If you’re looking for a private group dining experience that will encourage attendees to mingle, consider booking a dinner at an international Chicago restaurant. You’ll find everything from Thai to Indian-Latin fusion and Spanish tapas. Plus, many global restaurants serve their dishes family-style, so everyone in the group gets to try a number of different delicacies. Here are six to check out.
Arun’s
Visit world-renowned Chef Arun Sampanthavivat at his pioneering fine dining Thai restaurant in Albany Park. The elegant ambiance is accented with patterned mahogany panels, Thai silks, and exquisite paintings. Family-style dishes include Mussaman curry with slow-braised beef (a customer favorite) and Bangkok-style sweet chili lobster. There is also an emphasis on food as art, evidenced by the beautifully presented dishes, along with a craft cocktail program.
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!
Get an authentic taste of Spain at this long-time Lincoln Park restaurant known for its extensive menu of tapas. The menu at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! is made to share, encouraging the sampling of various tapas (including bacon-wrapped roasted dates and Moroccan chickpea stew) and the popular Valencian rice dish, paella. Wash it down with fruity sangria, including classic red and white peach versions. Parties of up to 160 people can be accommodated in the restaurant’s six private and semi-private spaces, named for different cities in Spain.
Imperial Lamian
Step into this beautiful River North restaurant and you’ll be transported into an exotic world decorated with handmade Oriental screens and unique birdcage pendant lights. Indulge in authentic Chinese cuisine of Imperial Lamian, including hand-pulled Lamian noodles, fresh-made dim sum, and wok-fired entrees. The private Imperial Room, featuring a colorful wall mural, seats up to 30 guests. Choose from the family-style menu that includes dim sum starters such as mushroom bao and main dishes like fried shrimp Lamian and London duck.
Vermilion
Indian and Latin cuisines are creatively fused at this sleek River North restaurant. Try small plates like the blue corn-crusted scallops with Peruvian corn or artichoke pakoras with eggplant-coconut chutney. Signature entrees include Tandoori skirt steak with garlic spinach and plantain-crusted whitefish seasoned with cilantro. End with the Vermilion Hedonism for dessert: dark chocolate cake sided with berry-cardamom sorbet. Several semi-private spaces can seat from 10-350 guests, including the main event space that can accommodate 125 for dinner.
