Elegant lunch/brunch in the 'burbs

My mother's 79th birthday is coming up next week. I'd like to take her somewhere lovely either for brunch or lunch on Sunday. She lives in Mt. Prospect and I'll be driving down from Algonquin.

I would like something memorable and pretty as she really doesn't get out as much any more. Thanks, sorry it's so vague, but the perimeters are pretty broad.

Too bad Barn of Barrington closed. It would have been perfect.

I'm going to go with two upscale buffets; click on links for more about their brunches:

Shaw's Crab House (Schaumburg)
Allgauer's (Northbrook, at the Wheeling end of town)

Most of the steakhouses (e.g. Sam and Harry's in Schaumburg, Wildfire in Schaumburg, Gibson's in Rosemont) are open for lunch on Sundays but with their regular menu, if you think that works for you. So is Maggiano's in Schaumburg, same thing, regular lunch menu. I recently ate at that Sam and Harry's, which is in the Renaissance Hotel; it didn't blow me away, but the decor of the restaurant (as well as the hotel) is gorgeous.

jleblanc05 wrote:My mother's 79th birthday is coming up next week. I'd like to take her somewhere lovely either for brunch or lunch on Sunday. She lives in Mt. Prospect and I'll be driving down from Algonquin.

I would like something memorable and pretty as she really doesn't get out as much any more. Thanks, sorry it's so vague, but the perimeters are pretty broad.

What about Port Edward in Algonquin?

stevez wrote:What about Port Edward in Algonquin?

Click here for their brunch info.

Having eaten there fairly recently for other meals and having read the description of the Shaw's brunch in that other recent discussion as well as having compared the menus on their websites, I suspect that Shaw's is quite a bit more elegant and upscale. It's also significantly closer to Mt. Prospect.

RE: Port Ed's, you're right, nsxtacy. It's not a bad brunch, but not a lovely/elegant. We live about 2 miles from there and used to eat there often, but it's really pretty 'tired'. I watched it on check please, and they raved, much to my amazement. But then again, we haven't been in years, so maybe it's time for a visit.

I was leaning toward Allgauer's and Shaw's, more toward Shaw's based on their menu online.

Someone took my mom into the 'big city' last week to Joe's Crab and she was enthralled with how 'lovely' everything was. She said she felt like she crawled out from under a rock. I told her people in the city would probably say she crawled out of the burbs, same thing LOL. This from a woman who traveled to the Orient every year for business for 20 years...

Okay, Prairie Grass or Shaw's? Not exactly apples to apples...

jleblanc05 wrote:Okay, Prairie Grass or Shaw's? Not exactly apples to apples...

No, not at all. Prairie Grass Cafe is in Northbrook - the far end, by the Edens, not the end where Allgauer's is. It's a big room with an a la carte brunch menu. I don't think it's exactly elegant - it's more of a bustling bistro type place. I'd choose Shaw's or Allgauer's based on what you say you're looking for.

If you really want "lovely" and you're willing to go into the city, the brunches at the restaurants in the luxury hotels off Michigan Avenue are pretty darn impressive (which they better be, for the $60-70 they now cost). I'm referring to Seasons in the Four Seasons, NoMI in the Park Hyatt, the Lobby in the Peninsula, and the big one in the Ritz-Carlton.

nsxtasy wrote:

jleblanc05 wrote:Okay, Prairie Grass or Shaw's? Not exactly apples to apples...

No, not at all. Prairie Grass Cafe is in Northbrook - the far end, by the Edens, not the end where Allgauer's is. It's a big room with an a la carte brunch menu. I don't think it's exactly elegant - it's more of a bustling bistro type place. I'd choose Shaw's or Allgauer's based on what you say you're looking for.

If you really want "lovely" and you're willing to go into the city, the brunches at the restaurants in the luxury hotels off Michigan Avenue are pretty darn impressive (which they better be, for the $60-70 they now cost). I'm referring to Seasons in the Four Seasons, NoMI in the Park Hyatt, the Lobby in the Peninsula, and the big one in the Ritz-Carlton.

The Ritz brunch is not nearly as impressive as it once was since it was moved into the atrium cafe from the dining room. I would put it a notch below the other ones you listed (Seasons, IMO, is the best of the bunch).

Seasons of Long Grove (not related to the Seasons at the Four Seasons) is a lovely place in the middle of charming, historic Long Grove. Their Sunday Champagne Brunch is very good -- if a buffet is acceptable.

The buffet at Seasons of Long Grove generally features a number of imaginative salads (usually including mixed greens with an outstanding berry vinaigrette), planked salmon, eggs Benedict, a number of additional hot breakfast entrees, and a carving station (prime rib, turkey, ham), as well as a stunning dessert spread. It has been reported that they have the best creme brulee in Illinois -- an opinion I happen to share.

Seasons is in one of the wonderful, rambling, old Victorian mansions that make up so much of the "downtown" area of Long Grove.

http://www.seasonsoflonggrove.com/

Seasons of Long Grove
314 Old McHenry Road
Long Grove, IL 60047-8862
(847) 634-9150

If distance isn't a factor, Meson Sabika has a fabulous Sunday brunch. We just went their for my husband's 40th birthday. They have a carving station, paella, hot & cold tapas, lots of seafood, soup, and fresh fruit (which was excellent, even in December). Homemade desserts, too. We can't wait to go back.

http://www.mesonsabika.com/mesonsabika/ ... runch.html

Meson Sabika
1025 Aurora Ave.
Naperville, IL 60540
(630) 983-3000

As much as I enjoy the Four Seasons brunch downtown (I think it's still the best of the downtown options even at close to $80 PLUS drinks), I think that Seasons at Long Grove is a better alternative unless Mom eats like a long-haul trucker.

I've been wanting to try the Sunday brunch at Seasons of Long Grove, but I just haven't had a chance. I've been trying a lot of Sunday brunches, but there are always many more I haven't hit, and that's one of them.

Do they accept reservations? And if you go without one, are you likely to be seated immediately?

(I see from their website that the price is good, too! $19.95 for adults.)

It's been a while since I've been (1-1/2 years) but that visit wasn't much different than a previous visit so at least they were consistent (and they can claim the chef-owner of Wholly Frijoles as an alumnus, which I regard as a plus). We didn't reserve but were willing to wait it out (nice summer weekend). You shouldn't expect a Four Seasons experience, but we were recently invited to a brunch at the Signature Room and I'll take the Seasons brunch over that experience any day of the week. The Sig Room was totally soul-less food prep; just going through the motions.