NEW YORK

The Waverly Inn and Garden

Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter’s semi-private, revamped Waverly Inn is rumored to only take reservations via a special private phone number and/or e-mail address unless you show up on the restaurant’s doorstep in person two days prior to your desired dinner date. Luckily for me, I went with a friend who knows Doug, bartender extrordinare, and in my opinion, assuming he likes you, one of the best reasons to go to The Waverly in the first place (though the ever present paparazzi and star crazed patrons may not all necessarily agree).

We started with Doug’s latest concoction, the Cherry Blossom, a spring-minded martini of muddled cherrys and various other tasty ingredients. He recommended a great red I wish I could remember and by the end of the night let me try the homemade fresh garlic tomato water that was the base of his tomato martini, no longer on the menu but I bet must have been great. We ordered the tuna tartare, some version of which seems to be on everyone's menu the last few years, made of finely mashed tuna and a layer of avacado. I enjoyed it, but still think Magnolia’s version in LA is my favorite. Next we tried the Grilled Veggie and Country salads, the latter topped with a poached egg. Then we ordered the infamous $60 black truffle mac and cheese that was $85 when we were there because truffles were almost out of season. Though I don’t think it justifies the price, it is truly delicious; fresh grated black truffles on creamy Vermont cheddar covered macaroni. Doug insisted on either the apple crumble or bananas Foster for dessert and we obliged and ordered the Foster.

I’m not sure the food is as unbelievable as the hype surrounding this place, but it was quite good. Its one of those places that just feels good when you're there. The décor is dramatic, cozy and inviting and Doug is superb.

The Waverly Inn and Garden / 16 Bank St / New York, NY 10014 / 212.243.7900 / Cross: Between 4th St & Waverly St / Directions: A, C, E; L at 14th St-8th Ave

BURGERS - NYC

Shake Shack

This alfresco burger joint sits in the middle of Manhattan’s Madison Square Park (at Madison Avenue and 23rd Street). The urban-retro “shack” rests beneath the park’s canopy of trees recalling 1950s chic to New Yorkers who have made the place so popular the line can sometimes stretch to the park's southeast entrance. I would advise going off peak hours (an hour or two before or after lunch) if you want to minimize your wait.
The Shake Shack burger taste is unique to some of NY’s other favorites (Corner Bistro and Burger Joint, both mentioned below) due to the sirloin-brisket combination used in their patties. And did I mention the Chicago-style dogs and St. Louis-style frozen custards? Simply delicious.

Shake Shack / Madison Square Park / New York, NY 10010 / 212.889.6600 / Cross: Madison Avenue and 23rd Street / Directions: N, R, W at 23rd St; 6 at 23rd St. / http://www.shakeshacknyc.com/




Corner Bistro
If you call yourself a New Yorker, chances are you’ve eaten at this classic tavern in West Greenwich Village at least once. And if you’re really a New Yorker, you'll know that the best time to do that is a weekday afternoon, when Corner Bistro is mellow and charming. Regardless of the time you visit, the real reason everyone goes is the Bistro Burger: an eight-ounce thick slab of juicy grilled beef piled several inches high with melted cheese, bacon and raw onions, served on a paper plate. And at $6.75, it’s not only delicious; it’s one of the cheapest eats you'll find in NYC.

Corner Bistro / 331 W 4th St. / New York, NY 10014 / Cross: Jane Street and 8th Avenue / Directions: A, C, E at 14th St; L at 8th Ave / 212.242.9502 / http://cornerbistro.ypguides.net/

Burger Joint
Inside the posh Le Parker Meridien, a lone neon burger sign points around a curtained corner to the city's "secret" hole-in-the-wall burger obsession.

Burger Joint / Le Parker Meridien / 118 W 57th St / New York, NY 10019 / 212.245.5000 / www.parkermeridien.com/eat4.php

CHICAGO

Carmine's - A Rosebud Restaurant

With heaping portions of mouthwatering Italian cuisine, a decent wine list and live music Monday through Saturday, Carmine's sets quite a stage. Seasonal seating outside on the canopied patio provides great Rush Street/Gold Coast people watching while inside features two levels of seating; conversation-friendly dining upstairs and a clubby, dark bar/dining area downstairs. A rotating menu of seafood, chops, and renowned signature pasta dishes epitomize the Rosebud experience of good food and generous portions that live up to the motto, "...the food is the star."

When I was a guest the service was incredible. General Manager Donny Greco and 2-3 waiters were ever-conscious that all our needs were met. That night the dinner menu featured Beef Brasato - Slow braised beef pot roast simmered with vine tomatoes, basil and red wine tossed with homemade egg noodles (I substituted the house special Square Noodles) and topped with whipped ricotta. A pasta dish unlike anything I'd ever had and so good I'll be back to have it again.

