Arami - Tasting Collective Dinner

 

Among sushi restaurants in Chicago, Arami is frequently listed as one of the best.  It has earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand for the last seven years and while it has been on my list for a while, I had not yet dined there.  I was very excited when the dining group to which I belong, Tasting Collective, announced a six course Hawaiian-style dinner.  I will grant that while the dinner was going to be non-standard and I would have to return to truly see what it's about, I figured that I would at least be able to get an idea what it's about.  The space is a storefront with a very open entryway behind the door.and a bamboo curtain separating it from the front dining room and the bar.  To the right side of the dining room there was a hall leading back into the restaurant, past the kitchen and a sushi counter, to a second dining room, which is where we dined.  The room had brick walls, a cathedral ceiling with a large skylight on one side (as we were dining at night, the skylight was dark) and French doors in the rear of the room, leading to a semi-private dining room. There were banquettes on one side of the room, two long tables in the center, where we sat,  and a few other tables on the side of the room that the hall enters the room.  I ordered a cocktail similar to a Pimm's Cup called a Bohemian Grove to start things off.  It contained St. George's Botanivore Gin,. Pimm's #1, Rosemary, Lemon, and Cynar.  It was spicy, very herbal, and very good.  While I do like gin and I did like this, I did wonder if it would work with the subtle flavors that are frequently found in sushi (it did).

Our first course was a Maki Roll.  Though it was a little loose, it didn't fall apart in handling.  Called a Hayashi Maki, it contained Big Eye Tuna, Papaya, Shiso and Cucumber.  While it was stated that the Maki plate was for four, there was enough for at least two other people.  It was good.  The tartness of the papaya played well with the sweetness of the tuna and there was a lot to eat.  My thought after this course was that if all of the courses were like this, I was going to leave very stuffed.

The next course that came up was my favorite.  Called Kani Motoyaki, it consisted of King Crab Legs, Tobiko (Flying Fish Roe), and Old Bay Aioli served with Cheese Bread.  The crab legs were served in a split shell with the Old Bay and Tobiko spread over top of them.  The meat was tender and sweet with a little spiciness from the Old Bay and a little brininess from the Tobiko.  The cheese bread was dense with a nice cheesy and salty flavor that went well with the crab legs.

 

The next course, I would call the Hawaiian version of Ramen.  Called Tako Luau, it contained Octopus, Coconut Broth, served with a bowl of Sticky Rice.  The Octopus was large and tender, the coconut broth was creamy and went well with the rice and octopus.  As I have never had luau leaf before, I don't know what it's supposed to taste like.  Considering the amount of green in the soup/stew, I imagine that that's what it was.  It was plentiful, well cooked, and had a vegetal flavor.

What is a key component in a luau but a pig and that was our next course.  Called Kahlua Pig and Cabbage, it consisted of Pulled Pork, Napa Cabbage, and Brown Sauce.  There was plenty of of pork and cabbage for us and the texture was great, it was just a little bland.  It could have used a little spice of some sort.

Our final savory course, tasted exactly as the name implied.  Called Chicken Long Rice, it consisted of Roast Chicken, Long Rice, and Clear Broth and was very bland, as many chicken noodle soups are.  I trust that it came out and was served as it was meant to, but if that's the case, I have to say that I didn't care for it.  Everything about this tasted like it was of high quality, but it was boring and needed something else in order that my palate might appreciate it.

Looking at the menu before the dessert came, I saw that we would be getting Mochi.  Mochi is a rice cake made with high gluten rice which is pounded out, formed into a ball and frequently served with ice cream.  In the past, I have not cared for the mochi that I have had, so I really was not looking forward to it.  In this case we were being served something called Butter Mochi which did not sound like any of the mochi that I have had in the past, so I had a little hope.  When it came to the table, it also did not look like any mochi that I have had in the past.  It was listed as being a sweet rice and butter flavored cake.  I took a bite and it was very dense and tasted like sweet rice and butter as the description stated.  I will say that it was not the worst mochi that I have ever had, but it was also not something that I plan on seeking out in the future.

