Visitor hoping to refine plans for a quick trip

I've been through as many posts as I can find regarding tips for visitors, and I think I've gleaned a lot of information, but I'm hoping for further refinement to my very loose plans for an upcoming girls weekend with my mom and sister.

First, the background: we will be there for a very short 24-hour visit this Saturday. It was a last-minute plan put together by my husband to send me with my travel-loving mom and sis for Mother's Day. We found a decent rate via Hotwire for the Palmer House. We will be driving into town around lunchtime Saturday and leaving about the same time Sunday. I'm trying to pack in as much as I can, and I'm working with kind of a strange deck. More about that: I love food ... I love to cook food, and I love to eat food, and I love to dream about food, I love to shop for food and I love to talk about food. Then there's my sister: she could take or leave almost all food, with the exception of "mexican", some pasta, and sushi; she likes to shop. Then there's my mom, who will eat anything as long as it's cheap. No, really. Those are pretty much her standards. She loves a good meal but is too frugal to ever spend more than about $10/plate. More than that, and it sucks the joy out of eating for her, so I have to be true to this or listen to her mutter about how much lunch was for the rest of the trip.

Here are my possibilities so far:
Sat
Lunch (Pastoral?)
Shopping
Drink at Hancock Tower?
Dinner (Frontera? Quartino?)
Sunday
Breakfast/Brunch? (Bongo Room?)
Buy pizza to take home to hubby and kids (Pizano's?)

Also want to try to take everyone to the French Market, if we can fit that it. Also saw a post about Chicago Greeter's Instagreeter and would love to do that, but I'm sure we won't have time for it all.

Anybody have any suggestions? Refinements? Anything I should can? I really want to try Rick Bayless' place, maybe just because I thought he was a cool guy on Top Chef Masters ... which I know is the world's cheesiest reason, but indulge me. I want to see what all those judges were raving about. It will be more than mom wants to spend, I know, but she'll give me one "fancy" meal out without too much muttering.

The $10 bit is the hardest.

I would do the 7th floor of Macy's. Double check their Saturday hours, but if you land at noon I think you will be fine there.

It has a very nice food court. The kiosks feature famous chefs so it's a way to grab something a bit different, that tastes really, really good.

Your Mom can maybe get a burger, no fries, for under $10 or something from the Frontera kiosk.

I would grab a bowl of Noodles from the Takashi stand.

Your sister is set for the shopping afterwards.

The sandwiches are great, but even the vegetarian sandwiches at Pastoral run around $10, and that doesn't include a cookie, chips, or soda.

Or you could go just west of the Loop (before you check in to your hotel) and eat at Italian Superior Bakery, double check their Saturday hours.

You can be stuffed for well under $10 with pizza bread and a large salad.

Bongo Room is going to be hard, plus it's Mother's Day, to stay under $10 for even pancakes.

Perhaps, you should go non-traditional and head to Chinatown on Mother's day. Moon Palace is clean and Americanized enough that my mum-in-law actually enjoys it. It's my husband's favorite ma-po tofu (if you eat pork) in the city.

I think you can forget Quartino's or Frontera Grill, and Hancock for drinks, with that $10 ceiling, unless your mum is like my mum-in-law and literally eats like a bird, then the $9 appetizer is all she will want. Does your mum get upset if you or your sister have a bill that's over $10 or just hers?


Were you willing to leave downtown or were you trying to do everything in the Loop to Michigan Avenue area?


Macy's Food Court
7th Floor of Macy's
State and Washington

Moon Palace
216 West Cermak Road
Chicago, IL 60616-1914
(312) 225-4081
Subway: Cermak-Chinatown



Italian Superior Bakery
933 S. Western Ave.
Chicago, IL 60612
312.733.5092

Hours: Tues. - Fri. 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sat. - Sun. 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Lunch specials: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Thanks for the quick reply, pairs, and I will delve into it after I clarify: I'm exaggerating a teeny tiny bit about mom and her $10 ceiling. It's not quite that low, and furthermore, she won't be paying because it's Mother's Day. But she will see the prices on the menu, so places like Alinea and Spiaggia are completely and totally out of the question. However, she won't demand that we eat fast food either (at least, not while traveling). So don't consider $10/head a hard-and-fast rule for us, more like a guideline to start from. Oh, and if she thinks she got a deal, then she'll pay twice that ... as long as someone else is paying quadruple.

(P.S. She does also eat like a bird, sometimes out of martyrdom and sometimes out of lack of hunger, so we have that going for us too...)

