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The Bargain Bellini Brunch
Monday Jan 09, 2006.
By Erin Brereton
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But while the city's sushi deals may be dwindling, its drink deals are not—and when it comes to Sunday brunch, there's no cheaper place to nab a cocktail than Blue Water Grill, 520 N. Dearborn St. I know what you're thinking: That place is swanky: I can't afford to eat there. And when it comes to dinner that may be true, but breakfast is a go. The omelets cost a reasonable $10-$11 and include such scrumptious offerings as goat cheese and mushroom and an egg-white version with farmer's vegetables, Muenster and turkey bacon (the two items my friend Emily and I ordered). Blue Water also serves apple crumb French toast (yes, please!) and lunch items like a seafood cobb salad and a Maine lobster roll. But the best part? Your first drink is on Blue Water Grill. (And after a night of questionable wine and an early stint at the gym, mama needs a bellini.) Everybody knows that nothing helps a hangover like a cocktail, and you can sip on a bellini, bloody mary, screwdriver, mimosa or straight champagne...for FREE. (You can also get juice and coffee and stuff, but why?) Ambiance comes free of charge, too. A bassist (I think—it was big and it was low) and pianist (well, keyboardist, but to be fair, he wasn't working with a portable instrument) play soft jazz as you walk in. To add to the easy-like-Sunday-morning vibe, valet parking is available for $10. (Unless your hungover self wants to circle for meter parking.) When Em and I arrived, we were surprised to find there was no wait, unlike most popular Sunday morning brunch spots, despite the fact is was 12:30 p.m.: prime brunch time. Still, the service wasn't as quick as I would have liked. It took quite awhile to get our free bellinis, and what exactly does a girl have to do in this town to get ketchup? But the food was good, the bellinis were delish and the bill for two breakfasts was a scant $12 each because, unlike many meals Emily and I share, something was missing: an exorbitant bar tab. The atmosphere was upscale and the people-watching prime; we spent half our breakfast trying to decide whether the people sitting behind us were all couples or just very, very stylish friends. The restaurant's only flaw? The bathroom, a one-stall affair so covered in water it looked like high tide had hit. I'm not sure what happened in there, but I hope someone found some paper towels... Brunch is served between 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sundays, and your first drink is compliments of the Grill. If you want to switch to something tamer after that, smoothies are just $5. Want to make a brunch reservation? Call Blue Water Grill at (312) 777-1400.
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It had been my every intention to take this cheap route this week with 99-cent-sushi night at a restaurant called Kudos in Bucktown, but sadly the buck a piece night (formerly on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday) ended with the beginning of 2006, so my hope of writing about mostly-reasonable fish went out the window with all my New Years' resolutions (oops!) 
Erin Brereton is our resident urban cowgirl on a bi-weekly search for life on the cheap.