Erwin - Dining Out

Have you ever thought as Easter Day dinner as romantic? Neither have I, until today. Not until I went out to an Easter Day dinner with my partner. Easter Day, for most people is a long weekend. What? With Friday, Saturday and Sunday off from work. Yet, there are those of us out there that must work. I include myself in the latter group. Since we really didn’t have the option of having an Easter Day brunch together, we opted for Easter Day dinner together. What did I enjoy most about this dinner. Was it the Easter oriented décor? No. The “special” rack of lamb? No. It was the time spent with someone that I love and really enjoy being around. This was the Easter that I was meant to have. A holiday meant to celebrate the abundances of everyday life. A time to reflect upon the things that really matter. So, to those of us who were busy serving the hungry masses at an illustrious hotel and to those who were able to spend it with the ones you love. I give you my Easter Day experience.

I had to work! Alright! I’m glad that’s out of the way. I know and fully am aware of the reasons that certain businesses must remain open on certain holidays. So, I had to work. It only meant that we were unable to go and hunt Easter eggs early in the morn. What I did find was, though, was that Easter really is a day to celebrate.

After leaving work, I was famished. It was Easter Sunday and we wanted to eat out. Surprisingly, many establishments were open for business. Which meant that we had quite a few options as to where we were able to dine. We narrowed down our choices and settled on Erwin’s Café, at 2925 North Halsted; 773-528-7200. From the moment you ascend the street level steps inside the door, you are immediately transported into a prairie style dining room, fit with buttery yellow walls and ceilings with a busy mural just below the ceiling. I can only assume that Erwin’s has been the setting for many a romantic evenings for many couples. Entering, our coats were immediately checked. (Yes, it was April 11 and our winter coats still remain within arms reach.) We had reservations for non-smoking but opted for a booth in smoking, looking out onto a sun drenched Halsted street. One word of advice. Do not sit at these booths during sun set. Towards the end of my meal, I became totally blinded by the setting sun. Thankfully, I was able to finish my meal without injury to myself or my eyes’. The meal was nothing short of wonderful. Beautifully presented and tasty from the first bite to the last. We did not share any appetizers, for drinks were on our to-do list this night. I must admit that the bartender really knows how to shake a mean martini. I would ask, however, that he brush up on his recipes. I had asked for a Opera Martini and was met with a blank stare by him and our waitress. Instead, I went with a French Martini. Below, you can find recipes for both of these martinis. After our first round of drinks and a nice warm buzz running through our veins, we thought it time to order. My partner settled on the special of the evening. A gorgeous rib eye, done to his preference, topped with chévre butter and accompanied by fluffy mashed potatoes and par boiled sugar snap peas. Nothing short on flavor here. I ordered the wood grilled salmon, which came atop a bed of green lentils and topped with a roasted red pepper jelly. Very nice indeed. We were both happy campers as we finished the last bites of our meal.

What I did find, other than the food and service, was how romantic Erwin’s can be. Many times throughout the evening, I felt we were lone diners in an empty dining room. Surrounded by an ever attentive staff and the soft glow of a beautiful sunset, signaling an end to a day, an end to winter and to new beginnings. Love was reaffirmed over two martini’s, two wonderful entrees and time spent catching up and goofing off. There are so many moments in this evening that I could have tried to convey or capture with words but I am selfish and chose to save those for me and my guy. I can safely assume that the next time you and yours enjoy a night here, you will want to savor those moments for yourself, as well. Until next time, eat well and love a lot.