You might consider lunch at Xoco - lines can run long but the staff is very good about estimating times and guests are more than welcome to enjoy a drink (beer/wine/agua fresca - ie. no cocktails) while waiting in line. Most of the seating consists of stools (tables may result in much longer wait times), and that could be a factor. Take a look at Terzo Piano, located on the top floor of the Art Institute's new Modern Wing. The menu is by Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia and while limited, is certainly available in a beautiful space (fwiw, you do not need to purchase admission to the museum to reach the restaurant - though the museum is always well worth visiting, time allowing). Pastoral, though, is great and if the weather actually warms up (as if!), it could work out nicely to take a lunch over to Millennium Park (feel free to bring a bottle of wine, too - I don't think the guards pay such close attention).

Xoco isn't far from Michigan Ave., leaving you primed for shopping. Terzo Piano and Pastoral are a little further south but hardly far away. Drinks at Hancock are worth it for the view alone - and, well, only for the view. I don't think you'll be getting a good cocktail there, certainly not for the price they charge. But for the view? I hope the weather cooperates.

Quartino's is very good and is very lively. They have ample outdoor seating which allows for great people watching. You might also consider Sable - they've been getting rave reviews for the drink program especially but the food holds up pretty well, too. You can check out the menu online and see if it sounds good (items are well executed and are as good as they might read). It might skew too far into 'small plates' territory - maybe that will work out well for mom since plates seem less expensive (even if you wind up ordering more of them -- kidding!).

I'm not as well versed with brunch in/around downtown. David Burke's Primehouse gets good reviews (I think - I could be thinking of old reviews for 'dim sum' service no longer offered). Bongo Room is good if you don't mind plate-sized sugar bombs. Consider The Gage, as well - they get solid reviews for the food and it's not far from your hotel.

Keep in mind that since it's Mother's Day weekend, many places (especially when it comes to brunch) may be booked. Most places are on OpenTable and it wouldn't hurt to check availability asap.

Xoco for lunch is a good idea, but if it looks too crowded, take a walk over to La Madia, not too far away. They have some pretty good lunch deals (for 2) and if Quartino seems too frenzied for dinner, Madia's pizzas and large salads are satisfying and also large enough for splitting. Pastoral, by the way, has excellent (and somewhat pricey) sandwiches, but there is not much seating inside:
http://www.dinelamadia.com/

Wanted to support the Xoco idea - I really don't find the lines bad and they do their best to make any wait pleasant. I prefer Xoco personally to the other Bayless options since it feels more fun.

Madia is also a fave and a great backup if needed.

And Sable is a wonderful idea given your traveling companions - even if you order a lot, your check won't be high. The food is really good - great flavors, great focus on local seasonal options in dishes that won't scare the non-foodie but will please you. And definitely have cocktails! Since they are in a hotel, they have breakfast/brunch as well as lunch and dinner and I think they are doing a special mom's day brunch which would be very worth reserving - though dinner Saturday would be lovely as well. (And if you sign up on Celebrated Chefs ahead of time, 5% of your check total goes to a great local food charity. https://www.celebratedchefs.com/)

Xoco, huh? Last time we were up there (for an even quicker trip, just grabbing lunch and wandering for an hour before dropping a relative at Union Station), I dragged the same family members over that way because I was so intent on trying his food. But after stepping in, we left ... it looked too much like a Taco Bell for me to think I'd see any of Bayless' cooking in it. That was probably just me being a snob, so if you all say it's worth it, then I'll put it on the list of possibilities. (BTW, we ended up getting Chicago pizza that time - maybe at Giordano's? - that the others hadn't tried before, so it all worked out fine!).

Siun and danimalarkey I'm going to look up Sable and check that out for both dinner and brunch. I know Mother's Day morning/brunch is probably going to be a madhouse, so I don't have high expectations of a big spread at high noon for us. I would be really happy to sneak in somewhere mid-morning for enough to keep us til a late lunch, maybe even sandwiches for the ride home, then grab pizzas to take home and hop in the car.

Also just learning about Madia, thanks jbw; will check into that. I've looked at the Gage and ruled it out, but now I can't remember why. Maybe price? I'll look back through that. Danimalarkey, thanks for the heads up on Terza Piano; my mom would love the idea of eating at the museum (she'd prefer to do museums and historical tours if it were solely up to her), so that might be a good compromise for all of us. And as for sugar bombs at the Bongo Room ... sounds like my sister's idea of heaven. I neglected to add that she would always prefer breakfast, even for lunch or dinner, and that "breakfast" for her includes copious amounts of sugar and butter.

Great suggestions, all, that include nuggets of information I would never have known. Thanks all, keep em coming! I will be researching til we hit the car that morning!

