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Posts Tagged ‘Downtown Chicago’
Good Hotel Grub
Posted on January 31st, 2012 by Adam Marks
I travel a lot, and frankly, I usually avoid hotel restaurants. Often, these spots are overpriced, unimaginative, and cater more towards captive tourists than loyal customers. Naturally, there are many, many exceptions, but it takes a lot for me to get excited about a hotel restaurant.
Cafe des Architectes in the Sofitel Chicago is a restaurant I can get excited about. I may have a serious soft spot for anything French, and for pastries in particular, but this spot earns loyalty from locals and travelers alike. I am a particular fan of their breakfasts. The pastry basket along is enough reason for me. Loaded with buttery croissants, pain au chocolat, danish, and other goodies, everything else is just icing on the cake. Paired with their rich coffee, I’m in absolute heaven. That’s not to say they don’t know how to cook an egg. If you’re in the mood for something rich, go for the lobster omelet! Even better than the benedict in my opinion.
Also of note at the Cafe des Architectes is their express lunch. In 30 minutes, you get a 4-course meal for $22. Not bad at all, and it makes for a great location for a quick meet and greet, noontime retreat, or just a way to mark a special day.
But seriously… the bread basket….. mmmmmm………
Cafe Des Architectes is located in the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower at 20 East Chestnut Street.
Tags: Chicago Restaurants, Downtown Chicago, Mag Mile, Water Tower Place
Take A Break from Shopping
Posted on January 10th, 2012 by Adam Marks
You know that you’ve had that long day of trudging up and down Michigan Avenue, and all you want is a place to sit and some warm food. Did you know that Ralph Lauren has its own restaurant? With an entrance on Chicago Avenue just west of the Mag Mile, The RL Restaurant is a great place for lunch, or an evening drink.
Located adjacent to the Polo Flagship Store, RL is designed to make you feel like you’re in a clubhouse. The heavy, dark wood, comfy chairs, and warm crackling fire set a tone just perfect for the colder months of the year. If you’re feeling frisky, they have a great bar (open until midnight 7 days a week) that serves everything from fine wines by the glass to a Mad Men worthy Manhattan.
If you got time for more than a cuppa, they’ve got some great food options. I’m always partial to their tuna nicoise, but they offer a great unique dish called the riff raff salad as well. This concoction includes chicken, shrimp, salami, olives, provolone, and artichoke.
What better to eat in a club room than a club sandwich? They offer a few to choose from, including the mouth-watering Club Monaco Club. This pile of goodness includes chicken, a hard-boiled egg, bacon, lettuce, and tomato.
RL Restaurant Magnificent Mile
The RL restaurant is definitely at a higher price point than more casual options, but sometimes a little luxury is just the thing. Their design, menu, and service is top notch, so you’ll get your money’s worth for sure!
RL Restaurant is located at 115 E. Chicago Avenue off of Michigan Ave.
Tags: Chicago Restaurants, Chicago Shopping, Downtown Chicago, Mag Mile, things to do in chicago
Nibble & Nosh into the New Year
Posted on December 27th, 2011 by Amber Holst
Concierge Correspondent Bobby Gonzalez of the Hotel Palomar – A Kimpton Hotel offers up his top three picks for weekend fun in Chicago. From where to ring in the new year to the best bites to be found around town, it’s all here in this short video clip.
Tags: Avec, Chicago Events, Concierge Correspondent Bobby Gonzalez, Downtown Chicago, Hotel Palomar - A Kimpton Hotel, new year's eve chicago, The Anthem, The Purple Pig, The Underground, Wicker Park
Landon’s List
Posted on December 14th, 2011 by Amber Holst
Concierge Correspondent Landon Moore offers up his top things to do in Chicago this weekend. From skating under the magnificent skyline to ‘La Cage Aux Folles’ at the Bank of America Theater, there’s no reason to be bored be this weekend. What are you waiting for? Start planning!
Tags: bank of america chicago theater, Chicago Events, Downtown Chicago, ice skating, la cage au folles, Landon Moore Concierge Picks, Millennium Park, w city center hotel, winter in chicago
Beyond Banh Mi
Posted on December 14th, 2011 by Adam Marks
With two locations in and around the Ogilvie Transportation Center, Saigon Sisters is a great change of pace from the usual humdrum fare. As the name implies, they specialize in Vietnamese food. Their most popular items are the banh mi, traditional sandwiches, which make plenty of business folk happy during the week. But at dinner time, Saigon Sisters has a wholly different menu to offer, and it is not to be overlooked.
Overall, the food may seem unfamiliar, even if you have frequented other Vietnamese joints. Their staff will be glad to guide you through their options, and the quality of the ingredients will become crystal clear. Start off with appetizers like Pho (traditional Vietnamese soup) or spring rolls. Even if you don’t enjoy Pho at other restaurants, I’d recommend trying theirs. It’s smooth, aromatic, and filled with great greens and meats.
For entrees, you’ve got some choices ahead of you. I can easily recommend the scallops, which I do not do lightly. They were fresh, and perfectly sauteed to ideal texture. Delicate and well-seasoned, and served on a bed of faro, they are a refreshing option for a lighter meal. If you’re in the mood for a little more substance, go for the Cao Lau. This mixed bowl has fresh egg noodles, braised pork cheeks, Chinese broccoli, and pork rinds. It’s a blend of completely disparate textures that marry perfectly for a satisfying, fortifying meal.
Saigon Sisters is located in the French Market at Ogilvie, and also at 567 W. Lake Street.
