Desserts included the opera-inspired Tosca's Kiss and the Otello, and the dining rooms were decorated with vintage opera posters American opera companies in one room, international companies in the other. 40. What to watch. Home. In a July 1968 column for the trade magazine Food Service, he insisted that the restaurant industry should welcome factory-produced food because of the shortage of help at a time when restaurant patronage was on the rise. Liebling labeled Chicago America's "second city" in 1952, it wasn't meant as a compliment. Then, at Topo, he made creative Mexican fare a white-tablecloth experience. Following on Garys research I learned that Ellas three children were stage actors in the early century. Then Uno introduced deep-dish, and it was revolutionary. No doubt it was his loyal staff who made it possible for him to run a restaurant while producing books and copious newspaper and magazine articles, appearing frequently on TV and radio, teaching and lecturing at colleges, and conducting sideline restaurant consulting and cooking school businesses [shown above training waiters]. Was the 11th floor a curse, despite the buildings four elevators? 1946-circa 2003 // Bronzeville The building was to be the new headquarters of the Pullman Palace Car Company which manufactured sleeping and dining cars used by major railways. 26. (Mediterranean) The trendoids embraced the small plates and communal seating and never looked back. The first Taste of Chicago (1980) Flickr/Monique Wingard Set up along Michigan Avenue between Tribune Tower and the Wrigley Building, you may have been one of the 250,000 people to first enjoy this one-day event if you lived in Chicago in the 1980's. Trotter's incredible legacy has stretched all across the city, as alumni of his kitchen have opened some of the best restaurants in Chicago. By 1910 she was divorced; she remarried and in later censuses she was described as widowed. Then Brasserie Jo debuted (at 59 W. Hubbard St.) with sub-$15 entrees and a menu featuring choucroute, tarte flambee, Joho's shrimp bag and other delights. Until 1995, the only way to experience chef Jean Joho's food was by digging deep into your wallet to dine at Everest. Chef and owner Pierre Pollin (who bought the restaurant from original owner Christian Zeiger) was a masterful chef, aided in no small measure by maitre d' and sommelier Marcel Flori. The danger of asking your friends what they consider the best Chicago restaurant ever is that they will tell you. Gibsons Steakhouse Luckily, in most cases there are alternatives that fill the void these restaurants left butsighnever completely.RECOMMENDED: Chicago businesses we missBanquet on a BunWhat it was: The hungry, horny and high pouring out of Faces, the discotheque with a membership card, could stumble across Rush Street and scarf down greasy burgers at this diner. In 1920 she was still running the delicatessen, i.e., grocery. Read: where pork became the hippest food on the planet. With Carolyn running the kitchen and Jerry as affable host, a delightful experience was all but assured. Inserra worked his way up at Gino`s and bought the restaurant in 1979. The restaurant closed in 2010 after 10 years.Whats taken its place: Well, literally, its GT Fish & Oyster that takes up the 531 N Wells St space. Best of all was brunch, an assortment of American dishes served dim-sum style from wheeled carts a gimmick that would inspire restaurants such as State Bird Provisions in San Francisco. But what sometimes seemed like capricious ingredient pairings always made sense on the plate. With a few exceptions, I dont think the views of critics such as Cleaver are seen as valid now. Spring Lamb with Peas Rice Pudding Cream of Tomato Soup Of course, I wanted to know more about it. The Street Life of Chicago in the 1970s through these Fabulous Vintage Photos. More historic Chicago restaurants Check out these Chicago restaurants outside the Loop that have become part of local history: Pompei (opened in 1909) Valois Cafeteria (opened in 1921) Green Door Tavern (opened in 1921) Margie's Candies (opened in 1921) Dinkel's Bakery (opened in 1922) Manny's Deli (opened in 1942) More like 1980's; they just operated for a couple of years circa 1982-83. The domed, dark Crescent Room, home to many a bachelorette and birthday party, featured low tables, pillow seating and multicolored Moroccan lamps hanging from the ceiling. No different from Chez Paul or Jacques (which made the cut for its lovely garden). It was hypnotic. Pre-1980 RESTAURANT SCENE Chicago Illinois IL AE0066. 