Wait a minute -- you walked into Xoco and decided you didn't like the looks of it and left? That just seems silly. So much of the food there is off-the-charts good... I wonder what else you've passed up on with such a narrow sense of what is acceptable? Snobby, indeed.

Have a great weekend! For The Bongo Room, remember you don't have to order a full order of pancakes/French toast. Get singles so you can try more! I think if you order them individually, the pancakes are $5 each. Try the orange ricotta pancakes and the white chocolate caramel pretzel pancakes! SO GOOD if you like sweets. The table adjacent to us ordered the blueberry lemon curd French toast, and that looked awesome too.

Sorry, Dr.K, it probably was snobby. But for dinner, I like to be served, and I felt like I wanted to try the "real" food in the restaurant first. If what you're all telling me is that Xoco is just as good, or better, then I will give it a shot. As an outsider who doesn't hear much about the Chicago dining scene, though, other than what I find on forums as I'm researching a trip or what I see on my favorite silly shows like Top Chef, I would never know that. That's why I'm asking questions from the folks who know, so that I don't base my decisions on incorrect assumptions, and instead find the real food that Chicagoans (is that the right word?) consider good.

Hopefully, you'll be able to come back soon and have more time to explore. Many of us here will agree that some of city's best restaurants are outside the downtown area. Check out this list for some ideas for next time:
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=31347

And about Xoco (GNR posting here), once you order at the counter, the food is brought to your table. The food, while limited mostly to sandwiches and soups, is as good as what you'll find next door as far as flavor and execution. The churros are even better than what I found in Mexico City (if only because they do make them fresh for each customer - a trick I never quite figured out while I was traveling).

If you're into authentic Mexican, Sunday morning, don't miss the street food at Maxwell Street Market (which, as you might expect, isn't located at Maxwell Street - it starts at Roosevelt and Des Plaines - semi-long walk/short cab ride from the Palmer House).

slater wrote:Xoco, huh? Last time we were up there (for an even quicker trip, just grabbing lunch and wandering for an hour before dropping a relative at Union Station), I dragged the same family members over that way because I was so intent on trying his food. But after stepping in, we left ... it looked too much like a Taco Bell for me to think I'd see any of Bayless' cooking in it.

Hilarious . . . I was just in Xoco and Señor Bayless was there, testing the caldo broth, talking to his head chef, and otherwise keeping a close eye on things. The last time I was in Taco Bell, they didn't source quality ingredients from local farms, and the 17-year old manager was well-trained only in the use of a microwave. Say what you want about Xoco, but a Taco Bell it's not. Anyway, I think an argument can be made that Xoco is better than Frontera, even if they don't serve margaritas, and you order at the counter.

pairs4life wrote:Or you could go just west of the Loop (before you check in to your hotel) and eat at Italian Superior Bakery, double check their Saturday hours.Italian Superior Bakery
933 S. Western Ave.
Chicago, IL 60612
312.733.5092

Hours: Tues. - Fri. 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sat. - Sun. 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Lunch specials: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

I know we love our newly minted GNRs around here, but I would be very hesitant to send someone over to Italian Superior Bakery who has limited time here. I've been there after the lunch rush, and they were cleaned out of almost everything (special sandwiches, calzones, pizza, and most baked goods). The only things left were muffalettas, which I object to for reasons I won't go into. Anyway, I left with a couple of baked goods, which were okay, nothing special.

Ooh, that is so good to know about Maxwell St... I was just going to do some searching about whether that was a viable SUnday option. Most Sundays seem like a throwaway because most traditional places aren't open until about when we need to head home, so it would be great to have a completely new and different area to check out.

And all right already, stop flogging me for saying Xoco looked like a Taco Bell! I take it back! I was speaking much more to the fact that it was counter service than its food quality, and I have already pleaded ignorance and promised to visit and later herald its greatness to all who will listen. No one loves the idea of Rick Bayless more than me.

Oh, and for those who love Xoco: can you tell me which items are your favorites? I want to make sure I'm trying the best of what he has to offer when I'm there. The guac is a no-brainer, since it's a fave of both my mom and sis. What else?

slater wrote:Ooh, that is so good to know about Maxwell St... I was just going to do some searching about whether that was a viable SUnday option. Most Sundays seem like a throwaway because most traditional places aren't open until about when we need to head home, so it would be great to have a completely new and different area to check out.

And all right already, stop flogging me for saying Xoco looked like a Taco Bell! I take it back! I was speaking much more to the fact that it was counter service than its food quality, and I have already pleaded ignorance and promised to visit and later herald its greatness to all who will listen. No one loves the idea of Rick Bayless more than me.

