Chicago Restaurant Week and Other Fabulous Deals

While I'm cutting back as much as anyone else, and I'm married to a wonderful chef, we still eat out 4-5x per week, so I'm on the lookout for great meals at good prices. This blog was entry was originally going to be about my favorite Chicago restaurants (which is still a work in progress), but an email arrived in my inbox this am about Chicago Restaurant Week, which this year is Feb. 20-27.

This idea started in New York about 20 years ago during our last "recession," as a way to get people to eat out more, and in particular, try new places. The conceit of the concept used to be that participating restaurants offered a prix fixe meal for the same cost as the year: for example, in 2004, the meal would be $20.04. (I remember a 3-course meal at the Four Seasons in NYC for $19.87.)

Well, desperate times call for desperate measures. This year's Restaurant Week offers two prix fixe options: lunch at $22 and dinner at $32 pp. Over 130 restaurants are participating this year, including many place that wouldn't be caught dead doing any specials or discounting. Including some of my favorites.

One suggestion: make reservations, particularly if you are interested in trying a popular place for dinner. Some restaurants only offer this deal during lunch, so be sure to check out website to see what the individual restrictions are. I find Open Table the best way to make reservations these days, and you get rewards! They also have a free iPhone app too. A bit cludgey, but it works.

Spots paricipating in Restaurant Week that are also personal favorites include:

Coco Pazzo and Coco Pazzo Cafe Sister restaurants: Coco Pazzo is more elegant, expansive and expensive. Cafe is a perpetually packed neighborhood joint. Rigatoni alla Butera at both spots is the quintessential hangover cure and all around comfort food.

Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab. (Spoiler alert: they are a client, but have the cutest chef in Chicago). While I adore the expensive stuff on the menu, they've got gently priced choices as well: fabulous fried chicken; crab louis and you simply must have the Key Lime Pie (pies available for takeout too).

La Sardine, our go-to french bistro. In addition to Restaurant Week, they've got my two favorite deals in the city. 1/2 Price Wine Night on Monday, and any 3-courses for $25 on Tuesday. Fish of the day, lamb, cassoulet and souffles are standouts. Warm, friendly staff, and great vibe. We're here at least once a week.

one sixtyblue. Outstanding food, elegant, yet casual. New chef, new menu, but same level of service. Pricey spot, so the RW deal is a great way to try a place that many folks wait for a special ocassion to try.

Smith and Wollensky. I prefer Wollensky's Grill downstairs usually, but both menus are available always. It's a bit more intimate, and I like sitting by the Chicago River downstairs. In addition to the RW deal, mark your calendar for National Wine Week (March 9-13), where you can get tastes (and more tastes) of ten fabulous wines for $10 plus cost of lunch. And proceeds to to charity. Just don't plan on going back to work. You MUST have reservations.

Any other ideas on ways to eat well without spending mucho dinero?