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Merchandise Mart (Brown)

Great things lie beyond the Mart.

Tuesday Jun 14, 2005.     By Kate Schwartz

Lifestyle Feed

Collect that inner mettle: As you exit the train, do not be swayed by the food court to your right, hocking Arby's roast beef sandwiches, or be tempted into getting a quick fix at the Jamba Juice to your left. Too many worthwhile stops lie within short walking distance of the Mart, in a pleasantly tourist-quiet part of River North. Chinese, cappuccino, Cabernet, Chimichangas and calzones await, so keep those feet a-walkin'.

Panhandler rating: On occasion once you exit the Mart.
Safety rating: This area gets particularly quiet at night, so use those handy street smarts.

Cheap eats
Yu Choy
Friendliness seems to come standard at Yu Choy, where personal experience has proven that a big smile and polite request for an extra fortune cookie or two will generally result in a good eight or nine being thrown in your bag. Big portions seem the norm as well, and instantly conjure images of the glory of Chinese food: leftovers. Good luck selecting what you'll do on round two, though. The menu here is a sizeable one, with customization options (all dishes can be made meatless or with tofu, and veggie dishes can quickly become meat laden) that only compound the confusion.

Portions come in lunch and dinner sizes, priced within a few dollars of $5.75 and $9.55, respectively. Trusted favorites like moo shu pork and cashew chicken align themselves with plenty of Cantonese dishes like shrimp with lobster sauce and Chef Choy specialties that include Hunan beef and Empress Tofu. Not feeling the fried rice vibe? Luckily, and oddly, Yu Choy serves up very non-Eastern eats like Italian sausage, baby back ribs, fried perch and cannoli. Uhh, how 'bout those fortune cookies?

Where to chill
Puerto Vallarta
A pleasant anomaly in its chi-chi hood, Puerto Vallarta is one to keep in mind for three reasons: It dishes up Mexican in a largely Mexican restaurant-less area; it's open later than most, which is key when long nights at the office pile up and the vending machine loses its allure; and its full bar stocks 20 tequilas, give or take, which never lose their allure. Brightly decorated and springing with festive music, you'll quickly discard any workday stress that's got you down, perking up at Mexican standbys like queso fundido (melted Chihuahua cheese and chorizo, served with tortillas), huevos rancheros, chiles rellenos and fajitas.

If the $9-$16 entrees prove too difficult to decide upon, take the combination platter route: The Puerto Vallarta features carne asada, chicken flauta and cheese enchilada. Those ready to share food along with their tales of office annoyances should grab a seat at the bar, split a hefty order of nachos and go halfsies on a $23 grande margarita pitcher, available in more-exotic-than-lime choices like mango, peach and cranberry.

Place to be seen solo
Rizzata's
I don't profess to having written the book on deep-dish. If anything, I've sampled a paltry number of pies considering the Chicago years I have under my belt. But no hunk of cheesy goodness has equaled the thicker-than-thick pies served at Rizzata's. The wonder partially owes itself to the tomato sauce; no runny liquid mess, the deep slab of red sauce that covers the cheese and crust is perfectly seasoned and tastes like (shock of shocks) fresh tomatoes. Though delivery is offered daily (widely; from Western to Michigan and North Avenue to 16th), this is the perfect lunch-hour location.

Though you can order a full pie (in individual, small, medium and large), a chalkboard above the extremely open kitchen displays that day's ready-on-demand calzone, deep-dish and thin crust offerings, which run from Canadian bacon and onion calzones to delectable deep-dish mushroom. A number of specials will save you a buck or two, meaning you can get a slice and a soda for about four bucks. Sandwiches, pasta, chicken and salads round out the menu. The warm interior, decked out in lots of yellow, can get literally warm as well, as the pizza oven tends to heat up the tiny space quite quickly.

Sure bet for shopping
Binny's
One of two Chicago locations for this Chicagoland "beverage depot," Binny's is a drinker's paradise. Row upon row of wine, beer and liquor abound, logically separated and clearly identified by overhead signs, making it a snap to pop in and head directly to the Argentinean Malbec. An overwhelming number of bottles can pose a difficult decision, though the instantly-ready-to-help staff, wide range of prices (you can easily spend $7 or $70) and occasional helpful review tacked up nearby eases the confusion. The Frugal Wine Lover's Club is a smart bet for folks who love their Viognier: You'll get a 2 percent rebate for every $500 of purchases, enjoy a 5-percent discount on cases and save on exclusive sales.

Want a little cheese with that wine? Binny's gourmet shop offers plenty of snacks to go with your six-pack. La Rocca frozen pizza is perfect for a casual night; entertainers can stock up on smoked salmon and salami. A substantial cheese counter wisely offers up pairing info, from the general ("great appetizer cheeses") to the specific (the Italian Teleggio, at $11.99 per pound, is a "richly textured complement to big Italian red wine").

Dinner-date destination
Kan Zaman
Kan Zaman's River North digs are an improvement on its former Andersonville space, whose dark and uninspired rows of seating overwhelmed the few Arabic-style booths along the front windows. Here, it's all sunshine and thoughts of home…assuming your home is a Lebanese one. Beaded chandeliers, large windows that open in warm weather, decorative items and a row of sunken booths welcome you in, and literally invite you to kick your shoes off and try a flavored hookah with your hummus.

Still, the relaxation is met with serious food, which runs from the expected appetizers like falafel, dolma and kibbeh to less-tried starters like zaalook (diced eggplant sauteed with green pepper, mushroom, onion, garlic and tomato) and foul modammas (pureed fava bean dip). Lamb, beef, seafood, poultry and vegetarian entrees range from charbroiled quail to shawarma to mdardara (steamed mixed lentil and rice topped with roasted onion); at $12-$17, you'll get your money's worth with a choice of soup or salad and plenty of rice or bulgar wheat. Lunch specials make for a wise midday stop: A hearty lunch of lentil soup and a chicken shawarma pita sandwich costs less than seven big ones.