I’m still making revisions, but if you go to Maxwell Street Market, you might find this guide helpful.

slater wrote:Oh, and for those who love Xoco: can you tell me which items are your favorites? I want to make sure I'm trying the best of what he has to offer when I'm there. The guac is a no-brainer, since it's a fave of both my mom and sis. What else?

There was a new side salad when I was there last that I really enjoyed (I forget the name - I think it was just 'green salad'). I enjoy the pepito and jamon tortas, though others will also swear by the ahogada. It looks like the Saturday special is goat barbacoa - I've had his goat barbacoa at Frontera in the past and it's great - I'm sure it's also tasty on a sandwich. The short rib and pork belly caldos always look great when I see others order them - I have stuck with the sandwiches so I can't comment personally.

Also, the churros. Get them with chocolate sauce on the side. You'll order everything at once but they won't fire the churros until you request them (allow ~10 minutes, especially if they're busy), so there's no need to worry about letting them sit and get cold while you eat the rest of your lunch.

danimalarkey wrote:I enjoy the pepito and jamon tortas, though others will also swear by the ahogada.

I agree, I tend toward the pepito, but if you haven't ever tried an ahogada sandwich (which comes with a bowl of a pungent tomato broth for dunking the sandwich) then you should try that one first. I've only had a caldo once, and enjoyed it quite a bit. Also, the bean-to-cup hot chocolate is extraordinary.

I think my post can be disregarded.

I took the OP at her word when she put in the $10 and everything I said was based on that.

Have a great time.

That Maxwell St guide is amazing. I feel like I've already been there (minus the delicious food memories). If we don't make it this time, it will be on the slate for the next visit my husband and I make, since he's all about the food too.

Thanks to all for the Xoco food recs too. Now I am armed with a few key dishes to try!

I think dinner on Saturday is the one I'm still really up in the air about. We've got lots of great quick, relatively cheap, good food options for the other meals, based on where we are and what everyone wants to eat. But if we drop Frontera out in favor of Xoco, then the only dinner possibility I think I have is Quartino. I think I've read that it's a fun vibe, but how's the food? Worth going to for our only dinner in town? Is there anything a step up in price that's a huge leap in quality? I've got a picture in my head of a place that may not even exist: a small-ish, locally owned, cozy or funky decor, delicious but not terrifically expensive place that serves either small plates or bistro-style food or even pasta. Is that way too broad, or way too narrow? Can anyone read my mind to tell me what restaurant in or around downtown Chicago might fit that bill?

I’m still making revisions, but if you go to Maxwell Street Market, you might find this guide helpful. [/quote]

slater wrote: Is there anything a step up in price that's a huge leap in quality? I've got a picture in my head of a place that may not even exist: a small-ish, locally owned, cozy or funky decor, delicious but not terrifically expensive place that serves either small plates or bistro-style food or even pasta. Is that way too broad, or way too narrow? Can anyone read my mind to tell me what restaurant in or around downtown Chicago might fit that bill?

Purple Pig--fits all of the above
Avec--fits all of the above
Mercat a la Planxa (not small but definitely funky, delicious, small plates (and large) and not too terrifically expensive
Sable--fits all of the above except small/cozy


Additionally, all of these are in the general downtown area--Mercat is the furthest south although right on Michigan Ave in the Blackstone Hotel. Avec is in the west loop but a very quick cab ride down Randolph. Purple Pig and Sable are right in the heart of the Gold Coast/River North. Purple Pig and Avec do not take reservations so that could be a factor for you--if you're not averse to eating on the earlier side, that would be to your benefit. For Purple Pig, putting your name in and going across the street to Eno, the wine bar in the Hotel Intercontinental is a nice prelude to dinner and you get to experience another nice spot.

Have a look on here to see more info--easiest to way to search is to google "restaurant name LTHForum" rather than using the search function here. There are dedicated threads on each of these.

I would strongly recommend any of these over Quartino which, while not offensive, doesn't set any bells off, at least for me.

have fun!

Another idea is to skip Xoco/Frontera and head to Salpicon for dinner, which is one of my favorite creative Mexican restaurants in the city and a very short cab ride from downtown. Here is the thread, though there are many new posts:
viewtopic.php?t=7327. They also do a Sunday brunch beginning at 11am.

You might try Cafe Spiaggia for lunch or dinner. This is the casual sibling of Spiaggia and is excellent.

boudreaulicious' suggestions are all very good.
I think you could do much better than Quartino.

