EL ideas Michelin Restaurant

EL ideas Michelin Restaurant

Dining here feels like attending an underground dinner party prepared by a merry band of misfit cooks in Chef Phillip Foss’ home (he lives upstairs). There is one seating, everyone is served at the same time and meals are prepaid so guests can linger or leave at their leisure.

The fact that the space resembles a test kitchen is heightened when guests are told to manage their BYO beverages themselves and cooks deliver dishes to your table. Don’t worry—they turn the music down so you can hear each description. Naturally, this is all part of the show; it’s a friendly and unique experience.

The cuisine follows suit and works wonders by pushing—if not completely disregarding—the traditional boundaries of cooking. Breaking barriers is par for the course: a croquette filled with Caesar dressing set on strips of romaine is to be eaten by licking the plate. Other outlandish surprises include oil-poached salmon with everything spice draped atop a “bagel purée” and served with shards of dill and cream cheese meringue. The French fries and ice cream course, which is designed to look like a milkshake and made in part with a hot potato-leek soup, is brilliantly fun and unforgettable.

Chicago Multi-Entry Multi-Directional Visitors Guide © Simon Newbound