One of the reasons I want a job is so that I can afford to eat in Chicago restaurants. There is a reason Top Chef (Season 4) and Anthony Bourdain came to this city. The food is just... ah man, I don't even know how to describe it. Food is religion out here. It's on par with drinking in the middle of the day and sports. And the crazy thing is -- most of the food is not far out crazy concoctions. It's food we know. But made with the freshest, finest, most refined ingredients and skill. I mean, as the Chef of the Century Joël Robuchon says, "Cooking is about taking something simple and making it exceptional." And so far, I've been to two restaurants that are starkly different, but both exemplify this ideal.
RESTAURANT 1
First is the Landmark Grill + Lounge. Sean and I went here on our 3-year anniversary (09/30/09). That boy was quite the gentleman, paying for me to indulge my gluttonous habits. As our server (Jeffrey!) mentioned, they don't have any specials because they have the same main meals over a season, occasionally throwing in one experimental option. Now some people might not like this, but I love consistency/tradition/blah blah blah when it comes to food. When you've got something good, why change it? And that's exactly what Landmark has: comfort food, jazzed up. Also! On we happened to visit their establishment on Wino Wednesdays, which means that any of their regularly priced bottles were 1/2 off! (Sweeeeet). Sean and I split a bottle of Dr. Pauly, "Noble House," Mosel (2007). Sweeter and more berries than a regular reisling, but definitely more refined. (Okay, enough of my wino bull).Our waiter found out that it was our first visit to the Grill, so we were given a lot of time to look over the menu. (Too much time if you ask me... but whatevs.) We started with their gnocchi with mushrooms, basil tomatoes, and parm. The mushrooms were cooked perfectly -- full of savory flavor that balanced the eggy-sweetness of the gnocchi. We cleaned that plate. Nothing was left. Our server made fun of us. :)
For my entree I had the oven roasted salmon with a crispy skin and herb-butter sauce, zuccini-potato pave in the middle. First off, their plating is beautiful -- sharp and balanced. Second, the salmon melted off when I touched my fork to it. Perfectly cooked. The buttery salmon was delectable with the crispy veggies. Sean had braised boneless short ribs on top of herbed golden barley, with eggplant cannelloni. I had a bite. Delish. And since it was our first time, we received a bowl of button top mushrooms that were cooked in a red pepper and sherry sauce, compliments of the chef. We figured it was something they do every time for new-commers, because we saw extra side dishes go over to regulars of the restaurant. ::shrug:: Whatever, they were delicious as well. I just wish I could have finished them all!
After all that food and wine, Sean and I were busting at the gut. Buuut, it was our anniversary, so we got dessert as well :) Sean got the peanut butter chocolate semifreddo (semi-frozen) and I ate the pecan-crusted pumpkin bread pudding with a pomegranate sauce. However, when our desserts were presented to us, they had a little something extra: "Happy Anniversary" written in REAL cocoa sauce. *sigh*
Later that week, on Phil Silberman's recommendation, Sean and I visited Crisp on a cold, rainy night. It's a fried Korean chicken restaurant, and Eastern spices smack your sinues the instant you walk in. It's a small space, with 3 long tables on the with benches on the right, and one bar along the left wall with chairs facing a mirror. We ordered the special: buy 1 full chicken and 2 sides, for only $20. That's right: a full chicken. Everything but the head and feet. Score. And we had half cooked in their BBQ sauce, and the rest in their Seoul Sassy sauce. The BBQ was smoky and peppery. The Seoul was gingery sauce, similar to teriyaki, but just don't call it that. (The menu says not to, mainly, I think, because it's *not* teriyaki! haha)
We sat at the middle table by ourselves, waiting eagerly for our food. At the table was a roll of paper towels, an assortment of sauces, and utensils (chopsticks). At last I heard one magical word, "KAY!" Yes! Our chicken was ready. Our tray could barely fit all of our food: the chicken took up most of it, and the rice and mushroom sides had to sit over the edges. The skin was crispy, but the chicken was falling off the bone. Oh my god. Chicken heaven. Everything was good.
And then a family of 3 joined us and it truly became a family-style meal ;) Good times.
Both restaurants a success. One fancy, one homey. One delicious. Another also delicious. One moderately expensive. The other, affordable. God I love them both.
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