Somerset

I loved Somerset so much that I almost went back the next day and then was kicking myself for not doing so. I hope to check out dinner my next time in Chicago but this was pretty much what I wish I could have for lunch everyday. It makes me very happy to see the proliferation of great crudités. The tuna and sprouted grains salad was fantastic as was their take on the Tuxedo. After such a miserable experience at Devereaux the night before, the Boka group definitely redeemed themselves.

Tuxedo served with aged gouda

vegetable crudite

charred broccoli, garlic, almonds, crispy chicken skin, yogurt

seared tuna, sprouted grains yogurt, cucumber vinaigrette

Prairie School
The purpose of my first trip to Chicago was to visit Frank Lloyd Wright houses.  As I exhausted new places to visit, my focus turned to food and cocktails.  I can’t believe that nobody opened a bar with this concept sooner.  Obviously I was won over before I even got there.

Next
What a great opportunity to have dishes from so many amazing restaurants that I (and many other guests) may never have opportunity to visit as well as a few old favorites.  This was a great concept as it peaked my interest in some places I may not have ever had an interest in and challenged me to think about why I don’t like some places with great dishes that I loved having here.

Rose
rose, apple, pomegranate
Quique Dacosta/Alicante, Spain

Jerusalem Artichoke
walnut, rye
Geranium/Copenhagen, Denmark


An oyster’s frozen kiss
oyster, radish flower
Mugaritz/San Sebastian, Spain

Eggs benedict
caviar, asparagus, ham
Eleven Madison Park/New York, USA

Marine soil
sea urchin, jicama, surf clam
Centra/Lima, Peru

Squid
artichoke, bagna cauda, squid ink
Mirazur/Menton, France

King crab
beef gram, hen’s egg yolk, rose miso
Noma/Copenhagen, Denmark

Tartare
bison, sunchoke
Estela/New York, NY, USA

Badger flame beet
Blue Hill at Stone Barns/Pocantico Hills, USA

Caviar
vin jaune, egg yolk, button mushrooms
Septime/Paris, France

Riso cacio e pepe
parmigiano reggiano, burgundy truffle
Osteria Francescana/Modena, Italy

Dim sum
cau cau, dashi, potato
Maido/Miraflores, Peru

Langoustine
wasabi, mango, thai vinaigrette
Restaurant Tim Raue/Berlin, Germany

Monkfish
aubergine, fermented peppers
De Librije/Zwolle, Netherlands

“Vuelve a la Vida”
scallop, beef tongue, salsa bruja
Quintonil/Mexico City, Mexico

All parts of the pumpkin
the skin, the seeds, the flesh
Attica/Melbourne, Australia

Squab
parsnip, almond, lacender
Next/Chicago, USA

Memory
foie gras, black truffle, chives
Restaurant Andre/Singapore

Apples
chanterelles, granite
Relae/Copenhagen, Denmark

Chocolate
milk chocolate, blueberry, yogurt
Alinea/Chicago, USA