Birthday dinner northern suburbs

I know this subject has been visited before but I am frustrated by my inability to find something exciting and thought you might help. I typically go for some kind of ethnic when I dine out. So for my birthday, I'd like to go more, I suppose, intimate, upscale....

Because of timing we don't have time to go to the city. It's on the Sunday night of Memorial Day weekend. It can be on the pricier side. I'm going with an old friend from of town and we'll want to talk. So I'd like it not to be a scene, but quieter, excellent food, no wait. I've just discovered a soy allergy so Asian can't be the ticket. Since there's been a thread like this, things have come and gone; chefs have changed. Additional parameters should be sort of Lake Forest to Evanston or things a bit west of there. I suppose far north in Chicago would work. I've read a bit about Quince (loved Cafe Provencal in that space), Found, too. People seem so divided about Michael. Last time this friend came to town we went to Benjamin. Some raved, but we had a mediocre to bad meal when we were there. I know it closed. Where is Carlos when you need him?

Current thoughts? Thanks.

At your northern boundary - http://www.inovasi.us/
At your southern boundary - http://www.jillyscafe.com/

+1 for Inovasi but also consider Lovells if you are up for it http://www.lovellsoflakeforest.com

Inovasi is closed on Sundays. Is the cuisine at Quince too modern? That would be my choice given your parameters.

In Evanston, Quince, Oceanique, and Chef Station come to mind. I've enjoyed meals at all three. Although each has their detractors and proponents, their styles are so different that it is better to focus on the type of cuisine that you want, which we can't help you with. As others have mentioned, Inovasi is a very good option too.

You can use google to search for posts about each of these. Type "site:lthforum.com Oceanique," for example, in Google.

You might want try Guildhall in Glencoe. It's not exactly intimate but the space is beautiful and comfortable, and the food and drinks are excellent.

Since you say you don't want to wait, I'd avoid Found Kitchen since they don't take reservations.

=R=

Guildhall
694 Vernon Ave
Glencoe, IL 60022
(847) 835-8100

Thanks for your search tip via Google, Darren.

I suppose the idea I have for my birthday would be delicious, inventive American in a quiet, lovely setting. French, Italian, Spanish would do as well. I had not heard of Inovasi but that's moot for that evening. I hadn't considered Jilly's and have not been there. Quince is not too modern and has been my front runner. It was simply that I hadn't been there nor had anyone I knew. Yelpers seem so mixed on it for whatever that's worth. Ed, I've had one meal, some years back, at Lovell's and it was fine but not memorable. I have no idea about it today. As I'm in your zip code, it's nice and convenient. I had not known of Guildhall but it sounds intriguing, perhaps not as intimate as Quince. It's been a while since I've been to Oceanique and have not been to Chef Station, Darren.

My dining partner will have had a heavy load of travel that day and will arrive late afternoon. Thus the easier travel and no-wait parameters. He loves scallops and wild salmon, among others, and I do, too, but also love duck and soft shell crabs (both of which I tend not to make at home), lamb, pork and the rest. I love to taste and to eat.

I wish I wanted to have Thai but it's ubiquitous in my life so won't do it this birthday. But vis a vis another thread, I can't wait to try Rainbow.

My takes:
Guildhall: Very new, great food and drinks, has a lot of energy in the room but not too noisy.
Oceanique: More quiet fine dining, obviously seafood focused.
Chef Station: quirky decor. I haven't been in quite a while.
Michaels: Very quiet, subdued room, but great old style French cooking. Lot's of butter and rich sauces.
Inovasi; I've not been, but it probably has the best fine dining reputation. It is quite a ways north.

Oceanique would probably get my vote for fine dining, with Quince a close second. Have you checked to see if Feast & Imbibe will be open that night? You could check with Heather22 here on LTH (she's the Imbibe part).

I had already checked Feast & Imbibe. Sadly, no dice that night.

Thanks to everyone for your ideas. I'll report back.

Oceanique would get my vote for fine dining. (I share your grief on the gone-too-long Carlos.) For something more casual, friends had a delightful meal of traditional French bistro fare last night at Bistro Bordeaux in Evanston: http://www.lebistrobordeaux.com.

Another possibility is Abigail's American Bistro in HP, http://www.abigails493.com, plus it has its own thread here (see above tips on searches ). With some mild shame for criticizing a place I haven't tried and which seems to get pretty good comments about the food, I will admit to a pet peeve about a restaurant in 2013 with a "Special Events" page on its website and the events are from 2011-2012. On a more positive note, it feels quaint and somewhat comforting these days to also see on a website, "For reservations call: 847.780.4862"

Happy Birthday!

I really like Abigail's but no reservations may translate into a wait, which OP said he didn't want.

=R=

it feels quaint and somewhat comforting these days to also see on a website, "For reservations call: 847.780.4862"

I really like Abigail's but no reservations may translate into a wait, which OP said he didn't want.

Interesting discrepancy, and another example of their outdated website. I called tonight to clarify, and was informed that they accept reservations to dine between 5-6pm, and after that it is first-come first-served.

Hmm, Abigail's, interesting. We could potentially go by 6 so reservations could be an option. The one time I walked in there to pick up a carry-out salad, it was pretty noisy.

People in HP have been touting Merlo's lately, too. I'll take a look at the Abigail thread.

Smassey wrote:Interesting discrepancy, and another example of their outdated website. I called tonight to clarify, and was informed that they accept reservations to dine between 5-6pm, and after that it is first-come first-served.

Good to know. I had no idea. Thanks. My last visit there was excellent.

=R=

wordlvr wrote:Hmm, Abigail's, interesting. We could potentially go by 6 so reservations could be an option. The one time I walked in there to pick up a carry-out salad, it was pretty noisy.

People in HP have been touting Merlo's lately, too. I'll take a look at the Abigail thread.

Neither Abigail's nor Merlo's are intimate. Both are loud and crowded. Abigail's is closed on Sundays.

Smassey wrote:

it feels quaint and somewhat comforting these days to also see on a website, "For reservations call: 847.780.4862"

I really like Abigail's but no reservations may translate into a wait, which OP said he didn't want.

Interesting discrepancy, and another example of their outdated website. I called tonight to clarify, and was informed that they accept reservations to dine between 5-6pm, and after that it is first-come first-served.

Their website explains their current reservation policy on the home page.

I would spend another 1 hr & drive to the Geneva Inn in lake Geneva. Excellent.
Someone mentioned Lovell's NO WORTH IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wally Wade

I TOTALLY FORGOT.

DEER PATH INN, LAKE FOREST

Just what you want!!!!!!!!!!!

Wally Wade

I would second the Deer Path Inn for what you are looking for, unfortunately the main dining room (English room) is closed on sundays. the bar is open, but it is not what you want.....it gets loud and crowded, while the English room is beautiful and quiet.

-Will

Abigails, NOISY, NOISY


Lovells yes
how about Prairie Grass?
of I also like Cafe Central in HP

haven't been but might fit the bill - the space was very nice when it was Bank Lane Bistro.

a few LTH reviews: http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=36868

MH Fish House
670 N Bank Ln Lake Forest, IL 60045
(847) 234-8802
http://www.mhfishhouse.com/

We like Bluegrass in Highland Park for birthdays and other occasions:

bluegrasshp.com
1636 Old Deerfield Road
Highland Park, IL
(847) 831-0595