The holidays are stressful enough without having to stand in long lines with a whiny child. Thus, we are not fans of the Walnut Room holiday lunch scene.
But, we love breakfast at Marshall Field’s Walnut Room (State and Washington Streets; 312-781-3125) this time of year. Even at 9:30 a.m. (the room opens at 8 a.m.), there were plenty of empty tables near the Christmas tree, but still enough holiday chatter to make the place festive. The chive scrambled eggs were rubbery and the potatoes coolish, but the sausages were nice and juicy and the service extremely cordial. Even after a visit to Santa, we were able to get out of Field’s in an hour. With parking validation (at the service desk) for the lot across Randolph Street ($10) and breakfast ($12) with coffee and tip, we did the whole thing for $22.
Other holiday treats
In Daley Plaza, not only can you get a good imported beer, but you can sample German fare at Christkindlmarket through Dec. 22. We recently scarfed down a slightly soggy but de-lish weiner schnitzel sandwich, a decadent banana and Nutella crepe and a salty bowl of the beef and vegetable soup solyanka (reflecting the Russian influence). New this year is a guy with a three-foot wide skillet doing German stirfry and currywurst (chunks of beef sausage, deep fried and doused in a curry ketchup). Weird but tasty. Each dish costs about $5.
Goose intestines and more
Speaking of weird and tasty, we were finally able to sample goose intestines with picked vegetables at Ken Kee Restaurant (2129A S. China Place; 312-326-2088) in Chinatown Square. On previous visits, we were offered a plate of pig intestines instead. As if. Turns out, the dish is worth the wait. Tender but slightly chewy and sweet with lots of piquant vegetables, the dish makes for a lovely snack over rice. Not nearly as fatty or malodorous as pig entrails, the humble goose gets our vote for best intestines yet.
While we were in Chinatown, we stopped by Shui Wah Restaurant (2162A S. Archer Ave.; 312-225-8811), which is the only place serving a special chiu chow cabbage with pig stomach soup. A house specialty, the broth is believed by many to keep you warm, body and soul. The mild mellow broth glows with a certain gingery/cinnamony warmth that did indeed give us a heated sensation. The tender pieces of cabbage, pork and pig stomach were almost unnecessary.
Water for everyone
Anyone who frequents fancy-pants restaurants has probably encountered the dreaded bottled water moment when the waiter tries to make you feel like a cheapo for drinking tap water. In an exceedingly civilized move, Tony Mantuano recently decided to remove that moment from an evening at Spiaggia (980 N. Michigan Ave. 312-280-2750). There, the San Pelligrino and Panna flow all night gratis.
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“We just felt it was something a four-star dining level would include in the price of dinner,” chef/partner Mantuano said. “The uncomfortable part of dining comes when one bottle is gone and the waiter replaces it and the guest is surprised when it shows up on the bill. Now when one bottle is gone, we just bring another and you can have as much as like without a charge. And you can visit our recently remodeled bathrooms as much as you like, too.”