Daily Archives: September 28, 2009

The Berghoff and Berghoff Café continue one of Chicago’s longest restaurant legacies

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Berghoff Café Chicago
17 W. Adams
Chicago, IL 60603
(312) 427-7399

Hours: 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Monday – Friday
Prices: $4.25 – $13.05

By Lee Barrie and Cindy Kurman
Story originally appeared in StreetWise

Unquestionably, the Berghoff is one of Chicago’s most illustrious restaurants, with a history going back to 1882. The restaurant actually started as a brewery and the namesake beer continues to be its signature offering. This large, multi-room German American restaurant got major publicity two years ago when word got out that it was closing. Actually, this wasn’t quite accurate.

Fourth-generation owner, Carlyn Berghoff, opened the Berghoff Café Chicago, a casual cafeteria-style cafe downstairs and opened 17/West in the original space. But soon after, she realized how important the Berghoff legacy is and so 17/West is now known simply as the Berghoff and the Café operates downstairs as planned. Both the Café and the Berghoff offer many family favorites plus more contemporary comfort fare.

The Berghoff Café is open Monday through Friday during the lunch period and is an excellent place to enjoy a wide range of German specialties, signature sandwiches, Panini, salads and pizza. Guests can order at the counter and seat themselves in the spacious dining rooms or simply stop by for carry out.

The Café’s specialties include the traditional Weiner Schnitzel and Sauerbraten. They are hearty and perfected over the year. For a taste of Chicago history, you must give them a try; you won’t be disappointed.

Italian dishes include the Chicken Parmesan sandwich with homemade potato chips, the Italian Combo sandwich with Genoa salami, provolone cheese, pepperoncini, capicola and Italian dressing, Cheese-filled Tortellini with pesto, a pasta of the day, an Italian Salad with Genoa salami, provolone cheese, capicola, and Italian vinaigrette, and either Pepperoni or 4-cheese Pizza.
At the carving station, you’ll find hearty, tasty sandwiches, including Corned Beef, Roast Beef, Roast Turkey, Turkey Meatloaf, and their traditional Bratwurst, all served with a Berghoff pickle; sauerkraut is optional.

The Café has not left out Chicago’s latest sandwich preference, the Panini. Choices include Black Forest Ham with brie and apricot wasabi, Corned Beef or Turkey Reuben, with Swiss cheese and sauerkraut on rye with Thousand Island dressing, and the Grilled Portobello & Asparagus on olive bread with goat cheese and roasted peppers.

Additional salad selections are spot on with today’s tastes: the Berghoff Café Cobb Salad, with turkey and choice of dressing; the Pear Salad with Mixed greens, pear slices, candied walnuts, sun-dried cherries tossed in a Champagne vinaigrette. Grilled chicken is optional; The Asian Salad with chicken breast, tossed with Napa cabbage, radicchio and wonton ribbons in a sweet peanut vinaigrette; Caesar Salad, with fresh Romaine lettuce, croutons and parmesan cheese. Grilled chicken is optional.

While you’re in the Café, don’t forget to stop upstairs to take a look around the Berghoff. Its historic ambiance is still a wonder to behold. We’ll talk about the main restaurant at a later date. In the meantime, grab a delicious casual lunch at the Café. Better yet, grab a colleague or shopping mate and enjoy it together.

A Mano: An Irresistile, Spacious Trattoria to Relax and Enjoy Friends

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A Mano
335 N. Dearborn
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 629-3500
http://www.amanochicago.com/

Hours: 11:30-2 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday;
11:30-2 p.m. and 5 p.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Prices: Antipasti Bar, $12; Pizza, $12.50; Entrées: $12-$24

A Mano, from the owners of the popular Bin 36 restaurant upstairs, is a delicious addition to Chicago’s growing collection of contemporary Italian trattorias with a stylish and casually chic vibe. And with its Bin 36 lineage, A Mano offers multi-faceted wine and cocktail menus. With its openness and varied seating spaces, the restaurant is an irresistible place to relax and enjoy conversation with friends over a nice glass of wine or a cocktail and some intriguing country-style Italian food.

Located in River North, but very near the Loop, A Mano works very well for lunch, as an after-work wind-me-down or as an interesting place for a casual dinner. On warm weather days, there is a comfortable outdoor seating area overlooking Dearborn.

The lunch menu offers a stellar combination of authentic wood-fired oven pizza, soup, salads, Panini and pasta. A welcome and delicious feature which separates A Mano from other trattorias is a robust antipasti bar ($12 per person) that can be ordered alone or as an accompaniment to the menu items. One can easily construct a balanced, filling meal from the antipasti bar alone, but coupled with a Panini, pizza or pasta dish, the meal is a taste treat, indeed. The antipasti items change daily, but you’ll find some salads, tapenades, Italian cheeses, crostini, frittata, focaccia, grilled vegetables and homemade soup.

The dinner menu offers a nice selection of Italian specialties. If you’re interested in some shared appetizers for the table, A Mano offers a variety of smoked meats and Italian cheeses. Other starters include a nice Trio of Bruschetta and an Antipasti Plate. Salads are plentiful, including an Asparagus Salad, Prosciutto di Parma with Summer Melon, Caesar Salad, Heirloom Tomato Salad and an Argula Salad.

The wood-fired pizza is very fresh; the crust is thin and crispy. We enjoyed the house made A Mano Fennel Sausage as well as the Classic Margherita. Other intriguing choices include Fresh Mozzarella, Fresh Whole Manila Clams, Wild Mushroom, Prosciutto di Parma, and Soppressata Salami.

Panini selections run the gamut from hearty to light, and all are tasty. Choices include Prosciutto & Mozzarella with oven dried tomatoes and arugula, Grilled Vegetables with fresh goat cheese, Chicken Parmigiana with marinara sauce and arugula, and the house specialty, Nonna Caputo’s Meatballs with marinara sauce and fontina cheese.

Pasta dishes are also given solid attention. Among the more unique choices are Linguini with mussels, clams and shrimp in a white wine and saffron broth, Garganelli with Wild Boar Ragu, Raisins and Pine Nuts, Lobster & Scallop Ravioli and a Risotto of the Day. Entrée choices include Grilled Flat Iron Steak, Whole Roasted Fish of the Day and a half Rotisserie Chicken with olive oil mashed potatoes.

A Mano offers a generous dessert menu, including Cannoli, Chocolate and Espresso Mousse, Tiramisu and a Strawberry and Pizelle Neopoleon. We thought the homemade gelati and sorbets made for an excellent, refreshing finale.
Don’t forget to check out the nightly specials. There are good deals for everyone, even the kids on Monday.