The Loop, Chicago Business Directory
by Zahra Ink - Chicago Writing Services
PLACES TO EAT:
Park Grill at Millennium Park, 11 N. Michigan Ave.
The Park Grill consists of three different dining options; there is the Park Grill Restaurant, the Park Café and the Park Grill on the Plaza. The Park Café caters to picnic-goers, offering picnic lunches complete with sandwich, dessert and drink. The café even offers portable seating so you can make the most of your Millennium Park picnic.
Downtown Area at night
The Park Grill on the Plaza is an extension of the Park Grill Restaurant; Chef Bernard Laskowski prepares foods that have an ethnic twist, and all food is served outdoors in Millennium Park.
The Park Grill Restaurant is the foundation of this trio; located inside, adjacent to the Café, the restaurant is upscale yet informal. With a roaring fireplace, fancy fixtures, extremely gracious wait staff and tasteful music, the dining experience at the Park Grill is a very pleasant one.
Food at the Park Grill is also prepared by Chef Laskowski, but here the focus is on American cuisine. Lunch entrees are priced between $10 and $15, and range from common yet carefully-prepared dishes such as hamburgers or Caesar salad, to more exotic choices such as roasted pumpkin soup or avocado squash and pomegranate salad.
The Rueben sandwich, served with soup and French fries, is a delight. Corned beef on toasted dark rye bread, with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing, the sandwich is refreshingly different and very tasty. The seasoned French fries are a nice complement.
For those interested in lighter fare, try the roasted pepper and fennel soup. At first taste this soup resembles a simple tomato soup, but as the flavors explode on your tongue the spicy basil and foamy cream base make themselves known. This soup goes nicely with the house salad, which consists of mixed greens with cucumber, tomato and a vinaigrette dressing.
There is a full wine menu to go with your meal, as well as a wide assortment of beverages. For dessert, there are unique choices such as vanilla crème brulee with seasonal berries, which comes highly recommended, and staples such as tiramisu or a Granny Smith apple tart.
Surely, a visit to the Park Grill is part of a perfect day at Millennium Park.
Rhapsody, 65 E. Adams St.
Rhapsody is adjacent to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra building; after CSO performances, the restaurant is filled with music-loving patrons. The restaurant is spacious and has several different seating areas; there is the Conductor's Room for private parties, a large indoor lounge, and a beautiful outdoor dining patio.
El in South Loop of Chicago
The outdoor patio is actually a lush garden, which is very popular in warm weather. The indoor lounge is massive, with long leather couches along the middle and several plush sofas in the corners for smaller groups. The large but cozy lounge is decorated in warm colors; there are small candles on every table and the bar near the back of the room seems lit from below. Everything in the room almost glows, creating a serene tone that invites conversation and lingering.
Cuisine at Rhapsody is American, with an emphasis on fresh fish. Take your pick of a number of interesting menu items, but save room for dessert. Dessert here is pure music; try the Double Chocolate Cake with Mandarin Coulis. The warm, perfectly spongy brownie is sprinkled with powdered sugar, garnished with thyme and mint and served with ice cream, strawberries and blueberries. The dish is decadent, but the serving is small and leaves no room for guilt.
Other desserts include a Blueberry Streusel Tart, Cranberry Ginger Mousse, Homemade Sorbet and a host of dessert wines.
See our Chicago Restaurant Listings.
Hotel - In the Heart of Chicago's Theatre & Business Districts
