B-day dinner rec for Berwyn, Cicero, Forest or Oak Park?

My B-day is coming up and I'm stumped for someplace to go. We did Philander's last year, which was nice, but not compelling. It's a Saturday, so I'm not really up for driving all the way downtown and I'm too thrifty to pay downtown prices and enjoy myself, anyway.

I'd prefer not too crowded or raucous. I like seafood, DH likes steak. We both like to drink.

Sorry if this has been discussed. I did peruse the "romantic dinner" threads, but they seemed "city-centric".

Hemmingway's or La Piazza would be my two choices.

Or for old school red sauce Italian (including the famous "salad gondola") I highly recommend Al's on Cermak in Cicero. It's a real throwback along the lines of Sabatino's, but without the tuxedoed Matre'd and musicians.

Al's Restaurant & Pizza
6050 W. Cermak
Cicero, IL
708-656-1060

It's been several months since I was there, but I still have a warm fuzzy feeling come over me when I recall my sole dinner at Cafe le Coq. Food and service were great. Menu pleased a number of different palates. We did go for a rather late dinner, and the noise level was not an issue, but I've heard it's quite boisterous otherwise.

Pricing was reasonable. I recall thinking the meal would have cost more if a few miles east.

Happy birthday!

Zee

Café Le Coq
734 Lake Street
Oak Park, IL 60301

If you are open to Mexican, New Rebozo on Madison in Oak Park would be a fun choice.

Brian

Has anyone been to Slaton's Supper Club? It opened in July and doesn't seem to have gotten much notice. But it sounds like the sort of place you might be looking for, cocomartinez.

Slaton's Supper Club
144 South Oak Park Avenue
Oak Park, IL 60302
708-848-2191
http://www.diningattwelve.com/slatons.html

stevez wrote:Or for old school red sauce Italian (including the famous "salad gondola") I highly recommend Al's on Cermak in Cicero. It's a real throwback along the lines of Sabatino's, but without the tuxedoed Matre'd and musicians.

Al's Restaurant & Pizza
6050 W. Cermak
Cicero, IL
708-656-1060

Boy, you think you know things in your own backyard....famous salad gondola sounds so up my alley. Thanks for the tip!

I agree with Le Coq, being my favorite upscale place in the area.

After recent meals at both, I think La Piazza and New Reboza have some of the best food in the area. Both, however, are definitely in the crowded and raucous category. If you're looking for romantic, plus seafood, plus steak I'd really recommend Hemmingways. The Hemmingway's/ Le Coq argument usually (though not without my protests) comes down on the side of Le Coq (see here for example), but I've never had a disappointing meal at Hemmingways and I think they're heads and shoulders above the other choices when it comes to romantic. Lots of banquette seating, tables spaced far enough apart for conversation, good waitstaff. Plus good fresh seafood, including the only decent oysters in town and, if you're really wanting an over-the-top meal, you can get a Plateau de Fruit de Mer.

Hemmingways Bistro

In aadition to the aforementioned places, the Chew Chew Cafe in Riverside is an option; good food, drinks, atmosphere and prices. Bistro Marbuzet at DesPlaines and Roosevelt is also recommended - romantic yet unfussy, and a good place for a martini. Arnie Salerno's in Berwyn has decent Italian fare in a nice setting. If you like Thai, there's Amarind on North Avenue.

if you dont mind a very informal atmosphere Jimmys Place in Forest Park on Madison has great homemade italian

Ann Fisher wrote:After recent meals at both, I think La Piazza and New Reboza have some of the best food in the area.

In my pre-Chowhound/LTHForum days, I used to like New Reboza a lot -- I should go back there and try it again. Haven't been there for probably five years, but as I recall they tend toward a kind of neo-Mex preparation on the order of La Frontera (though not quite so fancy).

Hammond

Hammond,

I think that's certainly true. My dishes at New Rebozo when we went a week ago were very much in the Frontera/Ixcapuzalco/etc vein. I had a chicken/goat cheese tamale with mango salsa to start (which was fine, but not life altering), and then an entree of four enchiladas (beef, chicken, cheese, and chorizo) each topped with three moles.

The moles were all quite good (although I can't tell you which they were off the top of my head... a rojo, a whitish pumpkin seed one, and one other), and it was great to get so many flavor combinations on one plate.

We hadn't been in a long, long time. Pre chowhound, also. The place was completely packed and Paco was in his usual form.

From a cached ABC7 Hungry Hound story about a year ago

A mango tamale is a good starter - corn masa is steamed with goat and chihuahua cheeses inside...it arrives with a mango salsa. A Fiesta Mole is a sampler of three cheese-stuffed tortillas topped with a mole negro, almond and rojo. Chiles en Nogada begins with a poblano chile, stuffed with eight dried fruits and nuts, then coated in a zippy walnut sauce and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds.

I think these are exactly what we were offered the other night. I had their fourth special, fish tacos--grilled talapia with a very peppy mango salsa on homemade tortillas. They were excellent.

A negro was definitely not on the set of three I had. Which is a shame, since I absolutely love mole negro.

Vital Information wrote:

stevez wrote:Or for old school red sauce Italian (including the famous "salad gondola") I highly recommend Al's on Cermak in Cicero. It's a real throwback along the lines of Sabatino's, but without the tuxedoed Matre'd and musicians.

Al's Restaurant & Pizza
6050 W. Cermak
Cicero, IL
708-656-1060

Boy, you think you know things in your own backyard....famous salad gondola sounds so up my alley. Thanks for the tip!

I agree with Le Coq, being my favorite upscale place in the area.

Sometimes you put things in storage for just the right time...

Back in the day (an expression my wife has been accusing me of over-using of late), this rec really intrigued me. We went out once on Cermak to try, but for some reason we were looking on the wrong side of the street and did not find it. We never followed up with, say, the correct address, although after a while I did find the place. We jsut never ate there. It was one of those we meant to try kinda places, but with a high proportion of red gravy places nearby like Jimmy's, Jim and Petes, Salerno's, Abruzzo's, each with their own attractions (for instance, no one wraps their leftovers better than Jim and Petes); Al's was just seemed a bit unnecessary.

No more!

We were on our way to Chinatown, but waylaid by Eisenhower traffic. Having just been to La Quebrada this week, we wanted something else. Suddenly, we were within spitting distance of this place, which I always had high, high reasons to try.

As with so much in life, the question stands: what took you so long. I know it was only one meal, but I kinda liked the food better than Sabatino's. The salad gondola is wonderful, filled with lots of tart salads, assorted olives and a nice fish salad that really made it a good deal. This place really reminded me of the old Venetian in Las Vegas, and that is a very good thing. We will be back a lot sooner, especially as their are always outstanding daily specials. And on top of all of this, some of the best Italian bread around.

Great rec Steve!

I live close but never have dined in. I guess I have always been put off by the dozens of fliers they distribute through the neighborhood that fly around littering the yards.

Also I did try their pizza once or twice and wasn't impressed and Salerno's became the neighborhood joint to go to.

It is looking like a real, sit down, meal is in my future.

Thanks!

NAV MAN loves Jimmy's Place. You can feel free to get smashed there too.

NAV MAN wrote:NAV MAN loves Jimmy's Place. You can feel free to get smashed there too.

That's all you had to say!

NAV MAN wrote:NAV MAN loves Jimmy's Place. You can feel free to get smashed there too.

I Love Jimmy's Place too!

Jimmy's Place
7411 Madison St, Forest Park
(708) 771-7476