60th Birthday Celebration

LTH,

After perusing many posts over the past couple of days I'm still at a loss as to where to take my parents for their 60th Birthday/Anniversary dinner. We will probably have between 6 and 8 people.

My parents live in the NW burbs (Libertyville) and I'd like the place to be between there and say Addison on the Southern border. It'd be even better if we could keep the place fairly close to 94 and roughly between Lincoln Square and Libertyville. Evanston, Lincoln Square, Skokie, etc. are all fair game. But it it's no too far from 94 and easy to get to I would not be adverse to going elsewhere in Chicago.

Some ground rules: we want to try a place we haven't been to before or at least which my parents haven't been to before. This rules out Va Pensiero; Sabatino's; La Scarola; Gibson's; any of the Wheeling restaurant row restaurants like Bob Chinn's, Tuscany, etc.; Chicago Brauhaus.

I would be willing to spend up to $100 per person total, but certainly don't need to do so. I mean, we loved going to Sabatino's as much as Gibson's .

Any suggestions would be great.

Was thinking about Myron & Phil's

Thanks!

Bster

I just got an email from the Carlos restaurant in Highland Park, and they're doing some things in November to celebrate Carlos's 60th birthday. While it may be higher than the price point you mention, it might be a fun tie in. Check out their website at: http://www.carlos-restaurant.com/

Have a good time!

John

Bster wrote:
Was thinking about Myron & Phil's

I havebeen going to Myron & Phils for as long as i can remember. In fact, it is the default meet up of choice for my dad and i on the way home from work, especially when my mom is out of town as she now refuses to eat here. That having been said, i dont consider it a special occasion kind of place. For us it is a tuesday night and i feel like a romanian skirt steak and great chopped liver/pickled tomato kinda night. Our running joke is that on any given night my dad is in the youngest and strongest 10% of the clientele (he is 67)...needless to say it is very old school and full of regulars who eat there every night of the week and have for 40 years.

Prairie Grass Cafe - http://www.prairiegrasscafe.com/ is perfect for groups, right off 41 in Northbrook. Great Tall Grass steaks and desserts.

E.J.'s Place in Skokie - http://www.ejsplaceskokie.com/ Kind of the same crowd as Myron & Phils.

Back in the day we used to go to TJPeppercorn's at the Purple Hyatt for special occasions, it was yummy.

I'd also not consider Myron and Phil's a special location, but not too far from there is Monastero's. I haven't been there in years but I know it's open and they used to do nice specials and things for events.

I also like the food at Prairie Grass, but it can get very noisy. Noise can be an issue with my folks, whose hearing is not up to the challenge. An early dinner should solve the problem in most places, though.

If your parents enjoy fish, Oceanique in Evanston might be a good choice. It has a more sedate atmosphere than the brasserie style high energy spots that are so popular these days. You can dine there within your budget. Valet parking there is another plus.

For her 84th birthday last year, I took my mother to Lutnia. Even though she's Irish and Lutnia is Polish, she loved the atmosphere and old-school tableside pyrotechnics.

Lutnia
5532 W. Belmont Ave

iblock9 wrote:I have been going to Myron & Phils for as long as i can remember. In fact, it is the default meet up of choice for my dad and i on the way home from work, especially when my mom is out of town as she now refuses to eat here. That having been said, i dont consider it a special occasion kind of place. For us it is a tuesday night and i feel like a romanian skirt steak...

I was at M&P again the week before last and, on the strength of people talking about the Roumanian skirt steak here, ordered it for the first time. I found it very chewy, to the point where making any headway into it was going to be a struggle. (I've had skirt steak over the years at other places and at home before, so I know it doesn't have to be so difficult.) To the great credit of the waitress and the manager, they almost proactively replaced it with my request for the walleye, which was delicious. (I was going to stoically work my way forward without complaint through however little of the skirt steak I was going to be able to chew, but when the waitress came over to see how everything was, I told her the truth, and she didn't seem a bit surprised. From her reaction, and that of the manager, I had the feeling that the skirt steak at M&P can "be that way" some nights, or perhaps had been that way recently. She practically insisted I order something else as a replacement, and there wasn't the slightest hint of "hmmm, no one's ever had a problem with the skirt steak before..." So I felt totally taken care of--even cared for. Kudos again to the waitress and manager for handling the situation in so exemplary a fashion.)

sujormik wrote:Back in the day we used to go to TJPeppercorn's at the Purple Hyatt for special occasions, it was yummy.

What's not to like about a place with ducks turning on the rotisserie prominently displayed in the entryway. Unfortunately, T.J. Peppercorns is long gone, and the Purple Hotel (as it was finally officially called) has closed for good.

Geez, the last couple times I drove by, The Purple Hotel looked kinda quiet...

Back in the day when it was called Ray Foley's Hyatt House, it used to be a destination. And later on, TJ's was a very, very solid restaurant & their lounge was a place I could meet with clients, and it would seem like the city.

And of course, the parking lot was also known as the place that Allen Dorfman, head trustee of the Teamsters' Central States Pension Fund, was 'whacked'...

jnm123 wrote:And of course, the parking lot was also known as the place that Allen Dorfman, head trustee of the Teamsters' Central States Pension Fund, was 'whacked'...

Leaving the hotel after lunch at T.J. Peppercorn's, I might add.

The hotel was taken over by a new group and then was denied an occupancy permit because of some mold issues in the guest rooms. It must have been pretty bad because the last I heard, the plan is now to raise the hotel and build some kind of condo development.

Three suggestions:
Gabriel's in Highwood. This is Chef Viti's original joint. It's Italian upscale, but not as expensive as Carlos (where Viti got his start). Viti also has Miramar and one other place in Highwood, but a recent email reported that he's now back at Gabriel's fulltime, so this could be a great time to check the place out. I ate there several times, quite a few years ago, before he opened his other places, and thought it outstanding.
Chef's Station in Evanston. Contemporary American, a bit more on the creative side; has a tasting menu if that' of interest.
Jacky's Bistro in Evanston: small, French place, with consistently solid food.

Carlos now offers a 5 course for $55 on Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sun from 5:30 to 7:30.
Carlos can't be beat!-Dick

Di Pescara in Northbrook is suppossed to be lovely and good for big groups.
Also Quince is the new place in the Trio spot in Evanston, and it's definitely reasonable priced.
And Bonefish is a nice fish place near the expressway in Skokie.

Jonah wrote:Three suggestions:
Gabriel's in Highwood. This is Chef Viti's original joint. It's Italian upscale, but not as expensive as Carlos (where Viti got his start). Viti also has Miramar and one other place in Highwood, but a recent email reported that he's now back at Gabriel's fulltime, so this could be a great time to check the place out. I ate there several times, quite a few years ago, before he opened his other places, and thought it outstanding.
Chef's Station in Evanston. Contemporary American, a bit more on the creative side; has a tasting menu if that' of interest.
Jacky's Bistro in Evanston: small, French place, with consistently solid food.

Gabriel's is awesome (though I wish their portion sizes were a touch more reasonable...too too too big)

rlguffman wrote:Di Pescara in Northbrook is suppossed to be lovely and good for big groups.

Depending on your expectations and palate, Di Pescaramay or may not be what you are looking for.