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Supper with Sylvia<br />
By: Sylvia Perez<br />
Hi there, I know I may look familiar.<br />
You may recognize me from my<br />
more than 20 years on TV as a<br />
ABC7news anchor and health reporter,<br />
where I covered a great deal of stories and<br />
was probably front and center on many of<br />
your TV screens. What you may not know<br />
about me, however, is that I love Chicago<br />
and trying out new restaurants, which is why I<br />
was asked to contribute with this column.<br />
I started an informal restaurant review<br />
called, Supper with Sylvia, that I post on my<br />
website [SylviaPerez.com] because everyone is<br />
always asking me what place to try next. Now,<br />
I'm excited to share it with you. And because<br />
summer is almost over, and Chicagoans love<br />
to take advantage of the outdoors, I've been<br />
trying out different outdoor dining experiences<br />
and rooftop bars. Here are a few I think<br />
you can still be able to enjoy:<br />
Picollo Sogno. The name means "little<br />
dream." It's rustic Italian food with an outdoor<br />
patio like no other. Can you say Enchanted<br />
Forest? That's what it reminds me of.<br />
My husband and I celebrate our anniversary<br />
here every year. The food is delicious. Expect<br />
nothing less from highly regarded chef Tony<br />
Priolo. Highlights include any of the homemade<br />
pastas and the branzino, a sea bass,<br />
presented to you first, then whisked away to<br />
be filleted in kitchen. Oh and try the balsamic<br />
vinegar, bottled for the restaurant and imported<br />
from Italy. It's so good you may want<br />
to drink it straight from the bottle. Overall,<br />
delicious food, a great outdoor garden setting,<br />
and you are poised to have one of the most<br />
enjoyable and romantic alfresco dinners ever.<br />
Chicago Cut. I'm a bigger fan of this highend<br />
steakhouse in the warmer months when<br />
I can sit outside. It's so popular that sitting<br />
in doors means screaming to hear each other<br />
talk and practically sitting on your neighbors<br />
lap. The food is always good here, with steak,<br />
of course, being the showcase. But the view<br />
overlooking the city and Chicago River on a<br />
gorgeous warm night is wonderful. The wine<br />
menu is definitely on the pricy side so prepare<br />
to dole out the cash. You will rarely find me<br />
sitting inside, but if you try Chicago Cut and<br />
sit outside by the river, I'll be the one with a<br />
smile on her face enjoying the end-of- summer<br />
breeze and a nice light Rosé<br />
Next, my quest to find the perfect rooftop<br />
bar! I've been trying to hit one of these places<br />
twice a month. Here's what I've learned:<br />
When it comes to outdoor bars, you are paying<br />
for the view, signature cocktails and the<br />
social scene. The food is an also-ran in some<br />
cases.<br />
Godfrey Hotel IO. Really nice setting with<br />
a beautiful city backdrop, right inside the<br />
Godfrey Hotel. Of all the rooftops I've tried,<br />
this one seems to offer the biggest food and<br />
beverage options. I thought the food was<br />
really good, especially the sliders and truffle<br />
fries. There were a variety of cocktails to<br />
choose from. When the sun went down, we<br />
were surrounded by sparkling city lights. The<br />
staff was a little odd, almost appearing snobby<br />
at times [not sure why]. But, our waitress<br />
finally warmed up after a little while.<br />
Streeterville Social. This one is<br />
billed as Chicago's largest rooftop bar. Its<br />
9,000 square feet are located at the new<br />
Loews Chicago Hotel located in Streeterville.<br />
This terrace is separated into two bar<br />
areas. Again, limited menu but our favorites<br />
were the kimchi chicken wings and the<br />
bucket o' fries. Not healthy, but fun finger<br />
picking food with the girls. There's even a<br />
grassy lawn for games. It's pretty over the<br />
top, but very relaxing because it's so large and<br />
does not feel crowded.<br />
J Parker. We had a girlfriend’s birthday<br />
party here and it was standing room only. Fortunately,<br />
we had a beautiful sectional reserved<br />
just for us. The view is spectacular, overlooking<br />
Lincoln Park and Lake Michigan. Once<br />
again, a limited menu, but a big selection of<br />
signature cocktails, wine, liquor and beer. J<br />
Parker is where the young and hip hang out,<br />
which I am not and if you're not, I still think<br />
it's definitely worth going at least once. Service<br />
was good and the workers were friendly.<br />
Trump. Finally, you can't do a rooftop roundup<br />
without mentioning the Trump! No matter<br />
your political affiliation, this by far is the most<br />
beautiful view of Lake Michigan, the Chicago<br />
River, bar none – all while surrounded by city<br />
high rises. The problem is it’s way over priced<br />
and the service can definitely be on the snooty<br />
side. I leave this up to you but if you go, you<br />
will be left in a wonderful awe. v<br />
If I’ve missed any spots on this list<br />
worth recommending, let me know<br />
fast… because as the saying goes,<br />
"Winter is Coming."<br />
Connect with @ SylviaPerez.com<br />
or on Twitter @SylviaPerezProd<br />
34<br />
revia reviamagazine.com <strong>#11</strong>, 2015