For Saturday night date night, Moetchandon and I made our first visit to Kinship, a relatively new restaurant in the former LYFE Kitchen space (and prior to that, the rotunda for Chase Bank, Bank One, etc.)
We were surprisingly impressed. Other than somewhat slow service from our waitperson, Natasha (undoubtedly she was kanoodling with Boris in the back), everything we tried from the relatively small menu was well thought out and executed.
For starters, she had the scallop shooter; one chicken-fried scallop, over house-made fennel slaw garnished with something red. Her comment … it might have been easier to eat if it were served on an Asian soup spoon, rather than the elaborate plate.
Chicken-Fried Scallop Shooter I had the smoked trout dip with house-made tender, thin crisp crackers. The smoke flavor was on the light side, but worked well, and the crackers were good enough that we had to take a few home.
Smoked Trout Dip For mains (or “Plates,” as the menu calls them), Moetchandon had the Kinship Burger — basic, but well executed. Beef was sourced from Halperns’, and topped with duck fat-roasted onions, shallot mayo, and American cheese, on a brioche bun, served with fries.
Kinship Burger Mine was the Harissa lamb shank with duck-fat braised lentils. The lentils were an excellent compliment to the flavor of the lamb, rubbed with preserved lemon, oregano and za’atar.
Harissa Lamb Shank Although the beer list was respectable, we went with a bottle of merlot from the not-inexpensive wine list.
Many of the other menu offerings continued the theme of not-particularly-unusual ingredients combined in unexpected, creative ways. Other than the wine list, prices were reasonable, and the room was conversation-friendly (especially because it’s segmented into a number of small dinning areas, some separated with heavy, noise-absorbing curtains). It’d be great to go back with a group, for ordering power to sample more of the menu. (Unfortunately, it’s not open for lunch, otherwise the Evanston Lunch Group™ would be there soon. Its sister restaurant, Next of Kin, is open for lunch, but its focus is on carryout for breakfast and lunch, with limited seating.)
As a nightcap, we went across the street to Whiskey Thief. Normally, we’re not big fans of bars lined with television screens showing all sorts of sports, but this night, we were able to avoid paying attention to them. I had a bourbon flight — three one ounce pours of Larceny, Blaum Bros. Knotter Bourbon, and Two James Johnny Smoking Gun. Interesting to compare and contrast. The flight came with a small eyedropper to add water to open up each of the pours — a welcome addition.
Whiskey Flight In addition, I had an Old Fashioned, which they make with Rittenhouse Rye, spiced maple syrup, ancho chile liquor, and Peychaud bitters.
All this is in contrast to last week’s visit to another relatively new venue, Bourbon & Brass Speakeasy. It’s an attractive space — you enter through a door that looks like a bookcase, into a long, narrow room with eclectic furnishing, reminiscent of Found Kitchen & Social House, a few blocks away. Unfortunately, service and staff were lackluster. When we ordered a few items off the menu they gave us, we were told some weren’t available, because it was an out-of-date menu (then why did you give it to us?) Ordering drinks at the bar took two or three trips, because each of the bartenders apparently assumed the other was making our drinks. Compared to Whiskey Thief, the available spirits were more limited. More importantly, the staff seemed disinterested in serving customers, and doing the minimum to get by. (Finally, in a personal peeve, the jazz quartet, which was doing standards, introduced a number from Earl Hines. Everyone who knows his stuff knows he went by Earl “Fatha” Hines. These guys didn’t know Fatha.)
Kinship
625 Davis St
Evanston, IL
Whiskey Thief Tavern
616 Davis St
Evanston, IL
Bourbon & Brass Speakeasy
(Upstairs at Evanston Rocks!)
1012 Church St
Evanston, IL