tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post273318791821426565..comments2023-04-01T06:34:38.141-05:00Comments on Hyde Park Progress: Park 52 Reviewchicago pophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17055796523227869734noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-17525903399591776782008-05-05T09:29:00.000-05:002008-05-05T09:29:00.000-05:00a capitalist pig-dog? certainly not, that's just s...a capitalist pig-dog? certainly not, that's just sensible, erith. and for the record (since i'm a 52 fan) tomatoes and green beans can be ordered as a side. and once they gave me spinach. =)Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00685736737346098340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-16360306843184454042008-05-01T09:17:00.000-05:002008-05-01T09:17:00.000-05:00So they really have little incentive to take care ...<I> So they really have little incentive to take care of you in the restaurant itself</I><BR/><BR/>Call me a capitalist pig dog, but can't you always have more money? The only thing better than a successful catering business is a successful catering business coupled with a successful restaurant.erith1https://www.blogger.com/profile/05743259841253963301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-80786054642590136392008-04-30T17:22:00.000-05:002008-04-30T17:22:00.000-05:00I don't know how they stay in business either, sin...<I>I don't know how they stay in business either, since it's nearly always empty.</I><BR/><BR/>80% of their business is catering to places like the U of C hospitals. So they really have little incentive to take care of you in the restaurant itself, or even to water the dying plants in the windows.<BR/><BR/>That place is stuck in the 70s ... a sort of R.J. Grunts that never quite got its groove on ...chicago pophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17055796523227869734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-70005899388438102252008-04-30T15:57:00.000-05:002008-04-30T15:57:00.000-05:00I used to live upstairs from Orly's. The quality o...I used to live upstairs from Orly's. The quality of the food was never a problem for me, it was the speed of the service. Even when the place is totally empty (which is most of the time), it can take 20-30 minutes before someone finally emerges from the back room and takes your order. The front counter is just as bad. My girlfriend and I went by to get some corn muffins once, stood at the counter for 15 minutes, not one person ever came out to check and see if they had customers and we finally just left. I don't know how they stay in business either, since it's nearly always empty...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-44528036774182800952008-04-30T10:27:00.000-05:002008-04-30T10:27:00.000-05:00Wouldjalookit that, farinaceous is a real word. O...Wouldjalookit that, farinaceous is a real word. Otto makes me use my dictionary more than anyone else on this blog.Elizabeth Famahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04931639156261179425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-83065096272381509892008-04-30T09:30:00.000-05:002008-04-30T09:30:00.000-05:00I've been meaning to get a bagel from Orly's ever ...I've been meaning to get a bagel from Orly's ever since the great bagel debate we had here on this blog, but I haven't had the gumption to go in yet. <BR/><BR/>I need to bring a witness or something.Raymondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17258887975474954111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-79676037148178988692008-04-30T09:26:00.000-05:002008-04-30T09:26:00.000-05:00Richard,I'm glad I'm not the only one who wouldn't...Richard,<BR/><BR/>I'm glad I'm not the only one who wouldn't go back to Orly's. After trying out their new deli menu, I had to ask how they've managed to stay in business for so long. What's with the Southwestern murals and 1970's rec room furniture??? If the food were even close to adequate, I'd accept the ambiance as kitschy. But, in the face of bad food, I find the environment genuinely frightening. Yikes!LPBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12317816059809707252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-7230308679453460892008-04-30T08:40:00.000-05:002008-04-30T08:40:00.000-05:00Places I wouldn't go back to, even for free: Orly'...<I>Places I wouldn't go back to, even for free: Orly's</I><BR/><BR/>Someone finally said it. Orly's is just plain scary. And they don't seem to have a clue about it.chicago pophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17055796523227869734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-21746032852104922422008-04-30T01:21:00.000-05:002008-04-30T01:21:00.000-05:00The only vegetable sold a la carte is succotash, w...