Malls, for Eating, Too: Mity Nice

I detest shopping malls. Even though I have a friend who does very interesting research on malls as cities and even, once, lived in a mall, unless the complex has got a Bouchon Bakery or is designed by Daniel Libeskind (haven't been to Crystals yet), I would rather be almost anywhere else. So, I saw an invitation to dine by the management of Mity Nice at Water Tower Place as a personal growth opportunity.

From my understanding, Mity Nice opened 18 years ago, and it recently--I think with the whole Water Tower Place food court--got a makeover. I was surprised by how much Mity Nice felt like a standalone restaurant. Situated at the back of the dim food court, it feels somewhat sequestered, in a good way. I overheard a gentleman at the next table describe the restaurant to whom I think were his elderly parents as "Wildfire without the fire." I'm not entirely sure what that meant, but Mity Nice did feel more sedate--without feeling sleepy--than my one visit to a Wildfire. The food also seemed similar in a large-American-dinner-plate-with-obligatory-sides kind of way.

Overall, the food at Mity Nice was much better than I expected. The Spicy Shrimp and Avocado Cocktail was pretty soupy but had big chunks of seafood and was actually very fresh and flavorful, with a pleasant balance of spice and acidity. I've been reading about how PepsiCo is trying to get the American market ready for gazpacho; a take on shrimp cocktail may be the key. The chips at Mity Nice were somewhat stale, but the saltines amused me.

The salmon was my favorite dish of the night: too much glaze but otherwise a nice piece of fish. The roasted asparagus--maybe the highlight of the meal--was as good as the Mick Klug asparagus I've been getting in my vegetable box, and the roasted corn was very decent as well.

I also enjoyed the country rib despite, again, too much sweet sauce. It was much fattier than I'd expect a piece of meat at a restaurant like this, so that was a pleasant surprise. The corn pudding had nothing on the likes of Sable's corn creme brulee, but I did want more of it. Fries were a B+, and I'm a hard grader.

The salad and pie were salad and pie, but the quality of ingredients seemed quite fine, and I would eat both items again. Cocktails were very respectable, and though I don't remember the details, the beer list was surprisingly craft-focused and reasonably-priced.

Mity Nice isn't breaking any new ground, but they're turning out respectable food. As we've seen with hotels, maybe one day there will be a renaissance of mall restaurants, and maybe I'll be ready for it.

Spicy Shrimp and Avocado Cocktail


Cedar-Planked Maple-Glazed Salmon with Fresh Market Vegetables


Fork Tender Niman Ranch Country Rib with Sweet Corn Pudding and Fresh-Cut Fries


Simple Green Salad


Malted Chocolate Silk Pie


Mity Nice at Water Tower Place
835 N. Michigan Avenue
Mezzanine Level
Chicago, IL 60611
312-335-4745
http://www.mitynicechicago.com/

Sharon, I think this officially qualifies as taking one for the team.

I did likewise at M. Hermann's in Forest Park tonight: edible but entirely unmoving chow.

David Hammond wrote:Sharon, I think this officially qualifies as taking one for the team.

Nope. I recently visited Hub 51.

What a coincidence, I'll be downtown in a couple of weeks, just putzing. I might have to stop in for that pie.

Pie Lady wrote:What a coincidence, I'll be downtown in a couple of weeks, just putzing. I might have to stop in for that pie.

Let me know what you think. It maybe lacked the lightness of, say, the chocolate silk from Hoosier Mama or Allie Levitt, but I've definitely had far worse. And, the chocolate chips weren't disgusting, as I often find chocolate chips to be. If the Mity Nice pie isn't to your liking, you can always--as you probably know--just cross the street and have your pick of pies at First Slice at the Visitors' Center. I don't remember if it's the season for it, but First Slice's Tabasco pie is still my favorite pie slice in the whole city.

happy_stomach wrote:...you can always--as you probably know--just cross the street and have your pick of pies at First Slice at the Visitors' Center. I don't remember if it's the season for it, but First Slice's Tabasco pie is still my favorite pie slice in the whole city.

No, I didn't know! Thanks for the tip!

What is Tabasco pie, exactly?

