Jeong

 

Chicago Avenue in Westtown has a wealth of restaurants and even if a favorite restaurant leaves, it is soon replaced by another restaurant equal or greater than that that has gone away.  I was very said when vegetarian fine dining restaurant, Green Zebra, closed.  I became very excited, though, when I found that the people behind Hanbun, which was essentially a Suburban Food Court stall serving amazing Korean food would be coming into Chicago and replacing Green Zebra in their space.  The new place is called Jeong and while the color of the space has changed, Green Zebra was done in greens and Jeong is done in grays and browns, the layout is very similar.  The windows are also different.  The door is on one side and to enter the dining room you walk down a passageway with the glass outer wall on one side and a half wall overlooking the dining room.  We were seated on the side opposite the entryway under a cut in where a stairway is on the other side of the wall.  The menu looked really good.  They have both a Tasting and an a la Carte menu.  While there were several things on the a la Carte menu that looked good, we decided to go with the Tasting Menu.  Before that came our cocktails and wine.  They had what looked like a pretty good wine list, but I decided to go with a cocktail.   The cocktails were all named after key ingredients in Korean cooking.  I got a Gochujang which was a red, gin-based cocktail with, according to the listed ingredients, Junipero Gin, Calamansi Lime, and St. George Raspberry Liqueur.  I also wondered if it also contained Gochijang, because while it had a sweet, tart, and citrusy flavors, as would be expected, it also had a finish that was pretty spicy.  I like spice, but it was a surprise, but the drink was pretty good, despite the surprise.

For our first course we were served Silken Tofu with King Crab, Maesil (Korean Plum Wine), and Chili Braised Fern.  While I have had tofu before and have liked it based on what it was served with.  While tofu definitely has a texture, it essentially tastes like what it has been prepared with.  I would say that that also applies with silken tofu, but the texture is a different animal altogether.  As it sounds, it was very smooth and silky.  The crab was cooked perfectly and was very sweet and tender.  The Maesil added a tartness atop the sweetness of the crab and the chili braised ferns added both a green freshness and a spicy finish.  It was a very nice start.

Our second course stayed with the sea.  We were served Salmon Tartare which was served with Doenjang Yuza Gastrique (mixture of vinegar and sugar infused with a thick Soybean Paste), Bubu Arare (Rice Cracker), and Creme Fraiche.  It had a variety of textures and the salmon was very good.  The gastrique added a tart and savory element to the course which was very nice.

The next course looked pretty simple, but there were still some interesting elements to it and it was very good.  It started with a perfectly Pan-Seared Scallop that was very large, very tender, and nicely flavorful.  Served with it was a Spinach Namul.  I had no idea what a Namul was so I had to look it up.  It is simply a grain or vegetable cooked in a variety of ways and generally served as a banchan.  Our spinach namul was blanched and served, basically as a bale to the side.  The dish was finished with a Clementine Beurre Blanc, a white butter sauce with a nice citrus finish.

Our first entree was a favorite of mine, duck.  It was served rare with a Corn Tea and Soy Glaze and with Yulmoo Rice (cooked with Barley) and a stack of Kimchi.  Served separately, it was easy to try each element individually.  Everything was prepared perfectly and had great flavor and texture.  tried in combination, I found the best way to enjoy everything was to take some rice and combine it with the duck and glaze and finish with a piece of kimchi.

Our second entree and final savory dish was the height of savory.  We were served an A5 Wagyu Bavette (Flank Steak) with Sunchoke two ways, Whipped and as a Croquette, and a Truffle-Kimchi Emulsion.  As might be expected, the steak was very tender, though not the height of tenderness because flank steak is more prized for it's flavor than for it's tenderness.  It was very flavorfull and with the truffle kimchi emulsion, it was like an explosion in my mouth of savory funk and spice.  Sunchokes are from the root of certain sunflowers and remind me of a flavorful potato.  I preferred the croquette to the whipped sunchoke, but the flavor of both was very good.

For our first dessert, we had a Bokbunja (Raspberry Wine) Granita with Ginger Tea Crema and a Ginger Shortbread Cookie.  The granit awas served in the center of the shortbread cookie on top of the ginger tea crema, which was similar to custard.  As a whole, the dish reminded me of a Creme Brulee with the shortbread cookie acting as the crust and the granita as the fruit garnish.  It was very good and I liked the ginger and raspberry flavor combination.

