Entries associated with the tag "Avenues":

Next week in Omnivorous, I'll review Avenues, post Graham Elliot Bowles, now under Curtis Duffy, former chef de cuisine at Alinea, a Trio vet, and (like Chef GEB) Trotter's alum. Given my space limitations, writing about this one presents an extra challenge, because each course is announced with a long list of elements, in contrast to the standard terse, generalized menu descriptions. Is anyone else tired of that overused menu-design conceit? I'm usually forced to ask servers to repeat these inventories two, sometimes three times, which isn't fun for anyone. But, oh yeah, I'm working.

I digress. Unless it's a distraction or a particular marvel, restaurant design is pretty low on my list of things to talk about. But at Avenues--and I'm hardly the first person to whine about this-- the starchy, institutional atmosphere really is a distraction. Between that and the well-intentioned but oppressive attentions of our server, the runners, the hostess, and the wine steward in the relatively empty room last Wednesday, I might sound like I'm building up to a pan. Well, forget about it--four of us had an exhausting, challenging, but marvelous three-and-a-half-hour meal.

Here are some notes on a few great courses:

Wild Oregon morel risotto: Our fourth course, a swirl of red wine and elephant garlic "froth" around a mound of Acquerello carnaroli rice. It had a nutty, earthy texture, almost like a savory hot cereal, and was a nice demonstration of how foams (our server was careful not to use that word) can go beyond gimmickry and really integrate with a dish.

Pan-roasted spring chicken breast with a bit of thigh confit: This came with a crackly chip of skin I had to protect from one of my dining partners. The dish was plated with a nifty ball of saffron panna cotta, but the best thing about it was a tiny bite of bulgur that absorbed the bird's juices. In the midst of this kind of razzle-dazzle sometimes the most shockingly delicious things are the simplest.

You'll hear more about the Wagyu course later (what you see in the photo is its African blue basil accent). We were told the beef was rolled in sea salt and grilled over superhot binchotan, Japanese lump charcoal.

Two desserts: The first a rectangular construct of passion fruit, white chocolate, and lemongrass with little carrot-cake puddings and wide shavings of gingered carrot strewn across the plate. These had the texture of gravlax, and were memorably discombobulating. Then there was a frozen malt cylinder that, when broken open, spilled Chambord over chunks of dense "compressed" chocolate cake. Both were terrific, and I'm glad I didn't have to choose between the two.

Featured dissections in Food & Drink this week are on the terrific Mado, Veerasway, and Mixteco Grill--but don't miss the 15 other brand-new restaurant reviews.

For the most part we were impressed. Me, I think the casual amiability of Trattoria Pizzeria I Monelli and the superfresh Pho Xua (where I had the meat-filled betel leaves pictured) balanced the bad karma dumped on the universe by the wretched Paddy O'Splaine's and the checkered past of Chicago's Home of Chicken and Waffles. Hammond's arduous journey to Park 52 was rewarded by greatness at Mixteco Grill and exceeded expectations at Wrigleyville's Purgatory Pizza. Martha Bayne declared Great Lake another great pizzeria, and OK'd the south in her mouth at Big Jones. Irma Nuñez handed in the most informed review of Shochu ever, and Anne Spiselman sussed out some promising Middle Eastern items at Devon Avenue's Habibi.

See also Chocolate Grape, Couture Crepe Cafe, Shinobu, Skewerz, and Trattoria Isabella.

And coming soon: new reviews for Avenues with Curtis Duffy at the helm, Zed 451, and Jack Rabbit. 

A copy of The 100 Best Restaurants of North America and Europe, New York-based food blogger (Opinionated About Dining) Steve Plotnicki's new self-published guide, arrived at the Reader office yesterday. Chicago doesn't feature prominently in the ambitious attempt to move into Zagat and Michelin's territory, to say the least. Alinea does show up in slot six with an impressive score of 106 out of 120 (which puts it in the category of "worth planning a trip around"), but the only other Chicago restaurant that makes it in is Avenues, and its score of 99 only qualifies it as an "important local choice."

With California and New York taking up 32 out of the 50 slots for North America, though, there's not a lot of room left for other areas, and nowhere else in the midwest even ranks in the slim volume. Plotnicki didn't intentionally neglect the Chicago area, as evidenced by a post on LTH forum soliciting participants in his survey. The guide is aimed at "destination diners," or people who arrange their travel plans around dining out, and maybe Chicago just isn't enough of a culinary destination. But it seems more likely that the survey is unintentionally skewed towards New York City because most of the restaurants Plotnicki reviews are there, so most of his fans (read: survey participants) are also likely to be there.

The survey weights the opinions of "experienced diners"--those who review the most restaurants--more heavily than those of less experienced ones, an attempt to add more authority to the populist approach of a survey. (The 100 restaurants included in the guide were whittled down from a list of 1,600, based on the opinions of 900 participants.) Reading Plotnicki's blog, there's no question that he believes that more experience with eating out equals more authority, especially on his part (see his culinary CV, for example). In a blog post yesterday, he slams New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni for overrating Dovetail: "Let me tell you, I have been to a lot of restaurants in my life (likely many more than Mr. Bruni) and I could sense that the restaurant didn't warrant the 3-star review as soon as I walked in." Really? Before even tasting anything?

According to the New York Sun, Plotnicki makes no attempt to dine anonymously--his goal, he says, is to "elicit the best possible meal that a restaurant has to offer and in that context anonymity actually hurts instead of helps." Of course it does. That's the point--if you're reviewing a restaurant, you should try to have the experience most diners are likely to have. Even if the quality of food and service are likely to vary from customer to customer, seeking preferential treatment is pretty sure to skew a review. Or a restaurant guide.

Tonight, at the restaurant formerly known as the Berghoff, there's a five-course Berghoff beer pairing with a menu that includes mussels, salad, pulled pork, sauerbraten, and chocolate raspberry mousse cake. It's $49.99.

The Foundation Fighting Blindness is having a $150 Artistry of Wine fundraiser Friday at 6:30 at the Peninsula, 108 E. Superior. The event features wine pairings to go with dishes from Avenues, NoMi, May St. Café, and more. 

Northwest-suburban Long Grove's annual Strawberry Festival starts Friday and runs through Saturday, featuring all manner of berry-related edibles, including a chocolate dipping station and strawberry donuts.

The Mid America Japanese Club is holding a Japan Festival Saturday and Sunday in Arlington Heights that includes a "Taste of Japan" component with sushi and chicken teriyaki. It's at the Forest View Educational Center, 2121 S. Goebbert.

Culinary Historians of Chicago present David Joachim and Andy Schloss, authors of Mastering the Grill, Saturday at 10 AM at The Chicago History Museum; it's $10.

There's an intriguing event happening Monday at Timo, 464 N. Halsted, called "Play Restaurant," part of the city Office of Tourism's Art of Play summer campaign. "People who attend the Play Restaurant event will be give a "job" upon arrival," says the city's Brooke Vane. "So, for instance, you might be a bartender. My job as a patron might be to try and trip you up by asking for a specific wine or unusual cocktail.  If you come with someone, they might be assigned as a line cook and work along side Chef and Owner John Bubala. Half way though the night, you will trade and dine outside at Timo." It's $45. Call 312-226-4300.  **This has been canceled.**

Also on Monday Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation fund-raiser for local food charities goes down at the River East Art Center at 5:30. It's $150; among the more than 30 attractions are stations from mk, Blackbird, Le Lan, and an "interactive mojito bar."

Erwin hosts one in a series of workshops and three-course dinners Monday night featuring some of chef Erwin Dreschler's favorite purveyors, in this case the Spice House. It's $50. Call 773-528-7200.