Holier Than Thou
Guests don’t have to be saints to head to Extra Virgin (312.474.0700) for dinner, but they should bring their appetites to this Italian restaurant and wine bar. Extra Virgin opened in Chicago’s West Loop in October and features a share-friendly menu of small and large plates, antipasti, bruschetta, and flatbreads. Sea-green tiled walls give the main dining room—capacity is 200 for dinner, 400 for cocktails—an airy look, as do the extra-long wooden tables that can accommodate as many as 16. Around the corner is Virgin Lounge (312.474.0123), the restaurant’s sister venue, which can accommodate private parties of as many as 137; you can also rent part of the space. Virgin Lounge is a pit stop for Chicago’s hipster set and features suede booths and chairs, and oversize orange lights hang from the ceiling. Photos and paintings of the female form are present throughout both Virgin spaces, which Botticelli lovers will no doubt appreciate.Strolling Down the Avenue
Just as the Windy City was growing tired of stuffy venues and long, drawn-out dinners, Avenue M (312.243.1133) came the rescue. Open since April, Avenue M has gussied up the traditional steak house format with lacquered cherrywood walls, creamy leather booths, and floor-to-ceiling velvet and sheer curtains. The menu includes shellfish, steaks, and chops, while the bar menu offers lighter items such as sandwiches and pizzas. For events, Avenue M can host 100 guests in the main room; the upstairs lounge can accommodate 80; and two private balconies overlooking the bar can each seat 20. If you’re lucky enough to catch some warm weather, the restaurant’s patio is lined with pear trees and magnolia trees, and can host groups of 70.
Because James Beard Says So
The James Beard Foundation’s 2006 best Midwestern chef, Shawn McClain, opened Custom House in October. Whereas McClain’s other Chicago restaurants, Spring and Green Zebra, focus on fish and vegetables (respectively), Custom House is all about meat—raw, cured, marinated, and roasted. The restaurant features latte-colored suede seating and 13-foot-tall windows on the north, east, and west walls. Two circular booths nestled in the venue’s corners are available for as many as 12 people and can be made semiprivate with sheer curtains. A separate room is available for 80 people, and the main dining room can accommodate 120.
All in the Family
After spending 25 years in his family’s Bucktown Peruvian restaurant, Dino Perez branched out on his own and opened Rios D ’Sudamerica in August. Located just one block away from his family spot, the white tablecloth venue seats 200 and serves up a menu that fuses Peruvian, Argentinian, and Brazilian cuisines, meaning: lots of meat. The lomo al picsco (sautéed steak with onions, tomatoes, and fried potatoes) is a house favorite.
Guests don’t have to be saints to head to Extra Virgin (312.474.0700) for dinner, but they should bring their appetites to this Italian restaurant and wine bar. Extra Virgin opened in Chicago’s West Loop in October and features a share-friendly menu of small and large plates, antipasti, bruschetta, and flatbreads. Sea-green tiled walls give the main dining room—capacity is 200 for dinner, 400 for cocktails—an airy look, as do the extra-long wooden tables that can accommodate as many as 16. Around the corner is Virgin Lounge (312.474.0123), the restaurant’s sister venue, which can accommodate private parties of as many as 137; you can also rent part of the space. Virgin Lounge is a pit stop for Chicago’s hipster set and features suede booths and chairs, and oversize orange lights hang from the ceiling. Photos and paintings of the female form are present throughout both Virgin spaces, which Botticelli lovers will no doubt appreciate.Strolling Down the Avenue
Just as the Windy City was growing tired of stuffy venues and long, drawn-out dinners, Avenue M (312.243.1133) came the rescue. Open since April, Avenue M has gussied up the traditional steak house format with lacquered cherrywood walls, creamy leather booths, and floor-to-ceiling velvet and sheer curtains. The menu includes shellfish, steaks, and chops, while the bar menu offers lighter items such as sandwiches and pizzas. For events, Avenue M can host 100 guests in the main room; the upstairs lounge can accommodate 80; and two private balconies overlooking the bar can each seat 20. If you’re lucky enough to catch some warm weather, the restaurant’s patio is lined with pear trees and magnolia trees, and can host groups of 70.
Because James Beard Says So
The James Beard Foundation’s 2006 best Midwestern chef, Shawn McClain, opened Custom House in October. Whereas McClain’s other Chicago restaurants, Spring and Green Zebra, focus on fish and vegetables (respectively), Custom House is all about meat—raw, cured, marinated, and roasted. The restaurant features latte-colored suede seating and 13-foot-tall windows on the north, east, and west walls. Two circular booths nestled in the venue’s corners are available for as many as 12 people and can be made semiprivate with sheer curtains. A separate room is available for 80 people, and the main dining room can accommodate 120.
All in the Family
After spending 25 years in his family’s Bucktown Peruvian restaurant, Dino Perez branched out on his own and opened Rios D ’Sudamerica in August. Located just one block away from his family spot, the white tablecloth venue seats 200 and serves up a menu that fuses Peruvian, Argentinian, and Brazilian cuisines, meaning: lots of meat. The lomo al picsco (sautéed steak with onions, tomatoes, and fried potatoes) is a house favorite.
Posted 09.13.06
Extra Virgin
Custom House
Rios D'Sudamerica
