Well, well, well . . . traditional fine-dining is still very much alive and well in Chicago. Who knew?!
Happily, it's residing at Acadia, which had been on my' need-to-try' list for a while and is now atop my 'must-return-soon' list. The wife and I went with friends of ours, who'd been there a few times before, and they set up the reservation for the 4 of us.
One thing I suspected going in: the bar would be great. That's because it's helmed by Michael Simon (formerly of Black Sheep, Graham Elliot, the Boiler Room, etc.), who is engaged in his craft like almost no one else I've ever encountered. His bar is thoughtfully curated and his cocktail menu is populated by complex, signature creations that reflect his deep passion for -- and obsession with -- libations. There are house-made ingredients in many of the drinks on the menu. Even if you don't love every drink (not the case for me, lol), Mr. Simon is exactly the kind of person you want behind the bar when you show up to drink. He is, as he once jokingly described himself to me, The Sheriff of Boozetown.
Before we took our table, we had a round of cocktails, all of which were quite delicious . . .
White Manhattan | Low Gap white whiskey, Cocchi Ameicano, Dolin dry
I saw a bottle of Low Gap white whiskey on the back bar and even though I'm not normally a fan of of white whiskey, this is one I really wanted to try. I'd read some
very positive things about it and had not seen it anywhere else before. I asked Michael if he could create a cocktail with it for me, and this White Manhattan is what he came up with. It was really nice. I'm not sure what the other ingredients were but the whiskey combined very nicely with the dry vermouth and the sweet/bitter cocchi. This was a real treat.
Michael SimonHead Bartender, aka the Sheriff of Boozetown.
Aviator | Farmer's gin, The Bitter Truth violet, homemade lemon soda, maraschino
Hanky Panky | Hayman's Old Tom gin, Dolin rouge, Fernet Branca, Zucca Amaro
Rum & Kola Smash | English Harbour 5-year, homemade kola tonic, cherry bark bitters, Root, mint
This cocktail currently includes Root liqueur but I learned on a subsequent trip to Acadia's bar that Michael is currently working on a batch of homemade root beer bitters that, I'm guessing, will replace the Root in this cocktail (and others).
Mezcal Old Fashioned | Sombra, Allspice liqueur, tomatillo agave, mole bitters, dill & coconut ice cubes
Michael's very proud of this cocktail and he sent it out for us to try. I'm very glad he did because it was excellent. It was smokey and complex. The use of compound ice cubes here was very well-applied, as the drink changed while the intensely flavorful cubes slowly melted and worked their way into the beverage. I've had mezcal old fashioneds plenty of times before and I've had flavored ice cubes several times, too but this drink stood out as a truly distinctive creation.
Our friends had arranged for us to have chef/proprietor Ryan McCaskey's tasting menu, an option an I didn't realize was available. We perused the distinctive, well-priced wine list, which was assembled by sommelier and GM Jason Prah. There were some interesting, offbeat choices but since we didn't know what we were having to eat, we let Mr. Prah create pairings for us that were very well matched for the food. They're listed in the menu posted here . . .
Tasting Menu - 12.0407AmuseSad to say I don't remember the details about this amuse but I do remember really enjoying it.
Beets | frisee, arugula, Ocumare "Soil" chevre, orange, fennel
I'm kind of over beets these days but this successful salad easily overcame that obstacle. The beets were cooked perfectly and the accompanying elements were very well matched.
Peeky Toe Crab | squash blossom, zucchini puree, grit cake, confit tomato, lemon verbena
A magnificent dish both in terms of conception and execution. It was intricate but in a way that really made sense as the manipulation of the ingredients really allowed them to shine.
"Risotto" | yukon gold potato, leek, green apple, perigord truffle, fines herbes
I loved the intense flavors here. After my first bite, I thought the potato might have been a tad too al dente for me but after another bite or two, I started loving the ever-so-slight crunchiness of the potato "grains." I think if it had been cooked any further, the dish would not have worked nearly as well as it did.
Pork Belly | red cabbage, caraway pudding, pear mostarda, candied mustard seeds, chicharrones
A very interpretative, deconstructed and delicious take on a fairly traditional combination of components. Elevated comfort food.
Deer Isle Shrimp | cauliflower, cuttlefish noodles, chorizo, marcona almond, squid ink vinaigrette, fried spoon bread
This may have been my favorite dish of the night. It combined a group of ingredients, many of which are favorites of mine, into a winning dish that was far greater than the sum of its excellent parts.
Biscuit | butter, rock salt
This delightful interlude was snarfed down by the four of us. This steaming-hot, flakey biscuit may have been the best one I've ever eaten . . . and the simple addition of butter and rock salt took it to a whole other level.
Gunthorp Farm Duck | foie gras custard, red wine-braised endive, ginger snap, sour cherry gel, maple gastrique, savoy cabbage
I loved the tender duck breast and the perfect foie gras custard was not only delicious but it paired extremely well with the duck.
Headwaters Tomme | kumquat-shallot confiture
I'd never had this cheese before. I loved its medium-level funkiness and thought it was a great bridge between the sweet and the savory portions of the meal.
BreadServed with the cheese.
QuenelleAll I can remember for sure about this dish -- other than realy digging it -- is the fact that the stuff that looks like nuts is actually white chocolate.
Milk Chocolate Cremeaux | candied huckleberry, hazelnuts, meyer lemon, buttermilk sponge
Chef McCaskey delivered this course to our table personally and explained that he just wanted to serve something comforting, like chocolate pudding. I loved that sentiment and thought the dish was terrific. It was comforting but also sophisticated without being overwrought or overthought.
MignardiseMore chocolates . . . m'okay.
Signing our menusBefore we left, our friends asked the staff to sign the menus that they'd printed out for us to take home. Being the last table out, it was Miller time.
That's chef McCaskey leaning over and our awesome server Tyrone, who did an awesome job, in the foreground on the right.
I haven't been this enthused about a fine-dining experience in a long time. I've been lucky in that I've been able to do quite a bit of it over the past several years. But the more I do of it, the less special it becomes. Experiences run together, certain preparations and ingredients seem ubiquitous and the stand-out experiences become harder and harder to find. This meal at Acadia stands out for a number of reasons but mainly because the food and beverages were inspired and distinctive. This place is a real gem and I'd be shocked if it does not earn at least 1 Michelin star the next time stars are awarded. Bravo, to the team at Acadia for speaking with a voice that resonates above the impressive chorus that is the Chicago culinary scene.
=R=
Same planet, different world