Embeya
As frequently as I am in Chicago there are still restaurants that I have always wanted to go to but somehow never seem to have the time for. Embeya has been on my to-do list probably since it opened but it took the relaunched version with Mike Sheerin at the helm to get me there. An absolutely lovely lunch and perhaps our only complaint was that the broth of the mussel dish was under seasoned.

Tete charcuterie Sai Krok Isan – pineapple, green garlic, cilantro
Charred baby carrots – cured ham, togarashi, yuzu vinaigrette, mint
Green papaya – cucumber, Chrissy shallots, Thai basil, mint
Steamed mussels – spot prawns, halibut, lemongrass-lobster broth
Chicken thigh – steamed cabbage, roasted potato, soy-mirin jus
Yuzu semifreddo – sake soaked strawberries, angel food cake
Ganache – whole wheat graham cracker,miso-caramel ice cream

Intro
For those not familiar Intro is sort of a long term pop-up concept where the chef rotates every few months. Erik Anderson was the second chef in residence at Intro, and while I generally avoid opening nights of anything, we planned our trip around this dinner. The last time I was in this space was in the L2O Laurent Gras days and remember it as a dining room out of a tv show…so sophisticated and modern and just perfect. So it was certainly very strange to be back with taxidermy on the walls! But if I avoided the comparisons I did like the decor. I’ve previously loved Erik’s cooking and this meal was no exception. And while the entire meal was great, the foie tart was so memorable that I’ve almost totally forgotten about all of the other courses.

Island Creek Oyster – Gueuze
Preserved Foie Gras Tart – Salted Strawberries – Hazelnut Milk – Radishes
Pike Boudin in Onion – Lettuce – Snap Peas – Ramps – Egg Yolk – Smoked Lamb’s Tongue
Roasted Poularde – Lobster – Morcilla – Fava Beans – Madeira and Black Truffle Sauce
Roasted Hay Custard – Fresh Creme – Maple Syrup
Bourbon – Tea Baba