<I>The only vegetable sold a la carte is succotash, which I count as a starch.</I><BR/><BR/>Farinaceous!Ottohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05290441585366899781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-18221526957996550502008-04-29T22:54:00.000-05:002008-04-29T22:54:00.000-05:00Peter -I haven't yet been to Park 52, but based on...Peter -<BR/><BR/>I haven't yet been to Park 52, but based on what I've read in HPP about the cuisine and the prices, what in Hyde Park would Park 52 be cannibalizing? What in the neighborhood is comparable? Maybe, to some extent, Petit Folie, but not really. Anecdotal evidence suggests a large number of people from outside Hyde Park have been patronizing Park 52. Hey, isn't that what's supposed to happen?<BR/><BR/>I still must pinch myself at times, when I realize Hyde Park now has both a classy supermarket and a Kleiner bistro.<BR/><BR/>Well, phooey, I was going to avoid the whole restaurant discussion, but here's my "opposite poles" list of Hyde Park eateries. Everything else is somewhere in between, or I haven't been there.<BR/><BR/>Places I wouldn't go back to, even for free: Orly's; Leona's.<BR/><BR/>Places I would go back to at any time: Picolo Mondo, The Nile, Cedars, Medici, Florian, Valois, Calypso, Pizza Capri, Snail, Bar Louie.<BR/><BR/>There, I said it. Phew!Richard Gillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02773215580457414540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-57651430727580410202008-04-29T19:50:00.000-05:002008-04-29T19:50:00.000-05:00dont' get your hopes up re bathrooms. not even Va...dont' get your hopes up re bathrooms. not even Vargas level<BR/><BR/>here is an interesting question: is Park 52 expanding demand for restaurants in HP or simply cannibalizing on existing demand?Peter Rossihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15610159670466039455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-47078561195203267442008-04-29T14:25:00.000-05:002008-04-29T14:25:00.000-05:00Thanks for the review, Elizabeth. We've got a rese...Thanks for the review, Elizabeth. We've got a reservation for mid-May. I'm looking forward to dining in the "nouveau bordello" atmosphere. (and checking out the bathroom art).chicago pophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17055796523227869734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-65061077277609546542008-04-28T10:51:00.000-05:002008-04-28T10:51:00.000-05:00nice review and beautiful pics.If park 52's food i...nice review and beautiful pics.<BR/><BR/>If park 52's food is so filling, I wonder how you guys found room for super rich ice cream? It must be that long walk home.<BR/><BR/>I love the idea of WALKING to a nice rest in our neighborhood and enjoying the walk home rather than being decanted into a car. Walking is good for the digestion.<BR/><BR/>I will return to park 52 to check out service (though it will be difficult to convince my family who were fairly ticked off by the indifferent service).Peter Rossihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15610159670466039455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-59179384531488132292008-04-28T10:02:00.000-05:002008-04-28T10:02:00.000-05:00Excellent review. My wife and I also made it to P...Excellent review. <BR/><BR/>My wife and I also made it to Park 52 this weekend (Friday, actually), and Elizabeth's experience seems very close to my own (too bad I missed the men's room, apparently). Our waitress was gregarious, but a little absent minded. Once she stopped by the table and left before taking our drink order, which was her announced purpose (she did like to talk). But, it was more of an amusement than anything else.<BR/><BR/>The food was great, the wine selection perfect and - as advertised - the portions huge. In fact, our waitress told my wife she would need a take home bag for her order because it was so large. How could she know that despite my wife's small stature, she can really put it away (she is breast feeding after all). The waitress was a little embarassed when she picked up the empty plate, but there was no need :)<BR/><BR/>In all, a really nice experience. And being able to walk to a nice restaurant is really progress (although, we really do like La Petite Folie as well - if for nothing else, for the elegant strip mall dining experience). Because I'm not much on writing reviews, I'd just give it 4 out of 5 stars.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07028063071799565399noreply@blogger.com