Calling all Westside Chicagoans--help please!
 

Here's a real challenge. I will be in Chicago next month and want to take my 89 year old mother-in-law out for a nice lunch. She lives in Oak Park and doesn't want to go all the way to the Loop or Near North. The other big factor is that she is quite hard of hearing so if the restaurant is very noisy she can't hear. Flip side of that coin is that she talks too loud to take her to a very quiet place! Can anyone help me with a suggestion? There used to be a place on North Ave. in Melrose Park called the Homestead, but don't know if it's still there and if so is it any good? Wanted something that she could have a fairly substantial meal and skip dinner. Many thanks.

Kam, You could take her to Oak Brook to the mall, they have a few of the Rich Mellman restaruants there & they have outdoor dining, which might be nice for her hearing & talking needs. There is Papagus (Greek), Maggiano's (Italian) & also Mon Ami Gabi (French Bistro) which is extra nice! Maggiano's serves huge portions, so you could take the left overs home for dinner or lunch the next day. You can view his restaurants at leye.com. It's fun to offer you advice, as you have helped me out w/ my upcoming trip to CA this September.

Thanks, Susan. Since "Grandma" is 100% Italian, we won't do that and she can't stand Greek, but Mon Ami Gabi sounds interesting and somewhere I think I've heard about it. What do you think about the sound level?? Hope your trip to CA in September is coming together and that you enjoy our lovely and perhaps a bit wacky (compared to Chicago) state! One thing I'll tell you, I don't look forward to the Midwest humidity!

Kam, it's a good thing your trip isn't this week...as it is very humid here, dew point in the 70's, which is what it is like down South! We have our trip to CA all planned out, SF for 4 nights, Yosemite for 2 nigths, Cambria for 1 night, do Hearst Castle, then drive up HWY 1 & we just booked a room at the Green Gables Inn in Pacific Grove for our last night...lots of moving around, but we think it will work out. <BR>I've been to Mon Ami Gabi in Lincoln Park in Chicago...it's very special & not too expensive. They have a Mon Ami Gabi at the Paris Hotel in Vegas. The Mon Ami Gabi at Oak Brook just opened this Spring & they do lunch M-F. I really can't tell you about the sound level at the one in Oak Brook, as I haven't been to it, but they do have the outdoor dining & the clientle at the one in Lincoln Park is usually subdued. <BR>Hope other Chicagoans will offer other suggestions too.

Whoops, Mon Ami Gabi at Oak Brook serves lunch on the weekends also, but w/ their dinner menu.

Susan: Your California trip sounds perfect! You'll love the Green Gables. I know all about the humidity--we used to live in Evanston! At least we got the "lake effect", but Oak Park can be brutal. I'm going to go with Mon Ami Gabi I think because she does go to Oakbrook to shop sometimes. Wish someone could tell me about the Homestead though.Thanks and have a great trip west.

kam, <BR> <BR>take her to slicker sam's in melrose park.good italian food. near lake street and 19th. 10 minutes from Oak Park. <BR> <BR>by the way, they tore down the homestead.

Kam: Just an FYI about the "Lettuce Entertain You" restaurants in the Oak Brook mall - CALL for a reservation - even a lunch-time one. Dial 1-800-Lettuce and follow the prompts to the restaurant you want. "Wildfire" is another "Lettuce" restaurant in the mall -a 1940's supper-club theme specializing in steaks, ribs, martinis and great mashed potatoes and desserts. Your mother-in-law will appreciate the 1940's-era pictures on the walls. My mom is 80 and my husband & I take her there quite a bit - she doesn't mind a martini or two, either. You can't go wrong with either restaurant.

Thanks Pat--sorry about the Homestead. It used to be a favorite of hers.:~(