Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Whether your idea of a perfect meal is a melt-in-your mouth steak, main-dish veggies, Chicago-style pizza, classic diner food, or exotic dishes from another culture, you will find a restaurant favorite in Chicago.

For steaks and red-meat lovers, The Capital Grille (633 N Saint Clair Street) features the finest in dry- aged steaks and award-winning wines. Everything from the signature Veal Chop with Roquefort Butter Sauce to Steak au Poivre with Courvoisier Cream is oh, so tantalizing. Viand (155 East Ontario) has more than just red -- pastas and fish are also served -- but why not enjoy a great red meat dish from a chef whose family owns the oldest meatpacking company in Chicago? If you like sports served with your red meat, check out NFL Hall-of-Famer Mike Ditka's Restaurant (100 E. Chestnut), with an upstairs cigar lounge.

If you are more the veggies as a main course type, you can't go wrong at the Green Zebra (1460 West Chicago Ave), where the emphasis is on unique vegetarian dishes, changed seasonally. Or try a different kind of diner experience, at The Chicago Diner (3411 N. Halsted Street), which claims it is "meat free since '83."

Locals swear by Gino's East of Chicago (633 N. Wells Street) and Lou Malnati's Pizzeria (439 N. Wells Street) for irresistible Chicago-style pizza. Think deep-dish with oozing cheese, rich sauce and fresh toppings. Yum!

For breakfast and more, the Bongo Room (1152 S. Wabash Ave) in Wicker Park is a unique coffee house featuring dishes with a distinctive twist, like raspberry cheesecake hotcakes. Manny's Coffee Shop and Deli (1141 S. Jefferson St) offers classic diner food. Come hungry, leave full.

If your palate likes to venture to other lands, Roy's (720 N. State St) offers Hawaiian with a bit of aloha. For the best of two cultures, Dee's Mandarin (1114 Armitage Ave) offers Chinese cuisine and a great sushi bar. Wishing for a Thai kitchen? Dine at Vong's Thai Kitchen (6 W. Hubbard St), a spin-off of New York's Thai-French fusion Vong. Enjoy Chicago's renowned Greektown at Costa's (340 S. Halsted St). Try the Bistro Margot (1437 N. Wells St ) for soul-satisfying coq au vin and other French delights. Coobah (3423 N. Southport Ave) serves Latin American until late, along with a good party. Spiaggia (980 N. Michigan Ave) is a top pick for upscale Italian with a generous helping of Lake Michigan views. At The India House (59 W. Grand Ave), you can taste foods from a variety of different Indian regions.

For fabulous desserts along with your meal, try A Taste of Heaven (5401 N. Clark St), Nine Steak House (440 W. Randolph St), or Maggiano's Little Italy (516 N. Clark St).

If you are heading to a Chicago restaurant for a sumptuous meal, CRSHotels.com has the perfect hotel for you. Choose the Sutton Place, the Seneca Hotel, or the Whitehall Hotel. Enjoy the Amalfi Hotel, the Ambassador East Hotel, or the Raffaello Hotel. Stay at the Congress Plaza Hotel & Conference Center, the Best Western Grant Park, or the Inn of Chicago Magnificent Mile.