Blackbird (Chicago, IL)

Its rare that I have an opportunity for a midweek lunch in the city, so I decided to make the most of it and try out Blackbird. Having already enjoyed a dinner at Avec, I was very interested to try out the fine dining, 1-star Michelin rated, sister restaurant in Paul Kahan's empire.

Looking at the menu, I figured the best way to try out the restaurant would be the 3-course prix fixe menu. Immediately after ordering, I was brought a few warm slices of multigrain bread and butter topped with salt and herbs. The bread was only okay, as the crust was a bit on the tough side rather than crunchy.

Charred Baby Sepia with Green Tomatoes, Blueberries, Chamomile Almonds, and Cynar

I chose sepia, or cuttlefish, for my first course. The legs were charred while the body appeared to have been griddled. The body was by far the most tender that I've had. I would have never guessed that blueberries and sepia would go well together, and the chamomile almonds added a fabulous nuttiness to the dish. There was a broth at the bottom of the bowl that was relatively flavorless, so I ignored it.

Roasted Chicken and Sausage with Lime Onions, Tamarind, and Smoked Cucumbers

This plate featured white and dark meat bound together to form a "sausage", which was wrapped with chicken skin and roasted. When this plate was served, I just assumed I misread the menu as "Roasted Chicken Sausage", but after seeing other plates get sent out after I was done eating, it appears that they forgot to add the sausage to the plate. Disappointing that the sausage wasn't included, but the chicken was fantastic. I'm guessing that it was initially cooked sous-vide, and was even more tender than the roast chicken I recently had at Graham Elliot. Also, this was served with pickled cucumbers (instead of the smoked cucumbers listed on the menu), providing a nice tart textural contrast. I thought the tamarind was a bit too sweet and was distracting.

Cocoa Gateau with Goat's Milk, Kola Nut, Fresno and Hibiscus Sorbet

This tasted much like it looks. Rich, crumbled gateau was topped with Kola nut in gelee and crunchy meringue forms. There was also a tart hibiscus sorbet that kept everything from being too rich.

I enjoyed my lunch at Blackbird, but I probably won't be back soon. The prix fixe is a great deal, but its a bit too pricey and I've got too many other places (including Kahan's two other restaurants, Publican and Big Star) that I'd like to try before returning.

Mr. Powdrell’s Barbecue (Albuquerque, NM)

On the drive back from Chicago to Phoenix, Dad and I found a BBQ restaurant in Albuquerque, NM that looked interesting to try.  Mr. Powdrell’s Barbecue touts itself as original hickory smoked.  That was enough to sell us so we decided to go in for a bite.

In order to get a nice variety, I went with the beef brisket and pork (with mac and cheese and corn on the cob), while Dad ordered the pork ribs (with BBQ beans, cole slaw, and seasoned fries).

Though I prefer pulled pork vs.chopped pork, it didn't take away from the great hickory smoked flavor and tenderness of the meat.  The brisket was equally as tender and flavorful.  I would have liked a larger piece of corn on the cob, but the mac and cheese was very flavorful.

The pork ribs were equally tasty, with the abundance of meat falling off the bone at the touch of a fork.  There was an interesting twist on the BBQ beans, as they provided a spicier flavor vs. the traditional sweet flavor.

Although we didn't try it (and probably won't since we are never in Albuquerque), Mr. Powdrell's Rockin' Po-Boy Sandwich looks like an interesting and gut-busting option.  It's described as "a hearty monster of a sandwich with BBQ beef brisket, smoked turkey breast, pulled pork, coleslaw dressing, onion rings, and french fries all on a 12 inch french loaf and of course...Mr Powdrell's famous BBQ sauce."  Yikes.

We visited Smoque BBQ while we were visiting in Chicago and I preferred the BBQ served there.  However, Dad preferred the BBQ here at Mr. Powdrell's.  So that gives you an idea of the quality of BBQ served at Mr. Powdrell's.

Graham Elliot (Chicago, IL)

When Chris told me he was going to be visiting Chicago, I began to look for restaurants for us to try. Once my parents told them that they were also going to join us, Chris and I chose to try Graham Elliot, for its fine dining yet casual atmosphere.

Graham Elliot considers itself the first "Bistronomic" restaurant in Chicago, serving contemporary American cuisine, and was awarded one star in the November Michelin guide. As soon as we sat down, Parmesan-truffle popcorn was brought to our table. The popcorn was lightly tossed with black truffle butter, chive, and Parmesan cheese. We devoured both bowls within minutes.

