A few nights ago, worlds collided in the best way at Chicago Prime Italian. Music, food and friends came together to create a wonderful evening.

I met a buddy at Chicago Prime Italian, just northwest of Chicago. Owned and operated by father and son George and Andy-John G. Kalkounos, Chicago Prime Italian and Chicago Prime Steakhouse are the only family-owned prime steakhouses in the northwest suburbs. Five-star food, service, a friendly staff and ambiance make this a go-to place.

Photo courtesy of Jack Keenan.

The ambiance gets even better every Tuesday night, when Rod Guico of Simply Sound performs. In the middle of the evening, Rod features a different solo artist weekly. I met Rod when he performed near my place and have followed him since.

Photo courtesy of Rod Guico and Kevin Pollack.

This night the featured performer was Kevin Pollack, a friend I met while writing a Global Traveler blog. A versatile performer, Kevin is the man behind Zooming the Movies, Facebook Live script reenactments via a Zoom call. Kevin has also entertained Chicagoans for six years as part of The Blooze Brothers, a band honoring the music and spirit of the original Blues Brothers.

On this night Rod and Kevin combined their musical talents to deliver hits from Elton John, Michael Jackson and several others. The music provided a perfect backdrop to a delicious meal. I loved the gnocchi al forno, and my friend called the chocolate martini “the best ever anywhere.” It all made for a fantastic night.

Photo courtesy of Jack Keenan.

— John Wroblewski, online writer