I must have crab because it’s a crab house. Some order oysters tonight but the three of us will start with a cup of New England chowder. It tastes fresh and certainly not overcooked. He doesn’t ask to have it any special way, as I might, ever fussy, because I want my fish lightly cooked. Jim chooses his usual entree: Parmesan crusted George’s Bank haddock with spinach and lemon butter. I eat too many crackers waiting for our order to arrive.Īlmost always, brother Jim orders the Parmesan-crusted George's Bank haddock with lemon butter. My brother, his son Gabe, and I each order a cup of New England clam chowder to start. Our server marches up to the table and announces herself with the brass of a one-woman off-Broadway performer. Since they're regulars at Shaw's Mary and Jim usually sit in the front room. Tonight we’re seven at a big round in the front room. I order the soft shell crab in season, but Christmas is not the season. Since they’re regulars at Shaw’s Crab House, the manager always saves brother Jim and wife Mary their preferred table. When soft shells are not in season, I'll probably get the crab cake at Shaw's Crab House. He nominated restaurants, some new, some I’ve loved in the past. Obsession runs in the family, it seems, but not delicious excess. He hasn’t gained a pound in 35 years and he doesn’t take many pills because he controls his cholesterol by healthy eating. He doesn’t eat lunch and he does a strenuous run on the treadmill seven days a week. Jim is a careful eater, I might even say, compulsively vigilant. He called a few days later to discuss where we would eat. When I asked if I could visit Christmas week, he sounded pleased. Kids and grandkids come by for Christmas but Mickey the rescue dog gets daily attention from Jim and Mary. But, of course he treads lightly around me, the Restaurant Critic with all of the Emerald City on my route. He has a favorite destination for steak, a landmark for ribs, a new discovery for pizza. In his crowd my brother Jim, who lives in Chicago, is seen as a restaurant guru, fussy about where he dines. Mary's mac'n'cheese is browned and crusty from a last minute under the broiler like Mom's used to be. But the chefs at Lamian found a way around that, and that type of creativity - including those rainbow-colored dishes - will be missed.Īs management concludes in its closing annoucement: “Our service industry has been hit HARD, and your favorite restaurants will only survive with your continued support.Exploring Chicago Eats with My Local Guru Without a substitute, vegetarian dishes often taste limp. The restaurant also developed a vegetarian version of fish sauce, a vital component in dishes that packs a punch of flavor. Vegan spring rolls, as the Tribune notes, were another specialty. The restaurant also catered to vegetarians and vegans. Imperial Lamian came from an Indonesian chain, opened in February 2016. They asked, tearing a page out of the casual racists’ playbook, if certain aromas would repel customers. Back in 2016, co-owner Vincent Lawrence told Eater Chicago how downtown landlords would question if a Chinese restaurant belonged in Downtown Chicago. It was also one of the only sit-down Chinese restaurants downtown. Many times, visitors would stumble upon the restaurant after walking around downtown. The demise of tourism during the pandemic was another factor. The specialties of the house don’t translate as well for carryout or delivery. The Tribune, which first reported the story, notes Imperial Lamian was known for roast duck and soup dumplings. These restaurants have fancy dining rooms in neighborhoods where rent is expensive. The state suspended indoor dining on October 30, and that hurt places like Imperial Lamian even more. However, dine-in business continued to struggle due to racist attitudes. A delivery driver for Chowbus told Eater Chicago that despite xenophobic attitudes connected to the novel coronavirus, that customers were tipping well for deliveries. Chowbus, the third-party delivery company the specializes in deliveries from Chicago’s Chinatown, has reported increased business during the pandemic. Many Chinese restaurants are thriving thanks to takeout and delivery. Management posted a farewell post on Sunday on Facebook, citing “challenges we faced as a result of the pandemic this year.” While Chicago says goodbye to some of the city’s best xiao long bao, a sibling restaurant - Phat Phat - in suburban Schaumburg will remain open. Imperial Lamian, whose arrival more than four years ago brought an exciting and upscale Chinese restaurant to Downtown Chicago, has closed.
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