50th birthday for picky partner

Glad to join LTH Forum - and I need your help! Fri Oct 9, my curmudgeon turns 50. I'm planning an earth, wind & fire celebration in honor of the old-timer's favorite band.

EARTH (water): rowing scull (no, timing isn't great)

WIND: balloon ride (exploring charter companies)

FIRE: This is where you come in! Looking for a wonderful, cozy, intimate restaurant in Chicago with delicious food and fireplace. I can't get him into a jacket, but he'll want to be treated pretty special. He's a serious carnivore who craves serious yum, avoids chains and tolerates foam, but that's about his limit with molecular gastronomy. Publican and Bristol are right in line - but too loud, too communal.

Ideas??
(thanks in advance!)

North Pond. Fireplace, good food, good service, jacket not required, good meat dishes. Plus, you get the pond thrown in.

North Pond is great, but if you want to go much more casual, you might think about The Fireside. Pretty good comfort food, open late (the guys from Metropolitan Brewing often come by when the brewery operations make for a particularly long day).

The Fireside
5739 N. Ravenswood Ave.
Chicago, IL 60660-3913
(773) 878-5942

Continuing with the fire theme:
Chicago Firehouse Restaurant
www.chicagofirehouse.com
1401 S Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60605
(312) 786-1401

I love North Pond, and it's not that dressy, with "business casual" the predominant attire.

However, for someone who loves meat, I can't think of a better place than David Burke's Primehouse, with the best steaks in the city combined with the classy, contemporary, but casual and decidedly UN-rowdy atmosphere you're looking for.

Great suggestions - thank you! David Burke's Primehouse will appeal to my carnivore, but he travels constantly and spends many an hour in steakhouses. This sounds like it's a few steps up from the typical prime steakhouse, but still... I'm opting for North Pond based on romantic / aesthetic value (and pork tenderloin, and NY strip).

Les Nomades has a couple of wood burning fireplaces, and is certainly appropriate for a special occasion. It is very dressy but you might get away with business casual (ask, tho):

http://www.lesnomades.net/

Also one of the many restaurants with wood-burning pizza ovens would fit your theme. Although most are generally pizzerias, I'm pretty sure Follia still has one.

Sort of off topic as this is related to the Wind (balloon) portion of your party - check out the charter companies VERY carefully. The Problem Solver columnist for the Tribune published a letter from an irate holder of a gift certificate from a balloon charter company (can't remember which one) that had repeatedly cancelled scheduled flights. Apparently something like over 50% or more balloon outings in this area (from any charter company) get cancelled (often on the day of the ride) due to not-perfect weather and the particular company in the article will not refund your money - they will only allow you to reschesedule. And reschedule. And reschedule.

I agree that North Pond is an excellent location for the Water and Fire component.
Also- Japonais- on The Chicago River- has a fireplace- used to- on the North facing wall.....
We just had a great Birthday celebration at Publican-
that they "handled' very well (with a small note added to our reservation!)-
While we were seated in the Booth/Box-
it didn't seem as noisy as most people complain about-
to me- on par with many Restaurants these days!

As to [url]your Balloon Ride- check out the new vendor at Navy Pier[/url]!

Thanks for posts on hot-air companies (for lack of a better phrase). I'm steering clear of "problem" operators and coming up dry on others, due only to my requirement for Friday sunrise flight late in season.

The "good" companies seem to operate on a shoestring, run by great folks who love what they do - but do it in their spare time. If anybody wants suggestions, I have them... but I'm going with the convenient Navy Pier option for the Wind component of this occasion.

Glad to hear Publican can mitigate sound... screamed myself hoarse on last visit at communal table. Love Japonais - I'm a nut for raw fish (Sasabune in Honolulu = religious experience), but Curmudgeon had Wagyu ribeye. Amazing. But I think North Pond strikes the right cozy note for this night. Thanks again to all... happy weekend.

ginaleigh wrote:Glad to hear Publican can mitigate sound.

Funny you should mention sound at the Publican: http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/conte ... ioID=36391