Thanksgiving in Chicago means different strokes for different folks

By Lee Barrie and Cindy Kurman
Original story appeared in StreetWise

Chicago’s restaurant scene is filled with places to dine out on Thanksgiving Day. Most, including those that usually feature ethnic food, offer a traditional Thanksgiving meal, frequently offered in addition to the regular menu. Personally, we tend to be intrigued by restaurants that offer something unusual for Thanksgiving. After all, how many more turkey and sweet potato dinners does one really need to eat? So here is our take on where you might want to go for a taste of Thanksgiving with a different sensibility. Since many of you will be at home on T-Day, we’ve included some suburban spots for your enjoyment.


The Melting Pot Thanksgiving:
Thanksgiving from Around the World

Vermilion
11 W. Hubbard, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 527-4060; www.thevermilionrestaurant.com

Vermilion is one of our absolute favorite upscale restaurants in Chicago and has earned high praise among the culinary media around the country. Executive Chef Maneet Chauhan presents a sensory-rich menu using both Indian and Latin American ingredients. For Thanksgiving, Vermilion offers its annual $45-per-person prix fixe “Herb & Spice” six-course Thanksgiving feast from noon to 10 p.m. (the menu is also available throughout the weekend). Dishes include Brazilian Feijoada, black bean stew with meats and a hint of garam masala spice; Indian Black Cardamom Smoked Turkey with Indian Sarson Ka Saag; Bengali Panch Puran (ginger cranberry chutney) with fennel, cumin and mustard seed, and Mexican Pumpkin Pie. The “Herb and Spice” is usually a sellout, so make your reservations early.

SUSHISAMBA Rio
504 N. Wells, Chicago, IL
(312) 595-2300; www.sushisamba.com

SUSHISAMBA Rio is a feast for the eyes and the taste buds. The décor is gloriously colorful and the menu includes both Japanese and Brazilian dishes, with some combining elements of both. For Thanksgiving, enjoy special dishes in addition to the regular menu: Braised Short Rib Gyozas, with kabocha pumpkin purée, red shiso leaf, smoked ginger soy; Plainville Farms Turkey T-Bone, with sweet potato-brown sugar fries, bacon escarole, cranberry teriyaki glaze, and for dessert, Pumpkin Cinnamon Bread Pudding, maple syrup ice cream, roast pecans, candied shiso leaf.

The Not-Your-Meat-&-Potatoes Thanksgiving Feast

The Chicago Diner

3411 N. Halsted, Chicago IL
(773) 935-6696; www.veggiediner.com

If you’re seeking out a Vegan feast, you’re Thanksgiving dreams will come true at The Chicago Diner. This North Halsted area restaurant is considered one of the top vegan eateries in the country and this year marks their 27th annual Vegan Thanksgiving, with seatings at noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. The menu features select organic produce grown on Illinois and Wisconsin farms. For starters, enjoy Squash Apple Bisque and Field Greens Salad. Entrée choices are Veggie Turkey with seven grain stuffing & sage gravy, Beefy Wellington with seitan-mushroom duxelle & madeira shallot reduction, and Pumpkin Ravioli with hazelnut cream sauce. Don’t forget the side dishes: ginger-garlic green beans, herb stuffing, candied yams, rosemary redskins, cranberry relish. Desserts are scrumptious: Pumpkin Pie, Death By Chocolate Cake, and Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake. Reservations are essential and you can also order Thanksgiving dinner in carryout form. The price is $37.99 per person; $22.99 for children. Carryout meals start at $11.99 per person.

The menu says it all: Thanksgiving dishes that sound really good to us

Birch River Grill
75 W. Algonquin Rd., Arlington Heights, IL
(847) 427-4242; www.birchrivergrill.com

For Thanksgiving (from noon to 5 p.m.), this contemporary regional American restaurant is featuring such delectable items as Acorn Squash and Kentucky Bourbon Bisque, Autumn Salad with Mulled Wine Poached Pear Crumbled Bleu Cheese, Toasted Pecans and Kiln Dried Cherry Dressing; Maple Glazed Free Range Turkey Breast with Granny Apple Sausage Cornbread Stuffing, Sage Pan Gravy, Buttermilk Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes, Brown Butter Green Beans, Rustic Cranberry-Orange Relish, Spiced Pumpkin Pie with Cinnamon Whipped Cream. The Thanksgiving menu is $24.95 per person; kids age 12 and under are $13.95.