To finish things off, we had what they called a Chestnut Financier.  Generally, I would say that you could eat a financier without silverware because it's basically a sandwich cookie.  This financier, though, while the shape of the cookie was the same, was essentially deconstructed.  There was the oblong Chestnut Cookie that was served with Doenjang Caramel, Smoked Chestnut Cream, and Chocolate, served both as nibs and as a custard.  While utensils were necessary to eat this, it was rich, sweet and savory, and a very enjoyable finish.

While Green Zebra is no longer and I can still see it in the design of the space despite the fact that the furniture is changed, I really enjoyed my meal and my time here and would happily return.           

Temporis

 

I like tasting menus.  They give you the opportunity to try a lot of different flavors and give you an opportunity to see what the chef can do.  There are a lot of restaurants in Chicago that do Tasting Menus and it would be great to be able to try all of them.  Even if that were to happen, there would always be new places opening, so it's a moving target, but I do what I can when I can.  I visited a place recently that is one of the lesser known places, Temporis, though still very good in it's own right.  Located on a side street in Westtown, it has an unobtrusive storefront as do many other Tasting Menu places.  The door opens into a slight passageway that leads to the host station and coat check.  I checked my bag and was seated at the front of the dining room.  The room was carpeted and there was no bar.  The room was very modern and the twisting lines on the wall reminded me of a circuit diagram.  The tables reminded me of conference room desks, with a spot in the middle of the table that looked like it was a place, to plug in a laptop.  I found shortly after I was seated that the center area was for an edible centerpiece which was placed in my table shortly after I was seated.  It contained 5 day Mustard, Radish, and Cabbage Greens that were grown in house, and while I was told that I was free to sample the centerpiece, it would be used in a later course, so be sure to save enough to be used.  I had seen something like this in a couple of other places, so I was both interested and excited.

 

There were two wine lists, a standard list and a reserve list, as well as bottles and cocktails.  I decided to go with the standard list, because while I do like wine, I don't think I have the knowledge to truly appreciate the reserve list.  I would find out about this later.  We started out with bubbles, a brut Champagne, from Reims, that was paired with the Amuse Bouche.  The Amuse Bouche was interesting.  It was a Savory Cheese-Filled Doughnut wrapped in Mangalica Ham (the Spanish version of Prosciutto) with Dill and Kombu.  It was very good.   I liked it a lot and it paired well with the Champagne which, with the bubbles, opened up the taste buds and created a sharper flavor.

 

The first official course was a favorite, but pasta is easy to be a favorite.  It was a Lobster Cappellini with Beech Mushrooms, Champagne Foam, Gooseberries, and augmented with 5 grams of Osetra Caviar.  The wine was a 2017 Eladio Pineiro, Envidiacocchina Tete de Cuvee, Rias Baixas, Albarino.  Other than it being an Spanish white and that it was pretty dry and good, I couldn't say a lot about it.  The Cappellini on the other hand was very savory, had plenty of lobster, and the caviar gave it a briny pop.

 

 

When the next course came out, it initially reminded me of a terrarium.  It was served in a glass dish with what looked like mulch and flowers.  It was obviously not this, but that's what it reminded me of.  When a light colored soy sauce was added, that dispelled any idea that it was a terrarium.  It was a Scallop with Fermented Pineapple and XO Sauce with New Soy Sauce added upon presentation.  The flavors were sharp and tart and the soy sauce, while tasting like soy sauce, also had a brightness to it.  The wine was a 2014 Domaine Thillardon, Chenas Les Biemonts, Cru Beaujolais, Gamay.  It was a savory red and went very well with the course.

As I was finishing the Beaujolais, the wine server poured me a taste of the third wine on the reserve list, a Tempranillo that was just incredible.  It became paired with my next course, a Portobello Omelette with Rye and Sunchoke, that was topped tableside with a healthy amount of Black Truffles.  The omelette was very tender and delicate.  The portobello and the truffle gave the dish a savory funk, which when paired with the Tempranillo, was just incredible.

