Dear Valentines: We miss you

Jeff, Now you gonna make me cry? DO you remember Santa and her crazy buttons? I have tried to explain this history to my children but that is impossible they think The Olive Garden is Italian. of course they don't understand why The Chicago Tribune Building is the most beautiful skyscraper in the world. Or why I say that New architecture is lazy! Oh well we drift off into nostalgia at some point. Sweet Dreams and a happy Valentines day to you too!
Aldo, The kid from the back room

What about the Berghoff?

I miss That Steak Joynt which was on the Wells near North Avenue. It was a place I went to as a child and where -- of all things -- I learned to love escargot. The place looked like a bordello and there was something about it that was really cool. I also seem to remember that it was a place that would serve you a free steak dinner if you brought in a divorce decree. Gotta love that!

I also miss the Casbah which was on Diversey near Pine Grove. Again, it was a place I went to with my parents as a child. It was exotic inside and in the 70's ethnic food was not so prevalent. I can remember the ownwers, Faroush and Juliet who presided over the dining room and made everyone feel welcome. He was a classical music afficionado and always had great music playing. There were hanging lanterns and cozy booths. It did feel like the Casbah.

The third place I remember and long for is the old Americana Room which was on the Michigan Ave. side of the Drake Hotel -- it was a place for old dowagers and kids to eat lunch. The menu consisted of something like egg salad sandwiches and malteds. The malteds were THE BEST and each came with a couple cookies perched on the straw. It was a perfect place to get lunch when shopping on Michigan Avenue. I am not even 40 and I feel so nostalgic for these places.*sigh*

The Stockyard Inn and Plato's Place

The resturant I truly miss the most was called --
Mel Marcons, it was just across the street from Lincoln park at Beldin by the zoo entrance. The greatest sandwiches, deserts and a cool place just to relax and enjoy fabulous food. On the south side, Club El Bianco's 63rd California, The Frankilin House on Western Ave, and going way back to Bananas Steak House on Cicero Ave near 95th Street and one more Phil Smidt's in Hammond IN, best lake perch and frog legs ever. Downtown, who could forget Whimpy's Hamburgers on State Street. Or the Raliegh Room at the Drake Hotel

Big Boy is born and raise Chicago South side.

The Kungsholm with its puppet theatre, performing opera, the Seminary Restaurant at the corner of Lincoln and Fullerton,(a simple "Greek joint" coffee shop where the hip hung out in Lincoln Park's bomemian days) the Gare St. Lazare on Armitage west of Halsted, Mel Marcon's (fab onion soup in h-u-g-e crocks) Diana's Grocery in Greektown, Berghoff, the old Wabash Inn, Jacque's on Michigan Ave...there are SO MANY!

Back in the day--these restaurants were top shelf and I miss them so.

Jacques, Doro's, Billy's on Rush, the Empire Room with dinner/shows where people actually dressed up to go out. Arturo's on 1400 Lake Shore Drive.
The list goes on.

I really miss the Busy Bee. Great Polish food...I loved the Chicken Kiev, the mashed potatos (with little sprinkles of parsley), the soups, the cucumber salad, the cole slaw...the beets! That was my lunch haunt for years. As far as other places...how about the Golden Ox? I stumbled out of there far too many times after over imbibing on gin martinis with bleu cheese olives.

Jimmy's - The food soared with the music.

I can't believe you left off the Berghoff, I will never stop missing the creamed spinach and best mashed potatoes in the world. Also, I miss the Blackhawk, with its spinning salad bowl.

To Jeff Lyon: You lament the Corona Cafe; however, your opening sentence, "Remember the Harris Bank slogan,'The big bank with the little bank inside". WELL..... the Harris had its Lion, but the CONTINENTAL BANK had its Kangaroo; hence, the Big Bank with the Little Bank inside.Obviously, this most popular of the bank's slogans did not reach you. An ex-Con.

How about these:

Northside and suburbs -- Miller's on Western; Black Angus; The Cork; The Prime Rib; Fritz! That's It!; Fanny's; La Maisonette; Piccolo Mondo; Seven Hills; Chef Alberto's

Lakeview and Lincoln Park: Tango; Yorkshire Room; Al Farber's (who cares about Ambria?); L'Auberge; Four Torches; Maison Michelle; Mel Markon's; Ricky's

Gold Coast and Near North: Le Coq au Vin; Red Carpet; ACORN ON OAK; Drake Drugstore; Fred Harvey's; Maison Lafite; L'Epuisette; Cafe de Paris; Mon Petit; Maxim's; Germania Inn; Dill Pickle; The Magic Pan; Don the Beachcomber; The Embers; Singapore; Armando's; Agostino's; Riccardo's; Wrigley Building; Kon Tiki Ports; Nantucket Cove

Loop: Don Roth's Blackhawk; Stouffer's; Top of the Rock; The Seagull; Cafe La Tour; Maurice's; Binyon's; THE REAL BERGHOFF; Le Bourdeaux; Pittsfield Dining Room; London House and The Brief Encounter; Trader Vic; Cafe Bonaparte; The Empire Room; Park Row Steak and Rib Room; George Diamond's; The Tipperary Inn and The Royal Scot's Grill; Indian Head Steak House; The Cart; Johnny's Steak House; King Arthur's Pub; Johnny Latner's; Club on 39; Little Corporal; Jolly Chef; Country Store; Harding's; Heather House in Carson Pirie Scott

Southside: The Court House; Mickleberry's; Beverly House; Rib Hill; Anchorage; Branding Iron; Tropical Hut; Alexander's

These are but a few ... these are the kind of restaurants that make one nostalgic and I pity the young people who didn't experience such places. Who will ever be nostalgic for TGIF or the Corner Bakery???? Or even the "swank" places on West Randolph. They are soul-less, tasteless, pretentious "deaf" traps that are catering to soul-less, tasteless, pretentious idiots.

My favorite missing restaurant is "Isbell's". Located on North Rush Street, just north of Oak. My parents had an ethnic restaurant (Czechoslovakian) long before it was Chic. It was located in Pilsen, when Pilsen was still inhabited by Czechs and Slovaks. After my folks closed up their restaurant on Saturday night (in the summer), they would take me and my cousin Joe on a Midnite Cruise down at Lake Michigan. My parents would be dancing below deck to a real live band and my cousin and I would run about the top deck. After that we would head over to "Isbell's" on Rush Street. It had such a "clubby" atmosphere. The bar room was to your left and the dining room was to your right as you walked thru the revolving doors. As a little girl, I loved their shrimp cocktails and I had my first blue point oyster at Isbell's. Sunday noon they served, for the staggering amount of about $2.50 a chicken dinner in a skillet. I remember chicken, buttered noodles, and bright green peas. I especially loved their frozen strawberry parfait. Later on, I introduced my future husband to Isbell's. They even had a private phone booth next to the front door. My friends and I celebrated our high school graduation there and had our first sloe gin fizzes.(In the late 50's, girls could legally drink) Isbell's later became the night club "Faces". My husband and I went there one time, but it just wasn't the same.

Frere Jacques on Clark.

Does anyone have a recipe for the old Blackhawk creamed spinach? I loved that restaurant.