While there were courses that I did not care for in this dinner, overall it was a positive experience.  It is not their regular menu, so I will keep them on my list to try it, though if I have a chance to have a Hawaiian dinner, I will have to look at the menu and think about it beforehand.         

       

Free Rein - Brunch

 

On paper, there are a couple of things wrong with Free Rein and they both have to do with location.  First, they are located in a on Michigan Avenue in an area heavily frequented by tourists.  Adding to that, they are located in a hotel.  The problem with these things is that the owners/managers/designers can have a tendency to want to cater to everyone.  This leads to the urge to aim for the human equivalent of neutral gray.  Trying to please the largest amount of people dumbs down design and flavors and results in bland.  Luckily, this has not yet happened with Free Rein.  Operating in the newly opened St. Jane Hotel in the Carbon and Carbide Building, the building itself is an Art Deco masterpiece with black granite sides, green and grey terra cotta and gold and bronze trim.  The restaurant is located on the first floor and also features a lot of art deco design.  The front wall is green glass looking out to Michigan Avenue.  The typeface of the restaurant sign is stretched with geometric elements also showing a lot of Art Deco influence.  The dining room is big and open with hanging lights that reminded me of the Fortress of Solitude in Christopher Reeve's Superman or a collection of light sabers hanging in all directions.  The floor is wood tile laid out in squares and divided diagonally.  The tables were, for the most part, four tops in dark wood with comfortable wood chairs surrounding them.  The kitchen, run by executive chef Aaron Lirette, formerly of Michelin Starred Green River, was behind a glass wall which , while not precisely open, allowed diners to see the cooks and chefs working.

 

 

There was a Patisserie and Coffee Shop at the front of the restaurant where you could wait to be seated, but the coffee and pastries were also available in the dining room.  I ordered a cup of coffee and we had several pastries that we shared amongst ourselves.  We had a Canele, which looks like a mini bundt cake and has a crispy exterior and a soft and custardy interior, a Hazelnut Croissant, a Kouign Amann, a cake from Brittany described by the New York Times as the fattiest pastry in all of Europe.  It is a multi-layered pastry similar to a croissant, though shaped like a muffin, and in this case filled with Apple Pie filling and the name comes from the Breton language words for Butter and Cake.  We finished off with a Glazed Pumpkin Loaf.  They were all very good and we shared them all, though because of the delicacy of some of the pastries, some were more difficult to cut than others.  We did manage and they were all enjoyed by all.

My cocktail arrived about the same time as my main course and they were both very good.  My cocktail was called A Love Letter to Mexico.  It started with Mezcal and continued with Charanda, an alcoholic spirit made with Sugar Cane similar to Rum originating from Michoacan, Blackberry, Lime Bitters, and Marigold.  The drink was very red and had a bitter sweet flavor with a tart finish.  The Marigold was used as a garnish, though it did add a floral flavor to the drink.  My main course was a Duck Confit Hash that included Potatoes, Duck Confit, Brussels Sprouts, Onions, Mushrooms, Peppers, and two Fried Eggs.  It was very full flavor and it was a pleasure to eat.  I really enjoyed brunch here.  The space inside followed the classic look of the exterior, the service was excellent, as was the food.  I would definitely enjoy returning for brunch, dinner, or even a snack if I'm in the area. 

Twain

In November, the dining group that I belong to, Tasting Collective, had a dinner at a new restaurant in Logan Square called Twain.  Run by Chef Tim Graham who I knew from Travelle, it aims to celebrate the history of Midwestern Cuisine.  It is named after author and humorist, Mark Twain.  Being a Midwesterner myself, at first thought, there really wasn't anything about Midwestern Cuisine, that I thought deserved celebration.  The idea seemed rather boring, so I decided not to go to that dinner.  After taking some time to think about it though, I realized that Chef Tim is a talented chef and the menu would be more than casseroles, cheese, and broiled chicken even if those elements may show up on the menu and decided to go later.  It was a cold day and I was by myself, so I decided to sit at the bar.  There was a very nice copper etching above the bar, and retro toys and trains, also above the bar and in front of the etching.  The dining room behind me was big and very open with hardwood furniture and floor, which looked very crafty and old.  It kind of gave me a general store vibe.  The lights were hanging lights below a canvas "cloud".  There was a mural on the wall opposite the bar that ran the length of the restaurant, which was pretty deep that was full of old industry and birds.

