Birthday dinner

I'm basically a lurker here. I've gotten so many wonderful ideas for places to eat here, I can't thank you enough.

OK folks, I need your help. My inlaws want to take my partner and I out for dinner for my birthday. They're 86 and their idea of a really great dinner is Lawry's. Me? Not so much. They will gamely go wherever I want. I like the idea of a place with some kind of entertainment, like live music, where the food isn't too weird. They tolerated my choice of Peking duck at Lao Szechuan a couple of years ago, but I don't think it thrilled them. My M-I-L saw a Brazilian place, Carnivale!, on Check Please that she said sounded interesting. Any ideas where a 40-something gay foodie couple and an 80-something steak-and-potatoes type couple can find common ground? (A place where we don't have to come up with too much conversation would be a real plus!)

I submit myself to your collective wisdom.

Actually, Carnivale might not be such a bad choice, given your parameters. Another option might be GNR winner Sabatino's, although you might have to work a little harder in the conversation dept. there.

If Carnivale fits, you might also want to give cuatro a look. They often have music on the weekends:

http://www.cuatro-chicago.com/live/

Oh Fagelah, how I adore your moniker!

I find myself in such a similar predicament, my college graduation dinner is tomorrow evening and I have to come find out the celebration will transpire at Maggiano's- not even the original, but one in Indianapolis! I have decided to just bite my lip, it will be one meal and if everyone else will happy I can deal with it. It is merely one meal, and it is basically a "gift" in itself.

If I were you I would just go somewhere that the inlaws are happiest. Someplace "safe" would be most wise. Although, if she is interested in Carnivale, I say go for it. I love tapas type places, lots of high energy and ample distractions!

Happy Birthday

If you like middle eastern food, Juliana's restaurant on Peterson might be a good choice -- on weekends they have live nite club style entertainment of the belly dancer/singer variety that seems to attract a varied audience including old-timers. Same with the Paradise persian restaurant on Broadway, which has a belly dancer show on weekends. We've gone to both with my in-laws.
>>Brent

faygelah wrote:Any ideas where a 40-something gay foodie couple and an 80-something steak-and-potatoes type couple can find common ground? (A place where we don't have to come up with too much conversation would be a real plus!)

It might be too much food for the older folks, but Zed451 might work well. All kinds of food choices, lots of meat, and between visiting the veggie buffet and the servers constantly coming up, you can't really have a lot of serious conversation.

Locations in Chicago and the suburbs.
http://www.zed451.com

Mike Sula's new review is worth reading for contrast...

This is the human counterpart to confined animal feeding operations

I dislike those Brazilian steak places personally, but under the circumstances, even I have to admit it's a reasonable answer, though.

How about Alhambre, t is pretty hard to beat for spectacle. The menu is pretty easy to navigate and while most culinary enthusiast probably prepare many of the menu items at home on a regular basis, hummus and baba ganoush are adventuresome and rewarding for some. The steak was certainly good enough and the menu in general is simple enough for anyone to find something they will enjoy.

The space is pretty exceptional and made me think of Ricks from Casablanca or what it might have been like in cuba in the 50's.

I have been to Carnival, Nacional 27, and Zed (when it was still Sal and Carvo) with groups of diverse non food oriented people. In each instance I found the food to have made an impression but it was Alhambre that made for the most memorable experience with the least need for forced conversation - if not the best meal.