Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
straightforward and on the small side (so don't plan on sharing if you've got a
sweet tooth).
619 W. Randolph St.
&
312/715-0708.
www.blackbirdrestaurant.com. Reservations recommended. Main
courses $10-$20 lunch, $20-$29 dinner. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon-Thurs 11am-2pm and 5:30-10:30pm; Fri
11am-2pm and 5:30-11:30pm; Sat 5:30-11:30pm.
Bluepoint Oyster Bar
SEAFOOD Bluepoint has the stylings of an Art
Deco 1940s fish house; the expansive, handsome dining room has huge, comfy
booths and tufted banquettes, maroon-and-black marble floors, and ceiling fans
spinning overhead. Oyster lovers will be delighted by the selection of more than
a dozen varieties at the raw bar. Other appetizers include clams, sushi and
sashimi, seafood cocktails, cold salads, and several specialty items such as baked
and stuffed cherrystone clams and steamed Prince Edward Island mussels. The
extensive list of entrees includes a range of fresh fish and seafood items prepared
to your liking (broiled, grilled, blackened, and sautéed), and there are some
big-ticket items such as Maine lobsters, Alaskan king crab legs, and stone crab
dinners. Some of the house specialties are spicy, braised catfish shanks; scallion-
crusted marlin; grilled tuna bordelaise; and Bluepoint oyster and wild-mush-
room ragout. For non-fish lovers, there are a few steak and chicken alternatives,
too. Bluepoint isn't charting any new culinary waters, but its retro feel comes as
somewhat of a relief after a few meals at the city's more “happening” (and deaf-
ening) restaurants.
741 W. Randolph St.
&
312/207-1222.
Reservations recommended. Main courses $9-$20 lunch, $17-$26
dinner (lobster and crab market prices higher). AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon-Thurs 11:30am-10:30pm; Fri
11:30am-11pm; Sat 5-11pm; Sun 5-10:30pm.
Marché
FRENCH/BISTRO If you've ever longed to run away and join
the Cirque du Soleil, spend an evening at Marché. An Americanized, oversized
take on the French bistro, Marché offers a convivial (though noisy) dining expe-
rience, enhanced by the phantasmagoric decor and bustling bar scene that
blends into the dining room. Multilevel seating, brightly colored umbrellas that
hang from the ceiling, and velvet seats in shades of red and yellow add to the cir-
cus atmosphere, as does the clang of the open kitchen and enticing scents from
the rotisserie. The food—a mix of bistro favorites—is fine, but the decor is the
real draw here. The spit-roasted chicken is quite popular, and you can't miss with
the New York strip au poivre partnered with a mound of shoestring frites. Chops
and creative seafood entrees round out the menu. Simple, classic desserts and a
cheese plate provide a refreshingly light finale to the meal.
833 W. Randolph St. (1 block west of Halsted St.).
&
312/226-8399.
www.marche-chicago.com. Reserva-
tions recommended. Main courses $12-$18 lunch, $18-$28 dinner. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Wed 11:30am-2pm
and 5:30-10pm; Thurs 11:30am-2pm and 5:30-11pm; Fri 11:30am-2pm and 5:30pm-midnight; Sat
5:30pm-midnight; Sun 5:30-10pm.
Red Light
ASIAN One of the “theatrical” restaurants (along with Marché,
Nine, and others) that wowed Chicago when they opened in the late 1990s, Red
Light has only recently gotten its menu on track after much tweaking. With input
from noted Thai chef Arun Sampanthavivat (see listing for Arun's on p. 158),
dishes are now more focused and balanced, incorporating seasonal American,
French, Thai, and other Asian ingredients and cooking techniques. But let's be
honest—the main reason to go to Red Light is the setting: two dramatic dining
rooms with deep red walls, colorful lanterns, gently waving palm fronds, sensu-
ously curved windows and ceilings, and chairs that could be mistaken for metal
sculptures. (Okay, they're not very comfortable, but they do look cool.)
