The first Radisson Blu in North America came to Chicago
recently and I was invited to check it out with a group of fellow journalists.
While I always enjoy visiting a new hotel, I was just as excited about the
opportunity to play tourist in Chicago as I am still discovering the city.
My room was modern and, yes, blue. I had arrived late at
night and didn’t really have time for dinner, so I was ready for a big
breakfast. The room service spread certainly fit the bill, supplying a fresh
selection that was more than I could finish.
I had a bit of time to relax and digest before the official luncheon
when we were introduced to the Radisson executive team, as well as Meghan Risch of the
Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau. We learned about the hotel brands of Carlson
-- Hotel Missoni, Radisson Blu, Radisson,
Park Plaza, Park Inn and Country Inn – while sipping champagne in the very
comfortable viewing room of the new hotel.
The afternoon was filled with fun activities and we started
at the Shedd Aquarium. We were given the option of working with the belugas or
the penguins and I was excited about getting in the water with the whales.
After we had our own training session, we got into our waders (basically a
thick wetsuit with boots attached) and climbed into the 55 degree water.
There are six beluga whales in residence at the Shedd
Aquarium and they all take part in these training sessions, which are available
to the general public. My small group worked with Bella and Mauyak, both of
which were friendly and very patient with us as we went through the training
motions with them. It was an incredible experience that I’d love to repeat
someday.
From the aquarium we headed down to the river for the
Chicago Architecture Foundation Boat Tour. The unusually warm weather was welcome as the
boat took us through the history and beauty of Chicago’s architecture. I had
heard a lot about this tour and frankly hadn’t put it at the top of my “must do”
list, but once on it my attitude changed. The combination of learning about the
city through its buildings and appreciating the architectural wonders that only
this city appears to have is something all visitors should experience.
Our day finished back at the Radisson Blu. We first enjoyed some
wine at the Filini Bar, which has a
nice selection of both wine and cocktails. We then went upstairs for dinner at
this modern Italian restaurant, headed by Chef Christian Fantoni, formerly of
the Windy City’s Bice).
The meal started with Zuppa Di Pomodoro, a tasty Tomato soup
with parmesan cheese and roasted peppers. The appetizer was a combo of two
amazing dishes: Aquarello carnaroli, porcini mushroom and parsley Risotto; and Butter
Nut Squash Ravioli, with sage, amaretti and parmigiano.
While most of the other guests in our group feasted on a
Char-grilled Tuna and Olive Oil Poached Halibut, I got my own fish-free dish of
Eggplant Parmesan. It’s one of my favorite dishes and Chef Fantoni’s version
lived up to some of the best, managing to remain light without tasting too
fried, breaded or heavily loaded with cheese.
For dessert, we were brought an assortment of Italian style
sweets: Filini Tiramisu; Cioccolatissimo; and Biscotti. We sampled small bites
as we were all pretty full.
The night ended after dinner for us as we got ready for a
second day of discovering the Radisson Blu and Chicago.
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