Having experienced The Florentine ( 151 W. Adams St.; The-Florentine.net ) for dinner, I'm happy to report that lunchtime offeringswhile slightly more casual that evening dishes, overallare up to the spot's high standards.
Ensconced on the second floor of the J.W. Marriott Hotel, Executive Chef Zachary Walrath is usually known for Italian fare, and those items are in abundance hereeven if they're Italian spins on classic American dishes.
Take the Italian cobb salad, which comes with chicken, avocado, egg, tomatoes, bacon and gorgonzola. The chicken panini comes with smoked mozzarella, peperonata and basil on sourdough. ( The aforementioned dishesas well as items such as the Americano Burger, margherita pizza, Tuscan kale salad and even Italian cookiesare part of the restaurant's "Grab & Go" lunch slate, meant to make things easier for people who are, literally, on the move. )
However, for those who can take the time to stay in the elegant, friendly spot for a little while, the main menu offers some rewards of its own. Antipasti include items such as roasted figs, which beautifully combines the sweetness of the fruits with the saltiness of the pancetta. Also sinfully good are the fried-chicken sandwich ( an Italian take on the Nashville hot chicken sandwich ) and the pork-belly club, with cider-braised pork belly, tomato apple jam, garlic mayo and butter lettuce ). Other main-menu dishes range from pasta items ( with half-portions available ) to salmon to pizzas with their own twists.
Even the cocktails are not run-of-the-mill. Try the Good Old Fashioned PB&J, and you'll see what I mean.
Note: Restaurant profiles/events are based on invitations arranged from restaurants and/or firms.
Child Link's 15th Wine Fest,
benefit for foster children
By the end of every third Thursday of November, there are 65 million bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau wine that are sold and drunk. This is a celebration known globally as Beaujolais Nouveau Wine Fest, which commemorates the first wine of the season.
This year, Child Link is hosting its annual Beaujolais Nouveau event in downtown LaGrange, Illinois, on Thursday, Nov. 16, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Teaming with multiple restaurants, guests will enjoy wine, music, hors d'oeuvres, raffles and a silent auction. Guests are encouraged to visit all participating restaurants to sample different wines.
Child Link is a child-welfare agency that provides services to children and youth who need support. The programs Child Link provides include adoption, counseling, foster care and a transitional living program.
Visit childlnk.org/bnwinetasting to purchase tickets .