weekend recommendations

[anderhous]

Hi. Looking for recommendations the first weekend in Feb. for the following: Friday night dinner (around 6pm) and Sunday Brunch. Also Sat. tea, but Peninsula seems to be most recommended. We're staying near north, but can get around if need be, to west loop, etc. Any exciting new places for dinner - well-crafted food, but not off-the-chart prices if possible? Thank you!

[anderhous]

Thank you so much for the info - and the links! Have heard great things about May St. Will definitely check out Chicago Mag., as my aunt is interested in what's new.

[nsxtasy]

I went to May Street Market a couple of months ago for lunch, and it's very good. Also a few doors east on Grand Avenue and of interest to food lovers are D'Amato's, an Italian bakery (I love their whole wheat French bread), and Terry's Toffee ( www.terrystoffee.com ), which sells you-know-what.

[nsxtasy]

Places nearby worth checking out for dinner and not sky-high in price include:

Frontera Grill/Topolobampo (Mexican - www.fronterafoods.com
)Adobo Grill ( www.adobogrill.com/oldtown
)Blue Water Grill ( www.brguestrestaurants.com/restaurants/blue_water_grill_chicago/index.php
)MK ( www.mkchicago.com
)Custom House ( www.customhouse.cc
)Nacional 27 (Latino - www.nacional27.net
)Vermilion (Latin-Indian)

A short cab ride away gives you more options, such as:

One Sixty Blue ( www.onesixtyblue.com
)Cuatro ( www.cuatro-chicago.com
)May Street Market ( www.maystreetmarket.com

)

Nearby places for Sunday brunch include:

Kitsch'N River North ( www.kitschn.com
)Bistro 110 ( www.levyrestaurants.com/Levy/DiningExperiences/Restaurants/Group4/Bistro+110.htm
)NoMi ( www.nomirestaurant.com
)RL/Ralph Lauren ( http://rlrestaurant.polo.com
)Blue Water Grill (see link above)
Adobo Grill (see link above)

If you're looking specifically for what's new, there are two articles in Chicago Magazine on the best new restaurants in 2006 and 2005, and they are available on their website at www.chicagomag.com