117380 Wed Feb 09 19:12:25 -0800 2005 7 7 Chicago Area 0 640860 want to buy dinner for a very good friend who teaches at NW--like a very nice place with excellent food/service some where between Chicago and NW University--can be expensive Wed Feb 09 19:12:25 -0800 2005 0 bigbomoho 1 640861 How about Trio Atelier? It's not quite the same as the old Trio, but the reviews are still overwhelmingly positive. Trio Atelier 1625 Hinman Ave. Evanston, IL 60201-6021 847-733-8746 Link: http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/dining/mmx-0410150-vettel-trio-atelier.story Wed Feb 09 21:00:39 -0800 2005 640860 0 Ed Fisher 2 640867 thanks so much for the input Thu Feb 10 09:24:45 -0800 2005 640861 0 bigbomoho 3 640880 I'd like to second the vote for Oceanique. It's an outstanding venue (for fish especially). Top quality ingredients prepared with artistry. The atmosphere is very pleasant and you are never crowded or rushed there. It's the kind of place where you feel transformed by your meal.(It's not exactly walking distance from NU unless you want to work up an appetite, but you can catch a cab in front of the Orrington Hotel, ust a few steps off campus.)One nice feature is their prix-fixe weeknight menu, which generally fatures their best standards. This may sound crazy, but I think I had a prophetic dream about their napoleon-like dessert: a fork breaking an impossibly light pastry laden with pastry cream and fruit. Thu Feb 10 20:20:14 -0800 2005 640867 0 joiedevivre 1 640862 Oceanique is an outstanding fish/seafood restaurant in south Evanston. It is pricey, but it's tops. Wed Feb 09 23:35:44 -0800 2005 640860 0 Jesper 1 640870 An underpublicized restaurant in Evanston is Chef's Station (915 Davis). It's a high-end American bistro, a little less pricey than some of its competitors, and their tasting menu is IMO one of the best values in Chicago, particularly if you order the one with the wine flight. Check out the Trib review on metromix. Link: http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/dining/recommended/reviews/mmx-031016-diningreviewchefsstation,0,4147496.story Thu Feb 10 11:28:37 -0800 2005 640860 0 jbw 1 640873 There is also a recent, detailed review of Va Pensiero http://www.chowhound.com/midwest/boards/chicago/messages/57698.html Thu Feb 10 13:16:47 -0800 2005 640860 0 brwneyedgrl 1 640877 And don't forget Campagnola, on Chicago Avenue just south of Main St. Mangia! Thu Feb 10 15:02:25 -0800 2005 640860 0 peg