nsxtasy wrote:Aside from the impact on our budgets, and aside from any improvements in our cooking skills... Even when a covid-19 vaccine becomes available, I'm sure many of us won't feel comfortable going out to eat in a crowded restaurant for a long, long time to come. (Or going out to sit in a crowd at a sporting event or concert, either.) I think it could be years before the restaurant industry returns to the level of business it had been doing pre-pandemic.

True. My discomfort, however, comes from GAF's fears: when it comes time to venture out again, are we just going to be left with a 1000 mediocre fried chicken sandwich restaurants?

My fear is that we will be left with 1000 delicious fried chicken sandwich restaurants.

Tacos el Norte in Lake Bluff is open for take out (curbside available) or delivery.

224.880.5141

TacosElNorteLakeBluff.com

305 S Waukegan Rd. Lake Bluff IL 60044

I'm watching the NY City episode of "Someone Feed Phil" on Netflix, the part in which he was out eating at an Indian restaurant with Floyd Cardoz. I'm saddened to think of him having died from coronavirus, and thinking it was a waste, as all untimely deaths due to this virus pandemic are.

I am starting to wonder if it is a good idea to expect all these restaurants, from McDonalds to Michelin starred, to keep operating during this crisis at considerable risk to the employees and owners. I can see that it would cause greater social disruption to close all restaurants, not because of employees and owners needing income but because of people needing access to food, a need that in some situations grocery stores and drugstores can't fill.

I'm not advocating for all restaurants to be closed, any more (well, okay, maybe slightly more) than I would advocate for all grocery stores to be closed. I don't think either is feasible. With any and all such closures, from stores to schools to whatever, some level of risk has to be balanced with the degree of social disruption that results. With respect to restaurants, I'm just thinking about whether we should focus on getting people's needs met, as opposed to wants.

If you're worried that your favorite restaurants and their employees will struggle financially (and if, for some reason, you don't believe that the announced SBA loan and grant funding will be sufficient to allow them to meet their payrolls and keep their employees), might it not be better to just send them some money? Is it better to pay someone to keep leaving their home to go to work with other people to cook you food and bring it to the curb for you and a hundred other people a day, or is it better to just give them that money and let them stay home and you stay home and reduce the odds of everyone involved getting sick and then getting other people sick?

Maybe some restaurant gift card schemes would be better at getting money into restaurant owners' and employees' hands right now.

Just thinking out loud and wondering what others think about that.

My wife and I have an anniversary coming up in 2 weeks and with all the madness we both totally blanked on the upcoming, meaningful date. We (I) only remembered today while walking the dog.

I know almost every restaurant under the sun is doing take out but I’m wondering what suggestion the hive mind might have for this occasion. Looking ideally for a higher end place doing a small or specialized menu of take out items. We live in Park Ridge but I’m willing to travel into the city as long as the location is reasonably accessible to the highway (including downtown).

We don’t want to do Alinea because my wife is also pregnant and they don’t honor any dietary restrictions. Things like under (properly) cooked meats, certain cheeses, etc is just too much to worry about with how my wife wants to eat presently. But something in that vein would be terrific.

Flat and Point is a contender but we had a fairly underwhelming meal there before they closed. Open to suggestions!

DClose wrote:My wife and I have an anniversary coming up in 2 weeks and with all the madness we both totally blanked on the upcoming, meaningful date. We (I) only remembered today while walking the dog.

I know almost every restaurant under the sun is doing take out but I’m wondering what suggestion the hive mind might have for this occasion. Looking ideally for a higher end place doing a small or specialized menu of take out items. We live in Park Ridge but I’m willing to travel into the city as long as the location is reasonably accessible to the highway (including downtown).

We don’t want to do Alinea because my wife is also pregnant and they don’t honor any dietary restrictions. Things like under (properly) cooked meats, certain cheeses, etc is just too much to worry about with how my wife wants to eat presently. But something in that vein would be terrific.

Flat and Point is a contender but we had a fairly underwhelming meal there before they closed. Open to suggestions!

If it was me, I’d pick my favorite restaurant that’s still open and ask them what they could do. Then tip outrageously in lieu of gifts to each other.

DClose wrote:My wife and I have an anniversary coming up in 2 weeks and with all the madness we both totally blanked on the upcoming, meaningful date. We (I) only remembered today while walking the dog.

I know almost every restaurant under the sun is doing take out but I’m wondering what suggestion the hive mind might have for this occasion. Looking ideally for a higher end place doing a small or specialized menu of take out items. We live in Park Ridge but I’m willing to travel into the city as long as the location is reasonably accessible to the highway (including downtown).

