ChiLuxe Travel

We find ourselves in Valparaiso and Chesterton, Indiana quite a lot. Our kids live here with their mom, so it’s often the case that we’re over here finding something to eat or some activities to do. We’ve been meaning to check out Blockhead for a while, and, after all, I’ve never heard of a brewery/sushi bar combo restaurant before, so we just had to go. Admittedly, I’ve been generally unimpressed with Valpo’s restaurant offerings over the course of the last…

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Taverna Violi is the new kid on the block at Oak Brook mall, having taken over the space that was formerly Mon Ami Gabi. Let’s just take a moment to shed a tear for the loss of that superb restaurant at Oak Brook! OK, moving on! Violi is a Greek Taverna, and this is not your regular old Greek diner. It’s most definitely a step up from even the old standard restaurants in Greek Town, and is a worthy replacement…

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Pasta Veneta is one of the newest restaurants in the poppin’ west loop area, and I visited here recently with my cousins. This place prides itself on making fresh pasta, and it shows. There is a sizable appetizer menu, but the mains are all primarily pasta based. The space is very open and very fresh and new, with a casual, bistro-type of feel. There is a very heavy straight-line/geometric shape thing going here, which is really cool. The lighting was…

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I have eaten at The Gage Restaurant in Chicago for either lunch or dinner at least 20 times. This restaurant is on Michigan Avenue, and, while on one of the most touristy streets in Chicago, right across from the Art Institute, The Gage remains stalwart, providing excellent food and service. We ate here most recently with Eli and Clara after seeing the Christmas Concert at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, just two blocks south of the restaurant. This is a bit…

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Every year, I take Brian out for his birthday to a fancy steakhouse here in Chicago. Chicago is known for its steakhouses, and there are no shortage of restaurants to choose from. GT Prime is one of the only ones we haven’t visited yet, and getting reservations early on a Tuesday evening was easy. The restaurant itself has a very moody, yet bright vibe, with black-brown floors and tables and walls, but bright bronze-gold accents and lighter brown leather chairs…

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