Restaurant Michael

64 Green Bay Road, Winnetka, IL

(847) 441-3100; www.restaurantmichael.com

Chef/owner Michael Lachowicz is one of the most applauded French chefs in Chicago, having built a stellar reputation at Le Francais and Les Deux Gros. For Thanksgiving, he will meld his awesome culinary technique and amazing taste buds together with traditional Thanksgiving ingredients to serve up a Family Style Traditional Dinner: butternut squash soup with black truffle, baby green salads, brown-sugar-brine roast organic turkey, Chateaubriand, creamed mash potatoes and pan gravy, ground beef and sage dressing, Grand Marnier scented cranberry sauce, seasonal vegetables, pumpkin caramel tarts, cinnamon nutmeg ice cream with maple caramel sauce. Thanksgiving dinner is served from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The price is right: $45 per person and 1/2 price for kids 10 and under. You can also order "Thanksgiving to go" which is a hot and ready to serve carry out version of the same menu for $49 per person. To go orders must be picked up between 1 and 4 p.m.

Fast Food Thanksgiving

Kuma’s Corner
2900 W Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL
(773) 604-8769; www.kumascorner.com

For those of you with a case of the Thanksgiving munchies, you’ll not want to miss this Thanksgiving heart attack on a bun: Kuma’s famous “Sleep Burger” is a monster sandwich featuring turkey and gravy topped with deep-fried stuffing and cranberry sauce. The Sleep Burger will keep you wide awake while you eagerly gobble it down, but you may fall soundly asleep while digesting it. You were forewarned.

The To-Die-For-Dessert-to-Bring-Home Thanksgiving

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
921 Pasquinelli Dr. Westmont, IL; (630) 455-9846
798 W. Algonquin Rd., Arlington Heights, IL; (847) 228-9551
http://www.pappadeaux.com/

Even if you’re not going out for Thanksgiving you can still wow your friends and family with Pappadeaux’s luscious signature Sweet Potato Pecan Pie, which is available for purchase just in time for your at-home holiday feast. Pie pre-order began November 2, and pick-up runs November 20-25. The price for one pie is $14.94 and you can buy a second pie for just $9.95. You won’t be disappointed. Call either restaurant location to order.

Note: DineWise is a weekly column appearing in StreetWise magazine. Lee Barrie is on the StreetWise board of directors and he and his wife Cindy own Kurman Communications, a Chicago-based public relations agency specializing in lifestyle, restaurant and hospitality strategic branding, marketing promotions, media relations and social networking. If you'd like your restaurant to be featured on the DineWise blog and in StreetWise magazine, please contact DineWise@kurman.com.

Wishbone offers a fine casual excursion into Southern food delights

Wishbone
http://www.wishbonechicago.com/
West Loop:
1001 W. Washington Blvd.
Chicago, IL
(312) 850-2663

Northside:
3300 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL
(773) 549-2663

Berwyn:
6611 W. Roosevelt Rd.
Berwyn, IL
(708) 749-1295

Hours:
Breakfast: 7-11 a.m., Monday-Friday
Lunch: 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday-Friday
Dinner: 5-9 p.m., Tues., Wed., Thurs., Sun.; 5-10 p.m. Fri., Sat.
Brunch: 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sat., Sun.

Pricing:
Breakfast: Omelettes, $6.50-$11.95; pancakes, etc., $4.95-$9.95
Lunch/Dinner: Sandwiches and Entrees, $5.95-$14.95

By Lee Barrie and Cindy Kurman
Story originally appeared in StreetWise

Anytime we hear that our friends have gone down South for a vacation or business, we immediately have visions of hearty, delicious Southern food. Calories aside, there is no regional American cuisine that is more interesting or comforting than this never-ending feast of the senses. From Louisville to Memphis, Charlotte to Charleston, Atlanta to Savannah, all the way down to New Orleans, this culinary journey is a most satisfying trip indeed.

Thankfully, Chicagoans can take this adventure by travelling to Wishbone in any of three locations: North Center and the West Loop in the city and Berwyn in the near western 'burbs.

