Suburban eateries put best meal forward during Chicago Restaurant Week
Tired of popping the usual frozen pizza into the oven for dinner? Craving something more from dining out than an order of fries with your burger?
How about diving into a honey mustard tequila Napa cabbage slaw salad, followed by baby back ribs with rich, whiskey baked beans, corn on the cob and a spicy jalapeño cornbread? What if you could top that off with a dessert of bourbon bread pudding, drizzled with a sweet maple glaze?
Impossible, you say - think of the cost!
But the meal, from Prairie River Restaurant in Itasca, is just one of many prix fixe menu options at local restaurants during the sixth annual Chicago Restaurant Week 2013, running Friday, Feb. 1, through Sunday, Feb. 10.
Diners can sample a wide variety of multicourse meals at set prices, with menus ranging from $22 for lunches to $33-$44 for dinners.
More than 270 restaurants throughout Chicago and the suburbs will participate, said Meghan Risch of Choose Chicago, the city's sales and marketing organization that oversees the event.
"Chicago Restaurant Week offers locals and visitors the opportunity to explore Chicago's wonderfully diverse epicurean excellence," Risch said. "It's an opportunity to pay tribute to Chicago's masterful chefs, and give diners an opportunity to experience the multitude of flavors in the city, while bringing business to establishments during a typically slower time of year."
Many venues are offering both lunch and dinner menus for Restaurant Week, while some serve dinner-only options.
Eddie Sweeney, executive chef at Catch 35 in Naperville, said his venue offers a lunch menu and a choice of a three- or four-course dinner.
For lunch, Catch 35 diners can choose from a wild Florida shrimp wedge salad, blackened fish tacos, Maine lobster roll, Lake Superior whitefish or beef tenderloin sliders. Soup or salad and a dessert are included for $22 a person.
"The discounted pricing is a nice thing for both our new and regular customers," Sweeney said. "Diners might find a new favorite dish here during Chicago Restaurant Week, and then keep coming back to Catch 35 again and again."
Bill Nevruz, an operating partner for Shaw's Crab House and Tokio Pub, both in Schaumburg, said he saw a "great response" to Chicago Restaurant Week last year. This year, Nevruz said he is happy to have Shaw's taking part in the event as well.
"Guests can come in, order from our specialty menu and learn a bit more about what a certain restaurant is all about," Nevruz said.
Although many of the restaurants have menus for a single diner, Tokio Pub's dinner menu is designed for two, Nevruz said.
"There is usually a lot of sharing of food at Tokio Pub. It's a very social eating environment," Nevruz said. "So our Chicago Restaurant Week dinner menu is designed for two people, and includes two specialty drink cocktails."
Tokio Pub's dinner includes edamame, the Tokio spicy tuna roll, a noodle bowl, a stout brownie and a specialty cocktail.
Paul Muszynski, managing partner at The Capital Grille in Lombard, said Chicago Restaurant Week will allow food lovers to try many of his venue's favorites, including specialty steaks, the citrus glazed salmon or the signature cheeseburger.
"It's a great opportunity to showcase the restaurant," Muszynski said. "And it gives people an incentive to say, 'Why not try something new?'"
For information on Chicago Restaurant Week 2013 and a complete list of participating restaurants, visit eatitupchicago.com.
