Band of Bohemia - Brunch

While Green River was an unplanned brunch, however good it was, I returned to my regularly scheduled brunches soon after with a trip to Band of Bohemia, the first brewpub ever to have been awarded a Michelin Star.  Run by Alinea vets and located in a former warehouse in Ravenswood, from the outside that is exactly what it looks like.  The inside is something different.  It uses a bunch of vintage furniture, book cases, upholstered chairs, dressers, heavy curtains, and long wooden tables in a room that retains it's industrial feel with white brick walls and an open unfinished ceiling.  There is also an area off to the side that's like a salon where I had been seated before that had couches, arm chairs, side tables, and coffee tables.  The bar is long and dark colored wood and looks into the modern kitchen on one side, the other side looking at the taps.  We were seated at one of the long tables in the center of the dining room.  As this is a brewery, I figured that it would be a shme not to try the beer, so I ordered a flight.  The beers served are mostly ales, but they do not precisely fit into common styles using many different fruits and botanicals.  The beers were all served in crystal goblets that let them breathe.  We started with Peony Starflower Ale, an ale made with White Tea and Starflower.  It was very clear and almost looked like apple juice, but it was definitely beer and had a light botanical flavor to it.  Next was Guava Pink Peppercorn Rye Ale and with that came all of the flavors of fruit and spice that you might expect.  Constellation's Kiss, the center beer, was brewed for Next Restaurant and included Jasmine Rice, Lemongrass, Thai basil, and did nothing for me.  Beer number four is a regular on their menu, The Noble Raven Ale.  It is a light and crisp German style Ale, which while not really surprising, is very solid in its execution.  The final beer was (Sitting on) the Dark of the Bay.  A dark colored beer made a play on words of it's name.  When I think black beer, I think heavy.  This was very definitely not that.  It was a Black Wheat Ale that used Bay Rum, Bay Citrus, and Bay Laurel.  It was very flavorful but surprising in that it was not heavy and did not have the bitter flavor of a stout or a porter.  This was probably my favorite beer.

For the sweet side of my brunch we started out with Donuts, specifically started out with Brioche Donuts with Cinnamon-Cardamom-Vanilla-Maple Sugar served both as donuts and the holes.  The donuts were of the yeast type so were pretty light and I would imagine that if it were not for the sugar, they would have a salty, buttery, and savory flavor being as it's made from an egg washed dough.  The mixed sugar though, gave it a pretty complete covering and a sweet, spicy, nutty flavor.  I also got a cup of their house Dark Matter coffee, which was a dark roast and had a good rich flavor to it.

When everyone was brought their main course, I was brought a pancake, which was not what I ordered.  The waiter very quickly noticed that it was not what I ordered and said that my order would be out quickly and that we could keep it.  It did look pretty good, so it couldn't go to waste, and we had a bonus sweet plate.  The Pancake was an Oat and Buttermilk Pancake with Oats, Rye, Hemp Hearts, and Buttermilk with Cherry Bourbon Maple Syrup and Whipped Creme Fraiche.  It was a little more dense than your standard pancake with a strong flavor of grains and some tartness from the buttermilk.  The cherries on top were sweetened tart cherries which went well with the buttermilk and the creme fraiche.  The bourbon cherry syrup was sweet, and woody and went well with the cherries and tempered some of the tartness of the pancake and creme fraiche.

My main course, the one that I actually ordered was Fried Chicken and French Toast.  It was had a lot of tropical flavors and was very good.  It started with Caribbean Fried Chicken (boned) served with Papaya - Jalapeno French Toast, Bananas, Orange, Mint, and Mango-Passionfruit Syrup.  I like Chicken and Waffles, but this was taking things up a level with peppers and flavors of tropical fruit adding both sweet and tartness. 

After sharing the pancake and  eating this, as well as a donut, I was pretty full, but in a good way.  The food and beer were very good, as was the service and I did like the design of the place down to the box that looked like a leather-bound book that held the bill.  In it's early days, they used actual books as bill holders, but decided that that was difficult to hold the money, so they went with the box.  In any case, it looks cool and I will definitely return.         

