JethroTull
25+ Posts
Just got back from a long weekend in Chicago, and I'm convinced it is up there with NY and San Francisco as a "food city." Not sure you can go wrong anywhere in Chi town, but I thought the report below might help someone out if headed that way. I liked these anyway, but all opinions or criticism is welcome 'cause we'll be going back.
As soon as we checked into our hotel on Michigan Avenue we headed to Rosebud on Rush. We usually take a cab down to the original Rosebud on Taylor, but with Rush Street just a few blocks away we hit this one for lunch. Never, ever been dissapointed with the Rosebud on Taylor and the one on Rush was every bit as good. Traditional Italian place so I had to have my fix of red sauced pasta and Italian sausage while Mrs. Tull had the chicken vesuvio. Way too much food for lunch, but what the hell, it was a vacation day.
That night we ate at the Metropolitan Club on the 67th floor of the Sears Tower. Nice steaks, salads and dessert, but the highlight was when I found out they did wine flights. They had about six options, three white and three red. A nice way to try out different wines and compare regions, styles, etc.
The next day was Saturday with a 12:05 start at Wrigley with the Reds in town. Friend and I went while Mrs. Tull and his wife hit the shopping on the Magnificent Mile. Cold, cold, cold in the upper deck even though the seats were nice, about 8 rows up and just off to the left of home plate. Nice view of the action, but the wind was blowing straight into us off the lake and it was 46 degrees. Not too cold for a couple of Old Styles, though. Be wary of the foot long brat with everything. It fell apart quickly and having failed to grab a plastic fork it was one holy mess to eat. Our seats were next to a Michigan grad and an Ohio State grad. Lots of football talk between pitches. Cubs won 7-0, Pinella's first win at Wrigley. Dunn was 1 for 3 for the Reds, no homers obviously.
Headed for Cubbie Bear, Murphy's, etc. after the game but they were packed to the gills-probably the weather. So, we went to a new place next door to Cubbie Bear called Vines on Clark. Regular tables and chairs, plenty of room. So we had appetizers and a couple of Goose Islands ales to warm up and let the traffice clear. Bar food menu, but the apps were well done. I'd recommend this place as an alternative to the rowdy bars surrounding Wrigley, but you are missing some of the experience by not getting in there and mixing it up.
That night the four of us went to Bin 36, next door to the House of Blues hotel down close to the River. Excellent food, fun atmosphere and they had a little wine shop off to the side. Their hook is that the menu is printed on the left side and matching each group of items on the right side are recommended wines. We had a variety of salads, steak, lamb shanks, shrimp/scallops, swordfish and desserts and all were pronounced excellent. Very extensive wine list, but with the above mentioned variety of entrees it was somewhat difficult to pick just one wine. The seafood eaters ended up with a bottle of Prosecco and the beef/lamb eaters with a bottle of St. Joseph Offerus from the Rhone Valley. An excellent meal, but be prepared for a fairly loud and younger crowd. We were told by the friends' daughter who lives and works in downtown Chicago that we wouldn't like it because it was a "fun and lively place." Well, we showed her! Our waitress signed the check "Your parents and friends were 'fun and lively.'"
Sunday brunch was at the Four Farthings, very atmospherey pub-like place up in the Lincoln Park area. Typical brunch egg dishes and I can report that the corned beef hash and fried eggs, with hash browns and an english muffin and a bloody mary is an excellent eye opener.
That night it was steaks at the Rosebud Grill, next door to the Drake Hotel, but I can't remember the cross street off of Michigan Ave. Yes, another Rosebud, but this place is new since the last time we went to Chicago. Old time steak house atmosphere and in my opinion they have now done for steak what they did decades ago for Italian. Tableside Caeser salad, a filet and bone-in filet that I have not seen on a menu before were cooked perfectly medium rare. Delicious and the side of bacon, cheddar mashed potatoes was a perfect match. Respectable wine list.
Monday lunch was at Giordano's pizza back on Rush Street. Classic Chicago deep dish. The "small" with Italian sausage, onions and peppers, a couple of Goose Island and Chiantis and it was definitely nap time.
Monday dinner was at Cocopazzi, on St. Clair in the middle of the Northwestern U. Medical Center complex. Fantastic Italian, but not a "red sauce" place. The pasta special that night was linguini with clams that was the best I've ever had. Rich sauce that I sopped up every last drop of with the bread on the table. Butter, garlic, wine and chicken stock with a little bit of red pepper flakes for some kick. Mrs. Tull had the Italian version of Steak Frites, with rosemary flavored sirloin and garlic fries. Wine list had a nice selection of Italian and Sicilian wines by the glass.
Time to head home on Tuesday, but we couldn't resist one more "Chicago meal" at the Harry Caray's in Midway Airport. It's airport food, OK, but the sports memorabilia and the Cubs-Padres on "GN" made it the perfect final meal.
