Dining in Chicago

[Dark Saint Alaick]

In case you're more fortunate, however, and come upon a wide assortment of table wines, and you wonder why so many different kinds are manufactured, we shall take on the role of sommelier, as the French call a wine waiter, for the nonce, and try to point out the various kinds of wines to drink at mealtime. Remember, we said "for the nonce," which relieves us of any implication of pretending to be an expert on the subject. But we have studied the matter somewhat, or else how could we a-noncing go?
Brillat-Savarin, prince of epicures, says that wine, "the most pleasant of drinks, whether we owe it to Noah, who planted the vine, or whether it is due to Bacchus, who squeezed out the juice of the grape, dates from the infancy of the world." In modern times, there are more varieties of wines than Heinz's products, and the secret of pleasurable wine drinking is in knowing what vintages to sip with what courses. Herewith we print a list of the wines most commonly used, and the courses for which they are intended.

[Dark Saint Alaick]

WITH HORS D'OEUVRES, OYSTERS, FISH


The light foods used for appetizers require light thin wines -- in other words, white wines. You may make your choice of a number of these wines. For example:

Graves (Fairly dry and thin)
Barsac (Intermediate, having more flavor)
Chablis (Dry and thin)
Montrachet (Said to be the best of all white wines)
Riesling (A popular Alsatian wine)
Pouilly (Thin and somewhat dry)
Meursault (Quite dry)

[Dark Saint Alaick]

WITH THE MEAT COURSE


Here we come to the red wines -- a Bordeaux, a Burgundy or a Rhone. Bordeaux wines are otherwise known as "clarets."


Saint-Julien (A popular Bordeaux red wine)
Medoc (Fruity and generous)
Saint-Emilion (Excellent, if sufficiently old)
Chateau Larose (Light and fruity)
Hermitage (A strong C6te-du-Rh6ne wine)
Anjou (Rich, and sweet; from the Loire Valley)
Pauillac (Heavy, generous, and fruity)
Chambertin (One of the great red Burgundies)
Beaujolais (Another Burgundy, light and fruity)

[Dark Saint Alaick]

WITH GAME, ROASTS, AND MEATS OF HIGH FLAVOR


A fine old chateau wine from the Bordeaux region should accompany your venison or buffalo. Chateau Lafite and Chateau Margaux are especially recommended -- if you can get them. If not, try some high-grade Burgundy.

With DESSERT
Chateau d'Yquem (Rich and sweet and grand)

With CHEESE
Connoisseurs will always demand a Burgundy of good vintage.

With PASTRY
Such Sauternes as Chateau Yquem, Suduiraut, or Coutet; or a Muscat from Tunis; or a Champagne may be used with sweet desserts.

[Dark Saint Alaick]

You are confused ... ?

In the event that you are confused by all these names, and have no time to find out what they mean, you may simplify matters by ordering a few of the wines which are suitable for the entire meal. These vintages are found mainly in the white wines, such as Riesling, Barsac, or white Bordeaux. Barsac is a good medium wine for a medium price and may be chosen for all practical purposes. Of course, if the cards are stacked against you and you have exhausted your Murads in going about, you may have to be satisfied with plain ordinary Dago Red. And remember that Dago Red, being a very cheap concoction parading under the name of wine, is of high alcoholic content. So watch your step and don't imbibe too much.

[Dark Saint Alaick]

AROUND THE TOWN

Thirty-three Gastronomical Locations For Epicures and Others



TIP TOP INN

A. Hieronymusy Host

Frankfort-on-the-Main, in southeastern Prussia, goes down in history as the birthplace of two great men -- J. Von Goethe, the poet, and A. Hieronymus, the host. For what Goethe is to Kterature, Hieronymus is to epicureanism in Chicago. We know of no other caterer in Chicago who more closely approaches the creative artist than this elderly, distinguished founder and host of the historic Tip Top Inn. Where else can you find a restaurant offering 109 specialites de la maison -- original viands created by Mr. Hieronymus and his chefs. Turn to the back page of his large dinner menu and see them listed! If this isn't proof that Mr. A. Hieronymus is as great an artist in cookery as was Mr. J. Goethe in iambs, then we'll m.ake a meal oflf our words. But "the proof of the pudding is in the eating." And so it is. You must eat some of these highly original dishes for verification of mine host's reputation in cookery.
Let us point out a few of them. Among the oysters (in season) are Baked Rockaways a la Hieronymus -- a dish nothing short of marvelous. So also is the shore stew, consisting of lobsters, oysters, and shrimps. In the relish column there are Lobster Filets Cardinal, Crabmeat Grace Louise, and English celery with anchovies -- all delicacies that live up to the word "relish." Essence of tomato with fresh crab and whipped cream heads the list of soups en tasse, with mousse of new peas a la Pullman as our second choice.

