Center for Visual

and Performing Arts

1040 Ridge Road, Munster

(219) 836-1950

www.cvpa.org

On Sundays, the Center's catering department puts on a performance of its own by offering a sumptuous champagne buffet brunch in its spacious dining room. Complete with live piano, instant car valet and super service, dining is leisurely with tables decorated with crisp linens and fresh flowers, well-spaced throughout the room. The buffet is organized in four separate areas: full breakfast offerings, salads and cold appetizers, a selection of hot luncheon entrées and a variety of luscious homey desserts. The buffet lines move smoothly and platters constantly are refreshed. All this culinary largesse with champagne at $22.20 per person is reason enough to celebrate. Children 4 to 11 years old $11.10; toddlers $3.05. Open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays only.

Cuisine: American brunch

Reservations: Yes

Smoking: No

Kids menu: No

Price: $$$

Bar: Champagne

Tip: Valet parking; handicapped accessible.

The Circle Restaurant and Sports Bar

110 S. Main St., Crown Point

(219) 661-8571

www.thecircle110.com

The Circle Restaurant offers casual elegance on the Square with a choice of comfort food or higher-end entrées. Signature items include Oysters Rockefeller ($7.95), Pecan Encrusted Chicken Salad ($9.95), Butternut Squash Ravioli with Mascarpone Cream Sauce and Toasted Hazelnuts ($13.95), the bleu-cheese stuffed Circle Filet with Port Wine Sauce ($25.95), pot roast, stuffed meatloaf, stuffed burgers, lake perch and other fresh seafood. Every Thursday full-slabs of ribs are $17.95. Look for innovative desserts (all $5.95) like The Circle Tiratini (tiramisu served in a martini glass) and Almond Biscotti Torte. Full-service bar features creatively named martinis such as the Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Creamsicle and South Beach. The wine list (by the glass and bottle) is comprehensive. Menu items range from $6.95 to $25.95. Open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, until 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Bar open later.

Cuisine: Upscale casual

Reservations: For dinner

Smoking: In bar

Kids menu: Yes

Price: $$$

Bar: Full bar

Tip: Open for lunch and dinner; entertainment on weekends; closed Sundays and Mondays.

Copper Rock Steakhouse

11113 Wilson Road, New Buffalo, Mich.

(269) 926-4500 or (866) 494-6371

www.fourwindscasino.com/dining/copperrock.asp

For a fine-dining restaurant, Copper Rock Steakhouse has it together. Service was friendly, if slow. Overstuffed leather booths, chairs and menu covers, white napery, the heft of the silverware all tell you you're in for something special.

Don't be alarmed at the $40 entree prices. There are affordable items like the huge 16-ounce salt-crusted prime rib and likewise huge two-rib grilled pork chop, both for $26. The sides also were gargantuan. Truly, two people could split an entree (there is no plating charge) and leave stuffed.

For a first course, splurge on the lobster bisque. It's $9, but well worth it. Sweet lobster chunks swim in a tawny-pink sea garnished with a swirl of what looked to be creme fraiche.

The artisan breads are made inhouse. There are 300 wines by the bottle and eight-ounce glass, the latter starting at $9 and VIP wine lockers can hold personal collections. Smoking is allowed in the full-service bar where martinis and brandies abound. The steaks are 28-day dry aged, the lobster is succulent. It's a sure bet. Hours are 5 to 10 p.m. Sundays to Thursdays; 5 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Cuisine: Steak/seafood

Reservations: Recommended

Entertainment: No

Smoking: In bar

Bar: Full service

Kids menu: Accommodated

Price: $$$

Tip: The lobster bisque is to die for.

Dish

3907 N. Calumet Ave., Valparaiso

(219) 465-9221

Built in the modern minimalist style, Dish efficiently expedites handcrafted dishes from an exciting menu put together from years of restaurant experience in the Northwest Indiana market. For example, although some main courses are pretty sophisticated (grilled beef tenderloin with melted leek mashed potatoes with white truffle demi-glace, lemon herb butter and paprika onion rings), they have not forgotten their roots. A full agenda of comfort foods, with daily specials like meat loaf and pot roast, seem to be pulling in the crowds. This theme is carried out in their comfort food carry-out boxes of soup, salad, entrée and dessert for $8.50. Open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; until 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. American Express, Visa and MasterCard accepted. Nonsmoking. Handicapped accessible. Reservations recommended on weekend. Parking.

Cuisine: Upscale casual

Reservations: On weekend

Smoking: In bar

Kids menu: No

Price: $$ lunch, $$$ dinner

Bar: Full bar

Tip: Comfort food carry-out boxes (soup, salad, entrée and dessert) at lunch for $8.50.