1989-present // River North Tackle the off-menu "Dick Burger"topped with bacon, egg and hash brownsat Diner Grill, the tiny counter spot in Lakeview.Caf 28What it was: This family-owned spot served well-executed Cuban- and Mexican-inspired fare just off the Irving Park Brown Line stop in Ravenswood for 17 years before closing in 2013. With its intriguing concept of cocoa-inspired cuisine (and not just for dessert), The Chocolate Sanctuary is one of the most famous restaurants in Chicago. (Contemporary American) Rick Tramonto and Gale Gand (Tru), Shawn McClain (Spring, Green Zebra), anddrumroll pleaseGrant Achatz (Alinea) all passed through Trio. Chicago has contributed countless dishes to global food culture, from the obvious (deep dish pizza) to the less obvious (chicken a la king). )What's taken its place: Though the crowd is less singer-songwriter, more graphic designer, Filter has a lock on the all-day camping set in the Wicker Park of today. A journalist writing in the New York Amsterdam News in 1931 claimed that Harlemites rejected the Fried Chicken, Pork Chop, Hog Maw and Chitterlings Theories that assumed all Blacks liked rural Southern food. The Pullman Building was demolished in 1956. Across the country, legendary soul food restaurants are disappearing at an alarming pace, he writes, attributing it to health concerns and reduced business prospects due to the scattering of African-American communities and the popularity of fast food. The menu itself was straight-up American; the go-to entree was prime rib, and the signature side was "Oprah's potatoes," which were mashed and jazzed up with horseradish. Aside from Prohibition, Hieronymus attributed the restaurants demise to the death of gourmet dining. (American) Some pretty hotsy-totsy chefs have discovered hamburgers lately, but time was when the half-pounder on dark rye and fried onion loaf at Hackneys had no peers. Also obvious, perhaps, but impossible to ignore. (I dubbed them Hogan's Heroes at the time.) Amidst the steak and potatoes of 1963, its pt, bouillabaisse, Wiener schnitzel, and Viennese tortes stood out as exotic. .. respond @windflowerfarmalpaca @ Gmail.com, Egg Harbor WI, (former home ofBarbara Cady, our dining companion in those days:):). (1969-2008) The diner has landed itself on the pages of USA Today and Zagat as a must-visit Chicago restaurant, inspiring patrons from all over the world to give it a shot. Alinea Henricis But, oh, that country bird chicken sandwich (fried chicken topped with Gouda, pimento mayo and shaved onion). (E. Jason Wambsgans /. (Mexican) Did Rick Bayless think we had never eaten tacos or enchiladas before? Subscribe for free today! (German) The stately original across from the Germania Club fell to urban renewal, and when RSI closed for good, we lost the citys best German pancakes. Because Thursday is Day of the Dead (All Souls' Day, if you prefer), I thought I'd do my own reminiscing and invite my readers to join in. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our. African-American tea rooms Romantic dinners Flaming swords Theme restaurants: castles Know thy customer Menue [sic] mistakes Waiter, telephone please! Conference-ing Top posts in 2010 Variations on the word restaurant Famous in its day: Buschs Grove Between courses: a Thanksgiving toast Basic fare: French fries Linens and things part II Linens and things part I Menu art Dining in shadows Spotlight on NYC restaurants Laddition: on tipping Taste of a decade: 1870s restaurants He-man menus That glass of water Famous in its day: Tony Fausts Theme restaurants: prisons Laddition: French on the menu, drat it Anatomy of a restaurateur: Romany Marie Between courses: only one? Feel free to disagreeall my friends didand register your complaints in the comments below. The first Taste . A Chicago institution since 1941, Gene & Georgetti is beloved for their traditional Italian dishes (like chicken vesuvio, eggplant parmesan, and homemade lasagna on the weekends) and, of course, their huge and flavorful steaks. Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions. (German) Natty waiters have handled hot corned beef sandwiches, Wienerschnitzel, and house-made root beer with pride and aplomb for 112 years. What's taken its place:Bub City's women's bathroom is surprising, but not really in a good way.Pecking Order What it was: Kristine Subidos Filipino chicken haven in Uptown was admittedly hit or miss, and the bizarrely shaped, nearly windowless space wasnt doing it any favors. Among the Gordon chefs whose creative food I enjoyed were John Terzcak, Kornick, Ron Blazek, Michael Smith, Stewart Parsons and Don Yamauchi.) Now its sold online, along with her famous spaghetti sauce. It was such a hit, in fact, that Gilbert opened another location in Lincoln Park in 2009. This was the perfect fall restaurant, I thought; the menu offered game (chutney-glazed grilled quail, grilled venison with mustard sauce), and Carolyn's voluptuous soups were not to be missed. Hackneys on Harms 34. Chef Michael Short whipped up offbeat flavor combinations (scallops and pasta bathed in mint-Montrachet sauce, skate wing in wasabi beurre blanc in 1992, mind you) and was using Sichuan peppercorns long before they became a thing. Szathmary, who claimed a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Budapest, had learned to cook in Hungary during WWII when he was conscripted into the Hungarian army. Women belonging to the Social and Literary society of a Baptist church in St. Paul MN dressed in Colonial costumes and hosted a chicken and chitterlings dinner in 1916 to celebrate Lincolns birthday, an event where the identity politics were quite different than what would develop in the Black Power movement. Atmosphere Taste of a decade: 1840s restaurants Eating Chinese Park and eat Thanksgiving quiz: dinner times four Dining sky-side Habenstein of Hartford Back of the house: writing this blog Image gallery: supper clubs Restaurant cups Truth in Menu Every luxury the markets afford See it, want it: window food displays Time to sell the doughnuts Who was the mystery diner? It was a handy location for a 1943 dinner of the literary members of the Boswell club, admirers of Doctor Samuel Johnson. She lived to be 96. The Whist Room was decorated with enlarged playing cards and lanterns with spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs. (deli food) Where cops, aldermen, yuppies, old-timers, and multi- cultis have always stood shoulder to shoulder for massive potato pancakes and pastrami sandwiches. Vintage menus from some of Chicago's dearly departed restaurants, including The Eccdentric, Gordon and The Cottage, help tell the tale of what made them so great. circa 1930-1978 // South Shore The outlawing of alcoholic beverages proved challenging to the Tip Top Inn, as it did to other leading Chicago restaurants of the pre-Prohibition era such as Rectors, the Edelweiss, and the Hofbrau, all of which would go under before the ban on selling alcohol ended. Everest Urbis Orbis served as a social center where the artists and musicians moving in to the area could linger all day over a cappuccino (unlike at the neighborhood's old-school, low-rent diners) and put on performances at night. (seafood) Unapologetically trapped in time today, the grande dame of the Drake Hotel was ahead of its timeflying in fresh fishyears before the daily catch was de rigueur. Bill Ammons, also the pastry chef, patrolled the Lincoln Park dining room with a ready wit, delivered in a gentle drawl. . Staples like ropa vieja, honey-roasted pork chops and ceviche were served alongside finely crafted mojitos by a friendly (and, we'll say it, impossibly attractive) staff; weekend brunch featured chilaquiles and a terrific chorizo benedict.What's taken its place: Though Logan Square is a trek to sate North Center Cuban cravings, D'Noche, Cafe Con Leche's nighttime alter ego, offers a solid approximation of Caf 28's menu and ambience.Charlie Trotter'sWhat it was:Charlie Trotter's was one of the most iconic restaurants Chicago has ever had. 4. Yes, kids, Oprah Winfrey once had a restaurant. He arrived in the US in 1951, working as a chef in several institutional settings in the Northeast before moving to Chicago in 1960 to join Armour & Co. in product development. There were eight-course tasting menus with dishes like roasted Muscovy duck with bitter melon and duck consomm, but no matter what was on the menu, dining at Trotter's was an experience.What's taken its place: These 14 restaurants. 