Now if just weren't so damn cold up there this time of year!
As soon as we checked into our hotel on Michigan Avenue we headed to Rosebud on Rush. We usually take a cab down to the original Rosebud on Taylor, but with Rush Street just a few blocks away we hit this one for lunch. Never, ever been dissapointed with the Rosebud on Taylor and the one on Rush was every bit as good. Traditional Italian place so I had to have my fix of red sauced pasta and Italian sausage while Mrs. Tull had the chicken vesuvio. Way too much food for lunch, but what the hell, it was a vacation day.
That night we ate at the Metropolitan Club on the 67th floor of the Sears Tower. Nice steaks, salads and dessert, but the highlight was when I found out they did wine flights. They had about six options, three white and three red. A nice way to try out different wines and compare regions, styles, etc.
The next day was Saturday with a 12:05 start at Wrigley with the Reds in town. Friend and I went while Mrs. Tull and his wife hit the shopping on the Magnificent Mile. Cold, cold, cold in the upper deck even though the seats were nice, about 8 rows up and just off to the left of home plate. Nice view of the action, but the wind was blowing straight into us off the lake and it was 46 degrees. Not too cold for a couple of Old Styles, though. Be wary of the foot long brat with everything. It fell apart quickly and having failed to grab a plastic fork it was one holy mess to eat. Our seats were next to a Michigan grad and an Ohio State grad. Lots of football talk between pitches. Cubs won 7-0, Pinella's first win at Wrigley. Dunn was 1 for 3 for the Reds, no homers obviously.
Headed for Cubbie Bear, Murphy's, etc. after the game but they were packed to the gills-probably the weather. So, we went to a new place next door to Cubbie Bear called Vines on Clark. Regular tables and chairs, plenty of room. So we had appetizers and a couple of Goose Islands ales to warm up and let the traffice clear. Bar food menu, but the apps were well done. I'd recommend this place as an alternative to the rowdy bars surrounding Wrigley, but you are missing some of the experience by not getting in there and mixing it up.
That night the four of us went to Bin 36, next door to the House of Blues hotel down close to the River. Excellent food, fun atmosphere and they had a little wine shop off to the side. Their hook is that the menu is printed on the left side and matching each group of items on the right side are recommended wines. We had a variety of salads, steak, lamb shanks, shrimp/scallops, swordfish and desserts and all were pronounced excellent. Very extensive wine list, but with the above mentioned variety of entrees it was somewhat difficult to pick just one wine. The seafood eaters ended up with a bottle of Prosecco and the beef/lamb eaters with a bottle of St. Joseph Offerus from the Rhone Valley. An excellent meal, but be prepared for a fairly loud and younger crowd. We were told by the friends' daughter who lives and works in downtown Chicago that we wouldn't like it because it was a "fun and lively place." Well, we showed her! Our waitress signed the check "Your parents and friends were 'fun and lively.'"
Sunday brunch was at the Four Farthings, very atmospherey pub-like place up in the Lincoln Park area. Typical brunch egg dishes and I can report that the corned beef hash and fried eggs, with hash browns and an english muffin and a bloody mary is an excellent eye opener.
That night it was steaks at the Rosebud Grill, next door to the Drake Hotel, but I can't remember the cross street off of Michigan Ave. Yes, another Rosebud, but this place is new since the last time we went to Chicago. Old time steak house atmosphere and in my opinion they have now done for steak what they did decades ago for Italian. Tableside Caeser salad, a filet and bone-in filet that I have not seen on a menu before were cooked perfectly medium rare. Delicious and the side of bacon, cheddar mashed potatoes was a perfect match. Respectable wine list.
Monday lunch was at Giordano's pizza back on Rush Street. Classic Chicago deep dish. The "small" with Italian sausage, onions and peppers, a couple of Goose Island and Chiantis and it was definitely nap time.
Monday dinner was at Cocopazzi, on St. Clair in the middle of the Northwestern U. Medical Center complex. Fantastic Italian, but not a "red sauce" place. The pasta special that night was linguini with clams that was the best I've ever had. Rich sauce that I sopped up every last drop of with the bread on the table. Butter, garlic, wine and chicken stock with a little bit of red pepper flakes for some kick. Mrs. Tull had the Italian version of Steak Frites, with rosemary flavored sirloin and garlic fries. Wine list had a nice selection of Italian and Sicilian wines by the glass.
Time to head home on Tuesday, but we couldn't resist one more "Chicago meal" at the Harry Caray's in Midway Airport. It's airport food, OK, but the sports memorabilia and the Cubs-Padres on "GN" made it the perfect final meal.
Now if just weren't so damn cold up there this time of year!
