Champagne and Sushi

Cocktails, Anyone?
We had some great chats over drinks—marriages, children, careers. The first watering hole we discovered was the Atwood Café, located in the historic Hotel Burnham, just across the street from Macy’s at State Street. It was there that we met the French martini. Our bartender put his own spin on the vodka, Chambord, and pineapple drink by adding a splash of Champagne—the perfect touch. So the French martini made an appearance here and there throughout our weekend, as did our customary glasses of pure bubbly—most of them in our lobby bar at The James.

Trips to Chicago are not complete without a stop at the Ralph Lauren Restaurant. In the current climate of Euro–hip bars, the bar at the RL Restaurant provides that perfect counterbalance with its dark wood-paneled walls, loads of framed art and books, and lots of rich leather. We scored a corner table near the fireplace with a view of the historic Water Tower Place. We sipped (you guessed it) champagne, nibbled on cheese, and enjoyed a divine lobster bisque.

Also not far from our hotel was Pops For Champagne. The Champagne bar is open from 3 p.m. until 2 a.m. and offers 125 Champagnes and sparkling wines, plus a raw bar, caviar, small plates, and cheeses, all with the perfect flavors to please a Champagne–sipping palate. As a sidenote, the owner, Tom Verhey, is a St. Paul native.

Dining Out
We are three women who appreciate good food, so dinners were a priority. Fortunately, one of the hottest steak houses in town, David Burke’s Primehouse, is located in The James. The décor offers a fresh and modern take on the classic Chicago–style steak house—including deep red, leather-topped dining tables. Like any good restaurant, it’s a little crowded and has great buzz. The meat is all dry aged on the premises in the lower-level Himalayan salt room. We shared two cuts of Black Angus beef, including a rib eye that was aged for seventy-five days and had a slight hint of Gorgonzola flavor.

We also scored high with a recommendation to try Socca in Wrigleyville. The neighborhood bistro serves a chef-driven menu of Mediterranean–inspired cuisine, including homemade pastas, fresh fish, poultry, and pork.

Our last night, we took in the scene at Japonais, a contemporary Japanese and sushi restaurant. The service was less personable than the other restaurants we’d visited, yet the staff was attentive and the food succulent. And I could have one of their sake martinis (with fresh cucumber) every Saturday night.

Sunday Morning
Our flight home was at 2:30 p.m. So we opted for Meet the Press, room service, and a leisurely morning. It’s a morning experience moms don’t often get, so we decided to soak it up as long as possible. But we saved just enough time to hit the Nordstrom shoe department (for us) and Vosges (exotic truffles for the husbands), both located in Westfield North Bridge on Michigan, before grabbing a cab to O’Hare.