Saint Lou's Assembly

In the 40s and 50s, there was a style of restaurant, similar to a diner, called a Meat and three, which originated around Nashville and was popular among the blue collar crowd.  Like it sounds, it is a style where a main course, the meat, is chosen from a list of three to six choices like meatloaf, tasso ham, country fried steak, or a pork chop, and then three sides from a list of up to 12 selections are chosen to make your meal.  Restaurant group 16" On Center recently opened an upscale meat and three called Saint Lou's Assembly in the West Loop which was also the former meatpacking district, so would have been a place where a Meat and three would have thrived.  Located in a non-descript brick building with a small sign, it was originally going to be a counter service, cafeteria tray, find your own seat type of place.  While it still has the long order counter and metal cafeteria trays, it has since gone to a wait to be seated place/menu place.  I went one night recently when I was in the west loop.  The place looks like a factory cafeteria with brick walls and small windows.  There is a menu posted at the entrance like you would find in a counter service cafeteria.  Decorations included sports trophies, newspaper clippings, and pictures of Lou, the grandfather of Bruce Finkelman, one of the managing partners of 16" On Center, who owned a meatpacking place in the area.  The seating in the narrow dining room is booths on one side and banquette seating on the other with overhead lighting in the drop ceiling.  I don't imagine that you would find many meat and threes with a beer and cocktail list, but the beer list was pretty good with choices from the big brewers as well as a pretty good craft selection.  The cocktail list was pretty good with many spins on classics.  I liked the look and appreciated the effort that they took to make it look authentic.  My one complaint was the fact that there was an odor of blood in the room (as in a butcher shop).  If that could be addressed, it would be very nice.  I started things off with a Fluffy Gin and Tonic.  A spin, obviously on the classic gin and tonic.  It used London Dry Gin, a Custom Bitter Cube, Tonic, Lime and Egg White, which was what made it fluffy.  It was an interesting drink with a light top and a flavor that changed as the ice melted (adding tonic).

While this is primarily a Meat and three, it also has appetizers and I figured that I might as well try to get the full experience.  Appetizers included Burrata, Artichoke Dip, Beef Tartare, and Bone Marrow.  While I was really interested in the Bone Marrow, the diners beside me got an order so I saw how enormous it was and decided if I was going to eat my meat and three, I would have to scale back a little (or so I thought).  I ordered the Beef Tartare which was also enormous.  In addition to the tartare, which actually looked lighter than I am used to (more fat?), it also included a Foie Gras Torchon (a round slice vice the typical rectangular piece), Fried Celery Root, and Cocoa Nibs.  It was served with Rye Toast.  This was rich, meaty, and very good.  The celery root added some crunch and the cocoa nibs added a bitter finish.

For the meat portion of my meat and three, I wanted Pork Belly, but they had run out.  I did stick with the cured pork though and went with the Tasso Ham with a House Glaze.  For my three, I chose Beets and Carrots, Red Curry Lentils, and Truffled Celery Root Gratin.  Tasso ham is not actually ham, but is a cured pork shoulder using a spicy cure and has a flavor somewhere between ham and bacon.  The glaze was sweet and spicy and seemed to be a cross between brown sugar and cayenne.  The meat was spicy and tender and the glaze went well with it.  For the three, I expected to like the beets and carrots, which I did.  It was simple, but well prepared consisting of the well prepared beets and carrots and had a sweet and earthy flavor.  The Red Curried Lentils I also expected to like.  I have a soft spot in my heart for lentils, but I have to say that other than the slight spice, I found it pretty boring and disappointing.  The Truffled Celery Root I was unsure about.  I expected it to be bitter and have a truffle funk to it, but other than that, I really didn't know what to expect.  It was tender and creamy and kind of reminded me of scalloped potatoes with a truffle finish.  It was really good and I really glad I ordered it.

After finishing my appetizer and meat and three, I was done.  I did think about a dessert, they were serving pie and a tart on the night that I was there, but I was already pretty full and dessert would have made me uncomfortable.  I will say that the food that I had was very good.  They execute the food and look of the place very well.  Other than the small hiccups, I would easily return.          