Tags: Chicago Restaurants, Downtown Chicago, things to do in chicago
Shoreline Sightseeing Operating Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday
Posted on November 23rd, 2011 by Paul Mulvihill
Take your family on a Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture Cruise this Thanksgiving or make your Black Friday shopping a unique experience that the kids will be talking about for weeks by taking Shoreline Water Taxi to your shopping destinations on Michigan Avenue!
Shoreline’s Architecture Cruise
Shoreline Sightseeing tours are running for the first time in company history on Thanksgiving and Black Friday! Kick off the holiday season and enjoy the unseasonably, but welcome, warm temperatures. Shoreline’s boats depart every 45 minutes from their docks at Ogden Slip at Navy Pier.
Shoreline Water Taxis
Shoreline Water Taxis will be running this Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you’re coming downtown by train, Shoreline’s taxi dock is conveniently located at the base of the Adams Street Bridge near Ogilvie and Union train stations. Hop onboard and they’ll deliver you right to the Michigan Avenue Bridge for all of your Magnificent Mile shopping needs. Their gift to you? Your taxi ride is free when you purchase an Architecture Cruise ticket. All cruises are weather permitting.
Tags: Black Friday, Downtown Chicago, Holiday Shopping, magnificent mile, navy pier chicago, Shoreline Sightseeing, Thanksgiving Day, Water Taxi in Chicago
Post-Exercise Fuel
Posted on November 1st, 2011 by Adam Marks
The last decade has seen the rise and fall of many of a specialty restaurant from Peanut Butter & Jelly bars to places offering only rice puddings. One of the most successful specialized eateries is Protein Bar. With four locations, they are easily found downtown for healthy breakfasts, quick lunches, and satisfying dinners.
The focus at Protein Bar is on simple, healthy foods that are, clearly, high in protein. The thought behind this is that lean, protein rich meals support weight-loss, focus, and immunity. Thankfully, the brains behind the bar recognize that flavor is as important as nutritional information. Even if you don’t care about the effects of the diet, their food tastes great!
One of the largest portions of the menu are the quinoa bowls. Hopefully you’ve experienced this super-grain by now, but if not, quinoa is a nutritional grain that replaces rice or pasta. Top it with various items and sauces, and you’ve got a filling meal awaiting you! Add black beans and cheddar and you have a fiesta bowl. Add meat, spinach, and pesto, and the bowl is completely transformed. Best of all, try their vegan chili atop quinoa. It’s so hearty you won’t miss the meat.
Protein Bar also has a great menu for juices and smoothies. I recommend either then Pier-nut Butter & Jelly (vanilla protein, peanut butter, and berries) or the Daley Grind (chocolate protein, espresso protein, and hot coffee).
Whether it is after a workout or a quick lunch break, you’ll enjoy the healthy and filling meals Protein Bar offers.
Protein Bar has locations at Washington and Wells, Franklin and Adams, inside the West Loop FFC, and Clark and Kinzie.
SOFA Chicago & Intuit Show of Folk & Outsider Art
Posted on October 28th, 2011 by Mike Chamernik
SOFA Chicago returns! The annual international Sculpture Objects & Functional Art Fair is returning to Navy Pier’s Festival Hall, Nov. 4-6, and it will share space with The Intuit Show of Folk & Outsider Art.
SOFA is the largest and longest continually-running art fair in Chicago, a mainstay of the city’s cultural and social calendar.
SOFA Chicago will feature special exhibits by renowned museums, universities and arts organizations, as well as an extensive lecture series. Intuit Show exhibitors include The Electric Pencil, Outsider Folk Art Gallery, Just Folk, Lindsay Gallery, American Primitive Gallery and The Pardee Collection. The Intuit Show adds 14 dealers and galleries of self-taught art, outsider art, art brut, ethnographic art, non-traditional folk art and visionary art to SOFA.
SOFA’s hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on both Friday Nov. 4 and Saturday Nov. 5, with Sunday Nov. 6’s hours from noon to 6 p.m. Photography is not permitted. General admission is $15, with three-day passes going for $25. Kids under 12 are free.
Tags: Chicago Arts, Chicago Gallery, Downtown Chicago, Festival Hall, Intuit Show of Folk & Outsider Art, navy pier chicago, SOFA Chicago, Streeterville
Treat Yourself!
Posted on October 25th, 2011 by Adam Marks
Usually when I recommend somewhere as good for a celebration, it is pure speculation. This week, I can attest from first-hand knowledge. As I celebrated my birthday last week, I was treated to a phenomenal meal with a small group of friends at Balsan, a restaurant I’ve been meaning to check off of my list for a while. Balsan is tucked away in the elegant Elysian Hotel, internationally recognized for its beautiful design and exquisite service. It’s modeled as a Parisian Bistro from 1920, and offers a tantalizing menu of bits and bites.
Start off with a sampling from Balsan’s extensive raw bar menu. Their oysters are fresh and plentiful, and their knowledge staff will help you select a variety that satisfies you. If you follow that up with a charcuterie spread of house-cured meats and fine local cheeses, your meal will be off to a running start.
All of the dishes at Balsan are beautifully prepared, but you’ll be best off if you order family style and share around for greatest variety in flavors and textures. The heirloom beet salad was amazing, and I’m not usually a huge fan of the beet. Steak frites are always a good option in French bistros, and their rib-eye is succulent and salty.
You would be highly irresponsible if you left Balsan without trying some dessert. Our table’s favorite was the Paris brest, a delicate pat a choux with a creamy hazelnut filling. I was partial to the butterscotch pot de creme as well. What a treat!
It also goes without saying that the bar at Balsan is top notch, and if you have to wait for a table, visiting Bernard’s Bar downstairs will be a welcome purgatory.
Balsan is located inside the Elysian Hotel, 11 East Walton Street between Rush and State.
Tags: Chicago Nightlife, Chicago Restaurants, Downtown Chicago
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