Streeterville Social ( 455 N. Park Dr..; www.loewshotels.com/chicago-downtown/streeterville-social ), as its name indicates, is in a tony area ( being in the Loews Chicago Hotel )and the rooftop lounge exhibits a fun vibe, stunning views and delicious bites.
Open on the third floor of the hotel until Sept. 30, the spot is 9,000 square feet, making it one of the largest rooftop lounges in the city. In addition, there is a variety of seats, from typical outdoor chairs under umbrellas to romp-worthy couchesmaking for a combination of open and intimate spaces.
As for the food, it was uniformly delightful. The tomato-watermelon salad was suitably refreshing and the walleye fish tacos were meaty, with a tangy kick. The avocado toast ( with miso mayo, bonito flakes, togarashi and herb salad ) was almost too pretty to eatbut tasted even better than it looked. Regarding dessert, the chocolate bonet ( with chocolate custard, honey cake and pickled plums ) was a complex but rewarding dish.
Streeterville Social is a must-visitfor several reasons. Be sure to stop by before the end of this month.
Bourbon on Division
Another place that ( kind of ) lets you know where it isas well as what it sellsis the Southern-themed Bourbon on Division ( 2050 W. Division St.; BourbonOnDivision.com ).
And as befits a place that specializes in bourbon, the venue has a warm, woody look and feel that comes across as homey. ( It has the details, toodown to the water bottle that's actually a bourbon vessel. )
Going there recently for brunch with a friend, we found a place that was criminally empty. Hopefully, after word gets out about the food there, that will change.
There was a nice array of sweet and savory dishes, including the pecan-crusted fried chicken that came on the tastiest, crispiest cornmeal waffles one could imagine. However, the very filling sausage and gravy wasn't far behind in appealand nor was the stuffed French toast. ( Hopefully, the website will have the brunch menu up soon. )
Oh, and there's a pretty unique dessert to try: a deconstructed carrot cake that, for my dining companion and me, managed to taste healthful and decadent at the same time.
Note: Restaurant profiles/events are based on invitations arranged from restaurants and/or firms.