I am sorry to see Chicago Restaurant Week end, but I am left with some delicious food memories and some great new dining options. I might have gained a couple pounds, too.

ID 78932953 © Danny Raustadt | Dreamstime.com

Chicago Restaurant Week is actually a two-week event through Chicago and the suburbs. More than 300 participating restaurants featured prix fixe menus for lunch and/or dinner. Basically, the diner gets to enjoy samples of many items through several courses at each restaurant.

My friends and I made a plan, each picking a couple spots. Overall, it was a major success and a lot of fun. Of course, there were a few misses among our selections, but nothing worth mentioning. I would rather salute the successes.

Our first stop was Mercadito Chicago, featuring Mexican fare created by world-renowned Chef Patricio Sandoval. The mixto ceviche followed by the shrimp tacos left us speechless.

Our Italian selection of La Madia was outstanding. My favorites were the wild mushroom bruschette, shaved artichoke pizza and Fugi apple crostata.

Our excellent experiences continued at Friends Sushi. I love sushi, and I admit I might have overdone it here, but I am not apologizing. It was awesome!

My friend’s suggestion of Troquet was another winner. Most enjoyed the beef Bourguignon, but I selected and loved the salmon en croute. The chocolate and almond butter tart dessert was incredible.

Restaurant Week is a great idea (although I question the name, since it covers 14 days, but I won’t quibble). It’s a great way to try lots of dishes at restaurants. I definitely will be going back to the ones I listed above!

— John Wroblewski, online contributor