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We didn't bring our camera along for the night, but here's a shot of Table 52

Last weekend we celebrated Jody's birthday by eating and drinking our way around the city. We started off with martinis at Il Mulino, a fancy schmancy restaurant in the old Biggs Mansion in the Gold Coast. We were the youngest people in there, but the bar area was quaint and cozy and the martinis were top notch. I don't think I'd had a martini in over two years, so that (combined with the bleu cheese olives) was a total treat.

Then we headed around the corner to Table 52 for dinner. Table 52 is co-owned by Oprah's personal chef Art Smith, who was also on Top Chef Masters, and we thought the meal lived up to the hype. I was worried that it was going to be a snooty place because the person on the phone for reservations had some serious attitude. But once we got there, the service was really friendly and accomodating. The restaurant itself was totally unpretentious too. Just lively and inviting. It is one of those restaurants where the tables are really close together for that sense of community, but far enough apart that you still feel like you have some privacy.

Now onto the meal. The food was awesome. Instead of the usual bread and olive oil welcome, Table 52 gives everyone made-to-order goat cheese biscuits and deviled eggs. The deviled eggs were just fine, but the biscuits were incredible. For our meals Jody got the short ribs (so good) and I got the pistachio crusted chicken (pretty good) and we shared a mac-and-cheese side (amazingly good).

Even though we were stuffed beyond belief after dinner, Jody still needed to blow out a birthday candle, so we headed to the Signature Room for dessert. Maybe it was the food coma or maybe it was the martinis and wine, but somehow we didn't notice that the city was blanketed in fog that night. When we got up to the 95th floor of the Hancock building, it looked like they had frosted over all the windows. Instead of staying up there in the clouds, we headed back to the West Loop and got Jody his birthday dessert and candle at Marche. Even though we only ate about a quarter of the dessert, it was still fun ending the night at our favorite place in the city.

It was a fantastic birthday celebration date night, and we were still full well into the next day!