 

 

 

After the omelette, a server came out and brought what looked like surgical tools.  They weren't explained and my wine server came to bring me out my next wines.  I say wines because in our conversations, I apparently impressed her, so she again brought me a (large) sample from the Reserve list.  She poured me a 2016 Clos Figueras, Font se la Figuera, Priorat, Grinache & Carignan and a Rioja from the Reserve list (I don't have the details from the Reserve Wines other than type, because I didn't have the list).  I will say that the Reserve wines were definitely a step above the standard wines, though the standard wines were very good.  My next course was then brought out and I found out what the instruments were for.  I was served a Rabbit Meatloaf with House Miso, Blue Cheese, Chasseur Sauce (a base demi-glace sauce that often uses mushrooms and shallots), and Pickled Corn.  The server than took the instruments then began trimming the centerpiece (that I had sampled and enjoyed several times), to top the meatloaf with.  The course was very savory and with the blue cheese and pickled corn, kind of funky, but the centerpiece a freshness was added.

 

Our next course was my favorite course.  In fact, it may be one of my favorite courses of all time.  It was simple and referenced comfort food, hitting all of the right notes.  At it's essence, it was Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup, but the Toast was Sourdough, the Cheese was Comte, in the bowl was Tomato Sorbet, Balsamic, and Thai Basil, into which was added a Fermented Tomato Soup.  It was incredible and almost brought me to tears.  I don't know if I would eat this for the rest of my life, but if this was the only thing on the menu when I went somewhere, I would happily eat it.

My last savory course was an A5 Wagyu.  A5 is the highest grade of Wagyu and this was like butter.  It was served with White Asparagus, Red Wine, and Nasturtium.  It was savory and rich, but texturally, it was very light and was very good.

After the last entree, as in many multi-course meals, there was a palate cleanser/pre-dessert.  I was served a Meyer Lemon Sorbet, with Poppy Seed, Gin, and a small Buckwheat Pancake on top.  It was light, bright, tart, and very much did it's job as a palate cleanser.

The first dessert was actually kind of surprising because it generally plays on the savory side of the menu.  The course was primarily Foie Gras with Bacon.  It was presented as a Foie Gras Waffle. Foie Gras and Bacon Sorbet, Maple Syrup. and Lemon Balm.  It was very much like breakfast with the bacon and maple syrup flavors.  It was sweet and rich with an interesting savory twist and I did like it.  The final wine pairing was a sweet white from the Loire Valley, a 2011 Domaine Baumard, Coteaux du Layon, Clos de Ste. Catherine, Loire, Chenin Blanc.

 

Our final course celebrated Termporis' birthday.  They had been open for 3 years, so they presented us with a "Birthday Cake".  Presented under glass with a lit candle, it was allowed to build up smoke to infuse a smoke flavor.  The Birthday Cake had many tropical flavors like Coconut, Mango, Pomegrate, and Passionfruit with a Coconut Granita and Passionfruit Creme Anglais,  There were lots of flavors and it was a great finish to a great dinner.  There were a few courses like the grilled cheese that will live in my memory, and I would be happy to return.              

Twain - Brunch

 

 

When I wen to Twain the first time, I went in skeptical.  My mind couldn't get around how you might make Midwestern food interesting.  My mind was quickly changed and I loved what they did, so I decided to schedule a brunch here.  The last time I came it was dark, so I was unable to show the copper etching on the front or the stylized squirrel that is the handle of the heavy front door.  The dining room is very rustic with murals on the wall opposite the bar and kitchen.  Above the hanging lights are large cloth "clouds" that remind me of the forms that were above the lights at the former Graham Elliot Restaurant.  As there were only two of us, we sat at the bar and I started things off with a nice cup of Coffee from Sparrow Coffee Roasters.

Despite sitting at the bar, I was not planning on drinking and they had a couple of pretty good tonics that were both very flavorful and hydrating.  I went with Gus' Ginger Elixer with Lime, Fresh Ginger, and Fresno Chili.  It was sparkling and tart with a nice ginger flavor, and a bite of chili heat at the end.  It was bright and restorative and I really liked it.

