Andrew Braithwaite

Most people choose to spoil mom by making a reservation for brunch at one of the infinity-plus-one Chicago restaurants that offer a special Care for Day brunch, ostensibly as a treat to someone who would otherwise be slaving over a hot stove for their family on a Sunday morning. (This is analogous to giving your dad a new tie on Father's Day, in celebration of the fact that he gets a day off from his grueling job at the tie-making factory.)

Most brunch offerings around the city fit the traditional Mother's Day mold: white tablecloths, eggs Benedict, a rose or a free glass of champagne for the special lady, and a soft jazz band or a roving violinist. But if the romantic setting--the flowers, the classy ambiance, the $40 average price tag--sounds a little too much like a date with mom, here are a couple alternative brunch options for May 9:

Dick's Last Resort

Forget the smoked salmon salad with caviar and citrus crème fraîche; Dick's brunch spread features biscuits and sausage gravy and a Bloody Mary bar. The action in Dick's lively open kitchen can be the perfect distraction should mom start inquiring about a timetable for the arrival of her grandbabies. In between mouthfuls, catch the sounds of a Beatles tribute band, perhaps ripping through the classic ode to the overworked mom, "Lady Madonna."

435 East Illinois, (312)836-7870. Brunch served 10am-3pm.

Goose Island Brewing Co.

If you spell mum with a `u,' you'd do well to treat the hearty old dame to a plate of Goose Island's "Chicago's Best Fish N' Chips." Dealing with someone who won't be terribly impressed by a complimentary mimosa? Goose Island has over ten handcrafted brews on tap every day. Make an afternoon of it and stick around for the 3pm tour of the brewery ($3) where the brewmaster will take you through the ins and outs of brewing, culminating in a sampling of the wares. If mom knows the difference between an ale and a lager by the end of Mother's Day, mission accomplished.

1800 North Clybourn, (312)915-0071. Open 10am-midnight.

Uncommon Ground

This hip Wrigleyville joint serves big mugs of coffee and bigger eats. Suggest the Uncommon Huevos, a kicky plate of black bean, corn, and brown rice cake covered in egg, chili sauce, and Chihuahua cheese. If Mother's Day dinner is more your style, you're in luck: no snoozy house jazz band here. Instead, chow down to the plucking of a cynical folk artist, Minnesota's Stuart Davis, singing songs like "Wanna Be Christ," the tale of a boy in a Christmas pageant who wants a better role so he can make time with the Virgin Mary. Explain to mom that this man is a modern-day Lawrence Welk--you'll have no idea what that means, but she might, so what do you have to lose?

1214 West Grace, (773)929-3680. Open 8am-11pm.

(2004-05-05)

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