ML - Michigan Avenue

2012 - Issue 5 - September

Michigan Avenue - Niche Media - Michigan Avenue magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine centered around Chicago’s finest people, events, fashion, health & beauty, fine dining & more!

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATRINA WITTKAMP (PLACE, TABLE); GETTY IMAGES (VAUGHN); KEVIN MAZUR/GETTY IMAGES (KNOWLES); BENNETT RAGLIN/ WIREIMAGE/GETTY IMAGES (SCHWIMMER); ASTRID STAWIARZ/ GETTY IMAGES (JAY-Z) SO MANY LUNCHES... SO LITTLE TIME continued from page 80 Table settings are impeccable, along with everything else at RL. the restaurant for a decade after work- ing in such places as North Pond Café and Bistrot Zinc. "Anyone who knows Ralph Lauren... there's no mistaking it. It's like walking into his den." It is here, in this most hospitable den, that diners flock for Pitts's clas- sic American club fare. Whether it's the $46 Dover sole filleted tableside before receiving beurre blanc, a Meyer the decadent lemon lobster club served with applewood-smoked bacon, a classic Cobb, or leave satisfied, and not just the RL Burger (arguably one of the best in Chicago), regulars who hit RL know they'll because of the fare. Impeccable, on- point service is at the heart of the experience here. "I love our clientele because they are the customers I want to cook for, and they know what they want," Pitts admits. "My philosophy is 'Give them what they want.' Making people happy has always been my thing." MA Jay-Z, Beyoncé, David Schwimmer, and Vince Vaughn Table 68 is tucked away in an alcove. BEST IN THE HOUSE A LOOK AT TABLE NUMBER 68. In a power room, of course, you have power tables, and RL regulars have their favorites and know them by their number. The most sought-after table, however, is the one that Oprah herself always gets: Table 68. Tucked away in an alcove on the left side of the dining room, it's been called one of the top power tables in the country by Forbes magazine. It's the ideal spot for a discreet meeting, a catch-up with your most influential friend, or a romantic rendezvous—if you're lucky enough to get it. STAR STORIES Over the years, RL has hosted numerous celebrities, including Tom Hanks (who reportedly gasped at the room's beauty upon walking in the first time), power couple Jay-Z and Beyoncé, and mayors Daley and Emanuel. Chicago-based celebs like David Schwimmer and Vince Vaughn are regulars, while funnyman Jerry Seinfeld was a fixture during his trips through our city. 82 MICHIGANAVEMAG.COM

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