These colorful and rustic eateries attract all age ranges, for good reason. They’re come-as-you-are-spots, the food is reliably good, portions are large and the prices are reasonable. The seating is comfortable, a combination of booths and tables. Wishbone serves breakfast all day; lunch begins at 11 a.m. and dinner service begins at 5 p.m. The menu is extensive and there are daily specials.  For many, breakfast (it's more like brunch), is the main draw. You can go with traditional, Southern inspired breakfast creations or choose a more complex, savory one.

Our personal favorites are the zesty Corn Cakes, with corn, scallions and a creamy red pepper sauce on the side. The cakes have the right touch of heat and sweetness and don't need additional syrup. We also love the decadent Shrimp and Grits, with bacon, scallions, mushrooms, wine and cream over cheese grits. Wow.

Omelette choices are plentiful. If you like yours on the traditional side, you’ll enjoy the Bacon or Sausage Omelette, the Denver Omelette and the Wishbone Omelette, with potatoes, onions, cheddar cheese and salsa. A little more on the creative side are the Light Spinach Omelette, made with egg whites, fresh spinach, tomato and mushroom; the Kentucky Scrambled Eggs, scrambled eggs with corn, onion, and green pepper topped with strips of bacon. The Southern Benedict is another tasty choice, two poached eggs served on biscuit with ham and topped with sausage gravy.

If you’re in the mood for a grain-based breakfast, there are plenty of interesting picks. The Crunchy French Toast is dipped in corn flakes; the Wishbone Fruit Pancakes can be ordered with mango, blueberries, bananas, chocolate chips or strawberries. The Biscuits & Gravy features homemade biscuits smothered in white sausage gravy with plenty of sausage.

If you’d rather go with a savory breakfast entrée, you’ll be pleased with the many Southern inspired creations. Choose farm raised Blackened Catfish with Cajun spices, two eggs, home fries, black beans or grits and choice of corn muffin, biscuit or toast. Crawfish Cakes are served with sweet red pepper sauce, two eggs, home fries, black beans or grits, and choice of corn muffin, biscuit or toast, or the North Carolina Crab Cakes, blue claw patties in spicy outer banks style served with lemon butter sauce, two eggs, home fries, black beans or grits and choice of corn muffin, biscuit or toast. The entrées come with choice of side dishes and there are even more ala carte sides to enhance your meal, plus freshly squeezed fruit juices, espresso beverages and baked goods.

Lunch kicks in at 11 a.m. and dinner begins at 5 p.m.; you can design either a lighter meal or a comfort food delight—the menus are similar for both. Salad choices include Louisiana Chicken Salad, blackened chicken breast served warm on a bed of lettuce, tomato/cucumber, with a Corn Muffin; you can add fresh or sautéed spinach.

Sandwiches include the Chicken Breast Sandwich, with charbroiled or blackened breast and the Backyard Burger made from 8 oz. of naturally raised, hormone-free Meyers Angus Beef. Vegetarian choices include the Virginia Veggie Burger made with a homemade vegan patty of brown rice, lentils, black beans and roasted vegetables and the Hoppin’ John, featuring black-eyed peas or the Hoppin’ Jack, featuring black beans, either one served on rice and topped with cheddar cheese, scallions and tomatoes. If you’re ready to indulge in a Po’Boy sandwich, you can select either Crawfish or Chicken Andouille sausage.

Entrées are hearty, served with cole slaw, corn muffin and choice of two sides. Interesting choices include the Atlantic Salmon Cakes, Crawfish Cakes, Blackened Catfish and Chicken with Mango Salsa. Wishbone also offers traditional Southern specials on the weekdays, such as Fresh Turkey Breast with sausage stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce; North Carolina Crab Cakes; North Carolina Pulled Pork in a vinegar & BBQ sauce; Herb Crusted Tilapia; Jambalaya; Chicken Fried Steak; Pan Fried Chicken and Blackened Atlantic Salmon.

Since you’ve already stretched your stomach, why not finish off the meal in true Southern style with a piece of pie? Have fun choosing: Banana Cream, Sweet Potato, Chocolate Pecan, Chocolate Mousse, Apple Cranberry Crisp, Apple, Pecan, Peach Cobbler, Bread Pudding, Key Lime Pie, Pumpkin Pie, even Brownie Pie.

