Mfk
I will wait for my next trip to definitively say it but this may be my new favorite in Chicago.  Exactly the type of food I could eat every day.  So bright and crisp that even with sausage I did not feel guilty at all afterwards.  And its always a good sign when its nearly impossible to make a decision about what to order because I wanted everything.

ceviche, poblano guacamole, squid ink tostada
 squid, chinese pork sausage, cashew vinaigrette
 poached shrimp, green papaya, cucumber, sugar snap peas

Swift & Sons
After looking at this building for years while waiting for a cab after leaving Aviary and then watching it defrost, I couldn’t wait to see what this building had been transformed into.  An absolutely gorgeous (and quite huge) dining room.  For as much as I love a great steak, I seem to rarely go to steakhouses as I am typically disappointed.  My aged ny strip was fantastic, as were all of the vegetables as well as the shellfish platter (with the much appreciated heavy side of horseradish).

cold shellfish platter
 broccolini, sauce gribiche
 roasted mushrooms, porcini aioli, crouton
 roasted carrots
 dry aged bone in strip
 boston cream pie – vanilla bean cream, bittersweet chocolate, yellow sponge cake
 black bottom pudding – black cocoa crumble, baked dark chocolate mousse, milk chocolate pudding, white chocolate sorbet