We don’t want to do Alinea because my wife is also pregnant and they don’t honor any dietary restrictions. Things like under (properly) cooked meats, certain cheeses, etc is just too much to worry about with how my wife wants to eat presently. But something in that vein would be terrific.

Flat and Point is a contender but we had a fairly underwhelming meal there before they closed. Open to suggestions!

For my 2 cents, Stefani Prime in Lincolnwood is still serving their menu for carryout. One of the better Italian steakhouses in the area with a broad menu of options. While the idea of Alinea may be appealing for take out, in the absence of theatrics all you really want a great meal.

https://c323f30a-8411-40f4-9828-9520129 ... c62cf2.pdf

DClose wrote:My wife and I have an anniversary coming up in 2 weeks and with all the madness we both totally blanked on the upcoming, meaningful date. We (I) only remembered today while walking the dog.

I know almost every restaurant under the sun is doing take out but I’m wondering what suggestion the hive mind might have for this occasion. Looking ideally for a higher end place doing a small or specialized menu of take out items. We live in Park Ridge but I’m willing to travel into the city as long as the location is reasonably accessible to the highway (including downtown).

We don’t want to do Alinea because my wife is also pregnant and they don’t honor any dietary restrictions. Things like under (properly) cooked meats, certain cheeses, etc is just too much to worry about with how my wife wants to eat presently. But something in that vein would be terrific.

Flat and Point is a contender but we had a fairly underwhelming meal there before they closed. Open to suggestions!

Yesterday was my birthday, so my husband and I were looking for a nice carryout meal as a bit of a respite in all of this. We ended up choosing the family meal of the day from Maple & Ash. They are also offering their regular menu. The food travelled well and made for a nice evening.

I like the idea of Boudreaulicious. If money is not a major barrier, I would contact a chef whose cuisine I really admire and whose restaurant is still open for pick-up/delivery, and see if you can construct a special meal. There might be a higher cost, but if, as B. says, you can include a generous amount of support for staff, it could be a win-win situation.

I'm in the same situation. Later this month, I have an annual occasion for which I customarily choose an upscale restaurant I've never been to before. About half an hour ago, I cancelled the dine-in reservation I had made for the occasion, at a restaurant some distance away. I haven't yet decided what to do - one of the contenders is my favorite food prepared at home - but if I get carry-out, it will be in line with boudreau's suggestion. Definitely a place I've been several times and always loved, and probably one not terribly far from home.

Aside from the impact on our budgets, and aside from any improvements in our cooking skills... Even when a covid-19 vaccine becomes available, I'm sure many of us won't feel comfortable going out to eat in a crowded restaurant for a long, long time to come. (Or going out to sit in a crowd at a sporting event or concert, either.) I think it could be years before the restaurant industry returns to the level of business it had been doing pre-pandemic.

Why? If there is a vaccine, why would you continue to act like there isn't?

MikeL wrote:Why? If there is a vaccine, why would you continue to act like there isn't?

No one's talking about "act(ing) like there isn't (a vaccine)". Don't make things up that nobody said, to argue against.

Even after a vaccine is available for this pandemic, there will be greater awareness that other contagious diseases (such as the flu, which is still around and continues to evolve) can be caught when in close proximity to lots of others. As a result, fewer people might be comfortable going to sporting events, concerts, trade shows, and restaurants.

It is a bit challenging since a lot of restaurants I like have totally shuttered and I am not a regular-enough guest at many now that I'm in the suburbs. But I have found the following so far which I think would make a nice or otherwise very enjoyable special occasion meal:

Osteria Langhe is doing family meals to go, rotating menu
Etta is doing family means to go, rotating menu
Bungalow by Middlebrow is selling make-your-own pizza kits
Daisies is going both a reduced menu to go as well as lasagna kits

So far Etta seems like the front runner. They are doing very thoughtful, complete meals for $45 which feed two people, along with some available add ons. The current family meal being offered is:

fire baked focaccia
antipasti salad: fluffy greens, salami, conserved peppers, mozzarella, olives
bucatini carbonara: bacon, pecorino, black pepper
slow roasted salmon: cherry tomatoes, radish, marinated cucumber, dill yogurt
sweet treats from aya pastry

Not bad for $22.50 per person!

DClose wrote:Daisies is going both a reduced menu to go as well as lasagna kits

I also liked the look off Daisies' kits, but according to their website, they are no longer doing take-away.

