Four of Chicago's top restaurants reviewed
By Olivia Greenway
OLD
BERGHOFF
Locals will tell you this place, off South Michigan Avenue, has been here forever; in fact, it’s been open since 1898, when it was a men-only establishment serving free corned beef sandwiches with the purchase of a stein of beer.
This fourth-generation German café and restaurant hasn’t tried very hard to fit into the 21st century, which is perhaps part of its charm.
Friendly staff will tempt you with their best sellers – Wiener schnitzel with German potatoes (US$15.50), or a trio of sausages (bratwurst, knockwurst and smoked thuringer) with sauerkraut and potato salad (US$15). Freshwater whitefish from Lake Superior (US$15) is a lighter choice. The house root beer goes down a treat.
Open Mon-Fri 11am-9pm, Sat 11.30am-9pm. 17 West Adams Street; tel +1 312 427 3170; theberghoff.com
NEW
BAFFO
Italian delicatessen chain Eataly has gone down a storm in New York, opening Baffo just off North Michigan Avenue in December.
Packed out on a Monday night with hip young professionals, the elegant restaurant is decked out with black-and-white tiled flooring, smart linen tablecloths and twinkling tea lights.
Charred octopus with spicy limoncello vinaigrette (US$18) and beef cheek ravioli (US$22) are favourite starters, while meltingly soft, whole roasted sea bass with fennel and blood orange salad (US$32) or juicy stuffed pork jowl with roasted tomatoes (US$28) vie for most popular mains.
The hand-pulled mozzarella (US$16), made on the premises, is superb. Ditherers might prefer the tasting menus – five courses for US$110 or the six-course pasta tasting menu at US$65. Wine pairing is US$40 extra.
Open Mon-Sun for dinner from 5pm; lunch Fri-Sun 12pm-3pm. 44 East Grand Avenue; tel +1 312 521 8701; eataly.com/chicago
BORROWED
LE COLONIAL
With a profusion of potted parlour palms, ceiling fans, soft lighting and rattan chairs, this fine-dining Vietnamese venue certainly has a 1920s colonial feel. Situated in the salubrious Gold Coast area, it has been attracting the Chicago elite since it opened in 1996.
The dishes are less spicy than Thai but bursting with flavour and generous in size. Start with the lip-smacking shrimp rolls with fresh mint and coriander served with peanut and plum dipping sauce (US$11), or the tuna tartare with ginger soy dressing and wonton wafers (US$12), again eaten with the fingers.
For mains try the delicate fillet mignon sate with yams and string beans (US$27) or the delicious, lightly scented bouillabaisse of coconut and saffron with lobster, shrimp, scallops and whitefish (US$33), mopped up with bread.
Open daily 11.30am-3pm; Mon-Fri 5pm-11pm, Sat 5pm-12am, Sun 5pm-10pm. 937 North Rush Street; tel +1 312 255 0088; lecolonialchicago.com
VIEW
EVEREST
This stylish Michelin-starred restaurant in the Chicago Stock Exchange is headed up by French chef patron J Joho, who includes Raymond Blanc among his friends. As the name suggests, it’s high up – 40 storeys – with views of Sears Tower right across to the Chicago Bulls stadium.
Joho has had more than three decades here to perfect his craft, with standouts being the decadent roasted Maine lobster starter with Alsace wine butter and ginger, and a main of succulent duck breast with marinated turnips and a hint of cardamom.
There is no à la carte menu – instead, Everest offers four-, five- and seven-course tasting menus (US$94/US$120/$165), with wine pairings an extra US$98. The restaurant offers one of the largest Alsace wine lists in the world, with 400 labels.
Portions are generous so you will leave feeling replete, if with a lighter wallet.
Open for dinner only – Tues-Thurs 5.30pm-9pm, Fri 5.30pm-9.30pm, Sat 5pm-10pm. 440 South La Salle Street; tel +1 312 663 8920; everestrestaurant.com
