Sure, they’ve recorded some ridiculous songs, sported some ridiculous big haircuts and worn ridiculously tattered jeans, but Bon Jovi also plays to ridiculously large crowds when they tour. Any band that plays Soldier Field–as the New Jersey lite-rockers do Friday night–must be onto something.
While thirtysomething concertgoers might keep their hair-metal plans quiet around the office, they’ll still need to scout out eats before the show. And luckily, the neighborhood surrounding Soldier Field is exploding like Jon Bon Jovi’s 1986 perm.
So we asked Luca Serra, senior manager of marketing and sales for Soldier Field, where stadium employees go for food and drinks near the venue. He recommended a “Taste of Wabash” tour–cocktails at Wabash Tap (1233 S. Wabash Ave., 312-360-9488), Italian grub at Gioco (1312 S. Wabash, 312-939-3870), Mexican fare at Zapatista (1307 S. Wabash, 312-435-1307) and Chinese at Opera (1301 S. Wabash, 312-461-0161).
Now, nobody would confuse Bon Jovi with opera–no matter how heavy Richie Sambora gets–but music is music, so I loaded the family into the Camry and drove to 13th and Wabash, where Opera’s rather plain exterior masks a funky dining room.
We started with pork & ginger dumplings ($7), which arrived tender and plump in a spicy broth that necessitated a frosty Tsingtao beer ($5). Next up was a chicken and mushroom stir-fry ($18) and the crisp orange beef ($18).
Were we heading to the concert, we’d have left our car with the valet service ($10) and walked the few blocks east to Soldier Field. Instead, we traveled a few blocks north in search of a hot-fudge sundae at the Eleven City Diner (1112 S. Wabash, 312-212-1112). But after waiting 10 minutes before a waiter acknowledged our presence, then getting shorted with our change, we recommend buying an ice-cream cone from a vendor during show.
The next stop on our Taste of Wabash–during a subsequent visit–was Zapatista, where my steak fajitas ($12.99) were served in a bowl of boiling broth and cheese. And while it tasted great, it was the first time I’d ever feared an entree.
In need of something cool, we headed north to the Wabash Tap and found it dark, dank and smoky–the way bars should be.
But with our young daughter along, we skipped the bar and opted for Gioco, where rock tunes played gently and a trio of sorbets ($7) and a bowl of creme brulee ($8) cooled our jets.
It was a fitting, fattening end that would have sated even Sambora.
More Top Picks Best Electronic Magnifiers For Low Vision
Bon Jovi with Nickelback
When: 6 p.m. Friday
Where: Soldier Field, 1600 S. Lake Shore Drive
Price: $46-$126; 312-559-1212 or 312-747-1285
———-