Where to Dine - Chicago 2005 - page 140

Breakfast & Brunch
NEAR THE LOOP & MAGNIFICENT MILE
You can get a good (and upscale) breakfast at one of the hotels near
the Loop or Magnificent Mile. Favorites include the restaurants (both
named The Café) at the Four Seasons Hotel, 120 E. Delaware Place
( & 312/280-8800 ), and The Drake, 140 E. Walton Place at Michigan
Avenue ( & 312/787-2200 ).
A more informal choice in the Loop, just across from Marshall Field's,
is Heaven on Seven (p. 120), where the Cajun and Creole specialties
supplement an enormous diner-style menu that has anything you could
possibly desire.
For brunch with some soul, head to House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn
St., at Kinzie Street ( & 312/527-2583 ), for its popular Sunday gospel
brunch. To guarantee seating, it's a good idea to book a spot 2 weeks
in advance.
A favorite for breakfast among Chicagoans since 1923 is Lou
Mitchell's, 565 W. Jackson Blvd. ( & 312/939-3111 ), across the south
branch of the Chicago River from the Loop, a block farther west than
Union Station. You're greeted at the door with a basket of doughnut
holes and milk duds so that you can nibble while waiting for a table.
For a Southern-style breakfast of spicy red eggs, cheese grits, or bis-
cuits and gravy, head over to Wishbone (p. 126), a homespun dining hall
in a warehouse district west of the Loop.
LINCOLN PARK & THE NORTH SIDE
A perfect breakfast or brunch spot if you're heading up to Wrigleyville
for a Cubs game or for a day of antiquing on Belmont Avenue is Ann
Sather (p. 159), famous for the homemade cinnamon rolls.
Vermilion INDIAN/LATIN AMERICAN No, Vermilion is not just an
attempt to create buzz with yet another wacky fusion concept. Owner Rohini
Dey and chef Maneet Chauhan—both women, both originally from India—
have found a common thread between Indian and Latin American cooking:
Both feature similar ingredients (rice and chiles), use some of the same season-
ings (cumin and coriander), and even share similar preparations (the variety of
Latin salsas is comparable to the different Indian chutneys). The result is a menu
that mixes flavors in new ways that still seem somewhat familiar, whether it's
empanadas with mango-coconut chutney, ceviche with Indian spices, or tan-
doori skirt steak served on sautéed garlic spinach with fried plantain. This isn't
your usual Taj-Mahal-meets-Bollywood Indian decor, either; the mostly white
dining room is brightened with red decorative accents and large black-and-white
fashion photographs. The front lounge is open late for drinks and dessert, served
to a soundtrack of Indian and Latin American dance music. The Sunday brunch
is a creative change from pancakes and eggs; try the house frittata, with Indian
spices, or the kathi rolls (pieces of lamb wrapped in flatbread), and wash it all
down with a flavored lassi (traditional Indian yogurt shake).
10 W. Hubbard St. (at State St.). & 312/527-4060. Reservations recommended on weekends. Main courses
$12-$22. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Tues-Thurs 11:30am-2:30pm and 5pm-midnight; Fri 11:30am-2:30pm and
5pm-2am; Sat 5pm-2am; Sun 10am-2pm and 5-10pm. Subway/El: Red Line to Grand.