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Eat/Drink

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Flaming cheese at Greektown’s oldest restaurant? It’s The Parthenon!

The Parthenon restaurant is Chicago's Greektown's anchor restaurant! From the sidewalk window, you'll get a wave from the cook slicing lamb from a spit. Inside, your waiter cries "Opa!" as saganaki ignites in orange flames. And, from surrounding tables people are laughing and toasting. Yes, it's a typical day at The Parthenon.

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The Boarding house… mammoth wine selection! Even a wine chandelier!

The Boarding House The Wine Bar at The Boarding House | First Floor The first floor of The Boarding House serves as the restaurant’s main bar. Enjoy a selection of 20 wines by the glass, 450 wines by the bottle, custom cocktails, specialty spirits and craft beers to pair with Chef Gosselin’s menu of traditional wine bar provisions, including cheeses, charcuterie, shellfish platters, and artisan pizzas. The First Floor Wine Bar menu is distinctly different from the The Dining Room menu. Seating in The Wine Bar is available without reservations. The Dining Room at The Boarding House The main dining room at the Boarding House is located on the third floor, featuring exposed beams, inlaid hardwood floors and tables, large bay windows, plush banquettes and an impressive ceiling installation made from more than nearly 4000 wine bottles. The menu features a mix of small, medium, large, and shared plates. Enjoy Chef Gosselin’s wine inspired cuisine, including braised short ribs, chicken three ways, and citrus poached salmon with a 450 bottle wine selection. The Cellar at The Boarding House | Lower Level Ideal for sophisticated, late-night revelry, The Cellar at The Boarding House includes an intimate cocktail bar and comfortable lounge seating. Cap the night off with wine or cocktails after your dinner. Experience 450 wines by the bottle, exclusive, high-end wines by the glass, classic cocktails, and luxury spirits, all available with the same menu as featured in The Bar. For more information, click over to boardinghouse.com .

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Tastebud-melting authentic Greek food & good friends… at Kanela!

kanela1 Kanela [kuh-nel-uh] is a marvelous world bringing a local, organic, and flavorful approach to a Greek-inflected American breakfast + lunch menu reflecting our heritage as well as the origin of the name, which means cinnamon in greek, and which you will find in abundance on the menu. A refreshing take on mama’s recipes and delivered to you just the same way, with love and a smile. Our deep earth tones, vintage chandeliers, exposed brick walls and wrap- around seating have created a dapper vibe for a snazzy, yet mellow breakfast + lunch. We use only the finest and freshest ingredients available in order to please our customers. Every kanela plate is carefully inspected to meet the highest standards and our quality expectations. We use Eggland’s Best Cage-Free Organic Eggs, Julius Meinl Coffee and support our local farms and markets. Our bars offer an elaborate menu of classic and signature cocktails made with fresh fruit and herbs. Every detail receives special attention.

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Little Bucharest Bistro

LittleBucharestBistro With a history spanning over three decades, Little Bucharest Bistro has opened with a new face in Chicago’s Old Irving Park area. Originally opened in 1970 and closed in 2004, the new Little Bucharest, which translates to “Little Paris of the East”, blends a touch of Romanian heritage with American contemporary fare in a vibrant and modern atmosphere. “I wanted to bring the signature high-energy vibe of the old Little Bucharest into a new setting,” says owner Branko Podrumedic. “The bistro will present Romanian flavors in an approachable way to appeal to more of a mainstream audience.” Visit littlebucharestbistro.com for more information.