Pie Lady wrote:

happy_stomach wrote:...you can always--as you probably know--just cross the street and have your pick of pies at First Slice at the Visitors' Center. I don't remember if it's the season for it, but First Slice's Tabasco pie is still my favorite pie slice in the whole city.

No, I didn't know! Thanks for the tip!

What is Tabasco pie, exactly?

I love what First Slice does, but I think their pastry crusts are overworked.

Their Tabasco pie has a bit of heat, in a cream/chiffon filling poured into a graham cracker crust. It wasn't my favorite of their offerings, or anyone else in the house, when we were subscribers.

happy_stomach wrote:

David Hammond wrote:Sharon, I think this officially qualifies as taking one for the team.

Nope. I recently visited Hub 51.

I don't drink anymore, but their Mighty Mai Tai was amazing.

Also, always see if you can get a couple of blue-cheese stuffed olives--yes, I've watched them stuff them.

pairs4life wrote:Their Tabasco pie has a bit of heat, in a cream/chiffon filling poured into a graham cracker crust.

See...this sounds like heaven to me. I agree about the pastry crusts.

pairs4life wrote:

happy_stomach wrote:

David Hammond wrote:Sharon, I think this officially qualifies as taking one for the team.

Nope. I recently visited Hub 51.

I don't drink anymore, but their Mighty Mai Tai was amazing.

Also, always see if you can get a couple of blue-cheese stuffed olives--yes, I've watched them stuff them.

I missed the Mai Tai and stuffed olives, and I don't know if I'll ever get to them. I only went to Hub 51 because I met someone who bet that, given my food sensibilities (he may have used the word "snobbery"), I wouldn't last a single drink at such a place. I hate to be underestimated, and this poor sucker wasn't aware of my love of--and ability to do almost anything in--costume. Anyway, I'll tell you that ridiculous story next time I see you. But I did have two drinks and food at Hub 51 and, to add emphasis to my point (i.e. not win the bet too easily), danced at Sub 51, had drinks at Hubbard Inn and English. I don't need to do any of that again. Just me.

happy_stomach wrote:I missed the Mai Tai and stuffed olives, and I don't know if I'll ever get to them. I only went to Hub 51 because I met someone who bet that, given my food sensibilities (he may have used the word "snobbery"), I wouldn't last a single drink at such a place. I hate to be underestimated, and this poor sucker wasn't aware of my love of--and ability to do almost anything in--costume. Anyway, I'll tell you that ridiculous story next time I see you.

Me too, please!

re mall eating ... the only reason to do it that I find is if I have so many errands etc that I really don't want to stop for long enough to have a proper meal. When that's the case I always plan my route to be at Nordstrom's for meal stop rather than WTP since the Nordstrom's cafe produces some rather nice dishes and great salads quickly with nice service.

I ate at Mity Grill once when daughter was doing the mall thing a few years ago and it was ... ok but nothing more and I have never gone back.

Siun wrote:re mall eating ... the only reason to do it that I find is if I have so many errands etc that I really don't want to stop for long enough to have a proper meal. When that's the case I always plan my route to be at Nordstrom's for meal stop rather than WTP since the Nordstrom's cafe produces some rather nice dishes and great salads quickly with nice service.

I've heard that about Nordstrom's Cafe, but I haven't been. Part of my issue with mall eating is that the food is usually buried so far into the mall that it's much more hassle than it's worth for me, given that I'm not otherwise shopping there. I feel like the Nordstrom Cafe is usually on an upper floor, far from the escalator that would take me there. I have the same issue with the food court at Macy's on State. I like the Wow Bao at WTP because I barely have to go in the building. To get into Mity Nice from Michigan Avenue, I had to take two mini escalators up and then an escalator down to the mezzanine level and then get a ticket to walk through the food court to the restaurant even though I had a reservation. Clearly, this food is not intended as destination dining.

My guess is that food at malls isn't going to improve substantially until our current malls are torn down and new ones are built. Mall architecture from 1960s and 1970s just seems to invite crappy fast food. Obviously a world away, but I believe Abu Dhabi's new Central Market by Foster + Partners is an optimistic peek at the future.

Dezeen on May 6, 2011 wrote:Foster + Partners have completed a new shopping centre that combines high-end boutiques with independent local food and craft markets on the site of a historic city marketplace in Abu Dhabi.

Photography by Nigel Young, Foster + Partners