21. 23. Taste of a decade: 1930s restaurants Anatomy of a restaurateur: H. M. Kinsley Sweet and sour Polynesian Bar-B-Q, barbecue, barbeque Taste of a decade: 1920s restaurants Never lose your meal ticket Beans and beaneries Basic fare: hamburgers Famous in its day: Tafts Eating healthy Mary Elizabeths, a New York institution Fast food: one-arm joints The family restaurant trade Taste of a decade: restaurants, 1800-1810 Early chains: Vienna Model Bakery & Caf When ladies lunched: Schraffts Taste of a decade: 1960s restaurants Department store restaurants: Wanamakers Women as culinary professionals Basic fare: fried chicken Chain restaurants: beans and bible verses Eating kosher Restaurateurs: Alice Foote MacDougall Drinking rum, eating Cantonese Lunching in the Bird Cage Cabarets and lobster palaces Fried chicken blues Rats and other unwanted guests Dining with Duncan Basic fare: toast Department store restaurants Roadside restaurants: tea shops Tipping in restaurants Rewriting restaurant history Basic fare: ham sandwiches Americas first restaurant Joels bohemian refreshery. Expand. She then enjoyed a whirl as a newspaper columnist writing on the hard life of working girls, explaining why they liked cheap thrills and frills, why they should be paid better, and why they were tempted to trade sex for money. 24. Dennis Terczak (brother of John) was the original chef at Avanzare (a Streeterville restaurant that almost made this list), and Terczak took that spirit with him to Lincoln Park, where Sole Mio (which he opened with Jennifer Newbury) became a quintessential neighborhood restaurant, chock-full of regulars who enjoyed hefty portions, approachable prices and some of the best Italian cooking in the city. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. The Eccentric, a Rich Melman creation with you-know-who as its most visible partner, opened in 1989 with Michael Kornick as chef (succeeded by Jody Denton) and had a very respectable six-year run in River North. 1938-present // Gold Coast Pizzeria Uno 12. Within a few years he would run a restaurant of renown on the buildings top floor. Toddle House Truckstops Champagne and roses Soup and spirits at the bar Back to nature: The Eutropheon The Swinger Early chains: Baltimore Dairy Lunch We burn steaks Girls night out 2013, a recap Holiday greetings from Vesuvio Caf The Shircliffe menu collection Books, etc., for restaurant history enthusiasts Roast beef frenzy B.McD. Whenever I dined here, I always felt cooler than I really was. 3/31/2017. Free shipping. Light on the tongue pizzas, terrific pasta dishes and clever desserts helped Sole Mio to a very nice, nine-year run that ended in 1997. 1. Under his management, it became one of Chicagos best restaurants, hosting society figures and professional organizations. Check out these old photos to see what Chicago's restaurants looked like in the 1950s. We still dream about the pasta neri. Spiaggia In the mid-1970s The Bakerys reputation began to sag somewhat along with continental cuisine generally. Free shipping. Dessert Why the menu is named Trebor Dinner is a mystery. The Tip Top Inn, just like the Albion and the Pullman dining cars, had always been staffed with Black waiters, some of whom worked there for decades. It opened for business in 1924, making it nearly a quarter of a century older than the People's Republic of China. Gene & Georgettis 31. -- Trash, garbage, and waste Americas literary chef The smrgsbord saga Meals along the way Dinner in Miami, Dec. 25, 1936 An early restaurateurs rise & fall Runaway menu prices Thanks so much! Was her tea room a victim of the Depression? Take that, caesar salad! Vintage menus from some of Chicago's dearly departed restaurants, including The Eccdentric, Gordon and The Cottage, help tell the tale of what made them so great. Salad 1920-1984 // Loop Nov. 18, 1969. When Joel Findlay died, much too soon, in 2004, Catherine Findlay kept the staff together and operated the restaurant for nearly two more years before selling it, ending a 19-year run. 30. 