Few things are more relaxing on a hot summer night in Chicago than packing up your blanket, a bottle of chilled wine and a selection of tasty morsels for munching the night away under the stars. Of course any park, big or small, will do. But this time we take at a look at Grant Park's local eats. Much more than Millennium Park's neighbor and home to Buckingham Fountain, Grant Park features endless picnic-perfect opportunities from live musical performances to movies in the park. Despite the seeming plethora of eateries right off the Magnificent Mile, it's all too easy to drop by one of the many Subways when you're in a hurry to catch the beginning of Annie Hall. That's why we've walked up and down the streets and highlighted a range of to-go dining options that not only offer quality eats but rank high on the scale of transportability, proximity and ease of eating.
Capra's Coffee & Sushi Express
File under: Posh noshing
The owners of Capra's wised up to the grab-and-go habits of busy bee workers with refined appetites for maki and mochas. Offering the unexpected pairing of coffee and sushi, this classy cuisine is a perfect ten in one respect: Chopsticks or no chopsticks, dainty rolls of fish, rice and seaweed require little in the way of utensils; even miso soup is traditionally sipped sans spoon. You'll know you've arrived when you see laminated pages of the picture-clad menu adhered to the window, above lettering advertising your standard coffee shop fare of smoothies, paninis and coffee drinks. Averaging $7 for maki, entrees range between $4-$15 for a simple plate of steamed tofu to an elaborate combo of sashimi. Weekday lunch specials, however, cost less than $6, including a cup of miso. No need to run to Walgreens for chips and licorice; you'll find a small selection of the chewy, fruit-flavored jelly candies typically sold in Asian markets along with bags of crackers to round out the sushi-on-the-green experience.
Osaka Express
File under: Better than fruit salad
Who needs a bowl of melon balls or an alcoholic pina colada when you can get a fresh fruit smoothie bubbling with tapioca marbles? Tucked into a pea-size corner store just large enough to fit a dazzling selection of fruit on the wooden shelves behind the counter, Osaka Sushi puts up a good match for Chinatown's (and Evanston's) Joy Yee's, queen of the boba beverages. Choose anything from lychee or mango to watermelon or cantaloupe, add tapioca or mint jelly to the mix, and slurp these 24-ounce concoctions through a wide straw for a mere $3.25-$3.75.
My Thai
File under: The requisite Thai option
As it's all the rage in many households these days, we'd be remiss not to mention the token dine-in/dine-out Thai restaurant. Located directly across the street from Millennium Park's spitting fountains, there's no need to go out of your way for a reasonably priced meal. My Thai's entrees settle around $6.25 for noodles dishes and curries plus a few extra dollars for specialties like sweet almond beef. Tempted by the smells of crab rangoon, calamari, bamee egg noodles topped with barbeque pork, musaman curry and the chef's special deep fried, sweet and sour red snapper, you'll be delighted to find yourself minutes from your final destination. Fortunately, My Thai makes for ideal family-style dining, since your date and your neighbors will be asking for a bite.
To Pho
File under: Ethnic diamond in the rough
If you have hankering for Asian that pad thai or lo mein just won't satiate, hunt down this hidden gem, squeezed into a narrow space on Wabash. Since the chefs take your order at the buffet-like counter in back, where you also pay before dining, service is surprisingly efficient considering the multitude of ingredients. To Pho features dozens of contemporary Vietnamese dishes: While dinnertime entrees like crispy crepes with tiger prawns, steamed sea bass with lily buds and clay pot catfish can cost as much as $21, noodle salads served with many of the same meats and curries will lower the price to $9-$14. With the flavors of tamarind and lemongrass enhancing everything from vermicelli noodles and rice paper wrappings to sugar snap peas and shitake mushrooms, the list of mouth-watering dishes goes on and on.
Park Grill
File under: Grilled to go
While the outdoor patio option at the Millennium Park's Park Grill provides an appealingly casual but semi-upscale atmosphere, your cheeseburger and fries will taste equally fresh on the grass at the park next door. Pricier than a burger joint and cheaper than the Capital Grille, this restaurant features fancy salads like Asian chicken, Greek and beet; pizzas; crab cakes; steak sandwiches; turkey wraps and a variety of fish entrees. Besides the salads and a hearty Portobello sandwich, the vegetarian selection is pretty slim pickings. If you're looking for cheap and classic park eats, the cafe next door sells $2 hot dogs, $1 popcorn, cookies and candy.
The Fairmont Chicago
File under: Made to order
The Fairmont Chicago provides the simplest picnicking solution. Offering gourmet picnic baskets that feed two to three adults, you'll smack down $50-$100 for a first-class spread. The basic (hardly!) option gets you Fairmont's signature trail mix, a selection of cheese, smoked meats and sausages, French bread, fruit and homemade cookies. Upgrade $25 to the Al Fresco Extraordinaire, which replaces items like sausage and fruit with smoked salmon, hangar steak and Caesar salad. Or splurge on the Ultimate and forget those Wisconsin-made cheddars. You'll nibble on international cheeses, slow roasted turkey, aged provolone, pesto toasts, chocolate-dipped strawberries and truffles. Regardless of your choice, everyone receives paperware, plastic flatware, a basket and a bottle of mineral water. Order the basket at least 24 hours in advance, with a $100 deposit that's returned with the receipt of your basket and blanket. Baskets are available June 15-August 20 and are picked up at the hotel's concierge desk.
Haifa Cafe
File under: Homemade, healthy bites
The joy of a place like Haifa is its bounty of side dishes and spreads. That could also be its downfall if you can't deal with dripping and dipping. Picnics, however, are not the time to get fussy. Cheap and healthy, this lunch counter offers a dozen specials posted in bold print on every wall. And unlike many eateries, vegetarians enjoy an equal variety of options. From chicken kabob, shawirma, gyros and curry shrimp to falafel and eggplant sandwiches, the average meal costs about $5, with an $8.95 seafood combo being the most expensive item on the menu. Upgrade to "healthy choice" by adding buck and a half and walk away with a fresh smoothie or juice in your other hand. While Haifa is a bit of a walk from the park, it's located directly under the Washington/Wells L stop, a nexus of cheap eat locales, should your fellow picnickers not care for creamy garbanzo beans or powdery rounds of pita.
Australian Homemade
File under: Sweet tooth
What's a picnic without dessert? The intoxicating smells of popcorn and Mrs. Field's cookies at this intersection could drive anyone with a sweet tooth into a flurry of indecision. But considering that the makers of Australian Homemade have shipped their precious, edible goods all the way from Belgium, the pristine shop at the bottom of Marshall Field's begs a visit. Pack a mini cooler if ice cream is your thing: Though modest in size, the case features the rich flavors of strawberry cheesecake, macadamia and green apple sorbet. Otherwise, grab a mocha, made from melted Belgian chocolate, and an assortment of exotic truffles made with everything from hazelnut cream to black cherries, and munch away.
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