Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
118
seafood-filled ravioli. Nonseafood items include y our basic pasta fav orites (there are no
surprises where the pasta is concerned—all the reliable standards are here) and some beef
and veal dishes.
71 W. M onroe St. (bt w. Clark and Dearborn sts .). & 312/332-7005. w ww.italianvillage-chicago.com.
Sassy seats. Reservations recommended. Main courses $11-$25 lunch, $13-$32 dinner. AE, DC, DISC, MC,
V. Mon-Fri 11:30am-4pm; Mon-Sat 5pm-midnight. Subway/El: Red or Blue Line to Monroe.
The Rosebud Value ITALIAN If you want a r eal Chicago dining experience,
this is it: A t Rosebud you'll be surr ounded by locals, not tourists. The old-style, dar k
rooms ar e filled with families celebrating bir thdays and older couples who hav e been
coming here for years. If your kids are on the verge of a hunger meltdown, ask for some
breadsticks to tide them o ver: You can expect to wait w ell beyond the time of y our res-
ervation. R osebud is kno wn for its enormous helpings of pasta, ser ved up in massiv e
white bowls. Expect to walk out with a doggie bag, or—ev en better—have your whole
table share a fe w dishes. B ut the por tions aren't just large, they 're also delicious. M ost
pastas lean to ward heavy I talian-American fav orites: deep-dish lasagna and fettuccine
Alfredo that defines the word “rich.” But the menu has been hipped up with more mod-
ern takes on I talian cooking. Any of the pastas with v odka sauce ar e out of this world.
Rosebud also offers pasta lo vers five different cavatelli dishes, a house specialty , and a
tempting selection of secondi —meat, fish, and poultry dishes.
If you don't feel like tr ekking to the original, R osebud has another, trendier version
just off the Mag Mile at 720 N. Rush St., at Superior Street ( & 312/266-6444 ).
1500 W. Taylor St. (1 block east of Ashland Ave.). & 312/942-1117. Highchairs, boosters. Reservations recom-
mended, especially on Sat and Sun. M ain courses $5.95-$13 lunch, $16-$30 dinner . AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.
Mon-Thurs 11am-10:30pm; Fri 11am-11:30pm; Sat 5-11:30pm; Sun 4-10pm. Subway/El: Blue Line to Polk.
South Water Kitchen AMERICAN Although South Water Kitchen isn't break-
ing any new culinary ground, it deserves a mention as one of the few places in the Loop
that welcomes kids while featuring food sophisticated enough for discerning moms and
dads. The dining room evokes the spirit of an old-fashioned city saloon, and the menu
goes the retro route as well. Entrees include modern twists on familiar fav orites, includ-
ing a grilled spiced por k tenderloin, with mac and cheese and sautéed spinach; 5-hour
braised short ribs with garlic mashed potatoes; and a v eal T-bone with sage br ead pud-
ding. The restaurant provides not only kids' menus but also games to keep the little ones
occupied. Best of all, half the pr oceeds of all children's meals go to charity.
In the Hot el Monaco, 225 N. Wabash Ave. (at Wacker Dr.). & 888/306-3507. www.southwaterkitchen.
com. Kids' menu, highchairs, boosters. Reservations accepted. Main courses $9-$19 lunch, $16-$26 din-
ner; k ids' menu ar ound $6. AE, DC, MC, V. M on-Fri 7-10am and 11am-3pm; dinner 5-10pm nightly .
Brunch 7am-2pm Sat-Sun. Subway/El: Red Line to State/Lake.
The Village ITALIAN Upstairs in the Italian Village is the Village, with its charm-
ing interpretation of alfresco dining in a small I talian town, complete with a midnight-
blue ceiling, twinkling “stars,” and banquettes tucked into priv ate, cavelike little rooms.
It's the kind of Pan-Chicago place where you might see one man in a tux and another in
shorts. This is old-school I talian: eggplant parmigiana, a heavy fettuccine Alfr edo that
would send your cardiologist into fits, v eal scaloppini, calves' liver, and, yes, even pizza.
The food is good rather than great, but what sets the Village apart as a place for families
is the bor dering-on-corny faux-Italian atmospher e that will delight y our kids, and an
old-time waitstaff that someho w keeps up with the nonstop flo w of patr ons. The staff
here are pros at handling pre-theater dining.
5
Search WWH ::




Custom Search