Haywood Tavern

When you go into a bar that serves food, there are certain things that you expect to see like sandwiches, burgers, and fries.  If you go to a place that calls itself a gastropub, you expect much better food, but the place also looks like a restaurant (with a bar).  I went to neighborhood pub, Haywood Tavern recently and was very surprised.  From the outside, the place looks like a nice corner tavern a nice large front window and vintage accents.  Walking in, there was the large bar and a few booths, but the space was very open.  There was a very nice tin ceiling and a hardwood floor which played to the vintage feel of the place.  There is apparently also a nice patio in back, but I didn't see it.  Based on the appearance, I expected a place that did some good drinks and was a bar and grill as far as food was concerned.  I was correct as far as the beer and cocktail list was concerned.  They have a good beer list and some creative cocktails.  What I did not expect to see were things on the food menu such as Confit of Pork Belly, Raclette, or Parisienne Gnocchi, or Arancini.  As the food menu was going to take some time to peruse, I ordered one of their creatively named cocktails, Based on the Short Story "Fire in the Hole" which was made with Bourbon, Mezcal, Benedictine, and Peychaud's Bitters (and an Orange Peel Garnish).  It was smoky, citrusy, very smooth and a nice start.

 

After looking at the menu, I decided on something that I really like, but haven't had in a while (and another thing that I was surprised to see on the menu), a Tortilla Espanola.  A Tortilla Espanola is essentially a very thick omelet (or frittata) served cold.  It is made with Eggs and Potatoes and this was served with Brava Sauce, a mildy spicy Tomato and Olive Oil based sauce with Garlic and Cayenne that went amazingly well with the fried eggs and potatoes in the tortilla.

For my second course, I went with an Octopus Salad with Cucumbers, Pea Tendrils, and Romesco Sauce, a nut and red pepper based sauce from Northeastern Spain which goes well with seafood.  The octopus was very meaty and had a good texture and the cucumbers and pea tendrils gave the salad a nice fresh and crisp crunch.  The Romesco Sauce added a savory flavor with a little bit of spicy bite and altogether it was one great bite.

For my main course, I went with something that would not surprise my friends or family.  There was duck on the menu, so that is what I chose.  I had Seared Duck Breast with Spring Vegetable Fried Rice, a Fried Egg, and Green Onions.  As the duck breast was seared, it still had a nice pink color to it.  It was well seasoned, tender, juicy, and had a good flavor.  The fried rice had carrots, onions, a lot of soy sauce (but not overmuch), a crispy outside, and a moist inside.  The egg was a bonus that tied the rice and the duck breast together.  As this was a duck dish, it would be expected that I would like it, but everything tied together well and it was very good.

They don't have a printed dessert menu.  What they do have though, is a chalk board on the wall opposite the bar that lists specials and the one or two desserts that they're featuring.  On the day that I went, they had something called a Cornmeal Cake which sounded unusual, but I'm not someone who strays away from the unusual and I decided to try it.  It was served with Lemon, Strawberry, and Cheesecake, but the way it was served, very fragmented, it was possible to try everything individually.  Everything was also very different texturally.  The cornmeal cake was like crisp cornbread, although sweeter and a little less gritty.  The lemon was served powdered, the strawberry was pureed, and the cheesecake looked like it had come out of a pastry tube.  While all of the flavors were good individually, the best bite was to get everything together.  It was sweet, tart, creamy, and crisp, and a lot of fun to try the different elements in different combinations.

I was very surprised when I came here, but in a good way.  Both the food and drink were very good, and the bartender was very friendly and helpful and very willing to offer me samples of things behind the bar that I had not yet tried.  I will definitely be back.          

Bohemian House - Chicago Restaurant Week Brunch

Bohemian House has been a restaurant on my radar since shortly after it opened about a year and a half ago but I had never made any firm plans to dine there.  I had tried some of their food at various benefits and really liked what I had, but I had not experienced the restaurant.  A friend, though, invited me out for brunch during Chicago Restaurant Week so I decided to see what it was about.  As it's name suggests, Bohemian House, or Boho, focuses on the food of Bohemia (a region of the Czech Republic) and Eastern Europe in general.  While there is a sign outside on the awning, the restaurant is in an old office building and is not exceptionally obvious.  The alcove leading to the door has some really ornate tile along one edge, so that can also be used as a marker as well.  Entering the modern glass door in the alcove, there is a stair leading to the right, at the top of which is a big, heavy, wooden door behind which is the restaurant.  The space is very open with unfinished ceilings and large wooden beams supporting the ceiling.  There is a large, long, and heavy-looking wooden bar opposite the door with a nice liquor selection as well as some antiques on the bar shelves for decoration.  The floor of the dining room was hardwood as were the tables, a combination of high two tops, four tops, and communal tables.  The seats were padded with leather.  Also along the same wall as the entrance was a line of booths with soft leather padded seats, padded pillows, and a half-round table.  This is where we sat.  The kitchen was in the back behind a large arched window and tiled wall.  It's a beautiful space that reminded me of the European-inspired beer halls of The Publican and The Radler. 