25. Chicago's 12 Oldest Bars Have Stories To Tell Chicago's 10 Oldest Restaurants Thrive by Staying (Mostly) the Same Chicago's 10 Oldest Hot Dog Stands Have Stayed Inside Families For Decades. chicago restaurants 1980saiken county sc register of deeds chicago restaurants 1980s Yoshis Caf After a landlord dispute, Mantuano moved the operation to NBC Tower, re-christening it Mantuano's Mediterranean Table, where the chef added whimsical dishes such as flaming ouzo shrimp (his tongue-in-cheek nod to saganaki). (soul food) Long after visits from Martin Luther King Jr. and Aretha Franklin, this landmark spot remained the go-to for corn bread, smothered chicken, grits, and cobbler. 1993-2006 // Evanston 1970s chicago restaurants Actualidad. The food was spicy, the music loud (vinyl only, played on a console stereo), the tablecloths reptilian. What you need to live your best life now. Star Top Cafe wasn't for everybody, but I loved the joint. Wing Yee Swiss Chalet, Bismarck Hotel, Chicago. Housed in a restored bank building, the split-level dining room offered soaring ceilings and bright-white walls, and the bar, located in an open loft, let imbibers watch the goings-on below. 1933-present // Gold Coast (1982 -1995) Cooker's Red Hots / 469 Lake Cook Rd. Novel at the time for having a techno-spinning DJ in the dining room, Okno was also known for its space-age design and its second-floor bathrooms featuring translucent glass doors that left little mystery of what was happening inside. It was considered advanced at the time to locate restaurants on top floors so that cooking odors would not drift throughout the building. Cizma loved cooking game blackberry-stuffed venison loin, grilled boar tenderloin, rabbit with prunes and port-wine sauce and I loved eating there. Mortons The Steakhouse At 1942 West Irving Park Avenue in North Center, Orange Garden is the oldest Chinese restaurant in Chicago. The Black Cat was unusual at the time for having a staff of Black waitresses who served in restaurants far less often than Black men. $2.99. What became known as edible soul food, such as chitterlings, pigs feet, greens, black-eyed peas, cornbread, and cobbler (to name just a few), had been popular in the South long before the words soul food were applied. American. somehow Busy bees Eat and run, please! Chicago misses these closed restaurants but, in most cases, you can find something similar to sate your longing. 1844-1973 // Loop (Italian) In a city with a proud red-sauce tradition, Tony Mantuano singlehandedly awakened us to the exquisite joys of Northern Italian cuisine. You'll undoubtedly think of many places I've overlooked. Taste of a decade: 1980s restaurants Despite an off-and-on economy, the 1980s was a decade in which Americans ate out more often than ever before. In Blacks Blue Book for 1923-1924 which listed Chicagos prominent African-American citizens, along with recommended businesses there were only four restaurants that advertised what kinds of dishes they served. Blackbird 18. The menu could date any time from the opening of the restaurant in 1936 into the 1940s. (Italian-American) In 1948, Fanny Bianucci said no to $75,000 from Kraft Foods for her salad dressing recipe. How long did she stay in business? $2.99. In 1970 he opened Bowl & Roll, another family-wide venture drawing in not only the Kobatas but also the mothers of both Louis and Sada, plus Louis brother and sister-in-law. We still miss the cloches and the gorgeous dessert cart. (Contemporary American) Its star has faded, but memories of damned good food and Booth Onewhere Bogie and Bacall celebrated their weddingstill make our hearts race. Miller laments the decline of restaurants that serve soul food, marked by the closure of landmarks such as Army and Lous and Soul Queen in Chicago. 