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The Publican

Featuring pork and fish/seafood preparations, the menu is best described by Kahan and Huston as “pristine product, simply prepared,” an approach to food Kahan has long espoused in all of his kitchens. The Publican boasts the simplest cuisine of all three properties, each dish stripped of adornment and containing only essential ingredients. The menu is presented in sections: Fish, Meat and Vegetables, each laid out from lightest to heaviest fare. Pristinely fresh oysters, hand-selected for the restaurant from purveyors with whom the culinary team has formed partnerships over the past year, anchor the fish portion of the menu. From classic Belgian-style mussels to seafood stew to wood-roasted whole fish, the seafood is simple and straightforward yet eclectic in presentation. Meat dishes center upon pork, all certified organic and sourced from Dyersville, Iowa. Anchored by a wide selection of housemade terrines and charcuteries, the menu changes daily to reflect the seasonal availability of products. Other hearty dishes, again, presented simply and stripped of adornment, include such seasonal items as black and white sausage, steak tartare, pork shoulder and pot-au-feu. Kahan and Huston plan to make the wood-roasted chicken a signature, “… with the best frites in town,” boasts Kahan. A selection of vegetables rounds out the menu, including such seasonal items as daily aïoli, roasted broccoli, pine nuts and Italian buratta and cauliflower sformato with Marcona almond romesco. Strong architectural lines dominate the space, which is large, airy and awash in earthy colors. Guests enter The Publican through a glass-enclosed vestibule, its 10-foot-high ceiling offering a glimpse of the restaurant’s 13.6-foot ceiling. Inside, the spacious interior is dominated by a large walnut communal table designed to recall 16th Century European banquets. Set up in racetrack fashion, the banquet table seats upwards of 100 people, side by side. At the center of the banquet table stands eight English pub-style three-tiered cocktail tables where guests can stand, leaning comfortably on one level, with their beer and food resting on the other tiers. This interior space is large enough for guests who are waiting for tables or visiting the restaurant just for a beer and a bite. Against the east wall stand a series of four-top walnut banquette tables set up on platforms and privatized by table-height swinging doors. The walls and ceiling are wrapped in a material reminiscent of antique pressed tin. Across the front of the space, 10-foot cafe-style doors open out onto the street. At the back of the restaurant, a partially open kitchen offers a view to the culinary action.

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Balena

The Bristol and Boka Restaurant Group have teamed up for this rustic Italian restaurant in the Landmark space in Lincoln Park, where a wood-burning grill and roasting spits work hard to turn out dishes such as cherry and duck bruschetta, whole grilled fish, pizza and panzanella.

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Yusho

Street food is the great equalizer—no glamour required. Yakitori, when well-executed, is about the simple flavors of authentic street food. A hot grill provides intense flavors from seasonal proteins and vegetables, grilled to order over a chattering, hissing fire. Beer, wine and sake selections compliment the fresh-grilled flavors. Craft cocktails, wines and spirits are chosen for customized meal pairings. Experiment and discover!

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Mixteco Grill: a flair for gourmet Mexican

Rick Bayless long ago set a precedent for quality, gourmet Mexican food in Chicago. And with its top of the line ingredients and flair for the traditional mixed with modern, Mixteco Grill impresses. Proportions for both appetizers and entrees are sizeable too, so no one will go hungry, whether you try the delicious guacamole (with cucumbers) for starters or the spicy camarones glaseados for your meal. Don’t leave without getting dessert either; their traditional tres leches and flan are absolutely superb. What makes this place even better is not only the friendly wait staff but also that it’s BYOB every night of the week.

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Head over to Germany in Chicago’s Mirabell Restaurant

It’s Oktoberfest all year round in Mirabell Restaurant. From large beer steins decorating the shelves to murals spanning the walls, this lounge and bar is about more than just the atmosphere. The traditional not overly-sour sauerkraut complements all sorts of sausages. The spaetzel and Goulasch soup are just some house favorites--and the latter is quite different from the hearty goulasch meal. And of course, a German restaurant wouldn’t be complete without a large beer menu that features both domestic and German brews.

Insider’s Tip: Print the coupon on the bottom of the Website’s homepage for 50% off one entree.

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La Pasadita: Quality but cheap Mexican

With five locations--three of which are on Ashland Avenue--what’s not to love about these Mexican joints? La Pasadita defines quality, cheap Mexican food in Chicago, whether during lunch break or for those late-night booze-colored hours. Despite the low prices, their steak--whether on a taco or chachos, their version of nachos--really surpasses typical Mexican fare in Wicker Park. Their pico de gallo, too, is fresh and the perfect starter to any meal.

Don’t go expecting anything fancy, but still, good eats are available at all locations. All La Pasaditas are BYOB, but they’ve also got horchata, Jarritos, as well as fresh-squeezed OJ.

