Chicago has some of the world’s finest restaurants, many of them unique in cuisine or ambiance. Our city is known for its ethnic diversity, which means many small, wonderful restaurants of any ethnic type that pleases your palate.

Clearly it would be impossible to list all of Chicago’s restaurants; therefore, I would like to walk you through three distinct neighborhood areas that capture some of the ethnic diversity both in terms of food and culture. All are a short distance from McCormick Place, the headquarters of the annual meeting.

A walk along Halsted Street (800 west), from Van Buren Street (400 south) on the south to Monroe Street (100 south) on the north will take you through an incredible concentration of excellent Greek restaurants, from upscale to moderately priced to some that are quite reasonably priced—all are excellent!

My favorite is Greek Islands, where the atmosphere is bustling and the menu quite varied. Excellent starters to try are the grilled octopus, taramosalata, and the melitzanosalata. For an entree, if you enjoy lamb, the kokkinisto is cooked to perfection in a rich, red gravy and is exquisite. Be sure to order it with the rice and potatoes.

If your taste is a little less adventurous, the grilled lamb chops are always outstanding, as is the red snapper or sea bass. A simple but lovely dessert is yogurt and honey, a must for me.

A walk down Taylor Street (1000 south) is an experience in and of itself, and the food is amazing. You want to walk from Morgan Street (1000 west), west to just east of Ashland Avenue (1600 west). This is one of Chicago’s oldest Italian communities. You can find outstanding upscale restaurants, such as Tuscany, amid some of the most wonderful "ma and pa" storefronts with the best Italian beef and Italian sausage sandwiches, slices of pizza, and homemade Italian ice. Since you’re on Taylor Street already, I suggest dining at the original Rosebud Café and ordering the pasta Rosebud, whose taste and size will blow you away! This café is the restaurant that most typifies Chicago’s Little Italy neighborhood. While there, be sure to see the "infamous" oversized painting of Frank Sinatra on black velvet, which hangs on the wall of the main dining room. Whenever Frank was in Chicago, this was one of his favorite haunts.

Also on Taylor Street is a great bar with fabulous hamburgers called Hawkeye’s Bar & Grill.

The third and last walk that I urge you to take is in Chicago’s old and revered Chinatown neighborhood, which is centered on Cermak Road (2200 south) and Wentworth Avenue (200 west). The restaurants, shops, and storefronts are fascinating. A favorite dining spot of mine there is Hong Min, where two very worthwhile dishes are Mr. Weil’s shrimp with pan-fried noodles and the beef and green pepper with chow foon noodles. Be sure to order these noodles extra crispy!

The newest and most critically acclaimed restaurant in Chicago is called Tru. It is the epitome of the "fine-dining experience" in terms of atmosphere, service, presentation, creativity, and quality. Along with these, however, come a price tag that is prohibitive for many, but worth it for those willing to pay the price.

You can enjoy a comparable dining experience, but in a quieter, more subtle setting at Trio restaurant. It is an elegant restaurant but is no longer on the "hot and hip" list that will accord you the same quality, presentation, and service as Tru, but at half to two-thirds of the price. Trio is located in Evanston, the first suburb you reach north of the city. It is easily accessible by either car or taxi.

Addresses and phone numbers for the restaurants in this article are listed in the box on page 26. Also, we have listed more than 80 restaurants in the APA Advance Registration Information packet, mailed to all members last month. Enjoy!

The following three Web sites will also provide you with more comprehensive listings of Chicago restaurants: the 1999 Zagat Survey at <www.zagat.com>; Chicago Sun-Times Restaurant Guide at <members.aol.com/mistamoose/eat.html>; and the Chicago Reader Restaurant Guide <www.chicagoreader.com/cgi-bin/rrr/form.cgi>.