Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
INEXPENSIVE
Heaven on Seven
CAJUN/DINER Hidden on the seventh floor
of an office building opposite Marshall Field's, this is truly an insider's spot
(you'll find it by following the office workers who line up for lunch during the
week). Loud, crowded, and casual, it's a fairly no-frills spot that buzzes with
energy. Chef/owner Jimmy Bannos's Cajun and Creole specialties come with a
cup of soup, and include such Louisiana staples as red beans and rice, a catfish
po' boy sandwich, and jambalaya. If you don't have a taste for Tabasco, the enor-
mous coffee shop-style menu covers all the traditional essentials: grilled-cheese
sandwiches, omelets, tuna—the works. Indulge in chocolate pecan pie or
chicory-coffee crème brûlée for dessert. Although Heaven on Seven is usually
open only for breakfast and lunch, they do serve dinner on the third Friday of
the month from 5:30 to 9pm.
Although the Loop original has the most character, Heaven has expanded
throughout the city, with locations along the Mag Mile at
600 N. Michigan
Ave.
(
&
312/280-7774
), adjacent to a cineplex, and in Wrigleyville at
3478 N.
Clark St.
(
&
773/477-7818
); unlike the original location, both accept reserva-
tions and credit cards and are open for dinner. If you're bringing the kids along,
the Mag Mile location attracts plenty of families; in Wrigleyville, expect to see
more groups of young singles.
111 N. Wabash Ave. (at Washington St.), 7th floor.
&
312/263-6443.
Reservations not accepted. Menu items
$3.95-$13. No credit cards. Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm; Sat 10am-3pm. 3rd Fri of month 5:30-9pm. Subway/
El: Red Line to Washington/State.
Finds
3 The Randolph Street Market District
For restaurants listed in this section, see the map “Dining in the Loop & Randolph Street Market District” on
p. 113.
The Market District used to be filled with warehouses and produce trucks that
shut down tight after nightfall. But when a few bold restaurant pioneers moved
in—and brought their super-hip clientele with them—this short stretch of Ran-
dolph Street, west of the Loop, got red hot. These days, the Market District is
home to some of the city's best dining spots and swarms with luxury cars and
scenemakers after dark. There's nothing much to do here besides eat—but if you
have a few days in Chicago, try to make it here for at least one meal.
Transportation to the Market District is easy—it's about a $5 cab ride from
Michigan Avenue or a slightly longer trek by bus (no. 8 or 9) or El, with stops
at Halsted and Lake, a block from the restaurants. The walk from the Loop is
pleasant and secure in the daytime, but at night, save your stroll for Michigan
Avenue.
VERY EXPENSIVE
Moto
ECLECTIC If you think food is meant to be experienced with
all the senses, book a table at Moto, home to Chicago's most avant-garde dishes.
Chef Homaro Cantu, who worked with Chicago celebrity chef Charlie Trotter
for 4 years, calls his cuisine avant-garde with Asian influences—but what he's
really interested in is enhancing the sensory experience of dining. So he entwines
fresh herbs in custom-designed corkscrew-handled spoons, which allows the
scent of the herbs to waft toward diners as they eat. For the ultimate made-to-
order dish, an insulated box cooks a piece of fish right at the table. Cantu's got
a sense of humor, too—during a raw food course, he uses a “virtual aroma
device” to emit a subtle smoky scent. Dining here is strictly degustation, with