Salpicon
1252 North Wells Street
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 988-7811
http://www.salpicon.com/

Cafe Spiaggia
980 North Michigan Avenue (2nd floor)
Chicago, Illinois 60611
http://www.spiaggiarestaurant.com/cafe.html

Well, if we're going to leave the confines of River North/The Loop, that does open a lot of places up for sure. Mexique is a French/Mexican restaurant that is pretty bistro-y or you might try Nightwood down in Pilsen. If you want to go even further, I'd look into Lula Cafe in Logan Square. It's pretty far from downtown but it's the first place that popped into my mind when I read "a small-ish, locally owned, cozy or funky decor, delicious but not terrifically expensive place that serves either small plates or bistro-style food or even pasta" (you know, except for the "in or around downtown part"). They also do not take reservations (unless their renovations have been completed)

Nightwood (3 miles from Palmer House)
http://nightwoodrestaurant.com/menus_di ... izers.html

Mexique (~4 miles)
http://www.mexiquechicago.com/

Lula's (6.5 miles)
http://www.lulacafe.com/lula/dinnermenu.html (specials)
http://www.lulacafe.com/lula/pm_menu.html(standard menu)

boudreau and I must have very different definitions of "cozy" Avec has the most uncomfortable seats in town, and if you manage to ever get seated at The Purple Pig on a Saturday night you'll be crammed next to your neighbors like a double-packed jar of sardines, while harried staff and waiting customers bump you left and right. I like both places a lot, but they're about as far as I can imagine from cozy.

Cozy restaurants are a dying breed in these parts, and they almost never come with "small plates". If you're willing to venture out as far as a 20 dollar cab ride will take you, you'll have a better chance. LM is my favorite cozy restaurant in town.

edit - I see now that you said "cozy or funky". I don't know funk, so maybe those places have it.

Am I the only person ( a long with my dining companion) who finds Sable unremarkable?

I do want to go again,but lunch was a lovely environment, great service, and food that does not make me want to return, although the deviled egg was good.

Right, Sable, that had been mentioned earlier... going to do a quick search. I could look at restaurant menus and photos all night.

Edited to add: Before I got too involved in salivating over their offerings, I looked on Open Table. First open seating is at 9:30. I will definitely have a hard time getting mom to wait that late for dinner. So I guess that's the other limitation: finding something that fits all the other criteria but also won't be so packed that we can't get in til after mom's bedtime.

Back to the other suggestions to ponder...

To all - No offense taken at all that Quartino isn't the best bang for my buck. It was one of those places that didn't look like it would thrill me, but mom and sis would be satisfied, and I could live with it for good atmosphere/decent-ish food. I think I'll keep looking to see if anything else jumps out that would fit the bill better.

Kennyz- what is LM? It must have been mentioned but now I can't think what that stands for.

Boudreau - I think Avec might be a little too far out of mom's comfort zone, but it's on the list for future visits. Purple Pig sounds like it might be kind of a young crowd? We might skip that for the same reason, but again, on the list for later.

I wish I had this kind of variety at home. You all are so lucky. Of course, I would never get anything done, ever, if we had this kind of variety here. I would always be planning our next night out!

LM: http://lmrestaurant.com/home.html

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=26661

It's a great restaurant and about a $15-$20 taxi ride, or take the Brown Line "L".

Kennyz wrote:boudreau and I must have very different definitions of "cozy" Avec has the most uncomfortable seats in town, and if you manage to ever get seated at The Purple Pig on a Saturday night you'll be crammed next to your neighbors like a double-packed jar of sardines, while harried staff and waiting customers bump you left and right. I like both places a lot, but they're about as far as I can imagine from cozy.

Yeah...if cozy = small and lots of people in tight quarters, which could be one interpretation, Avec and PP win a prize. For cozy = cute, homey and comfy--not so much Unfortunately, downtown spots tend to be much more of the former than the latter. Grab the GNR list and leave downtown and the options are considerably more plentiful. Just not sure how realistic that is given the needs of this group. But either way, my dog, Boudreau, probably won't have much to say about any of them

A quick run through of possible options that I've enjoyed in varying degrees based on Open Table availability turned up:

Bistro 110
Cafe Spiaggia
Kiki's Bistro
North Pond (a little pricier but I think this one covers cozy and fantastic food in a unique location)
Prairie Fire (again, West loop but even closer than Avec)
Sable--has a 7:00 showing on OT--and I have to disagree with Pairs--I really enjoy the food there--but it is a bit meat-centric so my veg friend may have had fewer interesting options than some of the other spots around town.

Whatever you do, enjoy!!