Promotion Celebration: Dinner for 2

This is going to be way too broad of a request, but I'll narrow it down as best as possible.

My boyfriend and I are looking for a place to have dinner on Saturday night to celebrate my promotion.

-We live in Lincoln Square, but don't mind driving as long as the place has easy street parking/meters.

-We're willing to pay up to $20 per entree.

I guess I'd just like to hear about some good experiences people have had lately on a date-type evening, or a restaurant someone has been dying to recommend.

We're pretty open to cuisine, though I'd like to stay away from seafood, Italian and Mexican for this particular meal.

TIA!

I was going to recommend Dorado, but you non seafood, non Mexican requirement just blew it out of the water.

stevez wrote:I was going to recommend Dorado, but you non seafood, non Mexican requirement just blew it out of the water.

Me too!

I guess my other suggestion would be any of the good french bistros in the city. Quite a few (most?) have their entrees at under $20 normally..

i'm a big fan of campagne bistro, which is right in your neighborhood on lincoln. very traditional, well-executed bistro fare, nice wine, a homey, warm dining room with lots of little private nooks.

If you're talking $20/entree, then I'll assume you're also talking about $50/person. (Alcohol would be the big variable here. One glass ea. vs. buying a med. priced bottle, vs. several coctails and/or after dinner drinks, etc.)

That said, and taking your stated parameters into account, the next question would be ambience. Do you require dim lights, linen, and quiet, or would you be just as happy with a bit of crowding and celebratory bustle going on around you?

For an upscale American /intimate/neighborhood feel I would say check out Magnolia Cafe (on Wilson in Uptown, or Tweet on Sheridan). Both can be a bit crowded, but have good kitchens.

We had a really lovely meal at Le Bouchon on prix fixe, Tues. I think the regular menu would still be in your range.

There have also been some really wonderful sounding posts about Sweets and Savories, though it might push your price point and I haven't been there.

Have also heard (but not had) good things about the new tapas place, Rioja on Clark in Andersonville. Other places I've heard first-hand good things about are: Thyme Cafe, D'Vine, Tizi Melloul. All very different. Mon Ami Gabi also has its fans for classic med.-scale French. All worth doing a little research on yourself, since these are 2nd hand impressions.

Just some scattered impressions. I'm sure there are many great candidates out there.

Although I have not been to KiKi's Bistro in a while, I've always liked it more than the other French bistros. I also like Bistrot Margot and Le Bouchon quite a bit. A meal this summer at Bistro Campagne was a disaster (primarily, extreme oversalting) and at the time I learned that there are some "chef" issues at the restaurant. I don't know if that is still an issue.

I don't know how you feel about Indian food but I live in Lincoln Square and I really like Essence of India.

Another option: West Town Tavern

Finally, I really liked Volo in Roscoe Village on my one trip there. It's mostly small plates and not inexpensive, but might fit the bill. They also have a nice wine program. Here's more on Volo:

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... light=volo

and you can check out their menu at www.volorestaurant.com

Just to second a motion: my wife's office all went to West Town Tavern recently and loved it. (They even did well by a vegan diner, who had given them advance warning.)

You might try Parlor. Ab's description as "upscale comfort" seems very apt.

Parlor
1745 W. North Ave.
Chicago
773/782-9000

Daily Herald review

if you haven't been there, I would definately go to bistro campagne.

Its good healthy food.... (its also gotten a lot of hype lately, since the chef is trying to make it the first certified fully organic restaurants in the city--the food already is

out of all the bistros mentioned, +1 on the Bistro Campagne rec for an this occasion. i found Kiki's offerings subpar; La Sardine, while lively, is a bit incodusive to gentle conversation; Bistrot Margot is great, but meter parking is hard to find in Old Town.

TonyC wrote:Bistrot Margot is great, but meter parking is hard to find in Old Town.

They had valet parking the last time I was there.

Not sure if Carlywood's parking issue is a desire for easy parking or for cheap parking.

I love valet parking. Drive up -- the valet makes the car go away. In most cases, restaurant valets are much cheaper than you'd pay in a commercial garage, and you don't have to worry about your meter running out.

On the other hand, if you're willing to drive, you can get free parking and a lovely, celebratory meal at Prairie Grass Cafe.

Prairie Grass Cafe
601 Skokie Blvd
Northbrook, IL 60062-2851
(847) 205-4433

LAZ wrote:

TonyC wrote:Bistrot Margot is great, but meter parking is hard to find in Old Town.

to each his own, but I found Bistro Margot to be pretty disappointing. I had french onion soup... it came out and was very sweet and tomatoey. It was more like tomato soup mixed with onion soup. the menu called it onion soup a 'la some region... i asked what the deal was (maybe this particular region did it differently), she said that no they didn't do it differently in that region, and that the restaurant just uses a tomato base for the soup... (she actually started explaining that its the same soup base used in some other soup they have...). not a fan, give me back my brothy french onion soup.

the other things I had were just "OK" ... my dining partner felt pretty much the same way about his food...

^ now that you mention it... the soup was kinda funk.. and the escargot too... maybe i was just in a really good mood last time we were there...