I may be late to the posting party, but I am never late to dinner. Especially during Restaurant Week, as tables are quickly snatched up by hungry on-lookers. The cold kept the competition at bay this year though, along with the extension to two weeks, resulting in more reservation opportunities and repeat visits.
My kitchens of choice this year were the blossoming Perennial Virant, the classic Cafe Spiaggia and the brand spankin’ new Summer House Santa Monica. While this fierce winter has put me back into hibernation along with the groundhogs, some of these dishes deserve a repeat taste once the spring thaw begins and I can finally ditch the five layers of clothing.
Perennial Virant
First course: Crispy Carnaroli Rice
Second course: Rushing Waters Rainbow Trout
Dessert: Frozen Key Lime Pie
This dinner won best overall experience for my personal Restaurant Week 2014. Our waitress was kick ass, smart and even knew the hot places nearby to grab a drink after dinner. Oh, and the food was phenomenal, too. It turns out the restaurant’s specialty is pickling, which means the vegetables we all enjoy from Green City Market during the summer are still thriving in the dead of winter. When I hear “pickle” though I think vinegar. But it turns out this preserving technique is so much more. The summer beans were still hints of warmer, happier times and the sunchoke puree and chips were the perfect accompaniment to the trout that fell apart at the slightest touch of my fork. To top it all off, the frozen key lime pie was tart with sweet blueberries taking away some of the bite. A repeat visit is required, along with a trip up to the J. Parker for a skyline view and tasty cocktails.
Cafe Spiaggia
First course: Rucola
Second course: Cappellacci
Dessert: Bomboloni
A Restaurant Week and all-year Chicago favorite, Spiaggia is a staple resident of Michigan Avenue. Although the restaurant was still empty when we walked in for a weekday six o’clock reservation, it quickly filled up with hungry groups and warm service. While sipping wine and eating fresh bread, we couldn’t help laugh at the poor commuters sprinting down the street to get out of the cold that much faster. My salad and Italian-style doughnuts were exactly what I expected, prepared with fresh ingredients and balancing flavors. But the cappellacci with butternut squash was out of this world. I have never wanted a dish to become bottomless so badly since discovering peanut butter ice cream. It was sweet, it was savory and it was delicate. I pray this is not a seasonal dish so I can add this to my “last supper” list.
Summer House Santa Monica
First course: Shaved Vegetable Salad
Second course: Grilled Atlantic Salmon
Dessert: Roasted Pineapple Crostata
Sadly, my last Restaurant Week visit was the most disappointing. I have high hopes for the future of Chef Mahin and his team, but they were not ready for the foodie force that emerges during this annual event. Service was slow, with our server confirming orders multiple times throughout the meal, often times incorrect. What was most disheartening was when my salmon arrived with a raw center. For the first time in my life I had to send a dish back to the kitchen, which pained me as much as it did the server and I’m sure the kitchen. Our server even commented that the kitchen was still working on their timing…I’ll say. I will say the portions here are supremely generous, which would make a steak-and-potatoes diner like my father ecstatic. I’ll give it a few months before I return when hopefully the food is worthy of Mahin’s name and I can soak in the sunshine from the glass ceiling.
Until Restaurant Week 2015!
Finding Gastropia 