Out of concern for the health and safety of our staff and patrons we are making the difficult decision to temporarily close our doors until we get the go ahead to reopen for service. The sense of community we have received from not only our Logan Square neighbors but the Chicago dining scene as a whole has been humbling to say the least. We thank everyone who has come out to support us in our transition to a takeout model During this break we are focusing on self care and coming back stronger and better than ever. In the meantime, please consider donating to the staffs go fund me. We look forward to seeing you all on the other side.

I suspect we'll see a bunch of other places that are new to this model decide to switch up their offering or shut it down entirely depending on how things are going for them.

Great Ad Age interview with Nick Kokonas about how Alinea Group and Tock adapted to COVID-19.

https://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/8/e/f/8ef6a76de50d8d1c/20200401-MarketBrief-Kokonas.mp3?c_id=68675687&forcedn=attachment&cs_id=68675687&expiration=1585865150&hwt=017757a49b97ab6b6204aa0a285be41f

Like most of us, I have been cooking a lot recently. Tonight we decided to order in from Rojo Gusano on Lawrence, a spot we normally frequent fairly regularly. Everything was packaged carefully and met the standards we were accustomed to dining in. I was delighted by the inclusion of a few fortune cookies. Mine stated “ Trust yourself. You know more than you think.” Hmm... the older I get the more I think that is less true in some ways and more in others. Regardless, I so appreciated this meal tonight. Fingers crossed for so many of our favorites finding a way to hang on.

cilantro wrote:

jlawrence01 wrote:Also, many of us are getting back into the habit of cooking our own meals daily.

Honestly, as the prospect of each new day of doing dishes three times dawns, I am seriously reevaluating my previous overly-uncompromising positions on pneumonia/intubation/death.

I have cooked every meal since I started doing low-carb on February 25th. I am not thrilled with all the cooking three times a day, but I have more weight to lose and I can keep it up for a few more months (my health is more than worth it and being back at my college weight - who wouldn't want that?). I feel bad that I am not ordering from restaurants outside of a few exceptions and with tomorrow being my birthday, I will let my girlfriend treat me to something nice - maybe a prime rib dinner which I haven't had in ages.

I have to say that I feel people will go out to restaurants again for a few reasons. One, they want to after being home for so long. Two, many people will have recovered from the virus so they can go out, and WHEN there is an anti-viral or antibody phalaxysis then even more people will go out and if there is a vaccine - people are definitely going out. I know I will be going out.

We had our best pivot-to-takeout experience @ Jeong tonight, where the restaurant is doing a "revival" of menu items from Hanbun, their earlier food court effort. As at Jeong, Chef Park really sweats the details: though his takeout tteokbokki is less complex than the restaurant's version, the flavors are really clear, to the level where you can taste even the faint dusting of sesame seeds; his bulgogi highlights multiple textures, including matchstick apple slices and barley rice. Don't sleep on the jjajangmyun: it's easily the best version of the dish I've had in Chicago.

Anyone partake of Schwa's po'boy experiment?

The Lovely Dining Companion and I wanted to post a quick note as testament to just how much the simple act of ordering delivery these days can mean. I think we all know, intellectually, how important every order is to small mom-and-pop places these days. We have had "date night" every Friday for years, as we order in and watch something we've rented from Netflix.
This past Friday we ordered in from Shinsen in downtown Evanston. The conversation I had with the woman who answered was unusually thorough and we were touched that they added a free side order of edamame.
The food was better than the average stuff we get every week but what touched our hearts was a card included with a copy of their menu. On gray card stock, with their logo on the front, was a "thank you note" to "David & family" There is a several sentence-long note thanking us for our order, explaining how much it means in these times. Following the printed portion is a handwritten note as well thanking us and hoping we enjoy the food. Signed by Wetchapan, "Chef owner."
Our hearts go out to them and to every small family-owned place now--not just restaurants, but small family-owned businesses of every kind. It is just heart-breaking to see what is happening. And the extra care and thoughtfulness (the delivery package also included several alcohol wipes) they took--not to mention the quality of the food--have insured that they have us as customers for a very long time. We wish them, and all the others out there, the very best in these difficult times.

Most of the restaurants around here in the Wheaton and Glen Ellyn area have adapted to a pick up system that works well. Some have special menus and have cut back their hours. Unfortunately some of their food does not take well to take out, its okay but it would taste better dine in but we too need to adapt. Its a shame that some of the restaurants for whatever reason have decided to close during this period such as Steamboat BBQ. Lets hope they reopen.

