there yet, rather than any statement about its quality. Especially with a place like yours that's still relatively new on the scene.

Edited February 24, 2008 by nsxtasy (log)