Chicago-The City That Works

Extract

Chicago is Richard J. Daley and Richard J. Daley is Chicago—puckish, often provincial, mostly pragmatic, and above all—fiercely proud. As Len O'Connor observed of the Mayor, “Surely the nation has never seen his like before—nor is it likely to see anyone quite like him again.” The same may be said of Chicago, which Carl Sandburg called, “The City of Big Shoulders.” “Chicago has never been a genteel town,” notes political scientist Milton Rakove, author of the most recent haiography of the city's politics. “It has always been, and still is today, a lusty, brawling, sprawling city.” It is appropriate that political scientists gather in Chicago during our bicentennial celebration. Chicago is not only a significant link to our nation's past, but may well be our window to the future.

Where Chicago's toughness, unsophisticated and unreformed demeanor may offend some, the city's abundance of excellent restaurants will quickly disarm even its most vehement critics. The city is unique and perhaps unparalleled among convention cities with respect to culinary offerings—variety, ambiance, price, and accessibility. For those more timid souls whose range of gastronomic inquiry is limited to within eight blocks of the Palmer House, let me suggest three mainstays of downtown dining. Berghoff, 17 W. Adams, is a traditional favorite of convention goers. It is an inexpensive German restaurant and brauhaus which specializes in Hungarian goulash, sauerbraten, and schnitzel. The Blackhawk, 139 N. Wabash, is another favorite of Chicagoans for luncheon and dinner with excellent prime beef and the house specialty, Boston scrod. For greater variety and a touch of French cooking, I suggest you try Binyon's at 327 W. Plymouth Court, located across the street from the Dirksen Federal Office Building.