Restaurant Week ... coming to chicago

apparently chicago will finally have a restaurant week... according to http://312diningdiva.blogspot.com/2008/ ... ek-is.html ...

312diva wrote:Save for Valentine's Day, winter is a pretty rough time for the local dining scene. So in order to drive traffic during the slowest season, the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau (CCTB) is sponsoring the first-ever Chicago Restaurant Week.

It's scheduled for Feb. 22-29, with participating restaurants offering a three-course, pre-fixe lunch and/or dinner (excluding all beverages/alcohol, taxes and gratuity) either for non-weekend (Sunday through Thursday) or for the full promotional period (Friday through Friday).

At this time, they've signed up 25 restaurants, but 312 Dining Diva will keep you updated and in the mix!

Here's a partial list:

Bistro 110 (110 E. Pearson St., 312-266-3110)

Blue Water Grill (520 N. Dearborn St., 312-777-1400)

Brazzaz (539 N. Dearborn St., 312-595-9000)

Café des Architectes (20 E. Chestnut St., 312-324-4063)

David Burke’s Primehouse (616 N. Rush St., 312-660-6000)

Devon Seafood (39 E. Chicago Ave., 312-440-8660)

Fulton’s on the River (315 N. LaSalle Dr., 312-822-0100)

NAHA (500 N. Clark St., 312-321-6242)

Nick’s Fishmarket Grill (51 S. Clark St.,312-621-0200)

Park Grill (11 N. Michigan Ave., 312-521-7275)

Pump Room (1301 N. State Pkwy., 312-266-0360)

Roy’s (720 N. State St., 312-787-7599)

Shula’s (301 E. North Water St., 312-670-0788)

Smith & Wollensky (318 N. State St., 312-670-9900)

Sushi Samba Rio (504 N. Wells St., 312-595-2300)

...that list is a bit.. well... let's see it's sponsored by the board of tourism... so i guess it's OK to say many of the restaurants on that list are kind of.. touristy.

Not the same event mentioned above, but in the same vein on metromix, from Chicago Originals ...

[url=http://chicago.metromix.com/restaurants/dining_event/chicago-originals-restaurant-week/282798/content]Chicago Originals Restaurant Week
[/url]

dddane wrote:...that list is a bit.. well... let's see it's sponsored by the board of tourism... so i guess it's OK to say many of the restaurants on that list are kind of.. touristy.

That's funny; I think it's a pretty good mix of what you'll find in the greater downtown (including Michigan Avenue) area, and includes places that are well-regarded and often frequented by locals, like David Burke's and Naha and Fulton's. However, what I also see in that list is the other part of my first statement - that they're all geographically concentrated in the area from the Loop to the Gold Coast. None in the suburbs or outlying neighborhoods or even areas close to downtown like the Randolph corridor, Greek Town, South Loop, Wicker Park, etc. Only Gold Coast, Michigan Avenue, River North, and the Loop. That's it. So it's not the places themselves that are touristy, but rather, their location.

nsxtasy wrote:However, what I also see in that list is the other part of my first statement - that they're all geographically concentrated in the area from the Loop to the Gold Coast. None in the suburbs or outlying neighborhoods or even areas close to downtown like the Randolph corridor, Greek Town, South Loop, Wicker Park, etc. Only Gold Coast, Michigan Avenue, River North, and the Loop. That's it. So it's not the places themselves that are touristy, but rather, their location.

Isn't that the same area subject to the extra McPier sales taxes on restaurants, which may be helping fund the program? I don't know, just asking ...

We went one year to the dinner at Cafe des Architectes, and were quite impressed.
Robert

reply to:

"That's funny; I think it's a pretty good mix of what you'll find in the greater downtown (including Michigan Avenue) area, and includes places that are well-regarded and often frequented by locals, like David Burke's and Naha and Fulton's. However, what I also see in that list is the other part of my first statement - that they're all geographically concentrated in the area from the Loop to the Gold Coast. None in the suburbs or outlying neighborhoods or even areas close to downtown like the Randolph corridor, Greek Town, South Loop, Wicker Park, etc. Only Gold Coast, Michigan Avenue, River North, and the Loop. That's it. So it's not the places themselves that are touristy, but rather, their location."



