As you might well imagine, I’m frequently asked–especially as Valentine’s Day nears–to name “the most romantic restaurant in town,” or words to that effect. There are too many easy answers to that question. I could rattle off my four-star French restaurants (Ambria, Carlos’, Everest, Les Nomades, The Ritz-Carlton Dining Room) and be done with it, or do the same thing with contemporary-Americans such as Trotter’s, Trio and Tru. Fabulous food, superb wine list, extravagant price–that spells romance, no?
Well, not for everyone. For some, romance is a quiet corner table in a very dim room. Or a colorful dining room with a dance floor and a salsa band. Or a subdued white-tablecloth spot that serves lobster tail. Or any table, provided it adjoins a working fireplace.
My personal ideas of what makes a restaurant romantic are similarly scattered. The restaurant Naha strikes me as very romantic, even though some find the place too noisy and the decor too severe. Conversely, Geja’s Cafe doesn’t score highly on my romantic scale, but you can find hundreds of Chicagoans who consider it the most romantic restaurant in town.
Ultimately, any dinner with my wife is a romantic one (please excuse pathetic play for brownie points). But for those of you who aren’t dining with my wife this Valentine’s Day, here are a dozen (as in roses) ideas for romance that work any time of year.
1. There’s nothing like dinner at an exclusive restaurant to stoke the romantic flames. Well Fuse, in the Hotel 71, 71 E. Wacker Drive, is so exclusive it hasn’t even opened yet (though the principals say they’re “on track” to open Monday). Nevertheless, the restaurant, headed by chef Eric Aubriot, plans Valentine’s Day with an a la carte menu. Or you could really splurge on a $399 (per couple) package that includes a room for the night, Valentine’s Day dinner, bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne, a box of Vosges chocolates and two complimentary Frette bathrobes. 800-621-4005.
2. No matter the special occasion, people invariably ask for a table with a view. And several restaurants, including Everest, Riva and The Signature Room, offer stunning views. But my favorite in the city is the seventh-floor vista that NoMI, in the Park Hyatt Hotel, 800 N. Michigan Ave., provides. Snag one of the window tables at this stellar restaurant (it isn’t easy) and you’re treated to a dramatic view of Chicago’s Water Tower and the Michigan Avenue bustle beyond. On Valentine’s Day, NoMI will feature a four-course menu for $85; for an additional $315, you can add the hotel’s Cupid’s Escape package (available Feb. 13-15), which includes deluxe accommodations, rose and chocolate turndown, breakfast for two and valet parking. 312-239-4030.
3. There’s nothing like an intimate table, tucked away from everyone else, to increase the romance quotient (provided you’re not claustrophobic). Among the likely candidates are the “vault” tables at Opera (not completely isolated, but close enough) and the Anniversary Table at Le Vichyssois in Lakemoor, a two-seater in its own cozy nook (and scene of innumerable proposals and anniversary dinners). But my pick is for the most elusive table of all: the Elevator Shaft table at Vivo, 838 W. Randolph St. Perched above the dining room, accessed by a narrow, crooked stairway, the Elevator Shaft table has room for six but is frequently requested by parties of two. Celebrities get preference (Oprah and Michael Jordan have dined there, separately), as do frequent customers, but to date, the table remains unclaimed for Valentine’s Day. Assistant manager Maria Flynn-Kleiner says she’s not giving the table away just yet, but might be persuaded “with a really good, romantic story.” Vivo will offer a $50, four-course menu that night, will provide a complimentary glass of champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries, and will project Italian love-story films on the restaurant walls. 312-733-3379.
4. One of the most romantic restaurants in the suburbs is Cafe Lucci, 609 Milwaukee Ave., Glenview. The food is first-rate, the atmosphere cozy, the light level gentle. Cafe Lucci will offer a special menu in addition to its regular fare on Valentine’s Day. And if you make a reservation for Feb. 14, you might arrive to find a bottle of Perrier-Jouet 1995 Fleur de Champagne waiting at your table–the prize to one lucky twosome that night (must reserve by Feb. 13). 847-729-2268.
