It’s not so much the cost of a nice restaurant meal, really (though that’s not cheap). It’s everything else — tipping the waiter, paying (and tipping) the valet, filling the gas tank. Oh, and a baby-sitter! That’s not cheap.
We wondered: Is there an alternative? Something between a $200 night out and another boring night on the couch? We wondered whether it’s possible to have an elegant, delicious meal at home for $30, by picking up food at a top-flight restaurant. Some restaurants are thinking the same thing by making takeout easier, bringing the food to your car and developing ingenuous packaging to ensure it arrives home hot and fresh.
Still, the question remains. Would $30 buy enough lovingly crafted upscale food to satisfy two hungry people, or would they be pouring bowls of Cap’n Crunch and milk later? Would the ordering and pickup be easy enough? Would the food survive the journey home? We scattered across Chicagoland to find out.
More Top Picks Taotronics Tt Bh060
— Trine Tsouderos
Note: Prices do not include tax or tips
$29 at Restaurant Michael
64 Green Bay Rd., Winnetka; 847-441-3100, restaurantmichael.com
What we got: Duo of grilled rack and roast loin of Australian lamb ($29).
What is undoubtedly pretty on the white restaurant plate looked kind of gaunt (and tasted somewhat cold) after the drive home. That said, perfectly pink loins sat in a rich warming pudding of tarragon and roasted corn. A single bite wielded a smooth, juicy wallop — nothing surprising, but that’s the intention of this bastion of North Shore good taste and smart restraint.
Make it a meal: We added a ragout of escargot and veal sweetbreads ($13) which didn’t look much prettier after transit than the lamb, but the textures and tastes (chewy and crisp), and the confidence in traditional upscale (read: old, old school) techniques, won us over. So did the graciousness: Our waiter threw in the breads we would have been served had we dined in, plus chocolate truffles, and an amuse-bouche of cheese puffs. (Our waiter even gave us directions on how to heat them.)
The wrap: Nothing fancy. Tins and paper lids.
Order up: We placed our order in person, and they were enthusiastic, even charming. The amuse-bouche came nestled in a large sculpted hoop of tin foil.
Next time? We’ll order more, and eat there.
— Christopher Borrelli
$28 at Shikago
190 S. LaSalle St.; 312-781-7300, shikagorestaurant.com
What we got: Duck with truffled foie gras flan entree ($28).
A fan of medallions of perfectly tender duck is accompanied by truffled foie gras flan, yogurt, vinegar, blackberry jelly and mustard greens. Each bite is like an earthier, more decadent version of Thanksgiving dinner. Outrageously delicious.
Make it a meal: We would pair this with a simple salad dressed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil plus a bold pinot noir with a hint of blackberry.
The wrap: A plastic takeout container with a snap-on lid. The vinegar leaked out of its little pot on the way home, but that did not ruin the dish.
Order up: Shikago was more than happy to prepare takeout. Call ahead and leave your car outside with the blinkers on while you pick up your food. Otherwise, you’re probably going to have to park in a pricey nearby parking garage.
Next time? For $30, this just wasn’t near enough food for two. But it might be worth shelling out more cash to actually go to the restaurant (and having that duck again) for dinner.
— Trine Tsouderos
$29 at Sepia
123 N. Jefferson St.; 312-441-1920, sepiachicago.com
What we got: Flatbread with anchovy ($6) and whole wheat pasta with smoked duck breast ($23). (Or opt for whole wheat pasta with wild mushrooms, $12; photo above).
With really only enough budget for one, we split a two-course meal: the flatbread, with sticky bites of sweet and salty, had not lost its snap in transit, and the anchovy stayed as briny and candyish as we hoped. The pasta, wide and thick ribbons, wound around each other, had a rich meaty taste, and resting on top, remarkably, was a poached egg — which had not broken.
Make it a meal: We threw in an additional order of sea scallops with pork belly ($15), which were tender and succulent and large — not the muscular, knotty enormous scallops we were half expecting. (Late at night, still hungry, we had a bowl of cereal.)
The wrap: Plastic bins, so well sealed they drained some of the crustiness out of the flatbread.
Order up: The hostess resisted our takeout order — they didn’t do much takeout, she said, and they were way busy to boot. But we pleaded, and they happily relented, though pointedly said that the real Sepia experience is not a takeout one.