I don't think the list is complete, plus that was only a highlight of what's going on. Plus, the thing is more than a month away, so it's possible that they'll add a bunch more, but I seriously doubt that there will be any from the burbs. Why should they anyway? It's the Chicago Tourism Bureau, not the Chicago Surburban Tourism Bureau.

here's a web site for the event

http://www.choosechicago.com/eatitup/Pages/default.aspx

$22 for lunch pre fixe, $32 for dinner... is that even a deal? seems like a marketing gimmick to me. i could name 20 places that do this cheaper all year long

*yawn*

dddane wrote:here's a web site for the event

http://www.choosechicago.com/eatitup/Pages/default.aspx

$22 for lunch pre fixe, $32 for dinner... is that even a deal? seems like a marketing gimmick to me. i could name 20 places that do this cheaper all year long

*yawn*

Hard to know without seeing the prix fixe menu, but if it resembles the regular menu in any substantial way, $32 for 3 courses at Naha, Primehouse, and Smith & Wollensky is indeed a deal.

You wrote:

"here's a web site for the event

http://www.choosechicago.com/eatitup/Pages/default.aspx

$22 for lunch pre fixe, $32 for dinner... is that even a deal? seems like a marketing gimmick to me. i could name 20 places that do this cheaper all year long

*yawn*"

You're off the hook and very judgmental, but I don't see YOU creating your own "Chicago Restaurant Week!"

You're quick to diss the efforts of our tourism bureau for trying to help restaurants--many who are dead in the winter--get some business during the hardest time of the year, but you're not offering any alternatives. And no, I am in no way affiliated with this organization, but I was excited to see this happen because every major city has a restaurant week except Chicago. Thank GOD they finally did it so that these owners and those who work for these establishments can get some well-deserved business.

WickerPKGIRL wrote:You wrote:

"here's a web site for the event

http://www.choosechicago.com/eatitup/Pages/default.aspx

$22 for lunch pre fixe, $32 for dinner... is that even a deal? seems like a marketing gimmick to me. i could name 20 places that do this cheaper all year long

*yawn*"

You're off the hook and very judgmental, but I don't see YOU creating your own "Chicago Restaurant Week!"

You're quick to diss the efforts of our tourism bureau for trying to help restaurants--many who are dead in the winter--get some business during the hardest time of the year, but you're not offering any alternatives. And no, I am in no way affiliated with this organization, but I was excited to see this happen because every major city has a restaurant week except Chicago. Thank GOD they finally did it so that these owners and those who work for these establishments can get some well-deserved business.

It's a steal in places like NY and DC but in Chicago where prices are consistently lower, it's not much of a deal. It might be if they put some higher end or dare i say, good, restaurants in the list, but looking at that list there isn't one that even piques my interest.

While there are indeed lots of ho hum places on the list, I think Naha is truly wonderful, and entrees alone there average about 35 dollars.

WickerPKGIRL wrote:I was excited to see this happen because every major city has a restaurant week except Chicago.

There has been a restaurant week for a number of years, Dine Out Chicago, in affiliation with San Pellegrino. Maybe they didn't have it last year, but they have had it for several years before.

I am excited about NAHA on the list, and I really wish I were going to be in town. I don't know what the menu choices will actually be, but NAHA's dinner menu regularly offers:

Appetizers: $10-20
Entrees: $28-47
Desserts: $12

So even if every dinner course is the cheapest on the menu, you're still looking at $32 instead of $50. Three average priced courses is $62, meaning the deal is about half price.

Plus, it's a terrific, often overlooked restaurant. (Lunch is a good deal too.)

