Grand Lux Café is a franchise much like the Cheesecake Factory. The décor is ornate, the menu is huge (and generally well-executed) and the desserts are plentiful. They had a location about two blocks from our hotel in Chicago, and, as we were travel-weary, they seemed like a good bet.

I started with a Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat to keep things local. It was mild, tasty and drinkable, with a yeast profile that seemed slightly in between American and Bavarian.

For our appetizers we had fried pickles and chicken meatballs. The pickles were disappointing, thin chips that were mostly breading, soggy on the inside and bland. We’ve had better at Quaker Steak. 

The chicken skillet meatballs, though, were the hightlight of the meal, so full of garlic that they were almost spicy from it. The tomato sauce was rich and flavorful, and everything was covered with gooey cheese. The buttery bread also soaked everything up nicely.

Sarah and I split the Manhattan Salad for dinner, … continue reading