I’ve noticed a few places, including Smoque, have removed fries from their COVID-19 menus. ‘Tis a puzzle to me.

scottsol wrote:I’ve noticed a few places, including Smoque, have removed fries from their COVID-19 menus. ‘Tis a puzzle to me.

French fries do not hold up long in take out containers. It's probably easier to just take them off the menu than field countless complaints about limp, lukewarm fries.

lodasi wrote:French fries do not hold up long in take out containers. It's probably easier to just take them off the menu than field countless complaints about limp, lukewarm fries.

Plus, at least in Smoque's case, they do all components of fries in-house. Wash, cut, soak, double fry. A lot of moving parts if they are running a lean staff.

Fries also require a certain amount of consistency in orders to know how much to cut and soak, so uncertain times will mean excessive food waste that could be a killer on your bottom line.

lodasi wrote:

scottsol wrote:I’ve noticed a few places, including Smoque, have removed fries from their COVID-19 menus. ‘Tis a puzzle to me.

French fries do not hold up long in take out containers. It's probably easier to just take them off the menu than field countless complaints about limp, lukewarm fries.

In Smoque’s case they have always done a brisk carry out business so that’s not an issue. The biggest mistake places make is packing the fries in sealed containers. That doesn’t help a lot in keeping them hot, but insures they are steamed into oblivion.

‘We’re not looking for a bailout’ say top American chefs — but it might be what the restaurant industry needs to survive

at chicagotribune.com, Phil Vettel wrote:Speaking on behalf of independent restaurants across the country, the Independent Restaurant Coalition sent a letter to Congress Monday, detailing the new federal actions needed “to ensure we survive not just the near-term crisis, but the long-term negative impact on revenue.”

Expressing gratitude for the recently established CARES Act, the group nevertheless likened it to a “temporary lifeline” that is insufficient to ensure the industry’s survival.

In a teleconference call Monday afternoon, Tom Colicchio, Kwame Onwuachi and Naomi Pomeroy — three of the more than a dozen chefs and restaurateurs who established the coalition last month — spoke of the challenges facing the restaurant industry now and in the future, and the need to take action now.

“We don’t want restaurants to be able to open, and then fail because the business is not there,” said Colicchio, whose Crafted Hospitality owns and operates restaurants across the nation and who is well-known as a judge on Bravo’s “Top Chef.” “We’re not looking for a bailout; we’re looking to get back to work.”

=R=

On the flip side of carry-out fries: Steak and Shake wants to reward your social distancing with free fries

No purchase necessary, just ask for them, allegedly.
On the other hand, I've never been a fan: too thin and flavorless.

JoelF wrote:On the flip side of carry-out fries: Steak and Shake wants to reward your social distancing with free fries

No purchase necessary, just ask for them, allegedly.
On the other hand, I've never been a fan: too thin and flavorless.

Figures with me on a low-carb diet and they're giving away fries! Freddy's Steakburgers has an identical burger and fries to Steak N Shake. I prefer Freddy's fries because they taste a little better, they have a seasoning salt on them (SnS has that too if you ask), and best of all Freddy's has Fry Sauce to dip the fries in (I put it on the burger too).

During this period of suspended life, I have been learning more about SEO. I just got this in my inbox and thought a restaurant owner-worker lurker might find it of use:

5 tips to switch from restaurant to food-delivery

nsxtasy wrote:I'm in the same situation. Later this month, I have an annual occasion for which I customarily choose an upscale restaurant I've never been to before. About half an hour ago, I cancelled the dine-in reservation I had made for the occasion, at a restaurant some distance away. I haven't yet decided what to do - one of the contenders is my favorite food prepared at home - but if I get carry-out, it will be in line with boudreau's suggestion. Definitely a place I've been several times and always loved, and probably one not terribly far from home.

And that's what we did tonight: carry-out from Prairie Moon in Evanston. It was excellent - the food delicious, the portion sizes ample, and the ordering process easy. As noted on their website, they offer a choice of either free delivery (if you order from their website and not from a third party service like Grubhub or Doordash) or curbside pickup. I called them yesterday to ask them whether the food is hot or cold at pickup, and they said it would be hot, timed to be just ready at pickup time. (Unlike some places which assume reheating at home.) I placed my order on their website yesterday for curbside pickup today, and off we went. I pulled up in front at the designated pickup time, phoned them, and seconds later they brought the packed up food out to the car. Easy peasy. And the food was indeed hot and ready to eat.