According to Phil Vettel, there will be another restaurant week comprised of local independent restaurants:

Quite coincidentally, members of a group of local independent restaurants called Chicago Originals announced its own Restaurant Week. This one will take place January 27 through Feb. 3, and will feature three-course dinners for $20.08, plus selected bottles of wine offered for $20.08. Among the participants are Café Bernard, Café Matou, Cyrano’s Bistrot & Wine Bar, Mundial Cocina Mestiza, Oceanique (Evanston), Sweets & Savories and Trattoria Roma. For a complete list and online reservations, go to http://www.chicagooriginals.com.

Sounds much more interesting to me.

More information can be found on this Open Table page. It looks like there are quite a few restrictions with a lot of restaurants defining Restaurant Week only as Sunday-Thursday.

Hey, I just found out that the restaurants featured from the Chicago Tourism Bureau are members of that Bureau. They asked all of the members to participate and these were the ones that were interested. So, it's not like they were trying to be exclusionary, but I'm sure that the members have to pay a hefty annual fee, and perhaps the more neighborhood-y restaurants prefer not to do that. So that answers the question of how these particular restaurants were selected!

Food Nut wrote:Not the same event mentioned above, but in the same vein on metromix, from Chicago Originals ...

[url=http://chicago.metromix.com/restaurants/dining_event/chicago-originals-restaurant-week/282798/content]Chicago Originals Restaurant Week
[/url]

Update:

Link to Cyrano's "Chicago Originals" restaurant week menu

Link to Kiki's "Chicago Originals" restaurant week menu

I was thinking of taking myself out to celebrate my $5 per week raise at either Cafe des Architectes or Aigre Doux. Anybody have anything to offer about these two? Or am I crazy and should, like, totally try something else? It's not often I get to go out fancy, so I want to take advantage. So if the $22/$32 deal is not worth it for either of these places, let me know.

Pie Lady, I was attempting to make the same decision myself, albeit between Aigre Doux and Naha. Have been to the latter and think it's great; would also like to try the former though.

Any other LTH'ers care to comment? Thanks.

Time Out has posted a list of the menus that participating restaurants will be offering during the next week. It might help you make up your mind.

I think I'd take the "Great Lakes whitefish and Kurobuta fresh bacon with celery root remoulade, buttered kohlrabi beans and grain mustard" from Naha over Aigre Doux's "Slow-baked salmon with curried parsnip puree, braised endive and citrus emulsion". But that's just me... ^_^

Air Flow wrote:Pie Lady, I was attempting to make the same decision myself, albeit between Aigre Doux and Naha. Have been to the latter and think it's great; would also like to try the former though.

Any other LTH'ers care to comment? Thanks.

I have been to both, and feel that they are of equal quality...might be time to just flip a coin...or since they're close to each other, just do a course here and a course there, here a course, there a course, everywhere a course-course!

Although apparently not "officially" part of Restaurant Week, Sweets and Savories is doing a $32, 4-course tasting menu next week.

Thanks for your suggestions. The Naha menu does seem more intriguing. I'm curious about the Roast Quail. Also not sure if it's a plus or minus that the butternut squash accompanying the risotto duplicates flavors with squash soup starter. Aigre Doux's offerings, while blander, appear more varied.

I've been lurking for a few months now; I love the site and really appreciate all the hard work and passion everyone puts into it. I finally decided to make the leap and sign up.

Anyway, I don't know if this has already been posted, but tonight marked the beginning of Chicago's 1st Annual Restaurant Week. From now until next Friday (2/29), a number of restaurants (mainly in the River North area) are running lunch and/or dinner specials featuring 3-course prix-fixe meals - $21.95 for lunch and $31.95 for dinner.

Eating in River North isn't my cup of tea, but I may just have to have lunch at Fogo de Chao next week. A full list of restaurants and schedules can be found at http://www.choosechicago.com/eatitup/Pages/default.aspx

If this was any other week of the year I'd be going daily....but I work everyday this week. Sucks working in this industry. It's hard to love food when you cook food. no time off...

Welcome to LTH Forum.

