A night out for a film and a bite to eat–now that’s our kind of double feature.
Here’s a twosome that Friday has checked out for you.
Theater: Wilmette Theater, 1122 Central Ave., Wilmette; 847-251-7411
Movie: “The Company”
Dinner: C. J. Arthur’s, 1168 Wilmette Ave., Wilmette; 847-256-8870
Wilmette Theater
For as long as there have been films in the Chicago area, the tiny, tidy Wilmette Theater has shown them. Opened in 1912 as a vaudeville hall, it survives nine decades later, thanks to its loyal art-house clientele.
Owned by Richard Stern since 1966, the Wilmette perfectly suits its North Shore environs like a fur coat accented by a funky brooch. For grandeur and nostalgia’s sake, it’s hard to beat the lobby–with its original photo of the Essanay Studios company, cloud-mural ceiling and ornate crown molding.
But visit the concession stand, and you’ll be charmed by the retro popcorn maker, which looks like something of Audrey Hepburn vintage. Equally charming: jumbo scones hand-packed in plastic sandwich bags, and a countertop where you can shake exotic flavored powders onto your popcorn.
Split into two 250-seat rooms in 1989, the Wilmette provides the perfect atmosphere for Robert Altman’s “The Company.” The audience has a relaxed, reserved air unspoiled by snootiness–though one thoughtless Neanderthal does let his cell phone ring during a moving dance scene.
More Top Picks Neato D10 Intelligent
The Wilmette may not boast the same accoutrements other vintage houses do. Its blue-gray screening rooms look remarkably plain. But it shows fine films, has a bold marquee (emblazoned with a crimson “W”) and an undeniable tradition worth savoring and preserving.
And in a nod to modern convenience, it has cup holders.
Specs: Two theaters; standard seating; Ultra Stereo surround sound (12 speakers in each theater).
Ticket price: $8.50, $5 seniors.
Concessions: Medium drink $2.50; medium popcorn $3.75; 10 shakers to add powdered flavor to popcorn (from chocolate marshmallow to cajun) free; cookies and cranberry scones $1.50.
Parking: Plenty of free street parking and municipal lots adjacent to the theater.
Getting there: Exit Lake Avenue east off Edens Expressway; right on Green Bay Road; left on Central Avenue. CTA Purple Line to Linden, then Pace bus 421 or 422. Metra Central Avenue stop, then walk two blocks east.
Notable: Tickets Mondays are $3; Tuesdays are two-for-one.
Coming up: “Monsieur Ibrahim” (March 5), “Broken Wings” (April 2).
C. J. Arthur’s
If this dinner and a movie date means tripping back in time, C.J. Arthur’s seems a natural. Just steps from the Wilmette, its centerpiece is a marble soda fountain built in the 1920s for Walgreens.
Arthur’s specializes in bar- and diner-type fare, though the menu, I’m told, is undergoing a revamp.
Handformed burgers are considered a house specialty. Still, my Superburger (American cheese, onions and mushrooms) suffers partly because it is undercooked. But follow-up service is so prompt, I’m sure the kitchen would have given it another go if asked. My wife fares much better with her steak fajitas.
Arthur’s also features a range of pitas, chicken fajitas, T-bone steak and a slow-cooked Yankee pot roast.
Come dessert, the apple tart a la mode makes a tasty nightcap and leaves us sated as we head back across the street.
Also worth noting: Arthur’s is family-friendly–lots of kids during our visit–and does jazz and pop-rock on weekends, and music all week long. Had we chosen to stop after “The Company,” we could have taken in a live band as well.
Hours: 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Tue.; 7 a.m.-midnight Wed.-Sat.; 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun.
Prices: Steak fajitas, $9.95; burgers, $5.95-$7.50; apple tart a la mode, $6.25; Yankee pot roast, $8.95.
Spirits: Banana banshee and mudslide shakes, $5.95; domestic draft beer, $3-$3.50, bottled beers, $3-$4.75; $3 martinis Thursday nights.