 

There were several things on the appetizer side that we were interested in, so we ordered a couple and share.  First were the Hash Browns which were grated, seasoned well, and served in a casserole dish.  They are simple, but they are one of things that, if they're done right, hit all of the right buttons and are really good.  These were really good.  The other dish was a Breakfast Casserole made with Eggs, Cheese, Basil, Lemon, and Onions.  Served in a Cast Iron Pan, it was very fluffy and much like a Quiche.  The Eggs and Cheese made it classic breakfast savory, but the basil and lemon really brightened up the flavor.  It was really good and because of the amount of food we bought, I ended up bringing part of it home.

My main course was a hash, which is kind of becoming a standard for me.  This Hash was a Chorizo Hash made with Yukon Gold Potatoes, Arugula, Salsa Verde, Chihuahua Cheese, Pickled Jalapeno and Poached Eggs.  It was like a Breakfast Burrito without the tortilla, and while I like Breakfast Burritos and feel the tortilla is a big part of it. This was good enough that it felt complete without the tortilla.

One of the reasons that I like sitting at the bar is that I get to talk to the bartender and ask questions.  Frequently that will result in a free sample of something and this day was no exception.  While I was not planning on drinking, I started talking to the bartender about Amaro and mentioned that Averna was the first Amaro that I was really introduced to.  As they had Averna behind the bar, she thought that it was good Digestif and a great way to finish the meal.  I couldn't disagree with her and enjoyed a nice taste of Averna to finish things off.  I really enjoyed my meal here and will definitely return.   

Cafe Robey - Brunch

 

When I first came to Chicago the place that I kept coming back to was the 6 corner intersection at Damen, North, and Milwaukee in Wicker Park.  For a long time, the tallest building on that corner was a 12 story triangular Art Deco building named the Northwest Tower, or more popularly known as The Coyote building (The spire at the top is said to resemble the upturned nose of a baying coyote).  It was mostly empty most of the time, though it was used for gallery space by local artists who would open up once or twice a year for the Around the Coyote Festival.  Most of the gallery space in the area was in the Flatiron Building on the opposite corner.  Because it was mostly empty, it did get pretty shabby and there was talk of demolishing the building for new construction.  The neighborhood was very against this, so that idea was quashed and it was eventually bought and turned into the boutique hotel, The Robey.  The first floor of the triangular space (the hotel also took over and converted a storage building into part of the hotel) is occupied by Cafe Robey, a neighborhood restaurant with a very French bistro feel.  There is a door on the corner of the building that would open into the cafe, but it is unused.  The actual entrance is inside the hotel off a passageway on the wide side of the building that runs between doors on North and Milwaukee.  The entrance is closer to the Milwaukee side.  The check-in desk to the hotel is also off of this passageway and there was also a lot of Art Deco ornamentation.  The host station is immediately inside the entrance and the small bar is just past that on the right.  The space for the liquor is small, but there is a good selection.  The kitchen is immediately behind the bar and can be seen through the liquor cabinets.  The space is triangular with a narrow area beside the bar for seating looking out to Milwaukee Ave. widening out to a triangular dining area looking out to both Milwaukee and North Aves.  The third wall is occupied by the bar kitchen and entrance.  While it is kind of a small space, because of the windows looking out on both sides, it looks spacious.

I started things out with some coffee.  There were a lot of interesting looking things on the menu, and coffee, being something you can find at any pace serving breakfast or brunch, was a given.  The coffee was by local roaster, Colectivo.  For my food, as I said, there were several interesting things on the menu, so I ordered several things.  For good or bad, they all arrived at once.  I had the Banana Bread with fresh Whipped Butter, one of the better Fruit Salads that I have had, and a Lyonnaise Benedict with Bacon, Frisee, Black Truffles, Poached Eggs, and Hollandaise Sauce on English Muffins.  The Banana Bread was soft, fresh, and sweet with a good banana flavor and some walnuts.  With the butter, it was excellent.  The Fruit Salad had Strawberries, Pineapple, Grapes, and Blueberries, which were all fresh and very flavorful.  The best thing about the Fruit Salad, though, was that it had no Cantaloupe.  The Benedict was very complex and very good.  Everything was all very good and I enjoyed my meal here.  I will definitely return.