1970s chicago restaurants. Digesting the Madonna Inn Halloween soup Restaurant-ing with John Margolies True confessions Basic fare: pancakes Black waiters in white restaurants Catering to airlines What were they thinking? But the restaurant almost certainly did not have all the exotic items available at all times. Cape Cod Room For New York City, it broke restaurant listings into the categories Steaks, American Specialties, Seafood, and Chinese but not Soul Food. 2. 1989-present // Gold Coast Report as inappropriate. Phil's 50: Chicago's top restaurants rated, reviewed, mapped , 25 Chicago restaurants earn Michelin stars in 2017 , Craving: Italian -- a month of Chicago's best pastas, antipasti, pizza, secondi and more . Chef David Jarvis had me at pecan-breaded oysters, a crunchy, sweet and earthy dish that curled my toes in 1990. We gathered them from experience, of course, but also from Chicagos voluminous files, avid conversations, and old guidebooks. Chicago magazine newsletters have you covered. Although he sometimes used frozen foods, he said he always revealed that on his menus. . (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune ). Bally was was acquired by Hilton Hotels in 1996 and the health club was spun off as an independent company. and publish her poetry. 1943-present // River North We already have this email. Most soul food histories note that some prominent Black leaders have rejected soul food, pointing to Eldridge Cleaver of the Black Panthers and Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad. For two years in the 1970s readers polled by Chicago Magazine voted The Bakery as one of both the citys 10 favorite and 10 least favorite restaurants. Gurnee. Try another? When Tramonto and Gale left, the top toque passed to Shawn McClain (who went on to create Green Zebra and Spring, along with several Las Vegas restaurants), and after that tour of duty, Adaniya reached out to the French Laundry and brought a young chef named Grant Achatz to Chicago. A little more than a year after it opened it was given a distinguished dining award by Holiday magazine. At the 1989 closing Chef Louis said that the restaurant business had changed so much he could not have successfully created a restaurant such as The Bakery then, partly because of the publics growing preference for lighter food. 1984-present // Gold Coast Over the years but surely not simultaneously there were the Colonial Room [pictured at top ca. Jerry and Carolyn Buster, who had worked under legendary chef Louis Szathmary at The Bakery, opened this homey suburban restaurant, which oozed country charm. A Chester PA restaurant specialized in oysters in 1910. Dinners would begin with warm, crusty bread, accompanied by a spreadable blend of olives, sun-dried tomatoes and capers. Somewhat surprisingly, even vegan soul food restaurants can be found now. At the same time, he observed that whites visiting Harlem enjoyed spare ribs with red beans, concluding, there are no fundamental points of difference between eating habits of Harlemites and those of the lighter-skinned folk downtown.. Regardless, I echo Ellas messages: may the world treat you right, have a gorgeous appetite, and call again. 1985-present // Lincoln Park Another fish & chips, inc. menu from 1937, for example, offered one appetizer, one soup, and only four entrees. Restaurant-ing al fresco A chefs life: Charles Ranhfer The (partial) triumph of the doggie bag Early chains: John R. Thompson Anatomy of a restaurateur: Mary Alletta Crump Laddition: on discrimination Between courses: dining with reds Banqueting at $herrys* Who invented lobster Newberg? Ham & eggs by any other name Good eaters: Josephine Hull Name trouble: Aunt Jemimas Reflections on a name: Plantation Dining on a roof Restaurant-ing on wheels Dinner to go Drive-up windows Dining during an epidemic: San Francisco Good eaters: bohemians Dining during an epidemic Fish on Fridays Image gallery: breaded things Lunching in a laboratory Women drinking in restaurants The puzzling St. Paul sandwich New Years Eve at the Latin Quarter Chinese for Christmas Turkeyburgers Themes: bordellos Finds of the day Early bird specials Franchising: Heap Big Beef Bostons automats Coffee and cake saloons Women chefs not wanted Entree from side dish to main dish Anatomy