6 minute read

WE MEET AGAIN

The Peninsula Chicago reopens

Written by Jeffrey Cohen

When in mid-July I received the press release from my friend Susan Ellefson, director of brand marketing and communications at The Peninsula Chicago, announcing the hotel's post-quarantine reopening, my wife and I jumped at the opportunity to take our kids to one of our favorite establishments for a quick jaunt before they started back at school. The previous week, we had been forced to leave one of our cars in northern Michigan after a rather spectacular tire episode on the way back from the Grand Hotel (full story to follow in the November/December issue), so it was with a degree of trepidation that we hit the road for Chicago. Amazingly, the roads were practically empty and we arrived at The Peninsula with plenty of time to spare. The hotel staff greeted us like long-lost friends (even our kids, who had not stayed at the hotel before, were welcomed warmly by name as we entered -- impressive customer service indeed), and we were personally escorted to our stunning suite of rooms that actually seemed larger than an entire floor of our house.

To mark the reopening, on July 23 the hotel launched the “We Meet Again” package, a celebration of “The Seven Loves of The Peninsula Chicago” that allows guests to rediscover the exceptional cuisine, culture, and community in the city. As part of the package, guests can choose one experience from a variety of activities, including dim sum classes, a scavenger hunt, and even volunteering at Lakeview Pantry, one of Chicago’s largest and longest-operating food pantries. We were disappointed to learn that the volunteer opportunities are possible only on Saturdays and thus we couldn’t participate on this trip but were able to sample the other experiences, ensuring a busy few days. A nice feature of the “We Meet Again” package is that guests can request their arrival and departure times for early check-ins and late check-outs, so we knew we’d have plenty of time to fit everything in.

A suite at The Peninsula

First off, however, it was an agreeable lunch at The Lobby, where we enjoyed a poke bowl, Caesar salad and a couple of signature chicken sandwiches, and had the great pleasure of meeting the very talented executive chef Baasim Zafar, who brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the position. Then it was outdoors for our first activity, the scavenger hunt. Designed to test one’s local knowledge and educate at the same time, it was also a stark reminder of the realities of the pandemic, as we wandered around a sparsely populated Michigan Avenue that would under normal circumstances have been abuzz with shoppers and tourists.

Returning to The Peninsula for a quick change into business casual, we all headed to the celebrated Z Bar, which opens at 5 p.m., and where children can stay until six before they turn into pumpkins. Here we participated in the “Craft Cocktail Experience”; my wife sampled the most expensive drink on the list, the Manhattan Royale, created with WhistlePig 18-year-old rye whiskey, gold leaf and truffle bitters, and the children tried a couple of mocktails, while I gravitated towards a refreshing Elderflower Collins. While the grown-ups decided on another cocktail, the kids visited the hotel’s indoor half-Olympic size swimming pool, with its floor-to-ceiling windows and sweeping views of Chicago’s breathtaking skyline.

The rooftop terrace at The Peninsula's Z Bar

Dinner our first evening was a spectacular feast of dim sum at Shanghai Terrace. Voted the number-one "Chinese Restaurant in Chicago" by Zagat Survey, Shanghai Terrace offers a 1930s supper club décor where Chef de Cuisine Elmo Han presents a magnificent blend of traditional dishes and creative rendition of classics. The highlight of the evening was the perfect Peking Duck, a first for the children, impeccably presented with its ethereally crisp skin and delicate pancakes.

The following morning, after an enjoyable breakfast at The Lobby, I made sure to take full advantage of the hotel’s beautifully appointed fitness center, while my wife paid a visit to The Spa at The Peninsula, where the “Love of Wellness” offers guests a generous discount off spa products as well as fitness apparel and other merchandise.

Later, my wife and daughter spent a few hours shopping, exploring the hotel’s exclusive new Krigler fragrance boutique and then venturing out onto Michigan Avenue, while my son and I took part in another of the “Loves”, this one tailormade for us – the “Love of Transportation.” This involved a private tour of The Peninsula’s impressive collection of vintage cars and a photo opportunity in a classic Packard. From there, we strolled to the Norman Foster-designed Apple Store to resolve some of my son’s computer issues, then reconvened with the girls for an al fresco lunch at RL Restaurant, where we enjoyed a delightful bottle of Pierre Sparr Crémant Rosé and an assortment of light but delectable dishes from the elevated menu, including a fine gazpacho and a lobster roll worthy of Cape Cod.

In the evening, it was back to Z Bar for perhaps the highlight of our stay, and another 'experience': this time the “Love of Entertainment”, where Vlad Novikov, director of cocktails and culture, taught us to make two of their standouts, his version of an Old Fashioned and the Z. Vlad shared many interesting and useful insights about the culture of the cocktail, including a few pointers as to how they should best be enjoyed. The biggest takeaway for me was that we should be using the best possible ingredients; you can avoid a lot of grief that way. Not to mention spend a lot more money.

Maria Zec, regional vice president and general manager of The Peninsula Chicago, was the inspiration for Z Bar’s name.

After our cocktail experience, the hotel’s delightful chauffeur, Kendall Mallory, bundled us into an immaculate Peninsula-green BMW 7-series for the short ride to Chicago's First Lady Cruises water architectural tour. The kids’ jaws dropped at the sight of the Willis Tower from the water, especially as we could see the glass platforms on the 103rd floor, where my daughter and I had once stood, instantly bringing back an attack of vertigo even though I was at water level.

Chicago's First Lady Cruises architectural tour is a must, and is even more magical at night

Following our rather hurried tutorial at Z Bar earlier in the evening, it was there once more that my wife and I repaired for a more leisurely nightcap prior to turning in for our last night. A relaxing breakfast the next morning was again at The Lobby, where I deviated from my usual continental fare, opting for a more robust eggs Benedict to carry me through the drive home. We lingered over the meal, reluctant to take our departure, but given that The Peninsula Chicago is a luxurious escape only a few hours away from home, we have little doubt that we will meet again before too very long, pandemics and blowouts notwithstanding.

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