alfresco predinner apps and cocktails in gold coast area

[ILnjf]

My husband and I are planning our anniversary dinner at Le Colonial and would like to have appetizers at a nice rooftop or alfresco setting beforehand. Needs to be in walking distance of the Drake and Le Colonial. Casual upscale feeling preferred.

[ms. chow]

Try C-View, the rooftop bar at the Affinia. The Terrace at the Peninsula is pretty nice too, although i haven't been this year. I would think they are open by now.

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C-View
166 E. Superior Street, Chicago, IL 60611

[ILnjf]

Thanks, ms. chow! I'll check it out.
When you say the Terrace at the Peninsula...is that the 4th floor Shanghai Terrace?

[ms. chow]

Well, yes and no. I haven't been there this year since the weather got warm, so not sure if they changed the format. At the Chicago Peninsula, there is Shanghai Terrace, which is their upscale Chinese restaurant. Right next to the restaurant is a large outdoor terrace space called The Terrace. It is 2 distinct facilities. At The Terrace, they offer cocktails and nibbles. People going to Shanghai Terrace also has access to The Terrace as an overflow, waiting area.

[ILnjf]

Thanks, I think we'll try thre C-View. On another subject, I read about Terzo Piano at the Art Inst. Any feedback? Thinking of lunch on Saturday before jersey boys.

[ms. chow]

Terzo Piano's space is magnificent and very spectacular. It reminded me of being at the restaurant at Tate Modern. The day i was there (on a Sunday), a huge part of the room at the back was not set up. Also the fact that the kitchen is all the way at the other end of the building (museum restriction with all the art, and open flame). It gave me the feeling that the space somehow is temporary. But these are minor quibbles.

The food, on the other hand, is good, but not spectacular. It is good for a casual lunch. There was a frito misto of smelt. But they ran out of smelt, and used trout or perch ( i can't remember). I had the trio burger, and it was good. It's 3 sliders with beef, lamb, and shrimp cake. The staff is a mix of seasoned professionals and inexperienced ones. So service can be spotty depending on who you get. When our waiter told us that the daily soup has fava greens on top, we asked about it. He said - 'it's the greens on top of fava beans'. Duh!

[ILnjf]

FYI - we tried Terzo Piano and, to summarize, I felt it was way overpriced for lunch. Wrse yet the waitress's intro started right off with the list of 3 ingredients that were not serving. The 3 burgers were only ho-hum, the pike was replaced with flounder and was the best dish. Our 2 friends were disappointed with their choice of the brioche with eggs (all soft mushy textures). Service was excellent.