Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Harry Caray's
AMERICAN/ITALIAN A shrine to the legendary Cubs play-
by-play announcer, this landmark building is a repository for Harry's staggering
collection of baseball memorabilia. But you don't have to be a baseball lover to
appreciate Harry's.
The dining rooms have an old-Chicago feel that is comfortable and familiar,
with high tin ceilings, exposed brick walls, and red-checked tablecloths. It would
be easy to lump Harry's with other celebrity restaurants, but as one reviewer
pointed out, the food is better than it has to be. The portions are enormous; you'll
have enough left over to eat for days. Main-course offerings run from traditional
items such as pastas with red sauce to chicken Vesuvio, veal, and a variety of
seafood choices. Harry's is also a good place to order big plates of meat: dry-aged
steaks, lamb, veal, and pork chops. From the list of side dishes, be sure to order the
signature Vesuvio potatoes. The restaurant also has a (surprisingly) extensive and
well-chosen wine list. If you don't want a full-service meal, the bar is a lively place
for watching a game and grabbing some munchies—and, incidentally, the bar is
60 feet, 6 inches long, the same distance from the pitcher's mound to home plate.
33 W. Kinzie St. (at Dearborn St.).
&
312/828-0966.
www.harrycarays.com. Main courses $11-$33. AE, DC,
DISC, MC, V. Mon-Thurs 11:30am-2:30pm and 5-10:30pm; Fri-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm and 5-11pm; Sun
noon-4pm (lunch bar only) and 4-10pm. Subway/El: Brown Line to Merchandise Mart or Red Line to Grand.
Pili Pili
FRENCH Take the French bistro concept, fill it with the rich colors
and flavors of Provence, and you've got Pili Pili. This bright, welcoming restaurant
doesn't have any gimmicks: just dependably good food that emphasizes the Moroc-
can, Spanish, and Italian influences on Southern French cuisine. Soups are the
standouts on the appetizer menu, whether it's the Provençal
pistou,
made with veg-
etables, white beans, and pasta, or the Marseille fish soup, a tomato-based broth
with flavorful seafood (croutons, Parmesan cheese, and red-pepper rouille are served
on the side, so each diner can customize his or her bowl). Seafood, pastas, and meat
make up the entree list. Fish is served relatively simply (such as a tuna steak with
red-wine sauce and saffron risotto) or in a traditional Catalan
fideua,
a combination
of clams, shrimp, and monkfish on a bed of toasted noodles. The meat dishes are
similarly eclectic, from the bistro standby steak
frites
to the
mechoui
(seasoned,
roasted lamb shoulder served over Israeli couscous dotted with dried fruit). Finish
up with a cheese course if you must, but I'd pick the
pain perdu,
chocolate-chip
bread pudding served with homemade vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
230 W. Kinzie St. (at Franklin St.).
&
312/ 464-9988.
www.pilipilirestaurant.com. Reservations accepted.
Main courses $12-$24. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm; Mon-Thurs 5:30-10pm; Fri-Sat
5:30-11pm; Sun 5-10pm. Subway: Brown Line to Merchandise Mart or Red Line to Grand.
Reza's
MIDDLE EASTERN Reza's doesn't look like the typical Mid-
dle Eastern restaurant; housed in a former microbrewery, it has high ceilings and
expansive, loftlike dining rooms. But the Persian-inspired menu will soon make
you forget all about pints of ale. Specialties include a deliciously rich chicken in
pomegranate sauce and a variety of kabobs (make sure you ask for the dill rice).
Despite the menu's meat-heavy emphasis, there's a full selection of vegetarian
options, too. Can't decide what to order? Go for an appetizer combo, a generous
sampler of Middle Eastern dishes (including hummus, stuffed grape leaves, tab-
bouleh, and other standbys, nicely presented in a red-lacquer bento box). Reza's
has another location in Andersonville, at 5255 N. Clark St. (
&
773/561-1898
),
but the River North spot is the most convenient for visitors staying downtown.
432 W. Ontario St (at Orleans St.).
&
312/664-4500.
Main courses $9.95-$17. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily
11am-midnight. Subway/El: Red Line to Grand.
Value