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Japonais: Come Hungry & Dressed to Kill

Dig if you will, a picture: hot valet drivers busy themselves parking Ferraris and Jags; inside chic, heavy doors open to a beautiful hostess who awaits your arrival with a smile; a full 360 degrees around you (and below on the lower level in its bar and terrace) are gorgeous people, JaponaisChicagosmiling, mingling and gushing over delectable sushi rolls and fusion plates. This is Japonais, Conde Nast's pick for one of the "Top 66 Restaurants in the World." Having opened its doors in 2003, this place still lives in the past - only meaning that one would have assumed it opened just last month as the wait, long reservation list, and packed crowds every day of the week would elude to it being a hot new number. In 2005, Chicago Magazine named it "Best Restaurant" and soon after New York and Las Vegas claimed their own versions of the restaurant. Today, it still rocks to those beats. From exotic cocktails (and a whole lot of sake and wine choices), signature sushi rolls and the to-die-for steaks, the menu reads part French and part Japanese, which in the culinary world, is a match made in heaven.

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A Maki Made in Heaven at Coast Sushi

Oh. My. God. Almost always the three words uttered by anyone trying their first White Dragon roll at Coast Sushi in Wicker Park or now, it's newer location in the South Loop. The roll is so good it feels like it should be illegal. Order it as yCoastSushiour starter roll and you can kiss goodbye trying anything else on the menu - you'll just keep ordering more White Dragons until you can barely get yourself out of the door. Flattering lighting and a cozy feel, Coast masters the Japanese chic of interior design, but who really notices when the food is so good? As for drinks, it's BYOB so indulge in as much or as little as you want, you won't feel it when the bill comes. Aside from the White Dragon, Coast features all the standard rolls, sashimi and nigiri, plenty of entrees, salads and all that jazz. But, if you don't order sushi, you're making a mistake. As for the White Dragon - what is it that causes it to create an instantaneous reaction of pure and utter bliss? The ingredients admitted are: shrimp tempura, wasabi  tobiko, cream cheese, avocado, scallion spicy sauce, wasabi dessing, eel sauce and tempura crumbs -- and a little bit of Oh. My. God.

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Sunda provides an atypical twist on Asian fare

Executive chef Rodelio Aglibot brings a tasty twist to traditional dishes from Japan, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and other Southeast Asian islands. Sunda is a creation of Billy Dec, Brad Young, and Arturo Gomez: the trio behind Chicago hot spots Rockit Bar & Grill and The Underground. And Executive Chef Rodelio Aglibot brings an extensive background in Asian cuisine and culture, recognized by several media outlets as the "Food Buddha." With cuisine that is accessible, comfortable and fresh, you're bound to rub your belly after a meal at Sunda.

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Toast to Taxim!

They say Mediterranean and Greek food is the healthiest cuisine there is - thank goodness! Because that allows one to gorge oneself at Taxim guilt-free, no? The thing is, Taxim in Chi-town's hipper than hip 'hood, Wicker Park, offers so many ga-ga worthy Greek dishes that you're going to wish you had five stomachs. Touted again and again by the press for its over-the-top deliciousness, each and every plate is seriously delectable. The names may give your mouth a work out, try spitting out: Sparágia me avgó pápias – young asparagus, duck egg, wood-grilled no-knead garlic bread, but your tastebuds will reap the benefits. Melt-in-your-mouth lamb, Amish chicken, mouth-watering sea bass and a whole slew of veggie options, the menu is a people pleaser. Of course, knowing its location too, Taxim certainly doesn't skimp on the decor. The chic interior is warm, sexy and cozy enough to cuddle up and enjoy a night cap post din-din. Opa!

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Eat, Drink and Dance at Nacional 27

Upscale Latin fusion has found its casa at Nacional 27. The high-end restaurant and bar mixes cuisine from 27 different Latin American nations! The menu is perfect for sharing - this is a great place to take a date and sip plenty of cocktails! And when dinner is over, don't head home yet; the dining area gets transformed into the ultimate dance floor.

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Grand Lux Café

Inspired by the lavishness of European cafes, the Grand Lux Cafe has something for everyone. Influences range from Thai and Malaysian to American and European. Dishes include: Austrian-style Wiener schnitzel and Indochina shrimp and chicken, fused with Chinese and Indian flavors. The cocktail menu features enticing Mai Tais, spicy Bloody Mary's, and Kicked Up Coladas.

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Mirai Sushi

A trendy sushi spot where the crowd is fresh and the fish, flown in daily, is fresher. The upstairs sake lounge is always buzzing with guests downing fruity cocktails like the signature Red One Martini. From akami (tuna) to salmon, this is the place for Japanese food that stands out.
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