Restaurant Week: 16 Lincoln Park Eateries Participate

Finally, the time of year for which we drool in anticipation has almost arrived.

Chicago Restaurant Week is on the docket for Feb. 1-10. Designed to promote the restaurant industry and drive traffic to participating establishments during a typically slow time of year, diners will enjoy delicious, "value priced" menus for lunch and/or dinner throughout the city during those ten days, according to Choose Chicago, which coordinates the event.

"Chicago Restaurant Week 2012 proved to be the most successful Restaurant Week yet," the website states. "With 265 participating restaurants throughout Chicagoland, we saw a (28 percent) increase in participation over (the previous) year ..."

The promotion made a more-than $20.9 million impact on direct spending in Chicago-area restaurants. Around 444,000 diners flocked to participating eateries for specials, it says.

Lunch menus during Restaurant Week are $22 a piece and dinners are either $33 or $44.

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To make it easier for you to create your game plan, we've combed the Restaurant Week options that will be found right here in Lincoln Park. Peruse the following list and be sure to scroll through the attached PDFs and photos, which feature the menus in detail.

Oh, and Bon Appétit!

Aquitaine 2221 N. Lincoln Ave.

Aquitaine, an intimate neighborhood bistro specializing in European influenced fare, will be offering a three-course, fixed menu for $33 a person. Highlights include saffron cream mussels with fresh herbs, diced tomatoes and a grilled crustini; or turbinado glazed salmon with roasted mushrooms, braised kale, jalapeno and butter nage. 

Balena, 1633 N. Halsted St.

Balena is a newer addition to the Lincoln Park neighborhood. Located across the street from Steppenwolf Theatre, it features Italian-inspired cuisine offering pizza, hand-made pasta, spit-roasted meats, fish and vegetables prepared in a wood-fired oven and grill. During restaurant week, it will be offering a $44 fixed, three-course menu. Highlights include reviso and winter citrus salad with hazelnut and mint; and linguine and clams with pancetta and oregano.

Barn & Company, 950 W. Wrightwood Ave.

Barn & Company redefines the all American smokehouse and BBQ shack by combining the messy glory of Memphis, Kansas City and Texas-style barbecue, according to ChooseChicago.com. It's fixed $33 Restaurant Week menu includes the choice between two different combos—ribs, half a chicken, pulled pork, brisket all make the cut—and various side options. One beer is paired with each five-item option.

BOKA, 1729 N. Halsted St.

Although BOKA, which was named in Food & Wine magazine for featuring one of Chicago's Best New Chefs of 2008, specializes in contemporary, seasonal American food. Although the restaurant is definitely participating in Restaurant Week, it's menu is still being compiled. Sorry folks, you'll just have to wait! 

Cafe Ba Ba Reeba, 2024 N. Halsted St.

At $22 per person, you'll score at Cafe Ba Ba Reeba, where each Restaurant Week lunchtime diner will enjoy their choice of a soup, two tapas and one dessert. For $11 more, dinner guests will have their choice of one pintxo—bite-sized tapas—one pick from regular tapas options, one paella and dessert. 

Chez Moi, 2100 N. Halsted St.

The fixed $33 menu at Chez Moi also does not disappoint. Choose from options including a roasted beets salad sprinkled with sunflower seeds and bleu cheeses; Duck leg confit with fingerling potatoes persillade in a green peppercorn sauce; or Chez Moi's famous gateau Breton.

Geja's Cafe, 340 W. Armitage Ave.

From the cheese fondue to entree fondues including shrimp, scallops, lobster, chicken, and beef, Geja's is the place for dip-and-devour lovers everywhere. Fondue entree choices during restaurant week vary in price—either $33 or $44—and each includes a cheese fondue appetizer, crisp salad with tangy vinegrette, "flaming chocolate" dessert and freshly ground coffee. 

Gemini Bistro, 2075 N. Lincoln Ave.

Gemini Bistro serves up American cuisine that has French and Mediterranean influences. It's $33 fixed three-course menu boasts options that include roasted salmon with savoy cabbage, smoked bacon and coriander vinaigrette; and a kurobuta pork chop featuring butternut bread pudding, brussel sprout leaves and an herb demi-glace.

Goose Island Brewpub, 1800 N. Clybourn Ave.

For $44, enjoy set options from a three-course menu that includes seasonal brewpub beer pairings with each. Each diner will enjoy Jerusalem artichoke bisque served with housemade wort bread, pork schnitzel with peppercorn spaetzle, brussel sprouts and a pork demi-glace; and malted butterscotch custard cake with toffee and malted gelato.

Mon Ami Gabi Lincoln Park, The Belden Stratford

Mon Ami Gabi is a French bistro offering traditional fare such as onion soup au gratin, trout amandine and steak frites, according to ChooseChicago.com. Pay $33 a person to enjoy the three course menu. While diners can choose their first and second courses, all will receive a pre-determined dessert trio—sorbet du jour, chocolate mousse and creme brulee. 

Perennial Virant, 1800 N. Lincoln Ave.

The much anticipated three-course menu at Perennial will also cost diners $33. Highlights include grilled rushing waters rainbow trout served with fried bread, lemon mayonnaise, spicy pepper relish, arugla and radishes; and warm sweet crepes with meyer lemon curd and candied pine nuts. 

R.J. Grunts, 2056 N. Lincoln Park West

R.J. Grunts is well-known as the very first Lettuce Entertain You restaurant. It boasts a $22-per-person lunchtime three-course Restaurant Week menu filled with Grunt's famous burger, a hand-dipped milk-shake and super spicy wings all making the cut as options.

Riccardo Enoteca, 2116 N. Clark St.

This intimate wine bar specializes in wood burning oven pizzas, small plates and other specialties. International wines, cocktails and craft beers are all on the menu. It's Restaurant Week special is packed with delicious choices—seven anipastis and nine entrees. Those with a sweet tooth will be happy, since all regularly served desserts are included in the special.

Riccardo Trattoria, 2119 N. Clark St.

Riccardo Trattoria's menu includes similar items, such as Vitello Tonnato, or poached veal carpaccio in tuna sauce with capers. Diners can select from a laundry list of items for the first two courses, as well as choose any dessert from the restaurant's regular menu.

Rustic House, 1967 N. Halsted St.

Rustic House is bringing out all the stops for its sixth-annual Restaurant Week menu. Pay $44 per person and choose from menu items including a spinach salad garnished with a poached egg, crispy shallot and bacon vinaigrette; maple leaf duck l’orange with glazed baby carrots and orange sauce; and three-hour cured salmon.

VINCI, 1732 N. Halsted St.

VINCI has offered rustic regional Italina cuisine since it opened on Halsted Street in 1991. The $33 three-course fixed menu at VINCI includes tons of options. How about homemade lemon, blood orange or strawberry sorbetto? Hand-made Spinach Pappardelle with roast duck, mushrooms, oven-dried tomatoes, truffle oil and parmigiano? Yum.

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