The bartender was very friendly and immediately brought me a glass of Prosecco (on the house) for sitting at the bar.  I generally am nit a wine drinker, but it was a very nice and friendly gesture which, I suppose, is part of the Midwestern personality type.  The Prosecco also served another purpose.  Sparkling wine (Champagne, Cava, Prosecco, etc.) is frequently the first wine served in fine dining restaurants because the bubbles are supposed to open up the palate.  In any case, it was dry, sparkling, and very friendly.  Looking at the menu, I saw a lot of references to Midwestern standards.  Something I had heard and read about was Ants On A Log.  The standard ants on a log that every kid knows is a strip of celery filled with peanut butter and topped with raisins.  This Ants on a Log starts with Celery, but then uses a Peanut Butter Foie Gras Mousse and is topped with Bourbon Cherries.It did sound interesting and was definitely a reference to Midwestern childhood, but I decided to order another reference to a classic.  After I had ordered, my Amuse Bouche, the unordered pre-appetizer that is compliments of the chef, showed up.  It was a Wheat Berry Salad with Radishes, Dill, and Pickled Cucumbers.  With the Prosecco, I had now had two things that I had not paid for.  It was welcoming, friendly and very good.  The Salad had a nice texture and a slightly sweet and sour flavor and was very good.

My cocktail, a classic Gimlet, arrived about the same time as my Appetizer, Stuffed Mushrooms.  My Gimlet was listed as being made with Letherbee Gin and an Exotic Lime Cordial.  A classic gimlet is made with two parts gin to one part lime juice.  There are some recipes that call for a splash of soda or simple syrup.  A Lime Cordial is essentially a combination of Lime Juice and Simple Syrup.  I don't know what made this lime cordial exotic, but the drink was sweet, tart, a little herbal, and very good.  The Stuffed Mushrooms were large White Mushrooms stuffed with Smoked Cream Cheese, Caramelized Onions,  and Parmesan Bread Crumbs, sitting on a bed of Arugula.  They were smoky, sweet, and very flavorful, with a salty cheese finish, which I really enjoyed.

Between the appetizer and entree, the bread arrived.  There were four breads on the menu, all of which needed to be ordered.  I ordered Egg Harbor Bread which was served with Pickled Zucchini and Whipped Bacon Fat Butter.  The bread was a small loaf of very soft white bread that reminded me of Wonder Bread.  The Whipped Bacon Fat Butter was soft and fluffy with a light bacon flavor.  The Pickled Zucchini was slightly tart and sweet and went extremely well with the bread and butter.  While I could have eaten it as a course on it's own, I did save part of it for my entree to wipe up the sauce.

The name of my main course was a riff on another old school classic, Pigs in a Blanket.  This, however was called Pigs in a Blanquette which is actually something completely different.  Pigs in a Blanket are Hot Dogs wrapped in Croissant Dough and baked.  Blanquette Sauce is a Roux Sauce made with Cream and comes from the Latin word for white, because it is a White Sauce.  This Pigs in a Blanquette consisted of Braised Tongue, a Dry Aged Pork Chop, Mushrooms, Cauliflower, and the Blanquette Sauce.  It was very tender and flavorful and I was actually happy that it was not the hot dogs wrapped in croissant dough.

For dessert, I had a Butter Cake with Ice Cream, but there was definitely a step up.  It was a Cinnamon Gooey Butter Cake with Carmel Apples, Candied Pecans, and Sour Cream Ice Cream.  It was gooey and buttery, but it had the additional flavors of apple and cinnamon, the crunch of the candied pecans, and the sweet and sour of the ice cream.  It was a very nice finish to a very friendly dinner with a lot of references to Midwestern standards while still staying interesting.