Avec, which means “with” in French, was originally conceived as a casual sidekick to Blackbird, Paul Kahan’s now-closed influential fine-dining spot next door in the West Loop. From the outset, though, this timelessly cool room (like dining in a Jenga tower laid on its side), with its Mediterranean menu and killer wine list, showed a giant personality of its own. More than 20 years later, the menu under chef Dylan Patel still has swagger — and those iconic chorizo-stuffed dates. Imaginative dishes like grilled broccoli with miso bagna cauda emerge from a Waffle House–size kitchen, as do shell-on prawns sizzling in a cast-iron skillet, with fresh pita to mop up the spiced sauce. Lusty flavors make up for the sometimes sloppy cooking — you may give up on a stringy steak or dull slab of ocean trout to bogart the last of those dates. The much-larger second location in River North lacks the amped-up sense of place but is a reliable option. 

Price: $$$
Address: 615 W. Randolph St., West Loop; 141 W. Erie St., River North
Website: avecrestaurant.com