Looking for a restaurant for a fun birthday dinner...

Hello,

Hoping you guys can suggest some restuarants for birthday dinner w/ my boyfriend. I'm looking for a place with eclectic food, drink and ambiance. We like a wide range of food and enjoy a good beer selection. I'm thinking something like Hop Leaf but more upscale and with an ethnic flare. Price is not an issue, and we would like something in the city or Evanston.
So far I'm thinking Tizi Melloul might be a good choice. I've never been there, but the decor and food seem very appealing. All advice welcome! Thanks.

Not an insanely large beer selection, but a decent selection at that- what about Otom? Not ethnic either, but fun and perfect for a birthday dinner.

I was actually surprised by Hot Chocolate but haven't been there in a while. The food is good and, surprise, great beer selection (mostly Belgium). Plus, good desserts for my wife. I tell all my guy friends that this place is guy friendly for food and beer and in a nice location for after-dinner drinking.

I was just at Bluebird Bistro & Winebar this weekend for a birthday celebration and I was plesantly thrilled.

Their menu has small plates, flatbreads, a selection where you can mix and match cheeses and meats and they have an enormous beer selection in addition to a great wine selection. Basically, a little bit everything done well, that would make for an interesting dinner. Sharing of small plates, and even of entrees, in encouraged.

It does get crowded, but my friend and I waited only about 20 minutes for a table at 8 PM on a Saturday, and we were not rushed through the meal. In fact, we sat at the table for quite awhile after our dessert. I believe they are open until 2 or 3 AM on the weekends.

I can't wait to return, so would highly recommend it.

Bluebird Bistro and Wine Bar
1749 N. Damen Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647-5508
773-486-2473

I like bluebird a lot- I know some dont really dig it, but that's their view and whatever to them If you plan to lounge and have a longer dinner and drinks, try to get seated in the back rather than the front so you don't have to deal with folks pressing their backs up against you while you try to relax.

I really like Bluebird, too, but I immediately thought of Lula Cafe when I read the OP. I just went there for the first time on Sunday, and really enjoyed it. The menu was both uniquely formulated and executed. Although not vegetarians, my husband and I enjoy healthy dishes when they are available, so we tried a couple of vegan dishes - peanut noodles with tofu and veggies, and a moroccan sweet potato tagine with couscous. While both were delicious, the tagine was also quite hearty and really hit the spot on a cold winter afternoon.

Their wine menu is even better. It was tough to pick just one, but we settled on a bottle of Shiraz/Grenache/Mourvedre from South Africa, (whose better wines are sadly under-represented in Chicagoland.)

And best of all - dessert. Olive oil cake with citrus beside blood orange pieces, and olive oil ice cream beside blood orange infused oil. Uniquely delicious, especially with a Kracher dessert wine paired perfectly.

KDubbs wrote:Hoping you guys can suggest some restuarants for birthday dinner w/ my boyfriend. I'm looking for a place with eclectic food, drink and ambiance. We like a wide range of food and enjoy a good beer selection. I'm thinking something like Hop Leaf but more upscale and with an ethnic flare. Price is not an issue, and we would like something in the city or Evanston.

I keep thinking of places that meet some of the criteria, but not all of them. And I have no idea what the beer selection is like. But,

Starting with those that come to mind for great food and unique ambiance...

Great food, eclectic/exquisite ambiance, great wine list (not sure about the beers), non-ethnic (contemporary American) - Chef's Station, in the train station in Evanston; North Pond, in Lincoln Park

Great food, romantic ambiance with a view, great wine list (not sure about the beers), semi-ethnic (French-Alsatian) - Everest, on the 40th floor of the Midwest Stock Exchange building in the south end of the Loop

Great food, classy ambiance, great wine list (not sure about the beers), semi-ethnic (Italian) - Va Pensiero in Evanston, Gabriel's in Highwood

Moving on to those which combine upscale with ethnic...

Le Colonial or Le Lan for upscale French-Vietnamese; Shanghai Terrace for upscale Chinese; [url=http://www.vongsthaikitchen.com[/url]Vong's Thai Kitchen[/url] for upscale Thai.

Walking out of the Green Mill last night, I passed by a place I've been meaning to try for upscale Indian ... might fit your needs.

Marigold
4832 N. Broadway, Chicago
(773) 293-4653

Tizi Melloul, Marigold, and Le Colonial all fit the bill for a fun night out. If you book at Tizi reserve a table in the bar for pre-dinner cocktails as the space is beautiful. If booking Le Colonial, I would suggest upstairs for the sexy candle lit atmosphere as opposed to the brightly lit first floor.