Next time? We didn’t get much food for our $30, but it was delicious. A nice tease for the actual restaurant.
— Christopher Borrelli
$25 at Old Town Brasserie
1209 N. Wells St.; 312 943-3000
What we got: Salade lyonnaise with frisee, Belgium endive, poached egg, smoked bacon, Parmesan crouton and a mustard vinaigrette ($7); pate maison ($11), a variety of housemade pates, pickled daikon radish, cornichons and mustard, and duck consomme with truffle ravioli and diced vegetables ($7).
Most of the food held its temperature, though we gave the ultra-intense duck consomme an extra minute in the microwave. Although the consomme was full of flavor, the truffle ravioli had no discernible truffle flavors.
More Top Picks Best Laser Printers
The pates paired with cornichon, daikon, mustard and crusty slices of bread made for good eating. The salad may not have been the best bet as the poached egg needed to be cooled for transport, which spoils the temperature contrasts we like so much in a salade lyonnaise.
Make it a meal: Add red wine and some Edith Piaf tunes.
The wrap: Pretty sturdy black and clear plastic packaging held food temperatures. Nothing leaked; we were careful to hold the flat-bottomed bag upright.
Order up: We found the menu online at chicago.menupages.com and easily ordered over the phone. Parking with hazard lights was pretty easy and pickup at the bar was fairly fast. If you arrive before 7 p.m., you can get deli-style takeout from their to-go store.
Next time? Keep the pate, switch to a goat cheese salad and arrive in time to check out the goodies in the deli.
— Monica Eng
$28.90 at Scoozi!
410 W. Huron St.; 312-943-5900, leye.com
What we got: The gnocchi trio ($14.95) and tagliatelle Bolognese ($13.95).
The three variations of gnocchi — Bolognese sauce, prosciutto and asparagus in a Parmesan cream sauce, and herbs and a tomato cream sauce — were a delight, thanks to the pillowy, soft pasta. We also enjoyed the housemade noodles in the tagliatelle dish, which came bathed in a meaty, rich sauce. The dishes also came with chewy bread.
Make it a meal: Grab a salad, oil and vinegar and a bottle of wine, and you have a meal.
The wrap: Each variety of gnocchi came in its own plastic container. The bread came in a paper sleeve. Nothing leaked and it all arrived hot, though the tagliatelle was a little soft and may have overcooked on the way home.
Order up: Scoozi! makes it extremely easy and quick to pick up takeout. Just phone ahead, park in the valet drop-off area in front of the restaurant and pick up your order — ours was already packaged and ready — at the coat check inside the front door.
Next time? Absolutely. Enough food for two meals and it could not have been easier. Plus, I would never attempt to make gnocchi or tagliatelle on my own at home.
— Trine Tsouderos
$26.85 at Carlucci
1801 Butterfield Rd., Downers Grove; 630-512-0990, carluccirestaurant.com
What we got: Baby spinach salad with pears, walnuts, dried cherries and Gorgonzola cheese with a walnut-oil vinaigrette ($7.95); orrechiette pasta in a tomato-cream sauce ($12.95), and a lemon tart with raspberry sauce ($5.95).
The spinach was beautiful, like it had been picked minutes ago, and the other ingredients in this large salad added a range of textures and tastes. Orrechiette pasta, in a tomato cream sauce, included pieces of mild Tuscan sausage and was delicious. The lemon tart with raspberry sauce made a fine dessert. A fourth container held a bonus: four pieces of focaccia bread. The bread was a bit past its prime, frankly (not surprising at 9:30 p.m.), but for a freebie, it wasn’t bad.
Make it a meal: Had I skipped dessert, I could have ordered two side vegetables — say, roasted mushrooms, Parmesan fries and/or steamed asparagus — and still stayed within budget. This was more food than my wife and I could finish. I’d say this order easily would feed three adults, maybe four.
The wrap: Dishes were packed individually in aluminum containers with clear plastic lids; a separate container held the salad dressing. The large shopping bag held some plastic cutlery and paper napkins for good measure. When I got home, my entree was still hot and nothing had leaked.
Order up: A snap. I consulted the restaurant’s online menu, phoned ahead and was told my order would be waiting at the bar. Which it was, bagged and ready to go.
Next time? With pickup that’s this convenient — and more than 20 main courses priced less than $20 — I’d do this again in a minute. My only criticism: online prices are slightly out of date.
— Phil Vettel