Always one of my favorites no matter whether lunch/brunch or dinner. This salad was addicting while it was on the menu, and the open faced egg sandwich is outstanding. Highly recommend.
Tag Archives: West Loop
Chicago – 8/26/17 – Proxi
Yet another fantastic addition to the west loop. Those tempura elotes alone are worth a visit.
tempura elotes
salad of sugar snap peas and carrots, yuzu kosho, sesame, miso brûlée
shaved zucchini, sheep’s milk feta, pine nuts, mint
baby octopus, red chermoula, fava bean hummus
black pepper pork, butter lettuce, peanuts, apple, mint
merguez sausage, eggplant aioli, almonds, grapes, radish
Chicago – 5/13/17 – Next Hollywood
Hollywood was absolutely the most fun Next menu. The presentations were all fantastic and perhaps too much fun as I have never had so many missing photos.
Movie Quotes – Gone with the “Caviar”
Popcorn – meyer lemon, fennel, guanciale
The Breakfast Club – bento box, sandwich, soup, pixie stick
Cool Hand Luke – trout roe, kiwi, young coconut, turnip
The Wizard of Oz – fave bean, golden raisin, romanesco
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea – octopus & scallop
Blade Runner – noodles, duck, pickled ginger
Jurassic Park – madeira, jambo, brioche
Star Wars – frog, Ethopian spices, yellow split pea
Ratatouille – byaldi
The Godfather – taro root, ricotta, olive
Horror – smoked pork neck, beet, garlic
Pulp Fiction – bulgogi big kahuna burger
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids – foie gras, chamomile, sunflower
Marie Antoinette – rhubarb, raspberry, black tea
Missing: “Life is Like a Box of….” and Mary Poppins
Chicago – 2/17/17 – Bad Hunter and elske
Bad Hunter
I had heard mixed reviews of Bad Hunter But I’m very glad that I decided to check it out. For lunch I absolutely love the menu. Everything was fantastic and I am sure it is even better in the summer with the patio open.
carrots & fennel – pistachio-green Chile pesto, avocado cream, queso fresco
smoked salmon tartine – Meyer lemon creme fraiche, celery root, vadouvan
Elske
I hope that the west loop does not soon run out of real estate with the number of restaurants continuing to open there. Elske is yet another fantastic addition and if the duck liver tart was on the a la carte menu it would be very dangerous.
tea of lightly smoked fruits and vegetables
creamed parsnip with osetra caviar
duck liver tart with buckwheat and salted ramps
leeks vinaigrette with toasted oats, olives and blue mound cheddar
confit bass with white beans, charred squash broth and shaved shiitakes
Our additions to the tasting menu which unfortunately I do not have descriptions of
grilled leg of lamb with broccoli, pickled ramps and butter fried almonds
citrus sundae with toasted milk, barley malt caramel and satsuma
Chicago – 1/27/17 – Roister and the Loyalist
Roister
When I finally get caught up on my blog I may need to stop the Roister posts as there will be too many. I feel guilty typing it but we may have had the whole menu x2 (some photos missing) plus a few off-the-menu extras (thank you Chef!). My previous go-to lunch spots are out the window.
Hushpuppies, corn crema, sour corn, manchego
Hushpuppies, corn crema, sour corn, manchego
Roasted beets, endive tangerine, blue cheese
Chicken noodle soup, mirepoix, meatball, soft cooked egg
Smoked oysters, garlic butter, breadcrumbs
Anson mills grits, key west pink shrimp, crab curry, thai basil
Fried chicken sandwich, sunchoke hot sauce, chamomile mayo
Biscuits and gravy, hearth roasted eggs, green tomato ragout, swiss
Loyalist
Love the people, service, and food. But I must admit that I feel the burger was overhyped. Perhaps the fault of my Facebook friends and not the burger.
Winter squash, burrata, pickled honeycrisp
The Loyalist cheeseburger & fries
Apple upside-down cake, sunflower anglaise, creme fraiche
Chicago – 12/2/16 – Oriole
I am so far behind that since this dinner there have been several additional glowing reviews of Oriole. There isn’t much I can add to those so to sum it up, I concur and absolutely loved it. Fantastic food, space, service and wine. And while often overlooked , 2 amazing bread courses.
Golden Osetra Caviar, coconut dashi, lychee and sea grape
Langoustine spring roll with shio kombu, calamansi and mint
Kampachi nigiri with yuzu kosho and genmai
Beef tendon puffed with wagyu tartare and shaved matsutake
Beausoleil oyster, iberico consomme and smoked finger lime
Cardinal prawn, iberico lardo, meyer lemon and fennel
Jamon iberico de bellota, black walnut, egg yolk and campo de montalban
Sea urchin emulsion with bay scallop, cauliflower and anise hyssop
Capellini, white alba truffle, rye berry and yeast
Sourdough, cultured butter, caraway and local grains
Japanese A5 wagyu, charred little gem, furikake and sesame leaf
Lemon tea sorbet with hibiscus, asian pear and bitter greens
Croissant, raclette, apple butter and cardamom
Pistachio gelato with elderflower and puffed rice
Mignardieses
Pie to go
Chicago – 9/17/16 – mfk and Next French Laundry
mfk.