As this was a Chicago Restaurant Week menu, we were able to order three courses for $22 (plus drinks, tax and tip) which, having looked at the menu previously, was kind of a huge deal.  I started things off with Deviled Eggs with Spicy Pepper Relish and Crispy Shallots.  The egg whites were firm and the yolks were perfectly whipped.  The Pepper Relish and Paprika provided a nice addition of spice and the Crispy Shallots added a nice crunch to what would have otherwise been a toothless dish.  It was a nice start and I looked forward to my next dishes.

I generally don't go sweet for my main course, but my other choice was a Weinerschnitzel Sandwich and while I am sure that it would have been good, I wasn't feeling it.  I decided to go with the Bavarian Pancakes with Brandied Prunes, Apples, Pecans, Farmers Cheese, and Powdered Sugar.This was very good and I'm glad I choosed it.  The pancakes were thin, like crepes.  The Apples and Prunes were sweet, tender, juicy, and boozy, and the sugar and juice/syrup added more sweetness.  The Farmer's Cheese, a housemade cheese similar to a mild ricotta added some creaminess to the dish and the pecans added a nutty flavor and a crunchy variety to the dish.

I would have been happy to finish here, but there was one dish to go.  I had a choice of Doughnuts or Kolacky and I decided to go with the Doughnuts.  They were deep fried Doughnut Balls served on  a thin layer of Bavarian Cream (basically the Bavarian version of Panna Cotta) and a dish of Currant Marmalade for dipping or spreading on the doughnuts.  The doughnuts were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and were rolled in granulated sugar.  The doughnuts were good on their own (although admittedly, I have other doughnuts that I have liked much more), but the Bavarian Cream and the Marmalade added to the doughnuts separately or combined which was the best.

I am glad my friend invited me out for brunch so I could actually see the place.  I really liked brunch and would return again for brunch or dinner.       

Boeufhaus

When I go out, I will typically choose a place that does something new or exotic or different.  I generally choose a steakhouse because, while I like steak, there are any number of places where you can get a good steak so it isn't usually that exciting.  Never mind the fact that a good steak can be pretty expensive.  Sometimes though, I just want a steak, so I recently went to a relatively new place that opened up in Ukranian Village called Boeufhaus to see what they do.  Located in a small storefront that used to be a butcher shop, Boeufhaus puts a French and German spin on a steakhouse.  It is a small space, seating about 40 including the bar, and has kept a lot of elements from the butcher shop like the display case at the front where the host station now is and and big, heavy looking freezer doors behind the bar.  The space has a hardwood floor and bar and tin ceiling tiles with hanging lights that focus on the tabletop.  While the dining room is generally dim, the tabletops are bright enough that a flash is unnecessary.  While Boeufhaus bills itself as a steakhouse, and I am sure that is what most of the orders are, the snacks and appetizers French and German inspired and there is also some seafood, duck, and pork on the entree menu.  While several of the entrees did look good, I figured if I was going to be at a steakhouse, I should really have the steak.  Before that though, a good appetizer was needed.  While looking at the menu, there were several things that excited me including the Tarte Flambée, a caramelized onion tart with bacon and white cheese, but there was also on the menu one of those things that didn't look like it made a lot of sense so I had to order that.  What I ordered were the Short Rib Beignets.  I like short ribs and I like beignets, but in my mind they don't seem to be two things that should go together.  Beignets are a light and yeasty fritter that are generally topped with powdered sugar and eaten at breakfast.  Short ribs are the beef version of spare ribs.  For this dish, the meat was braised and stuffed into the beignets, which were not covered in powdered sugar.  They were light and airy with a small piece of short rib wonderfulness in each one.  The braising liquid was reduced and used as a dipping sauce.  It was very good, I enjoyed it heartily, and it was a good opening for what I expected to be a very good steak.

