I’ve been there several times and I’m going back from 9 to 12 March (Friday through Monday). Science and Industry is the only major museum I’ve not yet seen so it’s on my to-do list; otherwise I shall spend the weekend bababa-ing over De-niece and drinking.
I’m looking for some restaurant recommendations. I live in the hinterlands these days and ethnic cuisine is rare, other than Somali or Mexican (NOT Taco Hell - real Mexican). I miss Korean BBQ and Mid-East food the most. Web searches say Old Jerusalem is the place to go for the latter but I’ve not found anything regarding the former.
Any recommendations from the locals? Any other non-American-vanilla places I should check out?
Regarding bitters - Fullers ESB is the only decent kind I can locally find (on- or off-sale). Any good beer shops in town?
The closer to Humboldt Park the less…uh…persnickety my hosts.
When I’m in Chicago with my family we usually go to The Parthenon in Greek Town. My Greek grandpa gets squid and octopus and stuff like that, but I prefer the leg of lamb. It usually has a sort of crowded, boisterous atmosphere, so I wouldn’t say it’s the best place for intimate dining. More of a good-time family place.
I used to live in the neighborhood where the Museum of Science and Industry is located, and there is a great middle-eastern restaurant there called Cedars of Lebanon. Middle-eastern food is my favorite cuisine, and I used to eat at that place a lot. Since you are going to be down that way visiting the museum, I highly recommend trying it out. There is also a great, very causal, cajun restaurant there called Dixie Kitchen and Bait Shop, if you are in a different kind of mood that day. Love both of those places.
I’ll second that recommendation. I’ve had work-related dinners at the Parthenon twice this winter. Wow! I thought I was going to burst from all the food they kept bringing out. Good stuff.
If you go, Trivial, make sure you get the saganaki. OOPA!
I’d also recommend Leonas. They have some great Italian food plus the standard fare. Great ribs, too.
I think they have Bodyworlds on exhibition at the Museum of S&I right now.
There’s a Korean place on 55th and…Cornell, I think, pretty close to the M of S&I. It’s pretty decent but I’ve never had their BBQ. Most of the fancier Korean places are further north.
LTHForum.com is where you want to go for the best restaruant recommendations. Pictures, intelligent and thoughtful discussion, get togethers and group dinners, it’s the Straight Dope of food sites. You can search for cuisines, but the best bet is to look for their Great Neighborhood Recommendations lists or GNR for short.
I think one of my girlfriend’s friends works at this restaurant, or at least is involved with it somehow. They supposedly use lasers to cook the food, or something. Sounds a little too esoteric for my tastes (I prefer hearty, filling, straightforward food) but if you want a unique experience it sounds like a good choice.
We actually have resevervations for Moto on Saturday night, and the place had better be worth every penny of the $165 16-course prix fixe menu with accompanying $85 wine menu.
This doesn’t solve my Korean BBQ issue, however. Perhaps no such thing exists in Chicago?
Not a beer shop, but this place - Hopleaf - has one of the best beer selections in town. Something like 30 beers on tap and well over 250 in bottles, mostly Belgian but plenty of other choices to keep you happy.
MikeG is right on. Run, don’t walk (virtually) to lthforum.com and run your eyes over the Great Neighborhoods awards forum. Similarly, be sure to use the search feature to check out any restaurant before you decide to hit it up.
Korean BBQ and Middle eastern foods are plentiful. Again, LTHforum will set ya right.