of a restaurateur: Woo Yee Sing Lobster stew at the White Rabbit Restaurants in the family: Doris Day Almost like flying Eye appeal Writing food memoirs Anatomy of a restaurateur: Ruby Foo Soul food restaurants Effects of war on restaurant-ing Behind the scenes at the Splendide Take your Valentine to dinner Lunching at the dime store Square meals Tea rooms for students Christmas dinner in the desert Green Book restaurants Dirty by design Clown themes Basic fare: meat & potatoes Dining with Chiang Yee in Boston Slumming Picturing restaurant food Find of the day: the Double R Coffee House Delicatessing at the Delirama Restaurant design and decoration Dining on a dime Anatomy of a restaurateur: George Rector Catering Dining in a garden Sawdust on the floor Learning to eat (in restaurants) Childrens menus Taste of a decade: the 1830s Check your hat How Americans learned to tip Image gallery: eating in a hat The up-and-down life of a restaurant owner Dressing the female server The Lunch Box, a memoir Crazy for crepes Famous in its day: The Pyramid Dining & wining on New Years Eve High-volume restaurants: Hilltop Steak House Famous in its day: the Public Natatorium Turkey on the menu Getting closer to your food Between courses: secret recipes Find of the day: Aladdin Studio Tiffin Room Americans in Paris: The Chinese Umbrella No smoking! A while back I found two small Christmas cards from the 11th Heaven Tea Room, run by Ella Roberts. . 1985-present // Albany Park Evidently the Trebor Dinner was a specialty menu for complete dinners of multiple courses. (Contemporary American) Paul Kahan put American food through a modern lens and unleashed a sleeping giant. The following year it was enlarged to seat 300. June Peas in Cases Some of Chicagos Bronzeville residents who held themselves superior to migrants expressed criticism of newcomers food customs, such as eating chitterlings. The illustrated menu shows 14 entrees. (Contemporary) This treasure has delighted for three decades simply because Yoshi Katsumuras gentle fusion continues to sparkle and his wife, Nobuko, continues to charm. Vintage menus from some of Chicago's dearly departed restaurants, including The Eccdentric, Gordon and The Cottage, help tell the tale of what made them so great. Its clever design may have been due to owner Bob Winters background in advertising. Louis Szathmarys restaurant, The Bakery, opened in Chicago at a time when restaurant going in that city was not a very exciting proposition. Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! From Grant Achatz's Alinea and Next to Real Kitchen, a take-out restaurant, you can still taste the influence Trotter left on the Chicago dining scene.Chimney Cake IslandWhat it was: This small Edgewater shop, which closed in June 2013, specialized in its namesake chimney cakes, a delicious Transylvanian pastry thats rolled onto a wooden pin and baked. Strawberry Shortcake, 25c I was going to go all inside-baseball and say the restaurant I really missed was Mistral, the John Hogan project that never quite got off the ground. Their epicenter was Earwax, a vegetarian caf with sometimes-decent art on the walls and perturbed art-school students behind the counter. He declared he was proud that he never served one kiwi fruit.. The late Jimmy Rohr, veteran restaurateur and opera devotee, ran this refined, sophisticated restaurant in Avondale. I narrowed my list to 15 restaurants, which wasn't easy. 2 All-American Burger Kai L./Yelp Pre-1980 MOTEL SCENE Oak Brook - Near Chicago Illinois IL AE0993. Bread service has become optional at many restaurants these days, but back in the late '90s, bread was a statement at this New York import, which closed in 2002. Pie in the skies revolving restaurants Way out coffeehouses Taste of a decade: 1890s restaurants Sweet treats and teddy bears Its not all glamor, is it Mr. Krinkle? Despite its storefront location in a run-down neighborhood and no decor to speak of the 25-seat neighborhood restaurant became an instant success. Mob restaurants As the restaurant world turned, July 17 Dining in summer Dining by gaslight Anatomy of a restaurateur: Charles Sarris Womens restaurants Restaurant history day Charge it!