Madeline LaFrombois / Managing Editor

Chicago has a growing culinary scene, recognized as a hub of creativity and increasing popularity. The Windy City, known for deep-dish pizza and Italian beef, is the culinary hub of the Midwest and, once a year, hosts the James Beard Awards, a highly regarded national honor for culinary excellence. With the national attention from these awards, Chicago’s culinary reputation is expanding across the culinary world, becoming a must visit place for foodies.

Every year, Choose Chicago, the go-to website for all things tourism in this city, hosts a weeklong celebration of its growing culinary scene: Chicago Restaurant Week. This week features restaurants from every area of Cook County, spanning every cuisine. 

As a novice restaurant lover, foodie, and Hospitality and Tourism Management major with experience in restaurant- and food-and-beverage-focused classes, I’ve always wanted to participate in this week. This week offers a perfect opportunity to try new restaurants and the varied experiences they offer. During the week, I selected three Loop restaurants near Roosevelt University’s Chicago campus that offer brunch, lunch, and dinner, have menus that accommodate different dietary needs, and I had not visited before. The three restaurants and menus chosen were Avli on the Park’s brunch, Señoritas Contina on Dearborn’s lunch, and The Exchange’s dinner. 

Avli on the Park 

A Greek restaurant located about 20 minutes by foot away from the Chicago campus, just north of Millennium park. The three-course brunch menu featured popular items from their everyday menu, along with options from the lunch special menu. 

To start, I had the hummus, which came with the freshest Pita bread I’ve ever had and was apparently blended in-house. The pita was soft and warm, lightly seasoned, and the hummus was lightly seasoned yet very flavorful. The hummus was topped with crunchy chickpeas, adding the perfect crunch to this first course. 

After the hummus, I had their beet-and-brussels salad. I’m not a fan of beets; however, since this dish was labeled one of Avli’s favorites, I had to give it a try. I am happy to report that, as a beets hater, it was a well-balanced and flavorful experience. All the ingredients blended together to counteract the beet’s earthy taste. With a mix of shaved Brussels sprouts, bite-sized beet pieces, candied walnuts, dried figs, manouri cheese, and sharp green apple slices, all paired together with an oxymeli dressing, which includes infused herbs with honey and vinegar, I’m starting to revisit my original thoughts on beets. 

Finally, I finished these three courses with one of their lunch specials, the mushroom bowl. Whenever I think of Greek comfort food, I will now only think of this dish. It was truly a comfort on a freezing-cold Sunday morning. I especially appreciated the generous serving of oyster mushrooms given and the deliciously seasoned basmati rice. What really made this a delicious comfort meal was the tahini-lemon sauce, which I had no choice but to douse the bown with. 

Even at $30, which may be a bit more than the average college student can afford, it was well worth every dollar. I had leftovers as well, which lasted me for about two additional meals. The restaurant experience was excellent, as many of the seats overlook the Lakeshore East park, and the decor transports you. 

Señoritas Contina on Dearborn 

A family owned mexican restaurant, only a 10-minute walk from the Chicago campus, was a great surprise to discover. From stepping in the restaurant, it felt warm and inviting. With art across much of the walls and beautiful mosaic tiles, it is the exact experience you’d expect and desire from a meal out. The restaurant week menu featured staple dishes from their regular menu. 

The two-course lunch started with their house salad. Overall, this would be a fantastic meal on its own. It combines a light, fresh, crisp balance of flavors with a slight kick of spice from the dressing. The overall bite of the main ingredients was simple in theory but deliciously complex in texture and flavor, featuring sweet corn, bitter cucumbers, creamy avocado slices, crispy spinach, and tomato slices that rounded out the bite. 

After the delectable salad that could have been the meal by itself, I wasn’t sure I’d have enough appetite for the second part of the meal. I was glad to be wrong. When a large plate of warm Mole Enchiladas arrived at my table, my sense of hunger somehow reappeared. Especially on a blistering-cold day, the waitress and I agreed that this dish is the perfect way to counter the cold. Although there are options for meat inside the enchiladas, I opted for cheese only. The cheese was a perfect match for the mole sauce, with a few fresh greens on top that added a little crunch with each bite. The sides of beans and rice were a great addition to the meal. The beans were a little plain on their own, but with the incredibly flavorful rice and a little dab of mole sauce, they were fantastic. 

This meal was truly delicious, and I was more than happy to have leftovers to enjoy for another meal. I recommend ordering one of the dishes or sharing it with a friend, as the serving was generous. However, for a college student on a budget, large servings are fantastic. 

The Exchange 

A higher-end restaurant on Michigan Avenue, only a 4-minute walk away from the Chicago campus, this restaurant has been a dream of mine to visit. This restaurant perfectly matched my preferred decor style, and I took many photos to reference when decorating a future apartment. It featured many warm-neutral shades, wood, and jewel tones, complemented by velvet in the furniture and curtains. To put it over the top, the restaurant features a full glass ceiling in its larger dining area. Beyond the decor, the three-course dinner was inspired by Chicago’s neighborhoods. Each dish aimed to represent the soul, history, and culture of some of Chicago’s vibrant neighborhoods. 

The three-course meal, beyond a welcome glass of bubbly, began with one of the best things I had during these three meals: a Bronzeville sweet potato bisque, named for and rooted in the rich history and cuisine of Bronzeville. This soup felt like a giant bear hug from my late grandpa, so soothing and comforting. Beyond eating this in the middle of a snowstorm outside, it really was the perfect dish to counteract Chicago’s winter and just engulf you in comfort. Beyond the perfect brown butter flavor and the droplets of crème fraîche, there was the perfect amount of smoked pecans on top, giving me the perfect crunch-to-creamy ratio for this bisque. My only wish after this meal is that The Exchange would put this on its regular everyday menu. 

The second course, the entrée, was black pepper tofu, based on a signature from Michigan Avenue. This dish, as the waitress agreed, was absolutely delicious. The sauce was richly flavored, with spices that made it almost curry-like. Then paired with fluffy rice, lightly battered tofu with a light, fluffy interior, and broccolini that was well-seasoned and had a nice crunch. When all four aspects of this dish came together, it was a flavorful, comforting bite. 

To finish off this very comforting, I didn’t think it could end any better than with a slice of Chicago’s own Eli’s Cheesecake. With a light whipped cream on top, this cheesecake is iconic for a good reason. It was light and creamy, yet still with that delicious cream-cheese flavor. 

Overall The Exchange’s Chicago Restaurant Week menu seems to embody much of the culinary history and culture of this diverse and vibrant city. It is on the pricey side, as this dinner menu was $60, however I would argue that it is well worth it for a special night out. 

Trying new restaurants, especially local and locally owned ones, can be a fun way to explore this vibrant city. Even if you’re not a foodie, these restaurants offer fun experiences or night outs with friends.