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Friday, February 24, 2012

The Wrath of Kahan - Chicago, IL - 2/24/12







I kid with the title.....it just seems every few months I jump on the scale and start screaming like Bill up there...why?    My diet (and budget) was doing really well except then I had to stop by a Paul Kahan establishment and eat myself silly.

Today I did not stop by a Paul Kahan establishment. I stopped by three. It would have been five, but Fran put her foot down.


So here we are.....the first meal was at Blackbird.  The $22 Restaurant Week menu.   One does not need to rush out to Blackbird for Restaurant Week because there is always a prix fixe for under $25.

Octopus confit appetizer -


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The RW menu say sturgeon, but I swear this is salmon....


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Duck confit -





The menu seems to be accurate with this, so I'll cut and paste:    bittersweet chocolate cremeux with cashews, butternut squash and bergamo




We've been to Blackbird many times in the past....this meal only reaffirmed something I've long thought:   Blackbird is, as a restaurant, the best in Chicago.  Period.   On a budget?  Go for lunch.   Not a budget?   Tasting menu at dinner.

I say "as a restaurant" because other places (Alinea, as an example), might be "better" but they're more "experiences."   Look:   Blackbird is to Iron Maiden as Alinea is to Gwar.   Gwar might be a better "show," but you can travel around the country seeing Maiden multiple times a week and leave every night satisfied.

(I have not traveled around the country seeing Maiden multiple times a week, but I'm throwing this out there to convince my wife that such an idea is an ideal summer vacation.  You know who else would be cool to travel around and see a lot?  Alice Cooper.  You know who's opening for Maiden on their Summer 2012 tour?    Oh yeah.)

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We finished lunch comfortable...not really wanting more food, but being open to it....we decided to walk over to the brand new Publican Quality Meats which is a deli which offers sandwiches for dine in or to go.  We decided to split the "better than a gyros" - a gyros made with pork belly instead of lamb.  I ordered it as "we're going to share it" and it was brought out cut in half.....an unexpected, and very pleasant, plating.  Kudos.



How was it?   Well....I don't want to knock anyone else, but another famous Chicago chef (who I am also a fan of) opened a casual sandwich shop a while back.   I think Kahan went to that place a few times, saw everything he did wrong, took notes, and made sure not repeat them.

There is a beer on tap by Three Floyd's called Ham On Rye that I think may be an exclusive...it's strange...it tastes like, well, a ham on rye in beer form.   I didn't like it, but I respected it, and therefore I must recommend you try it.   Drinks are stupid reasonable with bottles of wine (including the very nice Chateau Grand Traverse Ship of Fools) available for dine in at $5 above retail.  .

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We wandered, had some coffee, and hit up Avec for dinner....

Chorizo stuffed dates are one of the things Avec is famous for and rightfully so - I've eaten dinner at Avec with a group, we've finished, ordered coffee, people have had dessert, and me?   Another order of dates for dessert.   The photo is of two, an order has four....



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White anchovies on charred flatbread with cucumber and cilantro....


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Roasted mussels in ancho chili broth with bacon, kale, and fingerling potatoes.


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Cafe avec....a shot of espresso and a shot of armagnac.  There are two "must haves" at avec...the chorizo dates and this.



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vanilla semifreddo with blood orange gelee and "magic shell"




And there you have it....one day it's going to happen, we're going to hit up every single Kahan place in one day, it will be awesome, and I will end the day full and ten pounds heavier, and it will be worth it.



Thursday, February 16, 2012

Next / elBulli - Chicago, IL - February 15, 2012

We've been on hiatus for a while....I have been thinking about starting this thing up again and I can think of no better return than with a review of Next.

Yep.

Thanks to a bit of luck, we got the hottest ticket in Chicago, the elBulli menu at Next. Submitted for your consideration, a photo essay of the meal. My advice - if you have tickets or if you are planning on trying to get tickets, STOP READING NOW. DON'T READ ANYTHING ABOUT THE MEAL! Go in blind, let it be a surprise. Seriously.

Alright? If you're not going, if the notion of spending that much money on a dinner or if the hassle of getting in don't seem worth it to you but you still like looking at food, check it out....

The year listed is when the dish originally debuted at elBulli.  
The name of the dish is from the menu we were given.
The commentary for each dish is proof I can never been a food writer.

(As of 2/16, this post is a work in progress)




2004 nitro caipirinha with tarragon concentrate
    (sorta like a margarita ice)

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2000 hot/cold trout roe tempura
    (fascinating - breaded/fried roe - who knew?)


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2003 iberico sandwich
   (perfect in its simplicity)


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1991 coca of avocado pear, anchovies, and green onion
   (sigh, one of the best things, great ingredients)


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2005 spherical olives
   (strange - liquid olives encased in skin used to cover pills...or something)


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2001 golden egg
   (no idea)


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1998 chicken liquid croquettes
   (crazy, explosion of chicken)


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2007  black sesame spongecake and miso
   (slightly chocolatey, very unique)


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1997 smoke foam
   (a conversation course, interesting, a glass of foam that tasted like a campfire)


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2003 carrot air with coconut milk
   (self explanatory - crazy)


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1997 cuttlefish and coconut ravioli with soy, ginger, and mint
   (the cuttlefish is the pasta on this one, plate licking good)


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1992  savory tomato ice with oregano and almost milk pudding
   (tomato ice...fascinating, powerful)


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2001 hot crab aspic with mini corn cous-cous
    (aspic made with agar agar so it was served warm)


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2000 cauliflower cous-cous with solid aromatic herb sauce
   (baffling)


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1988 suquet of prawns
   (delicious)


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1998 potato tortilla by marc singla
   (wacky)


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1989 trumpet carpaccio
   (yep)


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1987 red mullet gaudi
   (art on a plate - scoff if you must)


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2007 nasturtium with eel, bone marrow and cucumber
   (perhaps the greatest thing I've ever eaten)


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2000 civet of rabbit with hot apple jelly
   (a worthy follow up to bone marrow)


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2009 gorgonzola balloon
   (a balloon made of gorgonzola....)





broken


and consumed as much as it could


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1999 foie gras caramel custard
   (flan made with liver...I like liver, I don't like flan, I don't like this)


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1996 spice plate
   (raw spice served on a lime pudding, I think)


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the key to the spices
   (the spices were not in order, we were supposed to arrange them, but we were never told the answers...boo!)


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2009 mint pond (plate)
    (A bowl with a thin layer of ice)


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2009 mind pond (prepared)
   (with the mint, sugar, and something else all broken up....a palate cleanser basically)


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1997 chocolate in textures
   (ridiculous)


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2010 chocolate donuts
   (more ridiculous)


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1993 creme flute and 1989 puff pastry web
   (tasty)


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2004 the farewell
   (three waving gloves, only one bowl had dessert)


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2004 passionfruit marshmallow
   (the hidden dessert - delicious)



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There you have it.

Is it worth the cost?   Yes.
Is it worth the hassle?   Yes.
Did I think it would be?   Hell no.