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.
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Theater: Esquire, 58 E. Oak St., 312-280-0101
Movie: “Finding Neverland”
Dinner: Hugo’s Frog Bar and Fish House, 1024 N. Rush St., 312-640-0999
I’ll never forget my first year in Chicago, living on the 29th floor of a Gold Coast high-rise at Oak and State Streets. If I cocked my head just right, I could look out my wee kitchen window and spy a slice of Lake Michigan.
Those bachelor-pad years will always be filled with enchantment. What a perfect locale, then, to revisit–this time with my wife, Amy–for a magical movie and a meal. After dinner at Hugo’s Frog Bar, it was steps down ritzy Oak Street to catch “Finding Neverland” at the Esquire, a film house with a rich, romantic history.
Esquire
This month marks the 67th anniversary of the Esquire, which bowed in 1938 as a luxurious 1,350-seat Art Deco theater. Its streamlined design (known as Art Moderne) was heavily influenced by the city’s 1933 Century of Progress Expo. The Esquire’s chief architect, William Pereira, later made his mark as the designer of San Francisco’s famous Transamerica Pyramid. A Tribune writer, reviewing the movie house upon its completion, gushed that the Esquire contained “every new idea and innovation in motion picture theatre construction.”
Built for $235,000, the posh Esquire once boasted its own art gallery and spiffy ushers. It was the first theater in the country to utilize push-back seats, co-invented by actor and Errol Flynn sidekick Alan Hale (whose son Alan Jr. found fame as the Skipper on “Gilligan’s Island”).
And while it sold imported candy, the Esquire refused to peddle popcorn for at least two decades after its opening. When it finally gave in, it was the last of its local contemporaries to do so.
But the old theater–which once sported elegant deco fixtures and red and green granite block in the entrance area–is a far cry from the what is there today. In 1987, the Esquire closed despite a pitched battle to save it.
In the end, only the exterior of the building was preserved. The interior was demolished and a six-theater multiplex opened in 1990; part of the Esquire also was carved up for commercial use.
The current Esquire pays some homage to its glorious past, with its splendid marquee and interior deco accents. But as part of the Loews chain, there’s little else to distinguish it from the typical movie house. And in recent years, reports have circulated that the once-proud venue is slated for sale and redevelopment–in part due to competition from more modern neighboring multiplexes.
Yet it’s easy to behold the scalloped, cream-colored brick edifice, that bold neon sign, and feel the same sense of being swept away the best films provide. It’s a fit setting to find Neverland.
Specs: Six theaters, ranging in size from 212 to 245 seats; 1,377 total seats. Dolby stereo and DTS digital surround sound.
Ticket price: $9.25-$9.50; kids 11 and under and seniors $6.50. Any movie Monday through Friday before 6 p.m. and the first shows Saturday and Sunday cost $6.50.
Concessions: Medium drink, $3.50; medium popcorn, $4.45.
Parking: A paid lot at 2 E. Oak St. offers discounted parking for $12.50, with validation, for up to four hours.
Getting there: CTA bus routes 22 (Clark), 29 (State), 36 (Broadway) or any of the various bus routes running along the Magnificent Mile, including 151 (Sheridan). By “L,” take the Red Line to Clark and Division and walk three blocks south and three blocks east.
Coming up:
March 11: “Dear Frankie,” “Gunner Palace”
For more information: 312-280-0101 or www.loewscineplex.com.
Hugo’s Frog Bar and Fish House
Formerly the location of a Hamburger Hamlet, Hugo’s Frog Bar has far more in common with its neighbor to the north, Gibsons Steakhouse. That’s because both Gibsons and Hugo’s have the same owners, Hugo Ralli and Steve Lombardo.
Hugo’s specializes in seafood, including tuna, halibut, salmon, whitefish, oysters–and, as befitting any flick set in England, fish and chips. Meat lovers won’t be disappointed either; the same steaks offered at Gibsons are on the Hugo’s menu as well.
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And, yes, they do serve frog legs; my wife and I, never having tried them, decided to sample an appetizer plate ($11). Though the sight of those itty-bitty limbs flexed on the plate prompted an initial wave of squeamishness, I must say they were quite tasty. Think meat on the bone not unlike buffalo wings, but much more delicate and bathed in a glorious mix of garlic butter, scallions and more garlic butter.
Be forewarned: Hugo’s entrees carry price tags befitting a Gold Coast location, but judging from our visit, there is no denying the quality of the cuisine and service.
Amy’s seared tuna steak ($27), garnished with wasabi and pickled ginger, had a buttery consistency and delicate, fresh flavor. (Hugo’s ships in and serves all its seafood the same day.) While my 12-ounce filet mignon ($32.75) came out medium (I had requested medium well), the manager was at our table so fast to check on us that I could’ve easily sent it back. I kept it, and found the cut a juicy, tender revelation–easily the best filet I’ve had in years.
We capped our meal with a “slice” of cherry pie a la mode ($7.75), which our server assured us would be enough for two. Delightfully crusty and crammed with cherries, the dessert could’ve sated a third diner as well.
Hours: The bar opens Monday through Saturday at 3 p.m. with a limited menu. Dining room hours 5 p.m.-midnight Monday through Saturday; 4 p.m.-midnight Sunday.
Prices: Bookbinder’s soup, $3-$4.75; crab cakes, $26.50; stuffed lobster, $31.50; porterhouse steak, $36.50; Australian lobster tail with small filet mignon, $89.75.
Spirits: Includes wines and champagnes ranging from $6 per glass to $500 per bottle.
Credit cards: American Express, Carte Blanche, Diner’s Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa and JBC.
For more information, visit www.hugosfrogbar.com