Rococo House

Culled from: Drury, John. Dining in Chicago, New York: The John Day Company, 1931, pp. 98-99.

Note: The Newberry Library holds the personal papers of author John Drury.

ROCOCO HOUSE

— And Smorgasbord

True to her philosophy of "believing in cooking as a cultural enterprise," Mrs. Rose Palm has made of the Rococo House an outstanding restaurant of the city. For Mrs. Palm is a culinary artist and a superb hostess, years ago she studied the art of cooking in the famous Prunier's of Paris. Many of the recipes of that restaurant are used by her in preparing fish and game. Her delightful Swedish smorgasbord — that "board" in the center of the dining room laden with Swedish hors d'oeuvres and from which you may help yourself to your heart's content — daily attracts scores of people from the near north side and the Upper Michigan Boulevard area — stenographers, artists, advertising men, debutantes, ladies with lorgnettes and the foreign consuls of the neighborhood.

There is nothing strange or foreign about Swedish hors d'oeuvres; the table contains all the familiar appetizers on big pewter plates — sausages, olives, celery, cheeses, sardines, salads, herring, beets and lots of other items. You may make up a complete meal from the smorgasbord, or you may have a waitress serve you at one of the tables. It is not the uniqueness of the smorgasbord, however, that attracts the patrons, but rather the savoriness of the foods obtainable from it.

A contributing factor to the popularity of the Rococo House is its charming decor, done as it is in the "peasant rococo" style. The Swedish waitresses are in appropriate costume; articles of Swedish arts and crafts are displayed on shelves; the hand- woven curtains and table linens are from Stockholm; the candlesticks (holding real lighted candles) are the work of Scandinavian potters, and the ship's model, suspended from the ceiling, is typical and authentic, being a "good luck" gift to Mr. and Mrs. Palm from their friend, Carl Milles, the noted Swedish sculptor.

Male patrons prefer the new Men's Grill, while women foregather in the upstairs dining room. The latter room, in addition to having rococo style chairs and tables, is also notable for the numerous original oil paintings by the Swedish painter, Malmstrom. Afternoon tea with French pastry has become popular with the ladies here — and a better room could not be found for such purpose.

Dining at Rococo House is a real aesthetic adventure and you would be missing something if you failed to have a meal here. And don't forget to look over Mr. Palm's marvelous collection of modern Swedish furniture and objets d'art, which are on sale in an adjoining room.

Rococo House, Swedish-American

161 East Ohio Street

Open for luncheon and dinner until 9 P.M.

Luncheon, 50 and 75 cents. Dinner, $1.50 and $1.75

Maitresse d'hotel: Mrs. Rose Palm