Suggestions, please, for an anniversary lunch

Hello, all

As a very outlying board member (Stop 50 is the closest GNR to me), I was hoping for some suggestions about a nice place for an anniversary lunch. Last year we ate at NAHA, and thought the Michelin star was deserved when awarded. Looking at the other 1 stars, I see most do not offer lunch ), which is the only time we can easily work into our schedules. Blackbird seems like a prime choice, but I'm wondering what other choices LTHer's might consider outside the Michelin recs.

Altho' my wife was delighted with stops at Hot Doug's and 3 Floyd's, I think she would rather have something a bit more relaxed for an anniversary. Not necessarily very fancy, but with food that would sometimes raise an eyebrow. We've been to Big Jones, and liked that. Mindy's Hot Chocolate looks interesting. Likewise, Purple Pig.

Any recommendations?

I like Vermilion very much. They serve lunch Mon-Fri. Normally, a restaurant that wears its "fusion" label so conspicuously (in this case, Indian-Latin) would be an instant turn-off for me. But the execution at Vermilion trumps that nomenclature. I like that their dishes are spiced pretty aggressively, flavors are bold, dishes are well-prepared and presented with style. The room and the Euro-techno music is a little too-hip-for-its-own-good-circa-1993, but it is a "fancy" place appropriate for a special occasion and the cocktails are nice.
http://www.thevermilionrestaurant.com/lunch.cfm

Thanks much. There are so many wonderful places in Chicago. I'd never even come across a mention of the place. Plain non-fusion Indian is a major favorite for us, and a Latin mix just makes it that much better. I checked out their website, and will add it too the "Where'd you like to go?" list.

I say...go old school.

Sabatino's.

4441 W Irving Park Road Chicago, Ill 60641 (773) 283-8331

earthlydesire wrote:I say...go old school.

Sabatino's.

4441 W Irving Park Road Chicago, Ill 60641 (773) 283-8331

I don't think they are open for lunch, are they?

Purple Pig is excellent, but not really "relaxed."

I'm still thinking about dinner at Sunda last weekend. I thought it was very good.

I love relaxing over lunch at either Vivere or Cafe Spiaggia. David Burke Primehouse has fabulous food & would certainly be more relaxed. The Gage is another nice option with great food, but not what I would call relaxed, unless you make a late reservation.

So many good choices! I've been gathering menus, and will spend some time reviewing them with my wife. I suspect she will be inclined to make the same choice as me: All Of The Above! Maybe we'll try to make up for the years when the kids were eating most of the food budget, and go for a month of anniversaries.

On Sabatino's....Per Steve Z's inquiry...

Sabatino's Restaurant

4441 West Irving Park Road
Chicago, IL 60641
(773) 283-8331

Open Mon-Tue,Thu 11am-11:30pm; Wed,Fri 11am-12:30am; Sat 4pm-12:30am; Sun 12pm-10:30pm

Their website says they are.

If it were my anniversary, I'd choose
Henri
http://www.henrichicago.com

It's absolutely lovely in there.

Same with :
Sixteen at the Trump (although, not as casual)
http://www.trumpchicagohotel.com/Food_Wine/sixteen.asp

Athena wrote: The Gage is another nice option with great food, but not what I would call relaxed, unless you make a late reservation.

Or ask to be seated back by the kitchen @ The Gage. Surprisingly, this is usually the quietest place in the restaurant when it's busy. My wife and I always ask to be seated back there and it's never been a problem, even when its slower and no one else gets seated back there but us.

Or ask to be seated back by the kitchen @ The Gage. Surprisingly, this is usually the quietest place in the restaurant when it's busy.

Good to know, thanks for the tip.

There's always the patio at Piccolo Sogno. That's where I go to play hooky from the office during the summer.

nicinchic wrote:If it were my anniversary, I'd choose
Henri
http://www.henrichicago.com

It's absolutely lovely in there.

That looks very interesting. If a little casual, it would be good, because we would want to walk around the park, do some shopping, etc.

Just had lunch at Henri. Not particularly casual. I think tey are going for some formality in spite of the location. It was good, but I prefer the Gage, which is more casual and bustling. For your purposes, Henri seems likea good choice, though.

I'll second Piccolo Sogno... we've been there twice for our anniversary. One of the nicest outdoor dining venues in the city. Great wine list too!

Have you considered Balsan?

I find Blackbird to be one of the better lunch options when I'm looking to impress.

http://www.blackbirdrestaurant.com/menus/15-lunch-menu

jbw wrote:I find Blackbird to be one of the better lunch options when I'm looking to impress.

Blackbird does seem to be a fine choice. It appears to be a major destination, but we suppose a mid-week lunch will be more low key than a weekend dinner. Having so much enjoyed NAHA, we feel that we want to try another staqrred restaurant.

But, because there are so many attractive options, we have decided to make a double expedition. One to someplace of approximately Blackbird's reputation, and another probably to an ethnic style that is quite unavailable near where we live.