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Clark/Division (Red)

Debauchery meets the Gold Coast.

Thursday Nov 03, 2005.     By Jennifer Berg

Lifestyle Feed

Famous for Division-based debauchery and gold-standard Gold Coast eateries like Gibson's, Hugo's, Carmine's and Tavern on Rush, Clark and Division proves a scintillating stop for L-hoppers. Beyond the array of talked-about tourist traps this Red Line star hosts a range of restaurants that please regardless of cash situation or culinary predilection. At Clark and Division, you'll find hoppin' breakfast spots, truly impressionante Italian goods and an Irish pub where the chef wears a stark white uniform.

Safety rating: Nothing too scary, but keep your wits about you.

Panhandler rating: The entrance is littered with folks who would be happy to relieve you of spare change.

Arena for the a.m.
Tempo
Come bar-closin' time, a trip to Tempo sounds mighty appetizing. But unlike most places that only tempt when in a drunken haze, Tempo is still something to salivate over come morning. The all-night diner (owned by a super-friendly Greek family) occupies a sun-filled space full of oak and cushy, striped banquettes. Settle in and breeze through a menu full of breakfast items, sandwiches, salads and down-home desserts.

The house specialty comes in a skillet: three-egg omelets whipped and baked to buttery perfection, served over a thick layer of crunchy, sliced potatoes. For fillings, expect all the usual breakfast-joint suspects plus a few unusual standouts like the Jamaican omelet, sweetly stuffed with banana, honey and walnuts. Two hefty slices of Greek toast served with marmalade and fluffy dollops of butter come as the skillet's sidekick. Clientele varies depending on the hour of day: the wee hours host gussied-up club folk, families rush in later in the morning (so expect a wait, especially on weekends) and cops take to the booths throughout the afternoon.

Cheap eats
L'Appetito
This 24-year old purveyor of provolone and other straight-out-of-Italy goods claims to be Chicago's first "authentic" Italian deli. Located at the foot of the Hancock building, L'Appetito gives lunch-timers a mini-taste of Italy. A bakery counter to the left is loaded with sweet temptations like gelato, cookies, cakes and pastries and boasts a big ol' cappuccino machine. Behind the bakery and nestled between murals of street scenes, a small area provides cafeteria-style seating for those who have made a visit to the back, where a deli counter slices and scoops up a legion of lunchtime fare.

Go ethnic with the Spicy Submarine (capicollo, salami, mortadella, provolone, olive oil and spices stacked up on slices of Italian bread) or stay close to home with a turkey and cheese American Classic, both $5.50. Paninis, tostinos (grilled sandwiches) and an always-changing selection of pastas, pizzas, soups and salads round out the deli menu. If take-home is more your style, check out the shelves of gourmet groceries. Look for Nutella, bottles of wine, packages of homemade ravioli, Italian cookies and dark roast coffee. Bonus tip: L'Appetito opens its doors at 7:30 every morning and is rumored to serve a mean breakfast; go for the $2.75 egg, cheese and bacon panini.

Late-night locale
Dublin's Pub
A neon sign in the window says: "Open 365 days a year." Judging from the throngs of loyal bar-hoppers that seem to live at this place, Dublin's is packed all 365 of those days. A short, almost cottage-like building, Dublin's manages to hold its own in the vicinity of Gold Coast bad boys Hugo's and Tavern on Rush, owed in part to food that's shoulders above what one would expect from a raucous Irish pub.

Beyond a few corned-beef-and-cabbage staples from the Emerald Isle, cooks in the open kitchen don downy chef hats and stir up fresh salads bursting with gourmet ingredients like scallops and bleu cheese; fancy, baked-brie appetizers and a variety of steak and chicken options. Plus, Dublin's kitchen stays open as late as the bar, beating the Rock n' Roll McDonald's for late-night fare, hands-down. If you decide to forego the cushy green booths and gourmet menu, head straight for a spot at the U-shaped bar and cozy up with a variety of pint-pounders ordering up Guinness and Newcastle while sports fanatics keep all eyes on the joint's multiple TV screens.

Sure bet for shopping
Bravco
With celebrity fans including Lara Flynn Boyle and George Clooney, not to mention a whole city of makeup mavens who worship at its pretty n' polished altar, Bravco holds the reputation of Chicago's best-stocked beauty emporium. The two-level ode to hair and makeup puts flyaway hair and poorly blended foundation to permanent rest. Enter on the ground floor and discover a maze of products for your mane, including fancy blow dryers, about 50 kinds of rollers, brushes and every kind of shampoo known to man. Prices range from ordinary (products by Paul Mitchell, Sebastian and Nexxus will cost the same as they do in salons) to over-the-top expensive. (But do you really need an ionic dryer?)

Head upstairs and browse through one of the largest arrays of beauty products this side of Lake Michigan. Stock up on all of your basic drugstore needs. Aveda skin care? Check. Same goes for Goody products. You can also score some under-the-radar goods from a slew of trendy brands: Colorscience, Rocket City, Kiss Me Mascara, Little Shop of Beauty and Joey New York.

Dinner-date destination
Tsunami
Finding a space with dim lighting (the more flattering to be seen by) and a low level of noise (the better to hear your date by) can be difficult in the bastion of packed-silly spots that flood the Gold Coast. Tsunami, tucked safely off the State Street strip, provides just such a restaurant experience. Two separate dining rooms come color-coded: the "bronze room," best for groups, offers linen-topped tables enclosed in golden-hued walls. For a more intimate setting, score a booth in the dark-hued "red room." Or cozy up in the upstairs sake lounge, a space full of plush furniture and walls made of Japanese screens. Finally, if you like to watch the sushi chefs rollin' their magic concoctions, grab one of about 10 seats next to the sushi bar.

On the menu look for with-frills appetizers like the tuna tataki (shitake mushrooms, asparagus tips and seaweed with sesame oil and teriyaki) and asparagus beef rolls served with teriyaki glaze, both $9. Maki selections have your favorites covered, sided by more adventurous creations to tempt the daring diner: Look for the $7.50 Q-Maki, a no-rice blend of shrimp, scallops and kani kama with spicy sauce.