Top Picks for Chicago Restaurant Week 2012

Chocolate Bar at the Peninsula Hotel in Chicago

Image by benchilada via Flickr

For ten days starting February 17, 2012, you will have an opportunity to dine at over 200 Chicago Restaurants that offer three-course, Prix fixe menus starting at $22 for lunch and $33 for dinner. Visit www.eatitupchicago.com for the full list. Make reservations ASAP!!

Here’s are some of the restaurants that I dined at last year. I am including them as my favorites for the 5th annual event:

1. The impressive Lobby Restaurant of the Peninsula Hotel offered a starter buffet of roasted vegetables, crabmeat ceviche over a medley of fresh fruit and an assortment of cheeses and charcuteie options. I ordered the grilled salmon BLT for lunch and indulged in the incredible dessert bar with my latte.

2. Sepia is a delightful restaurant in Chicago. The dining room is located in a former 1890′s print studio and it is filled with photography memorabilia. Executive chef Andrew Zimmerman graduated first in his class at the prestigious French Culinary Institute and it is reflected in his Meditterranean influenced cuisine. The urban eatery has exposed brick walls and is located at 123 N. Jefferson Street in Chicago just east of the Kennedy Expressway between Washington and Randolf. I order the porchetta for starters followed by the grilled pork loin and frozen ginger parfait-YUM!

3. NAHA is located at 500 N. Clark St. where executive chef Carrie Nahabedian merges her Armenian roots with Mediterranean influenced flavors that earned her a Michelin star. She was the former executive chef at the Four Seasons Properties in Beverly Hills and Santa Barbara. For my first course I ordered the “Laughing Bird” Shrimp from Belize served over white corn grits. For my main course, I opted for the braised Mishima Ranch “Kobe” Wagyu Beef Brisket with Beluga lentils, bacon roasted parsnips and carrots. My dessert was a millefeuille of bananas with vanilla mousseline and salted caramel.

4. David Burke”s Primehouse is located in the James Hotel at 616 N. Rush. For started I ordered the Surf and Turf Dumplings, two of them were filled with lobster mousse and the other two were filled with braised short-ribs. My entrée included a dry-aged classic fillet served with a side of mushrooms and mashed potatoes. For dessert, I enjoyed the pinapple upside down cake with rum caramel and sour cherry sorbet.

5. Le Colonial has one of my favorite French-Vietnamese inspired menus. It is located Rush Street and is housed in a two-story vintage townhouse decorated in the millieu of 1920′s Siagon. I indulged in the Cha Gio for starters; these fried spring rolls were outstanding! Follow up with the “Bun Thit Nuong”; BBQ pork served over angel-hair noodles. For dessert try, the crispy banana wonton.

6. Il Mulino’s Italian menu at 1150 N. Dearborn is served in a lavish, historic Gold Coast mansion. The eggplant filled with ricotta is one of my favorites for starters. For the entree, I selected the Piccata di Vitello al Limone and my dolci option suggestion is Torta di Formaggio; cheesecake with whipped cream and berries.

7. The Atwood Cafe in the loop on State Street is one of my favorite dining rooms and is located in the elegantly-renovated Hotel Burnham across from Macy’s on Washington. This dining room is one of my favorites in Chicago. They offeried the regular menu with a three-course option for Restaurant Week. I loved the Ahi Tuna appetizer and they serve one of the best pork chops in town. The chocolate dessert was decadent.

8. Blackbird’s award-winning restaurant at 619 W. Randolf offered seared scallops for a starter with a roasted chicken entree and a choclate ganache dessert.

9. Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab at 60 E. Grand is the Chicago outpost of Miami’s legendary Joe’s Stone Crab. For dinner have a cup of chowder of bisque with crab claws or steak and don’t leave without indulging in the famous key lime pie for dessert.

10. This year, I’m torn between Terzo Piano at the Art Institute, Rosebud Prime in the Loop and Aria on Chicago’s east side at the Fairmont Hotel http://www.ariachicago.com.

But I’m definitely going to Piccolo Sogno, one of my all time favorites Italian restaurants in Chicago!

For more information about specific Restaurant Week 2012 Menus, read my “Related Articles” listed below: