Naha

 

This post is a requiem of sorts as the restaurant is closed (for now) and you will no longer be able to go to this incarnation.  The restaurant will be moving from the location that it has occupied for the last 18 years, a place that has had two restaurants in the last 40 years, and while the chef and manager, who are cousins, will remain, the question remains as to whether they will repeat their concept in a new space.  I first went to Naha years ago and loved it.  The chef, Carrie Nahabedian, is a celebrity in the Chicago area for promoting cooking that is fresh, seasonal, and local.  She is on the board of directors of Chicago Green City Market, Chicago's only organic farmer's market, and the food that she serves in her restaurant is market fresh (While Naha is closed she and her cousin, Michael Nahabedian, who is the manager, also own and run French Restaurant, Brindille).  She is also a member of Chicago Chef's Hall of Fame (2009 Inductee).  The restaurant space itself is simple and open with a light green color scheme.  The dining room is divided from the entrance hall by a wall running back into the space.  The bar sits at the space at the back of the restaurant where the entry hall opens into the dining room and the kitchen (closed) is behind that.  The dining room is very open with a long banquette running along the wall that divides the entrance from the dining room, a short banquette with a half-wall divides the room to walking, but despite the division, the space from the window at the front to the bar in the back all feels like one room.  I was seated at the banquette at the front of the room which was nice because I could see the entire dining room.  It is one of the few dining rooms that I have seen that is carpeted.  When I was there (early), the room was also fairly quiet so I could here the chef giving instructions in the kitchen to the staff for a party coming later in the evening.  I could later hear and understand conversations that I overheard from fellow diners in the dining room.  If the restaurant were to have remained here, I would have wanted to keep this in mind if I had ever returned with someone.  As I was there by myself, there was no reason not to start.  Naha has a pretty extensive wine list and a curated beer and cocktail list.  I started things with a classic cocktail that is essentially a Scotch Buck (Mule).  Called Penicillin, it contained Te Bheag Scotch, Ginger Syrup, Ginger Beer, and Lemon to finish things off.  Bucks or Mules are very popular because they combine sweet and spicy with a little tart at the finish.  With the Scotch, it adds a little peatiness, though not a lot of smoke.  It was very smooth and very good as anything coming from these guys, I would expect, would be.

I ordered my appetizer and entree after my drink arrived and was presented with a bead plate with some housemade butter.  The bread was dense and flavorful and the butter was smooth and sweet.  We were served, French, Sourdough, and Raisin Breads and though the textures were all similar, the flavors were different.  While they were all good, of the three, I think that I preferred the sourdough best and I should have saved a little for what came next.

My first course was a little exotic and very good.  It was essentially a very flavorful soup containing Manila Clams, Twisted Noodles, Cremini Mushrooms, Prosciutto Broth (which the sour dough bread would have gone exceptionally well with for dipping), Sweet Garlic, Lemon, and Parsley.  I am generally not a huge fan of soups that are mostly broth, because in many cases, the broth is extremely bland.  There was a lot of stuff to chew on in this soup, but the broth itself was so rich and flavorful, even if it had been light on stuff, I would have happily consumed bowls of it.  As it was, the clams, mushrooms, and noodles, contributed to a very rich and flavorful soup.

While the techniques and flavors at Naha would be familiar to those familiar with fine dining restaurants, Chef Carrie Nahabedian also used the techniques and flavors to reference her Armenian heritage.  This would mean an emphasis on lamb and goat and using whole animal cooking.  This is more common now in area restaurants, but when it started 18 years ago, it was very different.  My entree was an example of referencing her Armenian roots using fine dining techniques.  It was a Braised Lamb Shank Off The Bone, served with Lamb Sweetbreads, Hakurei Turnips Glazed with Rosemary and Meyer Lemon, Carrot Puree, and Navarin Jus.  If not done carefully, the textures and tastes of these ingredients can be off putting.  Lamb can have a very gamy flavor, Sweetbreads can be off putting by their very nature, and while turnips have a nice crunchy texture, the flavor can be a little funky.  As it was, the worst aspects of the flavors (to an American palate) were toned down to to create a rich and flavorful dish with tender lamb and fresh and crunchy turnips that had their flavor enhanced with rosemary and meyer lemon, and a flavorful carrot puree.  It was very good and I enjoyed it immensely.

Dessert is always fun because many pastry chefs seem to like expressing their artistic side.  While what I ordered is a classic of Mediterranean dessert cooking, Olive Oil Cake.  It is generally presented similar to a pound cake and is something you might eat with coffee or tea, but what I was served was a work of modern art.  The Olive Oil Cake was served with dollops of Meyer Lemon Custard, Hazelnut Ice Cream, and Mountain Hazelnuts, Honey, Soft Meringue (inside), and a thin stick of White Chocolate.  All of the flavors were very good and it was fun to try everything individually and in combinations.  The best combinations were the olive oil cake with the hazelnut ice cream and with the huckleberries, meyer lemon, meringue and white chocolate.  It was very good, it was a lot of fun, and it was a nice finish to restaurant I haven't gone to often, but have fond memories.

As I was finishing things off, as is the case with many fine dining restaurants, I was presented with a small plate of Mignonettes.  Both were different, one contained chocolate and pistachios, the other contained caramel (and I'm not sure what else) and they were both very good.  I have enjoyed my dinners here and I hope that when they return, it will be with a restaurant at the same level.