Carmine's / 1043 North Rush Street / Chicago, IL 60611 / 312.988.7676 / http://www.rosebudrestaurants.com/rest2.php

Yolk - Breakfast & Lunch

Whenever I’m in a new city it is my custom to seek out a great breakfast spot. In Chicago, the buzz was all about Yolk, and with good reason. On par with The Griddle in L.A. and Hash House a go go in San Diego, Yolk serves up breakfast with the best of them. With over 40 different egg dishes (not including several build your own options) and almost as many cakes, crepes and French toast selections, the biggest challenge is choosing what to order.

Excited to see a benedict made with corned beef hash (the Irish Benny) I made my choice faster than usual. I should start by saying that everything else I saw and tried looked and tasted delicious, but I was pretty disappointed to find that with a menu full of so many unique, homemade dishes, the corned beef hash was canned. I’ll be sure to try another egg dish on my next visit.

My cousin, his wife and I were about to share the Cinnamon Roll French Toast (Yolk’s large fresh baked iced cinnamon rolls... sliced, dipped in their special batter, and grilled just enough to melt the icing) when our waiter strongly suggested his favorite, Orange Bread French Toast - sweet orange bread, sliced, dipped in the same special batter, grilled and topped with fresh sliced strawberries and drizzled with a homemade orange sauce. I’m not normally drawn to orange flavored baked goods, but this French toast was definitely an exception. So good.

And I would be remiss not to mention the fresh-squeezed strawberry-orange juice with which we started our meal. I would return for another glass of it alone.

Yolk / 1120 S Michigan Avenue / Chicago, IL 60605 (half block N. of Roosevelt Rd. on Michigan Ave.) / 312.789-YOLK (9655) / http://www.yolk-online.com/

Gene & Georgetti Restaurant

I asked my friend to show me the perfect Old Chicago evening, which to me meant dinner at a quintessential Chi-Town steak house followed by drinks and live music at The Green Mill. Gene & Georgetti fit the bill as the quintessential Chicago Steakhouse, and fit it to perfection. From the time you enter the family run Italian steakhouse established in 1941, you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. Many of the waiters have been working there for decades and no doubt serving some of the same patrons since they started. My friend Neil Tesser knew a guy that had a “guy” (i.e. Tommy) at G&G, so despite the always over booked Saturday night crowd we were seated immediately at a prime table in the nicest of the three private dining rooms that seat 20, 40 and 60, respectively.

I started the meal with a well-made gin martini and the three of us (Neil, his girl and I) shared the Sliced Tomatoes, Onions & Anchovies Salad, which proved to be the perfect appetizer for the steaks to come. I ordered the 8oz Broiled Filet Mignon, bloody rare (is there any other way), accompanied by a fine glass of Pinot Noir while Neil and Jeanie shared the gigantic Broiled T-Bone. Both steaks arrived cooked to perfection with cottage fried potatoes. For dessert we had 2 coffees, a macchiato and one of the best bits of Spumoni Ice Cream I have ever tasted.

The only thing better than the company, steaks and dessert was greasing Tommy for the table on our way out the door.

Gene & Georgetti's Restaurant / 500 N Franklin Street / Chicago, IL 60610/ 312.527.3718/ http://www.geneandgeorgetti.com/

The Green Mill Jazz Club

Throughout its uproarious history, The Green Mill Jazz Club has played host to a number of famous - and often infamous - celebrities. Opened in 1907 as Pop Morse's Roadhouse, the "Mill" was a stopping place for mourners to celebrate the passing of a friend before proceeding to St. Boniface's Cemetery. By 1910, new owners had converted the roadhouse into the Green Mill Gardens, complete with lantern-lit outdoor dancing and drinking areas, and boasting such headliners as Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor and Sophie Tucker. Actors Wallace Beery and Bronco Billy Anderson also visited the Gardens, hitching their horses to the outdoor post and settling down for a drink after a days work filming westerns at nearby Spoor and Anderson Studios.

As the twenties roared, The Green Mill became mobster territory when Al Capone's henchman, "Machinegun" Jack McGurn, gained a 25% ownership of the club. Manager Danny Cohen had given McGurn the 25% stake to "persuade" comedian/singer Joe E. Lewis from moving his act south to the New Rendezvous Café at Clark and Diversey. McGurn managed to convince Lewis by slitting his throat and cutting off his tongue. Miraculously, Lewis recovered, but his songs never regained their lush sound. The incident was later immortalized in the movie The Joker is Wild, with Frank Sinatra as Joe E. Lewis and a Hollywood soundstage as The Green Mill. Of course, his interest piqued, Sinatra had to visit the club.

Throughout the 1930s, '40s, and 50s, The Green Mill continued to pack 'em in with a heady mix of swing, dance and jazz music. Uptown crowds from the Aragon Ballroom or Uptown and Riviera Theaters would "stop in for one" before or after shows. Business began to slip in the mid-seventies, and in 1986, present owner Dave Jemilo bought The Green Mill and restored it to its prohibition-era, speakeasy décor.

The Green Mill / 4802 N Broadway St / Chicago, IL 60640-3667 / 773.878.5552 / www.greenmilljazz.com