Restaurant Review – Happy Holiday Meals from Dean’s Team Chicago!

For the first time since 1991, there’s a convergence of celebration days in April. As reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, Easter (Christian and Orthodox) Passover (Jewish) Ramadan (Muslim) Vaisakhi (Sikhs) Mahavir Jayanti (Hindu) Theravada New Year (Buddhist) and the Gathering of Nations (Indigenous Americans) all provide an opportunity to strengthen family and friendships over a special meal. Or, to celebrate something completely new and different! 

The Bagel, 3107 N. Broadway in Lakeview, is serving a dine-in Traditional Passover Dinner for $39 per person, starting with your choice of a chopped egg/onion salad or chopped liver, their special gefilte fish with horseradish, followed by golden chicken broth with matzo ball. Entrees include brisket of beef au jus and roasted tender spring chicken, served with carrot-sweet potato and prune Tzimmes, green bean and onion Almondine, coconut macaroons and a coffee, tea or fountain beverage. For more information, click here.

Streeterville’s Beatrix, 671 N. St. Clair Street, is offering both Passover and Easter Brunch for dine-in or pick up. Their Passover meal, for $52.95 per person, include House-made matzo crackers, Suzy Friedman’s vegetarian chopped liver, the traditional gefilte fish and matzo ball soup, Roasted Chicken with garlic herb marinade, Slow-Braised Short Rib with sherry jus, green beans, potato pancakes and flourless chocolate cake. Additionally, Easter specials feature scrambled eggs, baked French Toast with fresh berries and whipped cream, melon & berries, maple chicken sausage, brown sugar bacon and fresh-squeezed Valencia orange juice adorn their dinner menu and are also available to go. For their Easter and Passover ‘happenings,’ click here.

In Lincoln Square, Cafe Selmarie, 4729 N. Lincoln Avenue, is open for limited indoor dining with proof of vaccination. According to Choose Chicago, the restaurant will be offering Easter and Passover bakery specials. Brunch will be served on Easter Sunday, no reservations required. You can pre-order Easter brunch to go and find out more information by clicking here.

Easter on the water? At Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Avenue, City Cruises is hosting a 2-hour Easter Signature Brunch Cruise on Lake Michigan. The $84.90 for adults and $64.90 children (over the age of two) tickets  include a brunch buffet with freshly prepared entrees, salads, and desserts, unlimited coffee, hot tea, iced tea, and water, while a DJ entertains. For tickets and information, click here.

etta is celebrating with a robust Easter menu at their Bucktown, 1840 W. North Avenue, and River North, 700 N. Clark Street locations. Their menu includes such favorites as the etta chopped, with grilled baby artichokes, rhubarb, mustard greens, hot smoked salmon, red onion, champagne vinaigrette, dill, yogurt, everything bagel spice, avocado, egg, grains & seeds. Your choices of plates include a breakfast sandwich, with a farm egg atop an English muffin, with cheddar, pork belly, sausage, fluffy greens, crispy potatoes, maple-glazed bacon, challah French toast, and so much more! For information and reservations, click here.

Anmol Restaurant, 2858 W. Devon Ave, in West Ridge, serves “the most delicious South Asian Cuisine (Indian & Pakistani) in Chicago,” they say. “Our passion for great quality food and ingredients, paired with our culinary background, allows us to bring you the most tasteful, flavor-packed food. We provide a great variety of options for everyone!” Entrees include Chicken Karahai, a stir fry spicy and savory with tomatoes, ginger, jalapeno, and cilantro, or Frontier Chicken Strips, with tandoori masala, grilled onions, peppers, ginger, and jalapeno peppers. So much more! For more information, click here.

Amitabul, 6207 N. Milwaukee Avenue, in Forest Glen, is run by brothers Bill and Dave Choi, and gets vegetables from their Buddhist temple for them to make their vegan Bi Bim Bop. Their restaurant “is a vegan merging of traditional Korean preparation and Western taste.” For more information, click here.

Happy holidays to all!

Alison Moran-Powers andDean’s Team Chicago