As for their steaks, Boeufhaus has a relatively short list:  two dry aged ribeyes, 35 day and 55 day, a New York strip, a filet mignon, and steak frites, a hanger steak and fries.  I decided to go with the top of the line and ordered a Medium Rare 55 Day Dry Aged Ribeye with an order of Bordelaise Sauce on the side and a Side order of Roasted Mushrooms.  I was actually a little surprised when it came out because the way it was sliced and presented, it looked to me a little smaller than I expected.  It was a 22 oz steak (with bone) which would be a pretty big steak as one piece, but didn't look as big sliced.  Having said that, it was about an inch and a half thick with five slices plus the meat on the bone.  The steak was very good.  Aged 55 days, it was tender (although not fork tender) and had a blue cheese funk to it.  The funk wasn't strong, but it was definitely there and it went well with the stronger beef flavor that comes with the aging.  The Bordelaise Sauce was good, but it really wasn't necessary as the steak had enough flavor on its own.  It was a little darker than other Bordelaise sauces that i have seen and it did have a good beef flavor.  The mushrooms, though, were a nice addition.  It was a mixture of Shiitake, Maitake, Trumpet, and Portabello Mushrooms combined with Fresh Thyme and Vinegar.  The mushrooms added a variety of texture to the steak and the meaty flavor along with the vinegary bite added to the flavor.

With the appetizer and a large steak, I was a little surprised that I could handle dessert.  Even though I was a little full, there is always room for dessert.  I ordered a Brown Butter Almond Cake with Toasted Coconut and Lemon.  There was nothing about this that I didn't like.  It was sweet, but just slightly and very nutty.  The toasted coconut was added both as a chip on top and a garnish and the lemon was a sauce that went well with everything.  It was delicate and a great finish to an otherwise pretty heavy meal.

I really enjoyed dinner here.  The space has a very nice vintage look, the staff is friendly and helpful, and the steak, of course, was very good.  I will definitely consider it again when I am in the mood for a good steak.      

Dusek's

If a restaurant is outside places that I normally travel, it can sometimes take some time to get there even if it's a place that I really want to got to.  I was interested in Dusek's when I first heard about it.  Owned by the group that also owns Longman & Eagle, Parsons Chicken and Fish, and The Empty Bottle, I knew that it was going to be a hit, but it's in Pilsen, which while in Chicago, is a little farther than I normally like to bike.   I decided one nice summer evening however, that it was a place I wanted to visit and the weather was great, so it was time to visit.  Dusek's Board and Beer was originally founded by John Dusek in the 1890s as a bar and boarding house in Thalia Hall.  It was refounded after several years dormant at the same location as a three part operation, Dusek's, a beer focused restaurant influenced by the original German, Czech, and Eastern European settlers in Pilsen, Punch Room, the basement Cocktail Lounge, and Thalia Hall, the music venue.  The restaurant space is divided into two large rooms, with hardwood floors, brick walls, and prints and photographs from the 1890's.  The big windows in the front provide a lot of natural light with additional light provided by chandeliers with Edison lights.  The bar serving beer and liquor is at the bar in the front room, but there is an additional bar in the other room which is used for preparing charcuterie and cheese boards.  I was seated next to this bar in an area with a lot of natural light.  While the ham plates and the cheese plates both sounded really good, I started things off with Chicken Fried Veal Sweetbreads which were served with Blue Cheese Gnocchi, a Barigoule (a vegetable dish from Provençal, typically made with artichokes, braised in a seasoned broth of wine and water) of Carrots and Celery, Aerated Ranch, Hot Sauce Gel, and Dill Pollen.  Many people are put off by the idea of eating sweetbreads, which are an animals' thymus glands.  I have little fear of trying something new, but I remember once, a waitress comparing them to chicken nuggets.  With the fact that these sweetbreads were breaded and chicken fried, the comparison was very apt.  In fact, with the hot sauce, the ranch and the blue cheese, this was like boneless buffalo wings.  The carrots and celery added a vegetable flavor to the dish which also enhanced the comparison of the sweetbreads to chicken.  The ranch was aerated to thin it somewhat and the hot sauce was gelled to thicken it so that the sauces had similar consistencies.  Everything worked together very well and it was a great starting dish.

I decided, with my entree, to try a dish that honored the ethnic background of the original settlers of the neighborhood.  I ordered Choucroute, the Alsatian version of Sauerkraut and Sausage, which was served with Sauerkraut, of course, but also with a Duck Confit Leg, Pork Belly, House Garlic Sausage, Confit Red Potatoes, Caraway Pickled Apples, and a side of Country Mustard.  I like sauerkraut and sausage, but this went one step beyond with the addition of the additional meats.  It was all very tender and flavorful and I liked the fact that it was served on an antique-style plate.  Everything was very good, but the surprise of the dish was actually the apples, which were served as little balls.  The pickling added a sour flavor to them, with a little nuttiness from the caraway, but their flavor was completely unlike a normal apple.  The texture of the apple, however,  remained which added some textural variation to the dish.