Yet another fantastic brunch at mfk. I am always baffled as to why this place is not packed at this time of day. Chicago friends you really need to put it in regular rotation!
ceviche, poblano guacamole, squid ink tostada
shrimp and cucumber aguachile, jicama, avocado
chioggia beets, basil, aged goat cheese, orange yogurt
roasted and chilled cauliflower, almond, red onion, xato
pqm bread service, caramelized shallot butter, radishes
seafood fideous, toasted vermicelli, piperade, saffron
albondigas pork & veal, grana padano polenta, tomato jam
Next: French Laundry
Having the Next French Laundry menu to look forward to helped me to get past the letdown of my French Laundry meal a week before being over. Its amazing that the dishes on this menu are 20 years old. They are delicious and still completely relevant. The French Laundry influenced dozens of chefs since it opened and fine dining has evolved in many ways. I love the evolution but at the same time I would eat these dishes everyday if I could. This was absolutely lovely and one of reasons I love Next for allowing me to experience what was before my time.
cornet of atlantic salmon
carrot soup
black trumpet mushroom soup
gulf shrimp and avocado salsa
blinis with peppers and bottarga
barbecue eel with sesame and yuzu
salmon chop
black truffle custard
oysters and pearls – sabayon of pearl tapioca with island creek oysters and golden osetra caviar
tomato salad – yellow tomato sorbet, basil infused oil and brioche crouton
agnolotti – butternut squash, quince and madras curry
pompano “amandine” – orzo, pole beans and preserved meyer lemon
atlantic cod – clam chowder, celery and bacon
sweet butter poached lobster – pommes maxim, melted leeks and beet essence
five-spiced lobster – port poached figs and moulard duck foie gras
“roulade” of duck breast – creamed white corn, huckleberries and chanterelle mushrooms
rabbit “saddle” – applewood smoked bacon with pruneaux d’agen, caramelized fennel and fennel oil
“pot au feu” – beef short rib with root vegetables and sauteed bone marrow
lamb – thyme, tarragon and dried beans
chaource – red plums, chive oil and lolla rossa
roquefort – trifle with french butter pear relish
“verjus” sorbet – peach butter and mint infused oil
“coffee and donuts” – cappuccino semifreddo with cinnamon sugar donuts
mignardises
Chicago – 9/16/16 – Smyth
The dining room at Smyth is one of my favorites of the year. Perfectly informal is the best description that I can come up. It is inviting in the same way Noma felt to me, as if you are at a dinner party hosted by a friend with an amazing house and decorator. The highlights for me were the brioche donut of sorts fried in beef fat (extras should be offered for a supplement…please?) and the outstanding dessert of egg yolk soaked in salted licorice with yogurt meringue. I’m looking forward to checking out the Loyalist downstairs later this month!
The farm potato
Tomato ice, seaweed, oyster
Smoked & dried beet with scallop
A salad of duck and herbs with roasted squid
Dungeness crab & foie gras with scrambled kani miso
Aged carrot roasted
beef and brioche
Squab, pineapple sage, grapes and peas
Slow cooked saddle of lamb with kelp marmite
Milk chocolate, huckleberries, and preserved shiitake mushroom
Sage honey tart
Egg yolk soaked in salted licorice with yogurt meringue
Frozen tomato mousse, noyaux, and spicy flowers
Chicago – 9/15/16 – Au Cheval and Roister
Au Cheval
Of course now that United’s fares from EWR to ORD have been cut in half there is talk of Au Cheval coming to New York. This burger was my reward for the dozens and dozens of trips I have made to Chicago, especially those early morning flights to be there by 11am when it opens for lunch.
Roister
A seat at the hearth at Roister may be my new favorite place in Chicago. In a way the plating is deceiving as some of these dishes are dark and are not necessarily made for today’s instagram age. And while looks can be deceiving, menu descriptions can be as well. Oysters are one of the very few foods that I genuinely dislike. I have been trying to train myself to like them for 2 years now but was set back by an unfortunate episode of food poisoning. When Chef Brochu kindly sent out a gift of the smoked oysters my stomach sank. I was dining with my mother, the only person I know who dislikes oysters more than I do, and who would be of no help in eating these. I made her try one and she admitted it wasn’t bad at all (which is a very high compliment). I happily ate the rest as they were completely delicious. I love having my mind changed about an ingredient. The fries I likely would not have ordered myself as bonito and tofu are not ingredients I particularly enjoy but a friend ordered them on a previous visit and I had to have them again. Then there is the chicken that I still think about. The leftovers are the first thing I have ever taken in a doggie bag from any meal while traveling. I cleaned out half of the hotel mini bar and we ate the rest for breakfast. It may have been even better.
Tomato bread – mayo, shallot, pecan oil
Aged cheddar rillettes – truffle, cauliflower, fry bread
Chow chow mein – aged cabbage, noodles, relish
Cucumber – melon, smoked creme fraiche
Smoked oysters – garlic butter, breadcrumbs
Yukon fries – soy dusted, bonito flakes, tofu mayo
Whole chicken & chamomile – braised, poached, fried with sunchokes
Hushpuppies – corn crema, sour corn, manchego
Chicago – 7/23/16 – Tanta, Honey’s & the Office
Tanta
I have craved ceviche almost every day since this lunch at Tanta. Thankfully it is finally fall as I never found anything that was a good substitute.
Tiradito cremoso cebiche – salmon, scallop emulsion, avocado, cherry tomato, chalaca, olive oil
Cebiche nikei – ahi tuna, tamarind-sesame oil leche de tigre, cilantro, habanero, cucumber, avocado, nori
Off menu!
Choclo – grilled with anticuchera, rocoto huancaina, fresh cheese
Super soltero – wheat, chickpea escabeche, cilantro, mint, parsley, queso fresco, cucumber, onions, mixed greens
Honey’s
I had Honey’s on my radar well before it opened but then did not read too much about it post opening so did not have any idea what to expect. Sometimes it is best to be pleasantly surprised. With a large group we we able to try most of the menu. Beautiful presentations and all successful and delicious dishes (with the exception of the very salty quinoa). Of course the downside of our large group was then apparent as second bites were unfortunately not possible. A fantastic space with an absolutely gorgeous bar taking up most of the front room. Congrats on all of the shining reviews!
marinated bay scallop – white gazpacho, grilled peach, apple, sorrel
hamachi – cucumber, grape, finger lime, verjus, pickled onion
spit roasted cauliflower – bread crumb, smoked giardiniera, basil
lamb tartare – shaved artichoke, cherry, black garlic mustard, crispy sunchoke
squid ink orecchiette – calamari, shrimp, octopus, pesto, mint, pine nuts
swiss chard – bagna cauda, fried shallots
rainbow trout – charred eggplant, roasted corn succotash, bacon, pea shoots
quinoa tabbouleh – lemon pistachio vinaigrette
grilled striploin – pommes dauphine, rapini, romesco, charred scallion
buckwheat pasta a la chitarra – morel mushrooms, thyme butter, pecorino, bread crumb
bass – brandade, pipperade, braised fennel
The Office
Unfortunately the power was out due to some crazy storms and a blown transformer. But if this is what camping looks like, I’ll take it!
Chicago – 2/12/16 – Au Cheval, Cold Storage, CAA, Aviary, and Next Alps
Au Cheval
Where else to start a whirlwind one day tour of some of my favorite places in Chicago than at Au Cheval? I know I have had burger blinders on for years and have largely ignored the rest of the menu venturing only as far as the raw vegetable salad. A huge thank you to our server who told us that the beef cheek marmalade could be ordered as a side dish. How I have lived without this I don’t know. Next time I may thrown caution to the wind and add it to my burger.
pickles
beef cheek marmalade and toast
cheeseburger with egg and bacon
Cold Storage
Some travel days call for a double lunch, and not only a double lunch but going big with the large seafood tower. After visiting Swift & Sons a few weeks prior I was looking forward to checking out its more casual inner restaurant. Fantastic hospitality. How we ate this all I don’t know.
Chicago Athletic Association
For years before the Chicago Athletic Association opened as a hotel, I looked at the amazing facade from across Michigan Avenue on many of the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s walking tours. I just love everything they have done to maintain the original details and character and can’t help but walk through whenever I pass it. Unfortunately the cocktails in the grand lobby were far from fantastic, but ambience almost made up for it.
Sidecar and Negroni 
Aviary
As anybody who reads this blog likely knows, Aviary is my favorite place in Chicago. Not only have I met many people here who have become incredible friends, but I am always blown away by something new on the menu. I am always nervous bringing somebody new here, afraid that they won’t like it as much as I do or I have talked it up too much. But when the person gets it and is as excited about the experience as I always am, these are the best visits of all. Many, many pictures missing somehow.
Loaded to the Gunwalls
Next Alps
This was an absolutely frigid day which made the Next Alps menu the perfect dinner. A very fun menu separated into six sections – the French farmhouse, the German beer hall, the warming yurt, the top of the Swiss mountain, intro to Italy and Austrian sweets. While there wasn’t necessarily one stand out dish for me as there has been on previous menus, anytime you can have raclette is special and this is definitely a menu that I would happily repeat.
stone soup
gratin of Beaufort and trumpet crozets
game pie
tourton of salsify and apple
gateau de St. Genix avec du beurre de chevre
pork belly schnitzel with cherry and black walnut
pretzel, sausages and pickles
Raclette with potatoes, fermented mustard greens, chestnuts, and black truffles
Augustiner Brau Edelstoff lager
chocolate with black truffle and milk crisp
preserved summer berries with cognac and honey
smoked arctic char with cauliflower and juniper
goulash of beef and Barolo with sour cornbread
bitter green salad with pomegranate and fennel ice
Salzburger nockerl
pie spiced ice cream
apple strudel with clove and cinnamon
And as if this wasn’t enough in one day, missing from the photos are cocktails at Grace as well as post dinner in the Office.
Chicago – 1/30/16 – mfk and Swift & Sons
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
iwillmakeualist 