643948 Tue Aug 11 18:17:43 -0700 2009 7 7 Chicago Area 0 4938272 Shortly after posting a question on best eats in chicagohttp://chowhound.chow.com/topics/621656 , I received several great answers! Thanks! And then my husband was diagnosed with gout. :( However after walking and running around alot (he's a cop) on his bum foot for a month, he's been correctly diagnosed with <a broken foot!!!> poor guy. He got his moon boot today and walking next week will be difficult, but not impossible! And yea!!! we can eat again!!! After trying "tofu chicken wings" (YUK!) and cherry juice extract, real food will be a treat!!!!! So, our plans are as follows. Please assist in any way you can as far as suggestions and logistics! Thanks! We're staying at Hyatt Regency MP 1st day: tasting lunch: al's #1, portillos, possibly bari's and publican dinner: le bouchon 2nd day: breakfast: lincoln park green market visit: lincoln park zoo, notebaart mus, lp conservatory Lunch: spoon thai or ras dashen visit: agentine meat market, wells st spice market happy hour: j-bar for wii dinner: sayat nova after: signatures for fireworks and desserts 3rd day: breakfast? museums at grant park; harry potter exhibit!! lunch: lao sze schuan tour garretts, vosges, the pier, billy goats dinner: mercat a la planxa 4th day: hot dougs at 1030am!!!! nhu lhan, pupuseria cuscaleteco, spoon thai for big tasting/lunch maybe a double decker tour? (no interest in water tours, sorry) dinner???? help SCTV and violet hour afterwards 5th day: breakfast: fox and obel lunch? something to grab near union station??? places we're missing and would rather not: cemitas pueblas, borinquen, tango sur or nandu, malnatis or pizzanos, avec, jerry's... we are looking for original ethnic places, not fine dining... we would like to go to several spots in one day and share one item rather than have a full meal at one spot! Thanks!! Tue Aug 11 18:17:43 -0700 2009 299158 crackedconch 1 4938504 >>we are looking for original ethnic places, not fine dining...<< logistics are slightly hairier because it's pretty far north, but you may have overlooked the very high concentration of Indian snack shops, retail, restaurants, and a few grocers on Devon avenue (E and W of Western avenue for mapping purposes.) Sounds like you are a good planner though. Tue Aug 11 19:49:46 -0700 2009 4938272 111530 gordeaux 1 4939141 Good list. For 4th day dinner how about holding off for Thai and either move up Thai Spoon or go to TAC Quick (the latter's right on the red line at Sheridan and is slightly more upscale than Thai Spoon). Or, continue up the Red Line to Argyle where you'll find a bevy of Viet (Tank Noodle) and Thai (Thai Pastry) choices. Instead of lunch near Union Station on your last day, why not try a late breakfast at the classic Lou Mitchell's: http://www.loumitchellsrestaurant.com/ Wed Aug 12 06:14:24 -0700 2009 4938272 10261 jbw 1 4939203 Bari's the Italian store on Grand? Wow, you are better than a lot of locals. Excellent choice. Note on fireworks. It is only on Wednesday and Saturday nights. Re Violet Hour, i've had more luck going there before, rather than after dinner. They open at 6. They have a no standing policy, so when all seats are taken, you are put on a wait list, with your phone #, and they will call you when a table opens up. Agree with jbw on rec for 5th day. Wed Aug 12 06:42:40 -0700 2009 4938272 276975 ms. chow 1 4939800 Lots of stuff planned! I like it! Question: are you driving any of this or relying on public transporation? A lot of your plans are scattered around the city which is not bad but if your husband has a bum foot, he may be hurting at night. If you are doing public transporation, I highly recommend the CTA 3 day or 5 day pass. You can use it unlimited during the time span. http://www.transitchicago.com/ Also, check out http://www.hopstop.com/?city=chicago for detailed walking and public transporation directions. Get your Harry Potter tickets in advance! Also, HP is at the MSI which is in Hyde Park. Not the museum campus. You should invest a 1/2 day or so in getting there and seeing everything. 1st day: tasting lunch: al's #1, portillos, possibly bari's and publican dinner: le bouchon -- Al's on Taylor is fantastic and you can't go wrong splitting a beef and then going to Mario's for some Italian Ice. Haven't been to Publican or Bari's.. What would get at Portillio's that warrent the extra stop? 2nd day: breakfast: lincoln park green market visit: lincoln park zoo, notebaart mus, lp conservatory Lunch: spoon thai or ras dashen visit: agentine meat market, wells st spice market happy hour: j-bar for wii dinner: sayat nova after: signatures for fireworks and desserts -- This is a busy day and you are going in all directions. I would walk/cab to the Fullerton Stop from the zoo and take the RED LINE to Howard. Get off at Thorndale and have lunch at Ras Dashen which is one of my favorite places in the city. From there you can take the Red line back towards the Wells Street area. 3rd day: breakfast? museums at grant park; harry potter exhibit!! lunch: lao sze schuan tour garretts, vosges, the pier, billy goats dinner: mercat a la planxa -- Don't waste a meal at Billy Goats if you are going Navy Pier. If you do B.G, go to the original one. Also, again the HP exhibit is at the MSI and not in the vicinity of the other museums. You will probably have to re-think this day. 4th day: hot dougs at 1030am!!!! nhu lhan, pupuseria cuscaleteco, spoon thai for big tasting/lunch maybe a double decker tour? (no interest in water tours, sorry ) dinner???? help SCTV and violet hour afterwards -- Mado for dinner? It is near the Violet hour. 5th day: breakfast: fox and obel lunch? something to grab near union station??? -- Third the Lou Mitchel suggestion for breakfast/lunch over F&0 Wed Aug 12 09:22:32 -0700 2009 4938272 14209 lbs 2 4940487 "Also, again the HP exhibit is at the MSI and not in the vicinity of the other museums. You will probably have to re-think this day." But we've got Pirates! at the Field: http://www.fieldmuseum.org/pirates/ Wed Aug 12 12:23:30 -0700 2009 4939800 10261 jbw 2 4940959 I assumed the poster meant the Al's in River North by the old Planet Hollywood Portillo's. I'm not a fan of Al's, and it is a love it or hate it sort of place, but even I will agree the Taylor spot is the one you should try (mostly because you can hit Carm's and Patio and do a mini taste-a-thon). That said, if the poster wants to hit the River North Portillo's, I'd say hit Mr Beef instead of the Al's. Wed Aug 12 14:33:56 -0700 2009 4939800 32885 delk 2 4941542 If you're doing the museums at grant park for the 3rd day, a trip to the South Loop location of the Bongo Room for breakfast is in order! Not a terrible walk to the Field, as that's how we rolled on our trip.... Pirates! Arrrr..... Wed Aug 12 17:47:05 -0700 2009 4939800 255114 jes7o