NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zagat Survey has released its new Chicago Dining Deals guide, featuring 337 eateries in the Windy City that offer especially great values for diners. The guides' ratings and reviews are based on the collective opinions of over 5,300 local diners. It is designed to show how to get the best bang for your buck when eating in Chicago.
Bargain Hunting: Given the economic situation, the new mantra for anyone looking for a meal is "bargains." Fortunately, Chicago has plenty of them. Many of the restaurants in the new guide offer dinner options at $30 or less, and lunches for $20. And with Restaurant Week coming to Chicago from February 20-27, diners can expect over 50 of Chicago's best known restaurants to feature lunch and dinner deals in the $20-$30 range.
Explore the Neighborhood: Chicago has a variety of ethnic neighborhoods with an even larger variety of dining deals. On the outskirts of the Loop, Lao Beijing (Chinatown) and Artopolis Bakery, Cafe & Agora (Greektown) offer eclectic cuisine at most reasonable prices. The Northwest Side features the "Little India" area on Devon Avenue, where further values can be found at restaurants like Tiffin, for diners on a budget. Other avenues to explore include Argyle Street's Vietnamese restaurant offerings and Koreatown, along Lawrence Avenue.
Big Chefs, Big Deals: Many of the nation's most prominent chefs are taking aim at the price sensitive public by promoting reasonably priced, scaled-down menus. In Chicago, Chef Rick Bayless (Topolobampo) touts the more affordable Frontera Grill while Tony Mantuano's Cafe Spiaggia actually shares a kitchen with its sibling, Spiaggia. All four restaurants are among the Most Popular restaurants in the city.
Tasty Tips: For diners looking to trim their spending, here are a few helpful and healthy suggestions:
* Split main courses to save on cost and over-eating * Fill up on salads and soups * Avoid alcohol and desserts to cut back on calories * Order appetizers only * Ask the sommelier for "the best wine at the lowest price" * Go basic (BBQs, Pizzerias) or ethnic * Remember, lunch is cheaper than dinner
All of the ratings and reviews from these guides and all Zagat guides can be found online at ZAGAT.com and via the award-winning mobile website, ZAGAT.mobi.
Zagat's Chicago Dining Deals guide ($5.95) is available at all major bookstores, through ZAGAT.com, or by calling toll free 888-371-5440.
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