There is an existing thread here: http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=17206

Air Flow wrote:Pie Lady, I was attempting to make the same decision myself, albeit between Aigre Doux and Naha. Have been to the latter and think it's great; would also like to try the former though.

Any other LTH'ers care to comment? Thanks.

Well, last week Tuesday I called Naha to make a dinner reservation and the person who answered said that they were completely sold out for the entire time for dinner. The other thing I noticed on the promo website was that many of the restaurants are only participating from Sun-Thursday, which makes it an even shorter window to attempt to fit into. I've had a big taste for Fogo de Chao brewing for some time, though, so the promotion fit in perfectly. I'm getting a great deal on lunch there with clients on both Tuesday and Thursday.

Back from a pair of Chicago Restaurant Week visits.

[u]Naha[/u]
Very impressive, great flavors throughout, highlighted by the delicately delicious acorn squash soup to start, followed by roast quail bursting with a smokey tomato taste, and to finish, a sweet tooth satisfying pineapple tart with coconut hints. Plus a complimentary post-dessert muse to close the deal. Service was on the mark, ambience both subtly elegant and soothing, and a demonstrable value for this prix fixe format. House label pinot noir - apparently in concert with Au Bon Climat - a most pleasant pour. A fine experience and will look forward to the next time.

[u]Primehouse[/u]
Food quality was high, service and ambience a little less so. Lobster bisque rich but bland (although small "egg roll" that joined it was superb), mini filet and prime a la delmonico were outstanding - best accompaniments of these two were basil potatoes and asparagus. Dessert was great in the form of a cheescake lollipop, milkshake, and "prime" cake - each with a chocolate twist. Qupe syrah half bottle started and finished well. Overall a very good experience, and a fine value for the restaurant week price.

Long shot, but if anyone has Naha dinner reservations for 2 or 4 that they are unable to use, I would be delighted to use them.

If so, please send me a PM.
Thank you.

Went to Aria last night for the Restaurant Week Prix Fixe menu and was disappointed to find out that the menu consisted of no choices. Not sure if the menu changes daily or not, but on Monday night, the prix fixe contained a organic greens salad with goat cheese,, which was pretty basic, although large and easily sharable, walleye for the entree, with some gnocci, and carrot cake with cream cheese ice cream for dessert.

Not being much of a fish eater, I did not go with the prix fixe, and not wanting to break the bank, chose to go without the appetizer and dessert. I had the arroz con pollo which was quite tasty and something I would not normally order, and my wife did go with the prix fixe. Overall the experience was very nice, and I would go back, but still the disappointment of the menu did tarnish the evening a bit.

Lesson learned, call first, when there is a deal. Been to many restaurants where you can order anything off the menu or there is a partial menu, but I found it strange there was no meat or seafood option last night at Aria for the appetizer of entree.

I, too, was at Aria last night. Before going, I had looked at their restaurant week menu at timeout.com and somewhat assumed that what was shown was maybe just a sampling of what would be offered. Not so much. The prix fixe is one salad, one entree, and one dessert.

Organic greens, herb-crusted montrachet, shaved fennel, oven roasted tomatoes and marcona almonds with green goddess dressing
Pan-seared filet of walleye pike with herb gnocchi, wilted greens, capers and brown butter-memon sauce
Organic carrot cake with cream cheese ice cream, ginger poached carrot, Malibu rum-caramel sauce and walnut vinaigrette

So onto the food. The salad...it is what it is. Nothing memorable. The fish...not bad. Although, if you cook the fish with the skin so that it gets crispy, why would you stack the filets so that the one on the bottom would lose its texture. The carrot cake...so so. At this point, I think I was just getting bitter at the lack of choices.

The other two people I ate with had the fiery beef and the hong kong bbq duck. I would rather spend half the money and go to Big Bowl.

I don't understand why they even bothered to "participate" in restaurant week. All in all, very disappointed at their lack of effort and not worth revisiting...or even visiting in the first place.

On the plus side, the bar area looked sorta cool. I would maybe go back and have a few drinks.