Breast cancer awareness month poster for oncology prevention campaign

Restaurant Review: Thinking Pink at River North’s Tao for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Breast cancer awareness month poster for oncology prevention campaign

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and in Chicago,  many businesses are creating special events and donating funds toward a cure. 

One such group is River North’s Tao. Throughout the month, the upscale Asian bistro and nightclub in the landmark former Chicago Historical Society building will donate 10% from the sale of select menu items, such as their Giant (pink) Fortune Cookie, (servedwith white and dark chocolate mousse!) their Spicy Tuna Tartare on Crispy Rice with spicy mayonnaise and kabayaki sauce, and the Crispy Orange Chicken with steamed bok choy to the American Cancer Society.

The TAO Experience? Tao-riffic! 

From the 20-foot tall Quan Yin statue atop a koi pond, to their dynamic two-level space, to their  custom staircase with round banquettes and Chinese daybed-influenced sofas, the Tao experience is purely upscale Asian. 

Tao meals are artfully prepared. StartwithTuna Poke, alive with pickled ginger, guacamole, and wasabi. Or, Chinese Five Spice Short Ribs, with soy, scallions, and peppers. Their Satay of Chilean Sea Bass has a Miso glaze. Chicken Wing Lollipops have peanuts, thai basil, and sweet and sour sauce. 

Beef entrees take center stage with the best cuts of meat. Wagyu RibEye Teppanyaki is served with sophisticated dips and sauces. Filet Mignon Tokyo Style is made with marrow, mushroom and onion. Filet Mignon Pepper Steak has bell peppers, shiitake mushroom, onion, and Shishito pepper flakes.  

Seafood lovers will enjoy Drunken Lobster Pad Thai with cashews, and Crispy Snapper In Sand, with toasted garlic and dried Chinese olive, while vegetarians will enjoy Tao’s Spicy Eggplant with togarashi yogurt and soybean chili, and Charred Brussels Sprouts with cilantro lime vinaigrette and puffed rice.

Tao also offers a three-course ‘Greatest Hits’ menu for $68 per person, featuring a choice of starter, entrée, and dessert.

A recent Google reviewer was ecstatic. 

“Such a beautiful place. I did not expect the interior to be so decorative & romantic. It has an elegant Asian theme. The parking garage is across the street from the restaurant. The hostess staff were very classy & kind. The waiter was very kind I didn’t catch his name. The menu has a variety of dishes. They have vegan items, seafood, steak & chicken. Everything seems to be freshly made based on the flavor of the appetizers & entrees. I wasn’t a big fan of the way they had the sushi entrée come out before my chicken entrée; they took about 15 minutes bringing out the chicken entrée. My wife had finished her entrée before I was able to get mine. Oh well, it was worth the wait. The bathrooms were clean. It’s not wheel chair accessible from what I noticed based on the main entrance. It is pricey, so be prepared to spend at least $150 for two people even if you don’t drink. But the servings are very generous.”

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) began 

NBCAM was founded in 1985 in partnership between the American Cancer Society and the pharmaceutical division of Imperial Chemical Industries (now part of AstraZeneca, producer of several anti-breast cancer drugs). The aim of the NBCAM is to promote mammography as the most effective weapon in the fight against breast cancer, according to Wikipedia sources. 

Why Pink?

In the same piece, Wikipedia sources note that in 1993 Evelyn Lauder, Senior Corporate Vice President of the Estée Lauder Companies, founded the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and established the pink ribbon as its symbol. It calls attention to what she perceived as inadequate funding for researc

Tao is located at 632 N. Dearborn. They are open for dinner Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday 5pm-10pm, and Friday and  Saturday, 5pm-11pm. They are closed Monday and Tuesday. 

NOTE: They have a dress code! TAO encourages smart, casual–elegant attire. They do not allow shorts, baseball caps, athletic apparel, tank tops or flip flops.

For reservations and more information, click here.

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago