Chicago Restaurant Week - (aka - help me decide what to order)

Cafe Society
1

For the second year now, Chicago is doing a “Restaurant Week” with many of the cities top restaurants. Basically, each place offers a three course prix fixe meal for $32 (or lunch for $22), which is a steal compared to what some of these places would normally cost you. It’s a great way to try a restaurant you normally wouldn’t due to cost. The dates are Feb 20-27.

The link above has a list of all 130 participating restaurants, in case you’re interested in checking it out. I’ve decided to dine at David Burke’s Primehouse, which is a place I’ve wanted to try since it opened a couple of years ago. Now that I have that settled, I’d like to try and decide what to order for each course. I haven’t looked at the menues for many of these places, but David Burke’s has a lot of nice looking selections to choose from. Here’s a link to the Restauant Week dinner menu(warning, PDF).

I think I’m going to do the Kobe beef shashimi for an appetizer, and the apple pie w/ cheddar for dessert - but I’m stuck on the main course. Waygu beef is something I’ve always wanted to try, as it’s supposed to be even better than Kobe, but it’s a skirt steak - so not the best cut - and I’m already planning on a beef appetizer. You can never have too much steak, though, right?

So, if anyone wants to give me their two cents on what they’d order if they were in my shoes, or what restaurant you’d like to try, I’d love to hear it!

2

Personally, I’d hit the lobster. This looks like fun - I’m going to read up on it - thanks for mentioning it!

3

I’d probably try the lobster bisque, followed by the Delmonico with a side of asparagus & shallots and pan-roasted mushrooms, with the apple cheddar pie for dessert. If dining companion needed help and was open to suggestions, I’d also be interested in ordering the kobe sashimi, the Wagyu skirt, and the butterscotch creme brulee, so we could taste a bit of everything off each others’ plates.

4

A place that specializes in meat dishes is prolly going to do something fantabulous with a skirt steak. I’d give that a shot.

5

So many good choices… I am going with someone and we’ll be sure to not order the same thing so that we can each try more items.

The surf and turf dumplings are looking mighty good to me right now.

6

Missed this. Kobe beef is a type of Wagyu cattle (specifically, Tajima cattle) raised under certain traditions. Technically, true Kobe beef (as opposed to “Kobe-style beef” or “American kobe”) as defined by Japanese trademarks, has very strict specifications and is perhaps more sought-after than Wagyu, which encompasses any of a number of types of beef, including Kobe, without restriction to how or where they are raised.

7

Oh, ok… Good to know. Thanks!

8

For $32, do you plan on going out each and every night? I sure would. And probably go for lunch, as well.

9

My funds are a bit tight, but I might try and get in another dinner or maybe a lunch. Not sure where though. I do love Frontera, but I’d rather use this as a chance to try something new.

I hear the food at Le Colonial is very good (Vietnamese).