Five of us ate at Bellemore on Sunday night. To summarize, we loved loved LOVED it!!! Everything was so very delicious, with amazingly delicious flavors and textures perfectly balanced in each dish. The flavors were right there where they should be, not as in your face (or spicy or bold) as in some places, but just right - the endive salad tasted like endive, the scallops like scallops, etc. The desserts from pastry chef extraordinaire Leigh Omilinsky (L2O, Nico Osteria) were a bit more subtle but they worked, as a whole together, without any one ingredient distracting from the whole. (For example, the "licorice and coconut sorbet" on the pavlova was a scoop of creamy, mild coconut sorbet, with a few small bits of mild licorice sorbet placed around the outside of that scoop, just a wonderful composition overall. Same thing for the canelé, another great composition.)
The menu is structured as "first course", "second course", and "third course", all savory courses as a prelude to dessert. The first and second courses on the menu are both appetizer-size portions, while the third course are entrée-size. We had a double portion of a couple of the second courses in place of entrees... excuse me, in place of third courses.
The décor of Bellemore is exquisite - a great combination of classic, traditional elements along with contemporary touches that don't overwhelm. And an open kitchen in the corner. This is also a perfect place for those looking to for a place with a conversation-friendly noise level; the tables are spaced further apart than any other Chicago restaurant I can think of.
I see a few negative comments in previous posts about the service; to the contrary, our service (from Kara as lead server) was just fine, friendly, and professional (e.g. checking with us after we had tried each course, not clearing too early, etc). Not at all scripted! It was very good indeed, with no issues whatsoever.
For the five of us, we had the rolls for five, five appetizer courses, five third courses, and five desserts, for a food total of $299, along with a $110 bottle of wine, before tax/tip.
This will end up being one of my very best meals of the year, when the time comes to list those.
Okay, roll the tape!
Hawaiian BRIOCHE ROLLS (not on the menu, not complimentary, and unfortunately not photographed)
Roasted SUNCHOKES with green apples, spicy kale, toasted sunflower seeds & meyer lemon
A WINTER SALAD OF ENDIVES with red wine poached pears, blue cheese, toasted walnuts & calamansi vinegar
Grilled VEGETABLE SOUP with flageolet beans, parmesan & sourdough croutons (not photographed)
DAY-BOAT SCALLOPS with anson mills white grits, popped hominy, grapefruit & smoked scallop (double portion served as a third course)
VEAL SWEETBREADS glazed with molasses, charred onions, dried persimmons & sherry vinegar (double portion served as a third course)
WILD ARCTIC CHAR with brussels sprouts, smoked trout roe, crispy buckwheat & walnuts
BERKSHIRE PORK LOIN with anson mills farro verde, stinging nettles, smoked beets, creamed horseradish & cherry vinegar
ROASTED VANILLA PAVLOVA butter braised pineapple, honey cream, licorice & coconut sorbet
CANELÉ DE BORDEAUX with banana mousse, maple ice cream, tamarind caramel & peanuts
CASHEW CARAMEL TART with farro verde ice cream, sorghum aigre doux, bergamont & puffed grains
MIGNARDISES macarons, peanut butter chocolates