Boka during Chicago Restaurant Week: $33 for a three course dinner at at one star restaurant. Can't beat that deal. Of course, my husband had the foie gras upgrade so his was $44. Also got to use our Open Table certificate. Once you achieve 2000 points on Open Table, you can have a $20 gift certificate sent to you which can be used at any Open Table restaurant. In case you aren't aware of Open Table, it allows online reservations at restaurants in many major cities.
For an appetizer, my husband had the Main Diver Scallop , plus the added fois gras. I had the Amish chicken thigh. Both appetizers and main course included a variety of vegetables, purees and sauces. The flavor combinations are subtle but tasty. I know our combinations varied a bit from the menu on the Chicago Restaurant Week site, but the effect was similar. For the entree, my husband had braised pork belly with deep fried oysters. I had sliced angus sirloin with a mushroom croquette and braised cabbage. Portions are not huge but we didn't go away hungry
For dessert we had a ginger kulfi with a flourless chocolate cake that was more like a dark mousse. I really like the kulfi but my husband wasn't as impressed. We both loved the cake which had a kick of spice in it. I thought the dessert was the most interesting.
We tried four different wines by the glass and all were intriguing. The best were the White Night Viognier and the Arista Pinot Noir. The Viognier was full bodied and minerally, not floral. The Pinot Noir was very lush, full and mellow.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Gilt Bar and As You Like It
We needed an early reservation before going to As You Like It at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Also wanted to try another Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant and needed a location that wasn't too hard to get to with the construction going on in Chicago. Ended up at Gilt Bar (don't click on this link at work unless your sound is on mute). Before my Michelin crusade I probably wouldn't have thought to try it.
We arrived literally as it opened at 5:45 and they rolled up the metal door. Expected to use the valet but he wasn't there yet. Ended up in a lot around the corner for only $10 for the night. Great deal. Needless to say we were seated right away. At most restaurants outside of the theater district, we would have been on our own for the first hour, but here people were swarming in. Most were in their 20's or 30's and most had come with reservations, to eat. An hour later the place was full! It definitely has a bar feel with an eclectic music track (country, indie, you name it). High energy but not so noisy you can't talk. Not sure why this attracts a younger crowd so early. We are used to leaving restaurants about the time the 30 somethings start arriving. But we didn't feel out of place all the same. There is a club/bar in the basement but it was empty while we were there.
This time it was only my husband and me so we didn't get to try as many items, but it was one of my favorite meals this year. I started with a pear and blue cheese salad that was out of this world. The server told us the blue was from Wisconsin. It was outstanding and was balanced well by the other ingredients. For a light eater this could be a meal. My husband had a simpler salad of endive and frisee with preserved lemon and dijon vinaigrette that was also well executed.
My main dish was pork belly with braised lentils. Ever since hearing Anthony Bourdain and Tom Colicchio rave about pork belly, I was determined to try it. I have had it recently at both Girl and a Goat and the Publican, but I think this is my favorite preparation. Think high end pork and beans. My husband had the special which was a striped bass, perfectly cooked.
The server had explained that all the plates were shareable. We thought that meant more like tapas. He just meant that everything was easy to share. With two salads, two main courses and a vegetable side, we had more food than we could finish. Our side was roasted brussel sprouts with bacon. Very good but we left that rather than the main dishes. The wine selection by the glass was great. I had a great rose. We were too full to try dessert but we plan to go back again.
Our adventure that evening was that we decided to walk from the restaurant to Navy Pier. There was a big show there that day and we had been warned that the traffic might be crazy. It was a long, brisk (make that very cold) walk. But it helped work off potential sleepiness from the food. We have subscription tickets to Chicago Shakespeare (the one subscription we kept when life with two kids got too full for more than one). So we are big fans, but this performance of As You Like It was one of our favorites. It is a comedy and a very silly one at that. The timing and the acting along with the regency era costumes made it feel modern. If you like period romances like Emma or Pride and Prejudice, you will probably enjoy this production.
The long walk back was even colder but it was fun to see the city still hopping despite the hour and the cold. Plus we felt virtous for only spending $10 for parking.
We arrived literally as it opened at 5:45 and they rolled up the metal door. Expected to use the valet but he wasn't there yet. Ended up in a lot around the corner for only $10 for the night. Great deal. Needless to say we were seated right away. At most restaurants outside of the theater district, we would have been on our own for the first hour, but here people were swarming in. Most were in their 20's or 30's and most had come with reservations, to eat. An hour later the place was full! It definitely has a bar feel with an eclectic music track (country, indie, you name it). High energy but not so noisy you can't talk. Not sure why this attracts a younger crowd so early. We are used to leaving restaurants about the time the 30 somethings start arriving. But we didn't feel out of place all the same. There is a club/bar in the basement but it was empty while we were there.
This time it was only my husband and me so we didn't get to try as many items, but it was one of my favorite meals this year. I started with a pear and blue cheese salad that was out of this world. The server told us the blue was from Wisconsin. It was outstanding and was balanced well by the other ingredients. For a light eater this could be a meal. My husband had a simpler salad of endive and frisee with preserved lemon and dijon vinaigrette that was also well executed.
My main dish was pork belly with braised lentils. Ever since hearing Anthony Bourdain and Tom Colicchio rave about pork belly, I was determined to try it. I have had it recently at both Girl and a Goat and the Publican, but I think this is my favorite preparation. Think high end pork and beans. My husband had the special which was a striped bass, perfectly cooked.
The server had explained that all the plates were shareable. We thought that meant more like tapas. He just meant that everything was easy to share. With two salads, two main courses and a vegetable side, we had more food than we could finish. Our side was roasted brussel sprouts with bacon. Very good but we left that rather than the main dishes. The wine selection by the glass was great. I had a great rose. We were too full to try dessert but we plan to go back again.
Our adventure that evening was that we decided to walk from the restaurant to Navy Pier. There was a big show there that day and we had been warned that the traffic might be crazy. It was a long, brisk (make that very cold) walk. But it helped work off potential sleepiness from the food. We have subscription tickets to Chicago Shakespeare (the one subscription we kept when life with two kids got too full for more than one). So we are big fans, but this performance of As You Like It was one of our favorites. It is a comedy and a very silly one at that. The timing and the acting along with the regency era costumes made it feel modern. If you like period romances like Emma or Pride and Prejudice, you will probably enjoy this production.
The long walk back was even colder but it was fun to see the city still hopping despite the hour and the cold. Plus we felt virtous for only spending $10 for parking.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Gas fireplace
We live in a Victorian home. The fireplace was originally coal fired. Therefore too small to serve as a wood fired fireplace. So, years ago we had it refitted to be gas fired. We never got around to figuring out how to use it. Tonight as the potentially biggest blizzard in IL since 1967 descends upon us, we decided it was time to make sure it worked in case we lose our electricity. It is these little things that we now are catching up on as empty nesters.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)