While my entree honored the original settlers of the neighborhood, my dessert honored the people who are here now.  I ordered  Roasted Chili Churros with Dulce Cream, Bittersweet Chocolate Sorbet, Candied Mango, Sweet Chili Lime Oil, and Mango Gel.  The churros were served warm which provided a hot-cold juxtaposition between them and the rest of the dish.  They were sweet and spicy while the sorbet was bittersweet, and the dulce cream was sweet and sour with a little spice with the candied mangoes and the chili lime oil.  It was a great dish that was well presented, tasted great, and honored the history of the neighborhood.

While it is a little further than what I normally like to travel (on my bike) for dinner, it was very good and I really enjoyed the space and the food.  I will definitely have to return in the future.
 

Dove's Luncheonette

I have talked about Paul Kahan several times and have raved about every restaurant that is under his umbrella that I have been to (Blackbird, The Publican, Nico Osteria, Big Star).  He is a master chef and a great mentor who is able to find and lead talented young chefs with the many concepts that he has undertaken.  There are some restaurant groups in which most of their restaurants have a common theme and are very similar.  The several concepts run by One Off Hospitality, the restaurant group in which Paul Kahan is a partner, are very different.  The one common theme between the various properties are their devotion to local farmers and seasonal food.  I went recently to their most recent restaurant, Dove's Luncheonette, an old style diner that serves mostly Mexican food and is located in Wicker Park, next to Big Star.  The restaurant is kind of inobtrusive, with the sign painted on the window next to the door.  The building in which Dove's is located is a beautiful vintage building with wood framed windows.  The inside looks as an old diner should, with stainless steel counters facing the windows as well as a dining counter looking into the open kitchen.  The walls are paneled on the lower half and covered in numerous old photos on the upper half.  There is an old jukebox in the corner as well as a turntable behind the corner with a great collection of old blues and soul records.  The menu is one page (both sides listing all meals including the all day breakfast).  In addition, there is a board behind the counter, near the ceiling, that lists the daily specials.  While there were several things on the specials list that looked really good (the Pork Milanese Cemita), I decided to stick with the menu and started with the Pepper and Potato Hash which in addition to the Fried Potatoes and the Shishito Peppers, had Aioli, Charred Scallions, and Queso Fresco.  Shishito Peppers are long and green and look similar to Jalapeno peppers, so while they are sweet, it was a little annerving to see all of those peppers among the potatoes.  I did try a pepper before anything else and found it to be fresh, crisp and sweet and went well with the crispy fried potatoes, and the slightly spicy aioli.  The queso fresco added a little salt and texture to an excellent dish.

For my main course, I ordered Enchiladas de Cochinilla, or Suckling Pig which was roasted, shredded and wrapped in Corn Tortillas.  The dish was served in a cast iron pan giving it kind of a homey appearance.  They were served with Mole Verde, Pepitas (fried sunflower seeds), Onions, Queso Fresco, Chicharrones, and Cilantro.  The pork was very tender as would be expected and the dish was a wealth of flavors and textures.  It was so good, that while I try to change what I order when I return to a restaurant, it would be difficult not to return to this.  I liked everything about this place and I will definitely return.        

Trenchermen - Dinner

There are several restaurants that I have gone to for brunch and enjoyed that also apparently serve a very good dinner.  Some of the places, in fact, are better known for dinner than their brunch.  Trenchermen, where I went for brunch last year was actually open for dinner for about 6 months before they started serving their brunch.  Having said that, I went their for brunch first and just recently went for dinner.  I mentioned then, that they seemed to really have a handle on savory and have a nice selection of cocktails.  This is true for dinner as it was for brunch.  On the day that I went, they offer a beer and burger special and the place was full with people having that.  While it does sound interesting in theory and the value is very good, the burger that they were offering really didn't do it for me.  I may have to return sometime for the beer and burger special but I was interested in the main menu.  Trenchermen offers a prix fixe where you can order two appetizers, an entree, and dessert which are your choices from the main menu so that's what I did.  While I was deciding on my meal, I started with a cocktail called Alliance Tale.  It was a poor pun and I couldn't figure out any connection to the cocktail, but it was good.  It had Gin, Amaro, Allspice, and Lemon.  It was bittersweet and spicy with a tart finish and actually kind of reminded me of dessert.  It did not, however, make it to my dessert, so I couldn't pair it, but I was not disappointed by that fact.

My dinner started with Octopus which was served with Posole Broth, Masa Balls, Marrow Beans, and Crushed Corn.  This was interesting and quite a surprise.  Posole typically uses hominy and pork.  The corn was there, not exactly as hominy, but similar to corn nuts.  THe pork was replaced with octopus which was pretty different as well.  The octopus was served as small tentacles and seemed to be dried because they were actually pretty crunchy.  They were flavorful and texturally, they reminded me of chow mein noodles.  The masa balls were big, thick, and dense, and actually reminded me texturally of thick tentacles.  The marrow beans were well cooked and added a savory flavor to the broth which was nice and spicy.  This was a small dish (as it was an appetizer), but I would have been happy to eat much more of this.

For my second appetizer, I went with a dish that to me, felt much more like an appetizer.  It was called Tortellini en Brodo and contained Chorizo 'Nduja (a spreadable Italian sausage using pork shoulder, belly, jowls, tripe, and Calabrian peppers), Apricot Chutney, Fennel, Saffron, and Mint.  It was sweet, spicy, and savory, with a minty finish and I really liked it. 

My entree was more meat and was very savory and earthy.  It consisted of a "Sheboygan" Porchetta (a boneless pork roast wrapped in pork skin and stuffed with bratwurst), Mustard Gnocchi, Beer Onions, and Hakuri Turnips.  The gnocchi was very tender as gnocchi is supposed to be.  It was actually about the same size and shape as the turnips although very different in taste and texture.  The turnips being more dense and crunchy with an earthy sweet taste and the gnocchi tender with a slightly sour mustard flavor which paired with the mustard seeds on the porchetta.  The onions were well cooked and tender with a sweet and malty flavor and a slight onion finish.  The porchetta was tender and meaty with a sweet flavor that matched with everything and topped with mustard seeds to pair with the gnocchi.  While it had a lot of sweet, it also presented many other flavors and a wealth of textures and it was a bit of an adventure (in a good way) to eat.

The savory side of the menu was full of some nicely complex dishes full of different textures and flavors, the dessert continued that theme with a Matcha Semifreddo (literally, half cold, a frozen dessert combining two parts ice cream or gelato and one part whipped cream) with Bee Pollen Brittle, Sesame Sauce, Strawberry Sorbet and Fresh Strawberries.  It was sweet, a little tart from the strawberries, a little bitter from the sesame sauce and the Matcha (tea) and very enjoyable to eat. 

I really enjoyed dinner here.  The food was hearty, complex, and full of surprises.  The service was very good even as busy as the restaurant was and they were happy to answer questions.  I will definitely return because there is more on the menu to try.

Gilt Bar

My birthday was recently and it has become a tradition for me to treat myself to something special for my birthday (if not precisely on my birthday).  This year, I went to Gilt Bar.  Located across the street from Merchandise Mart and located by Chicago's first bike lane, it still doesn't appear to be in an area with a lot of foot traffic.  Having said that, it still seems to be enormously popular.  I went during the week at an early time and it was still pretty busy.  I walked into a very dark room which shouldn't have surprised me because the exterior is black.  The interior was lit by Edison lamps and the walls, chairs,  and banquettes were mostly black.  Looking at the walls and ceiling, it appeared that they were weathered and some of the black was faded.  The menu consisted of classic dishes and cocktails so I'm going to guess that they were going for a vintage feel in a vintage space.  I decided to start things off with a classic cocktail, a Gin Daisy.  This drink is floral, sour, and an early incarnation of the Cosmopolitan.  I do however think that I like this better than a Cosmo.  There was a lot on the menu that looked interesting, ordering the drink first gave me time to decide what I wanted to eat. 

 I started my meal off with Steak Tenderloin Tartare with Poached Egg Yolk, Mustard, and Toast Points.  The meat was ground coarsely and well-peppered.  With many steak tartares, the yolk is raw.  While this makes it easy to spread the yolk through the ground steak,  it also can be a little on the slimy side.  I preferred the poached yolk which while not hard, was definitely harder than it normal.  The toast was slightly charred and was good to eat with the steak tartare and egg.  I like steak tartare and this was a very good version.

My next course, a vegetable course, was Roasted Broccoli with Pecorino Cheese, Red Pepper, and Lemon.  This was very good.  The broccoli was very fresh and crisp, with a little char on the florets.  It was also very lemony with a lemon wedge included to add more lemon juice it desired and the Pecorino added a cheesy flavor that tied everything together.