Wishbone has just the right mix to keep you coming back for more and more and more.

Note: DineWise is a weekly column appearing in StreetWise magazine. Lee Barrie is on the StreetWise board of directors and he and his wife Cindy own Kurman Communications, a Chicago-based public relations agency specializing in lifestyle, restaurant and hospitality strategic branding, marketing promotions, media relations and social networking. If you'd like your restaurant to be featured on the DineWise blog and in StreetWise magazine, please contact DineWise@kurman.com.

Athenian Room is a Greek DePaul / Lincoln Park Neighborhood Standout

Athenian Room

807 W. Webster Ave.

Chicago, IL 60614

(773) 348-5155

Hours: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m., Monday-Sunday

Pricing: sandwiches & salads: $4.75-$8.50; dinners, $8.50-$14.75

By Lee Barrie and Cindy Kurman
Story originally appeared in StreetWise

All you have to say is “Greek Chicken” and visions of Athenian Room dance in our heads. We’ve never met a harder working team than the folks at Athenian Room, who serve up fresh and tasty Greek cuisine to a steady stream of loyal customers. This venerable Greek restaurant at the corner of N. Halsted and W. Webster caters to a wide demographic—from its affluent neighbors nearby to budget-conscious DePaul students—simply because it does what a great neighborhood eatery should do—serve memorably delicious food at a very reasonable price so that patrons will come back frequently. The décor, with tiled floors and Greek-styled brick and stucco walls, is comfortable and unpretentious.

A neighborhood spot should also offer great take-out service and Athenian Room is as busy with take-out as it is with dine-in customers. They know their customers and treat them as part of the family.

Athenian Room’s signature dish is the Chicken Kalamata Style, served with a Greek Salad and to-die-for Greek fries (steak fries soaked in a special herbed vinegar sauce). A half chicken is seasoned and broiled and served piping hot. We’ve eaten this dish dozens of times and we’ll never get tired of it. Never. When we get it to go, the aroma from the bag practically begs us to dig in before we arrive home. You’d be surprised how many times we’ve savored our chicken at home while indulging in a great episode of Law and Order or CSI, with our dog begging for a chicken morsel or two.

It would be unfair to talk only about the chicken. The menu offers a nice selection of Greek specialties with great burgers thrown in for good measure. For starters, you can choose from such delights as the Taramosalta (Greek caviar) or the Spanakopita (spinach pie in phyllo dough, and the traditional chicken lemon-rice soup.

The salad selections are fresh and delectable. The specialty is the Greek Salad (large or small) with a wonderfully herbed oil and vinegar dressing. You can also order a large salad with tuna, with chicken breast shish kabob or gyros.

If you’re in a sandwich mood, the Athenian Room offers juicy Gyros (pronounced yeer-ose) with or without cheese, served in pita bread, or several versions of a Shish Kabob sandwich such as chicken breast, cheese chicken breast, pork tenderloin and cheese pork tenderloin. Don’t forget to order the Greek fries on the side. The Charburgers can be ordered with American or Feta cheese. They are served with the Greek fries, lettuce, onion, tomato and pickle.

Main courses are grouped into Kalamata style and Athenian style. The Kalamata dinners are similar to the sandwiches, but the portions are larger. All of the dinners are served with Greek fries, pita, tomatoes, onions and Greek Tzatziki sauce (yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, olive oil and herbs). The Athenian dinners include the Greek Chicken, a tender Skirt Steak Alexander Style and Chicken with Bar-B-Que Sauce.

If you have room for dessert the Baklava is a freshly made treat.

The Athenian Room features a spacious, dog-friendly outdoor seating area in the warm weather. Parking can be a challenge but valet parking is available.

Don’t wait too long to join the throng of Athenian Room regulars. Ah, the aroma!

Note: DineWise is a weekly column appearing in StreetWise magazine. Lee Barrie is on the StreetWise board of directors and he and his wife Cindy own Kurman Communications, a Chicago-based public relations agency specializing in lifestyle, restaurant and hospitality strategic branding, marketing promotions, media relations and social networking. If you'd like your restaurant to be featured on the DineWise blog and in StreetWise magazine, please contact DineWise@kurman.com.