Northbrook Hotel Makes Pancetta Restaurant A Destination

The new restaurant at the Renaissance Chicago North Shore Hotel offers Italian food with a side of live music.

When the Renaissance Chicago North Shore Hotel underwent renovations over the summer, it decided its restaurant needed an update as well. So in August, it replaced Rook's Corner with Pancetta, a laid back lounge that serves Italian food and complex cocktails. "We want to have everyone here," said restaurant manager Eve Dobbin. "We’re trying to get the neighborhood people in." The warm space features plush ivory chairs and candlelit glass tables. Sports games play on a pair of TVs behind the bar. Big chairs are nested around a fireplace and cozy nooks with couches are positioned around the perimeter — the nooks are especially popular among guests hanging out with laptops or books. The bar offers plenty to try, as well. The cocktail menu …

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Bites Nearby

Bites Nearby: Mexican Spot Serves Up Heat In Glencoe

Guanajuato pairs lively atmosphere with fresh flavors.

Since opening last summer, Guanajuato has added a little spice to Glencoe's dining lineup. Named for a state in the Mexican highlands where the restaurant's owner and executive chef were born, the spot's casual atmosphere and wide selection of Mexican dishes has been attracting big crowds. I called ahead before my first visit to Guanajuato and was told the restaurant doesn't take reservations but a party of two wouldn't have any problem finding space at 7 p.m. Friday. When we arrived, the place was packed with a mix of families, couples and groups in the 40-and-up set. The wooden bar is lit by bright-colored hanging lamp and displays top bottles from the restaurant's impressive collection of 40 tequilas, all of which can be mixed into a …

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Bites Nearby

Taste of Mexico Tastes Delicious

A casual dinner with the in-laws turns into a Taste of Mexico at the local store-front restaurant.

My husband and I feel lucky to have his parents living nearby, so it is often a treat to have dinner together.  And it's always a treat to find someplace new. So where to go? How about Mexican!  We headed to Taste of Mexico and found it to be a great little restaurant, reminiscent of one of those wonderful hole-in-the-wall spots you might find in the city. Located at 2661 Shermer Road in the same small strip mall as Marios's Pizza, Taste of Mexico offers home cooking, reasonable prices and delicious local flavor all served with a smile. Although it has apparently been there for three years, we have only recently discovered it. Mexican flags and artwork decorate the walls, giving the bright interior a warm and comfortable feeling. A …

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Elizabeth Manaster

9:36 pm on Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Especially the soup!   more ›