For my entree, I went with Roasted Pork Belly, Pickled Shallots, and Lentils.  The pork belly was fatty as might be expected and really, really good.  It was all very good and flavorful and I really enjoyed it.

With the size of the courses, I was slightly full when I got to dessert.  I still wanted dessert, but I decided to stay a little on the lighter side (if not necessarily light).  I went with an Apple Cake with Caramel, Short Bread, and Vanilla Ice Cream.  It was simple, classic, sweet, and a nice finish to a very good dinner.  I enjoyed my dinner there, and the service was good, although I might have  preferred a seat where I didn't have the possibility of becoming involved in someone else's life.   

The Dawson

Restaurant Week is one of my favorite times of the year.  It gives me a chance to try a bunch of restaurants that might be on my list to try but have not yet made it there and I get to try them at a discount if I decide to go with the Prix Fixe menu they are offering for Restaurant Week.  One of the places I chose this year was The Dawson, the newest restaurant from the team behind The Gage and Henri partnered with a restauranteur behind several notable suburban restaurants.  The Dawson is located at the border of Westtown and River West at a space formerly occupied by the Dawson Brothers, one of the most successful fireplace mantle companies in the United States at the turn of the 20th Century.  Most recently, it was occupied by the breakfast place, Orange.  The space has been completely rebuilt since changing from Orange to return it to a vintage Prairie-Style look.  The front has a darkened window wall with divided windows and a very large wooden door which opens into an entry way with the host's station, that leads to the main floor dining area, or the upstairs lounge.  As I was coming to dine, I was led into the main dining area which was open and had a rectangular bar in the center of the room, and seated at a table in the corner looking out on the patio that is used during more temperate times.  Looking over both menus, the main menu and the Restaurant Week Prix Fixe menu, I saw that there really wasn't much difference in the prices between the rebular menu and the prix fixe so I decided to go with the entire menu.  I started with the Maryland Crab Cakes with Golden Pea Shoots, Cucumbers, Peanuts, and Mustard.  This was very good.  The crab cakes were slightly crisp on the outside and very flavorful with a slight cayenne pepper flavor to go with the crab.  The cucumbers were thinly sliced, crisp,  and tasted as if they were slightly pickled.  The pea shoots were fresh, crisp, and slightly sweet, and provided a vegetal flavor to the dish.  The mustard and peanuts added a little crunch and some tartness for the finish.

I continued with the seafood theme with my entree and ordered the Seared Maine Scallops with Braised Beef Cheek, Cannellini Beans, Blood Oranges, and Potato Chips with Trumpet Mushrooms and Purple Cabbage as Garnishes.  This was a beautiful and very colorful presentation with every element bringing something visually to it.  Unfortunately, while some of the items contributed visually, the dish may have been better had they been removed.  The main items in the dish, the scallops and the beef cheek, were very good and very well prepared.  They were both tender and flavorful.  The blood orange slices and the cannellini beans added both color and flavor, and the little potato chips on the top of each scallop provided a salty and crunchy surprise.  The mushrooms and the cabbage though, while they looked good were very dry.  They were fragrant but it was like they had been dehydrated and someone forgot to rehydrate them. 

For my dessert, I obviously did not go with seafood.  I went classic (and a little decadent) with a Chocolate Cake with Cremeux, Pickled Blueberries, and Amaretto Cream.  A Chocolate Brittle framed the  chocolate cremeux (a very creamy item similar to a mousse).  The cake was very rich and with a dark chocolate flavor.  The cremeux had a rich flavor but was creamy and light.  The brittle was light and crunchy.  The blueberries were juicy and were lightly pickled and tied the cake to the amaretto cream.  Everything tasted good individually and together.

With the dessert, I had a glass of Fernet Branca, an Italian bitter, as a digestif.  Having had it before, I knew that it was thick and bitter and not something that you would slam.  While I happen to like it in small doses, one of my friends has suggested that it has the texture of cough syrup and tastes somewhere between Listerine and Scope.  It is definitely not for everybody's palate.  Despite, or perhaps because of its bitterness, it actually went well with the chocolate cake.

I liked my dinner here.  The space is beautiful although loud, the service was very good, there is a very good beer and cocktail list, and despite the strike with the scallop garnishes, the food was also very good.  There is more to try here so I would be happy to return.