<h3 class="briefHead">Suburban restaurants participating in Chicago Restaurant Week 2013</h3>
<h3 class="briefHead">Atwater's - lunch/dinner</h3>
15 S. River Lane, Geneva, (630) 208-7433, herringtoninn.com
<h3 class="briefHead">Bakersfield - lunch/dinner</h3>
330 E. Ogden Ave., Westmont, (630) 568-3615, bakersfieldrestaurant.com
<h3 class="briefHead">Basil's Greek Dining - lunch/dinner</h3>
4000 Fox Valley Center Drive, Aurora, (630) 692-1300, basilsgreekdining.com
<h3 class="briefHead">Bistro Bordeaux - dinner</h3>
618 Church St. Evanston, (847) 424-1483, lebistrobordeaux.com
<h3 class="briefHead">The Capital Grille - lunch/dinner </h3>
87 Yorktown Center, Lombard, (847) 671-8125, thecapitalgrille.com
<h3 class="briefHead">Catch 35 - lunch/dinner </h3>
35 S. Washington St., Naperville, (630) 717-3500, catch35.com
<h3 class="briefHead">Carlucci - lunch/dinner </h3>
6111 N. River Road, Rosemont, (847) 518-0990, carluccirosemont.com
<h3 class="briefHead">Chicago Prime Steakhouse - dinner </h3>
1444 E. Algonquin Road, Schaumburg, (847) 969-9900, chicagoprimesteakhouse.com
<h3 class="briefHead">Courtright's Restaurant - dinner</h3>
8989 Archer Ave., Willow Springs, (708) 839-8000, courtright.com
<h3 class="briefHead">Fresco 21 - lunch/dinner</h3>
5300 N. River Road, Rosemont, (847) 447-4275, fresco21.com
<h3 class="briefHead">Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse - lunch/dinner </h3>
10233 W. Higgins Road, Rosemont, (847) 699-1200, harrycarays.com
<h3 class="briefHead">Mon Ami Gabi Oak Brook - lunch/dinner</h3>
260 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, (630) 472-1900, monamigabi.com
<h3 class="briefHead">Morton's The Steakhouse - dinner </h3>
Ÿ 699 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook, (847) 205-5711
Ÿ 9525 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Rosemont, (847) 678-5155
Ÿ 1470 McConnor Pkwy., Schaumburg, (847) 413-8771
<h3 class="briefHead">Oceanique - dinner</h3>
505 Main St., Evanston, (847) 864-3435, oceanique.com
<h3 class="briefHead">Prairie River Restaurant at Eaglewood Resort and Spa - dinner </h3>
1401 Nordic Road, Itasca, (630) 694-5942, eaglewoodresort.com
<h3 class="briefHead">Quince Restaurant - dinner</h3>
1625 Hinman Ave., Evanston, (847) 570-8400, quincerestaurant.net
<h3 class="briefHead">Rosebud Italian Specialties & Pizzeria - lunch/dinner</h3>
22 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville, (630) 548-9800, rosebudrestaurants.com
<h3 class="briefHead">Ruth's Chris Steak House - dinner </h3>
Ÿ 933 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook, (847) 498-6889
Ÿ 100 W. Higgins Road, South Barrington, (847) 551-3730
<h3 class="briefHead">Sam and Harry's Steakhouse - lunch/dinner</h3>
1551 N. Thoreau Drive, Schaumburg, (847) 303-4050, samandharrys.com
<h3 class="briefHead">Shaw's Crab House - lunch/dinner </h3>
1900 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg, (847) 517-2722, shawscrabhouse.com
<h3 class="briefHead">Tokio Pub - lunch/dinner</h3>
1900 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg, (847) 278-5181, tokiopub.com
<h3 class="briefHead">Vie Restaurant - dinner </h3>
4471 Lawn Ave., Western Springs, (708) 246-2082, vierestaurant.com
<h3 class="briefHead">Wildfire - lunch/dinner</h3>
Ÿ 1300 Patriot Blvd., Glenview, (847) 657-6363
Ÿ 235 Parkway Drive, Lincolnshire, (847) 279-7900
Ÿ 232 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, (630) 586-9000
Ÿ 1250 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg, (847) 995-0100
<h3 class="briefHead">Zapatista - Cuisines of Mexico - lunch/dinner</h3>
992 Willow Road, Northbrook, (847) 559-0939, zapitistarestaurant.com
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<h3 class="briefHead">Even more deals</h3>
ChicagoOriginals, a group of independent restaurants in Chicago and the suburbs, began hosting their own ChicagoOriginals Restaurant Week event that began Thursday and runs through Sunday, Feb. 3.
ChicagoOriginals venues will offer diners a choice of a two-, three- or four-course specialty menu for $29.13.
Find a list of member restaurants and menus at chicagooriginals.com.