Our mission for this getaway weekend: Eat out -- often and well.

Written by Don McLeese

Friday Meals

Whenever my wife, Maria, and I return to our native Chicago, food is almost as important as reconnecting with family and friends. We've long celebrated our hometown for being one of the world's great dining cities. With each trip back, our first question is "Where should we eat?"

We have dozens of favorite restaurants and always are trying to add to the list. Staying in the downtown Loop, we decided to limit ourselves to restaurants within convenient walking distance or just a short cab ride away.

The plan was to save our splurge for Sunday brunch, the grand finale. Otherwise, we tried to keep the tabs pretty reasonable (recognizing that quality carries a heftier price tag in Chicago than in smaller Midwestern cities). One thing for sure: We never left any meal feeling hungry! Here's our diary of one great weekend of eating.

Friday Lunch

Bob Chinn's Crab House Chicago We've always loved north suburban Wheeling's Bob Chinn's, one of the busiest seafood restaurants in the landlocked Heartland. So we're eager to try the newer downtown Chinn's. The food is equally delicious, but the atmosphere is totally different.

The sleek bar, rows of light fixtures descending from the ceiling and exposed brick combine to create a setting the management describes as "urban friendly." And this location doesn't have sinks in the dining room like the suburban Chinn's, where you can wash up after a hands-on crab feast.

But at both locations, the freshness of the seafood (flown in daily) and abundance of the portions are hallmarks. Chinn's also is paradise for those who love garlic as much as I do. Our meal starts with hot rolls bathed in garlic butter. I know from experience that if you eat one, you'll be tasting the garlic for hours.

Maria opts for the fluffy pillows of tempura shrimp, while I order the lunch special of Alaskan snow-crab legs prepared with more garlic (you can order the crab steamed or cold, too). I'm relieved when even at this tonier Chinn's, our server offers me a plastic bib.

After turning my entree into a bowl of empty shells, I use the hot towels and lemon quarters brought for tidying up. We're tempted by the dessert menu, which lists key lime pie and creme brulee among the specialties. But neither of us can eat another bite.

Friday Dinner

Harry Caray's Even if you don't come with a boisterous party to Harry's on the near north side, you'll be joining one. The convivial spirit of the late sportscaster fills the room, where red-and-white-checked tablecloths, old-fashioned ceiling fans and walls of aged white brick remind us of a neighborhood restaurant. Although Harry's recently celebrated its 16th anniversary, the restaurant feels as if it's been here for 60 years.

Baseball memorabilia abounds, from Wrigley Field grandstand seats to autographed photos, baseballs and uniforms. But in this sports-themed restaurant, it's the food that hits a grand slam.

I resist the temptation to extend the day's rhapsody in garlic, even though the menu provides ample opportunity. Instead, when Joe, our server, brings the platter of meat for our inspection (prime steaks, veal chops and a mammoth prime rib among them), I take his suggestion and select the lamb chops oreganato.

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