Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
71 W. M onroe St. (bt w. Clark and Dearborn sts .).
&
312/332-7005.
w ww.italianvillage-chicago.com.
Sassy seats. Reser vations recommended (accepted for par ties of 3 or mor e). Main courses (including
salad) $9-$23 lunch, $13-$24 dinner . AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon-Thurs 11am-1am; F ri-Sat 11am-2am; Sun
noon-midnight. Subway/El: Red or Blue Line to Monroe.
119
Vivere
ITALIAN On the main floor of the I talian Village is Vivere, the I talian
Village's take on gourmet cooking—and eye-catching design. The bold interior, with rich
burgundies, textured walls, spiraling br onze sculptures, and fragmented mosaic floors,
makes dining a theatrical experience. N o spaghetti and meatballs her e: The pasta dishes
feature upscale ingr edients, fr om the
pappardelle
with braised duck to the
agnolottini
filled with pheasant. F resh fish is always on the menu (a r ecent entr ee selection was
salmon with spiced carrot broth), along with a good selection of meats and game. Grilled
venison medallions are served with foie gras ravioli, while r oasted duck is accompanied
by a potato terrine and sautéed spinach.
71 W. M onroe St. (bt w. Clark and Dearborn sts .).
&
312/332-4040.
w ww.italianvillage-chicago.com.
Sassy seats. Reservations recommended. Main courses $13-$24 lunch, $16-$34 dinner. AE, DC, DISC, MC,
V. Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm; M on-Thurs 5:30-10pm; F ri-Sat 5-11pm. Sub way/El: Red or Blue Line t o
Monroe.
INEXPENSIVE
Heaven on S even
Finds
CAJUN/DINER Kids will lo ve the “ every day is
Mardi Gras” feel of this highly popular spot, a fav orite of local office wor kers. Just check
out the lunchtime cr owd that packs the r estaurant, located on the sev enth floor of the
Garland B uilding, acr oss fr om M acy's. Chef/o wner J immy B annos's Cajun and C reole
specialties come with a cup of soup , and include such Louisiana staples as r ed beans and
rice, a catfish po' boy sandwich, and jambalaya. If your kids don't have a taste for Tabasco,
the enormous coffee shop-style menu co vers all the traditional essentials: grilled-cheese
sandwiches, omelets, tuna—the wor ks. Indulge in chocolate pecan pie or homemade rice
pudding for dessert. Usually open only for br eakfast and lunch, on the thir d Friday of the
month, Heaven on Seven serves dinner from 5:30 to 9pm. Although the Loop original has
the most character, a second Mardi Gras-infused location is found along the M ag Mile at
600 N. Michigan Ave. (
&
312/280-7774
), adjacent to a cineplex; unlike the original loca-
tion, it accepts reservations and credit cards and is open for dinner. I'd highly recommend
the Mag Mile restaurant for kids, where you'll be in the company of many families.
111 N. Wabash Ave. (at Washington St.), 7th floor .
&
312/263-6443.
www.heavenonseven.com. Kids'
menu, highchairs, boosters. Reservations not accepted. Sandwiches $8-$12; main courses $10-$14; kids'
menu around $6 (includes soda and an ice-cream sandwich). No credit cards. Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm; Sat
10am-3pm; 3rd Fri of each month 5:30-9pm. Subway/El: Red Line to Washington/State.
5
Moments
Watching the World Float By from Chicago's
Riverwalk
The outdoor cafes along the banks of the Chicago R iver's main branch, between
Wabash Avenue and Wells Street, are run by restaurants that change from year to
year. But food is almost an afterthought: Kids will thrill to the parade of schoo-
ners and speedboats cruising along the Chicago R iver on their way to Lake Mich-
igan. Open seasonally.
