Steak and Seafood

Hello there! This is Michael, the founder of Best Date Food! We started this Best Date Food Newsletter to bring you something different from what you already get from us on social media.

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Restaurant Review of the Week

Jinsei Motto is located in West Loop and it’s fantastic! It’s a delicious omakase and sushi restaurant hidden in the back of a distillery! We went for their 19-Course Omakase at the Sushi Bar! If you haven’t tried an omakase experience yet, this is a great place to start!

The chefs prepare each course for you one by one. You sit back and enjoy while trying a ton of different dishes at once! The Wagyu and Bluefin bites at the end are insanely good! Jinsei Motto’s fish is high-quality, fresh and tasty. The service is top-notch too, but the cool thing about this place is that it has a relaxed, casual vibe since it’s located in the back of a distillery!

We have a feeling that this place is only going to get more popular as time goes on, and rightfully so. While it's a little pricey, we think it's definitely worth it for a special occasion. Get this spot added to your date-night list for 2023! Watch our video review!

Chicago Restaurant Week - Steakhouse Menu Picks

If you missed our in-depth review of Chicago Restaurant Week, you should read it! Last week we reviewed Aba's Brunch Menu, and this week we dive into steakhouses! We combed through all the steakhouse CRW menus looking for the best values for a filet mignon dinner, our favorite thing to order at a steakhouse! We found two spots for you, that we will compare and contrast below, where you can get an 8oz or larger filet mignon paired with an appetizer, side and a dessert, all for $59!

Capital Grille: To get the most steak for your buck, go with the this dinner menu that includes a 10oz filet mignon entree, which typically is priced at $52 alone. You start your meal with a salad (two options), enjoy a side with your steak (mashed potatoes or creamed spinach) and end the meal with flourless chocolate espresso cake or creme brulee.

Morton's Steakhouse: You can get an 8oz filet mignon as part of this menu, which typically goes for $53 by itself. We like the amount of options you get with this menu. For the starters, there are six options including soups, salads, a "bacon steak" or prosciutto wrapped mozzarella. For sides, choose from mashed potatoes, green beans, fries or creamed spinach. And low key their fries are really good. You get three dessert options here: hazelnut mousse, creme brulee or key lime pie!

So which deal is better? Both of these CRW menus are very good deals if you order the filet mignon, but become much worse deals if you opt for an alternative entree. It really comes down to your preferences of the choices available. If you like Capital Grille's options for salads, side dishes and desserts, then that menu is a great option that gives you 10oz of steak and the option to also order Chilean Sea Bass at a great value as well ($50 on the normal menu). If you haven't had a miso Chilean Sea Bass entree before, we highly recommend trying it. Definitely our favorite fish entree to order.

However, if you want more choices and are fine with two less ounces of steak, you have a lot more flexibility with the Morton's menu. We highly recommend the truffle butter for the $5 upgrade! In terms of location, the Capital Grille menu is available at the Downtown Chicago location, Rosemont, Schaumburg and Lombard. The Rosemont menu is worse though as it has the filet mignon sized at 8oz for some reason. The Morton's menu is only available at the 65 E Wacker Pl. location.

Links of the Week

• New Year's Eve Plans: Still not sure what you are doing for New Year's Eve in Chicago? Here is a list of places you can go to eat, drink or both!

• Video of the Week: Have you ever seen a Panda Oreo before?! Grab a glass of milk and prepare to be amazed!

• Chicago Deals: Lids, the hats and sports apparel store, is having their semi-annual clearance event in store. They have a location at Addison & Clark if you want to try to get a $10 hat, $20 jersey or 40% off apparel and novelties.

Poll of the Week

We will let you know the poll results in the next newsletter! After clicking to cast your vote, leave your name and a reason why you chose your answer and you may see your answer featured!

Last Week's Poll Results

• Question: Will you be spending the holidays in the city or suburbs?

• Result: Suburbs (83%) vs. City (17%)

• Reader Thoughts: "There is something about traveling home for the holidays that just makes it feel special to me. My siblings and I revert to our childhood dynamics and it's just pure chaos for three straight days." -Courtney A.

Happy Holidays!

We hope you are using this time to rest and spend some time with family and friends! Thank you for being a newsletter subscriber. We look forward to chatting with you again soon!

Michael, Best Date Food Founder