[Dark Saint Alaick]

Getting down to fish and shell fish, we know of nothing more succulent than the stuffed whitefish with crabmeat or the stufifed lobster in shell a la Pullman. As for entrees, you will not be making a mistake in ordering Boned Grilled Chicken Strasbourg, as thrilling as an airplane ride (but not so uncertain), or in ordering the doebird en casserole (for two) , which is worth the $4.00 you pay for it.
Not to overlook chafing dishes, mine host offers Mallard Duck a la Hieronymus (in season) , for which we would gladly pay twice the $5.50 that he modestly charges for it; Imperial Sirloin Steak, a sirloin like none other in Chicago; and Chicken Flakes Kingsbury, a dish that is poetry to the palate. And there are other chafing dishes too. Among the salads is StuflFed Pear Tip Top; among the desserts are Mussolini Slice, Colonial cup and Omelette Glace Surprise; and in the cheeses we suggest Camembert with Romaine and Oriental dressing. Special Tip Top drip coffee is another creation of the house that you shouldn't miss.
These delightful dishes, which make the Tip Top Inn an epicure's paradise, were not created overnight. No, they are the result of more than thirty years experience on the part of Mr. Hieronymus in watching over the kitchens of the Tip Top Inn. These specialties have made it a landmark of the town, as much an institution as are those other familiar landmarks, Marshall Field & Company and the Stockyards.

[Dark Saint Alaick]

Here is what Wallace Rice wrote about the Tip Top Inn in his chapter on Chicago hotels and restaurants, appearing in "Chicago and Its Makers," by Paul Gilbert and Charles Lee Bryson: "Especially worthy of note because it has survived happily and prosperously into the living present is the Tip Top Inn, conducted for many years by Adolph Hieronymus on the uppermost floors of the Pullman Building. Originally known as the Albion Cafe, it was taken over in 1893 by its present proprietor, who was an apprentice under two of the greatest chefs the city has known, William Thomann, of the Tremont House, and Joseph Seil, of the Palmer House."
During its career, the Tip Top Inn has been the gathering-place of many of the first families of Chicago as well as of notables from the stage, opera and music world. Here came such world-famed actors and actresses of the past as Lillian Russell, Richard Mansfield, Sir Forbes Robertson, Anna Held, and Robert Mantell -- and among the living, George M. Cohan, DeWolf Hopper, Blanche Ring and Richard Carle. The literary critics -- Floyd Dell, Harry Hansen, and the late Keith Preston -- came here too.
At the present time, everybody who is anybody in Chicago has dined at least once in the Tip Top ; but it is a particular favorite with such diners-out as Ashton Stevens, the drama critic, and his actress-wife, Katherine Krug; Arthur Bissel, vice-president of Lyon & Healy Company; Fanny Butcher, literary editor of the Chicago Tribune; Frederick Stock and Eric De Lamarter, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conductors ; James Keeley, official of the Pullman Company; Richard ("Riq") Atwater, columnist of The Chicagoan; and Colonel A. A. Sprague, the civic leader.

[Dark Saint Alaick]

One of the reasons why these interesting people come here is found in the many delightful dining rooms of the Tip Top Inn -- the Dickens Room, like an old English inn, with a beamed ceiling, fireplace and sporting prints and portraits of Pickwick, Sam Weller and other familiar Dickens characters hanging about the walls; the Italian Room, quiet, elegant and Neapolitan; the Nursery, with its Mother Goose nursery rhymes; and the Black Cat Room, with its whimsical feline motifs. And in two of these rooms there is music from stringed orchestras. Service at the hands of polite colored waiters is perfection.
By all means don't miss the Tip Top Inn. And the view from the windows overlooking Chicago's lake front is grand.
The Tip Top Inn American
Michigan Boulevard at Adams
Open daily and Sundays, 11:30 AM, to 10:00 P.M.
A la carte and table d'hote luncheons in all rooms. Table d'hote dinner in Black Cat Room, $1.00. Both a la carte and table d'hote dinners in other rooms. Prices reasonable. Maitre d'hotel: Adolph Hierony'nus

[Dark Saint Alaick]

SCHLOGL'S
Meet the Literary Lights!



Robert J. Casey, newspaperman, explorer, humorist and mystery-story writer, has his nose buried deep in a German apple pancake as big as an elephant's ear; Lew Sarett, poet, sturdy woodsman and Indian authority, is making short work of the Southern hash; Henry Justin Smith, managing editor of the Chicago Daily News and author of "Deadlines" and other novels of newspaper life, prefers two boiled Q"s' toast and jelly; Vincent Starrett, the handsome bibliophile and essayist, obviously likes his Southern ham with corn fritters, while Howard Vincent O'Brien, literary critic and novelist, goes in for ham and eggs; but big Gene Morgan, the columnist, swears by the corned-beef hash with poached egg.

See them eating -- the literary lights of Chicago. It is Saturday noon at Schlogl's. They are crowded about the big round walnut table in the right-hand corner -- talking, laughing, joking and shouting "Hey, Richard!" whenever the waiter is needed. Women are forbidden here. Therefore, male camaraderie prevails, the atmosphere is thick with smoke from many a cigar and pipe, everything is informal, diners take their time and tell stories, and the Hamburger steaks and Wiener Schnitzel are plentiful and appetizing.