5. You may start your evening elsewhere, but you can make a fantastic finish at Japonais, 600 W. Chicago Ave. Stop in for drinks at the settees ringing the Green Room’s double fireplace, or head downstairs to the sultry Riverwalk Lounge, with its gauze-draped loveseats and other intimate seating choices. Japonais will serve its regular menu on Valentine’s Day.
6. There’s nothing particularly romantic about sweetbreads as far as I can see, but I just love the little things, so why can’t sweetbreads be part of a romantic dinner? And in fact, sweetbreads are on the Valentine’s Day menu at Pili Pili, 230 W. Kinzie St. The Provence-themed restaurant will feature its regular menu on Valentine’s Day, augmented by specials such as a crepinette of sweetbreads and rabbits with sauteed mushrooms and a thyme-garnished tarragon sauce. I think I’m in love. 312-464-9988.
7. How can you leave a restaurant named Foreplay off this list? Foreplay, 1551 W. Thomas St., is an intriguing dinner party concept in which your group participates in a cooking demonstration-cum-dinner party led by chef/partner Ivan Petkov. Ordinarily you need at least eight people to book an evening here, but on Valentine’s Day, Foreplay will open its concept to parties of two. The price is $70 per person, including hors d’oeuvres and a four-course dinner (and you can bring your own wine or other alcohol). The limit is 12 couples, and you must book by Monday. 773-486-5276.
8. These tables aren’t secluded, and they offer only a small view, but they’re still among my favorites in town. I’m referring to the front-room tables (all nine of them) at North Pond, 2610 N. Cannon Drive. These tables, all nine of them, adjoin the room’s stone-lined fireplace, and the room’s French doors offer tantalizing views of the snow-covered pond outside and a glimpse of skyline as well. On Valentine’s Day, North Pond will feature a four-course menu for $95; reservations that night begin at 5 p.m. 773-477-5845.
9. Dining and dancing are inseparable for some romantics; trouble is, the pickings in town are slim indeed. One happy exception is Rumba, 351 W. Hubbard St., which has live dance music every Wednesday through Saturday, and a lively, Cuban-heavy Latin menu. On Valentine’s Day, the restaurant will offer a five-course meal with a glass of champagne for $75. 312-222-1226.
10. If you told me I could never have another dessert in my life, but I could have all the fine cheeses I wanted, I’d be OK with that. If your romantic side craves a little cheese at meal’s end, consider Caliterra, in the Wyndham Chicago Hotel, 633 N. St. Clair St. In addition to featuring a terrific menu of Italian and Californian dishes, chef Rich Gresh has one of the city’s finest cheese selections–and, hands down, the best cheese accompaniments you’ll ever find. Whether you opt for the piccolo tasting (one cheese, $7.50), the entire cart (upwards of 40 cheeses, $33) or something in between, prepare to be dazzled. 312-274-4444.
11. Put a little extra fire in your love life at RL, 115 E. Chicago Ave. Besides excellent steaks and seafood, RL also features old-school, flamed-tableside classics such as steak Diane, bananas Foster and crepes Suzette. (My idea of a romantic dish would be the filet Rossini topped with seared foie gras.) If you can, reserve table 67, a corner four-top where all the visiting celebs sit. RL will feature its regular menu on Valentine’s Day. 312-475-1100.
12. Bistro 110, 110 E. Pearson St., offers a number of ways to make Valentine’s Day special. Chef Dominique Tougne will teach an aphrodisiac cooking class 6-8 p.m. Tuesday ($40), the lounge will host its annual “Cupid’s Martini Social” at 9 p.m. Valentine’s Day (lots of amorous-themed martinis; reservations suggested) and in the dining room, Valentine’s Day guests who find a room key stuck under their dinner plates will have won a romantic hotel package (four winners overall). 312-266-3110.