To drink with our meal, we ordered a bottle of Izadi El Regalo Reserva 2004. This is a Tempranillo / Rioja blend that was a nice, slightly dry red.

New York Sour / Buffalo Trace / Lemon Squeeze / Orange Bitters / Claret Float

Chris ordered a New York Sour cocktail, a riff on a Whiskey sour. This was a nice drink, quite smooth with the proper tartness.

We started the meal with Graham Elliot's famous Foielipops. Foie Gras and madiera mousse was coated in watermelon pop rocks, and topped with a pinch of fleur de sel. The pop rocks lightened the rich foie, while loosely keeping the classic fruit and foie combination.

The formal amuse bouche was brought next. A sorrel panna cotta was topped with steelhead roe and chive. To accommodate my dad's non-dairy request, he received a sorrel and chive salad with the roe. Surprisingly, we all enjoyed the non-dairy dish better, as the salad matched the roe better than the panna cotta.

Deconstructed Caesar / Gem Lettuce / Brioche Twinkie / Parmesan Fluff / White Anchovy

Both Kristen and my mom ordered Graham Elliot's signature dish, his take on caesar salad. Romaine hearts are dressed and topped with Parmesan and anchovy, while a twinkie is filled with garlic marscapone cream. My mom's was fantastic, but unfortuately Kristen's was slightly less so, as there was very little garlic marscapone in her twinkie.

Charred Octopus / Preserved Turnip / Liquid Olive / Smoked Potato / Cured Orange

I had forgotten that this was listed under the cold appetizers, so the temperature surprised me when this was served. Both my dad and brother ordered and enjoyed this dish. There was a very nice brininess when the octopus was eaten with the olives and olive gel.

Foie Gras / Compressed Rhubarb / Wild Strawberry / Caraway Crumble / Candied Angelica

This seared preparation of foie was served over a sweet caraway crumble. There were a number of different forms of strawberry and rhubarb, including compressions and foams. While tasty, I think I'm beginning to prefer cold preparations of foie, as it typically seems richer but less greasy, if that makes sense.

A few of us ordered a second round of appetizers, as suggested by our waiter. This dish is not listed on the online menu for its description, but it was a spring onion bisque, with pickled ramps. A log of what appeared to be a spring onion cream came in the bowl with other onion components, and a warm onion soup was poured in tableside. We were told to try the soup on its own, and then stir in all of the components together. Initially, the soup tasted purely of onions and ramps, but the other additions added more richness as it was stirred in.

Farm Egg / Green Garlic / Fiddlehead Fern / Wild Watercress / Pebble - Moss - Soil - Stone

Let me take a moment to note how comically large the plates were in relation to portion size in some of the courses. I have no complaints on the portion size, as I was quite full following the meal, but there was a lot of white space on some of the plates. As for the dish, it tasted very fresh and green. The egg seemed slightly overcooked, as the yoke began to harden slightly, but created a dressing of sorts for the vegetables.

Crab Cake / Soft Shell / Old Bay / Kohlrabi Slaw / Grainy Mustard

Our last appetizer was a deconstruction of a crab cake. Soft shell crab was fried in a hush puppy batter, and came with old bay foam, kohlrabi coleslaw, celery gelee, and a tangy mustard sauce. A thin sheet of lardo also covered one of the pieces of crab. This was one of our favorite dishes of the night, with the flavors combining together like a traditional crab cake.

Oh Fiddlesticks / Hendrick's Gin / Exchange Vodka / Cucumber Lillet / Orange Bitters

For dinner, Chris ordered a gin concoction. I enjoyed the lightness of this drink, which was also quite smooth. I love Gin, so I preferred this out of the two cocktails, but Chris liked the New York Sour more. Both were tasty and easy to drink.

Veal Loin / Sweetbread / Green Asparagus / White Asparagus

I chose the veal loin, which was recently changed from the old dish containing veal breast. Server with the veal were sweetbreads cooked schnitzel-style. I wasn't very keen on this preparation of sweetbreads, as they were overcooked, likely due to how thin they were cut. The veal and asparagus was very well cooked.

Jidori Chicken / Israeli Couscous / Baby Carrot / Granulated Honey / Chamomile Essence

Kristen picked the Jidori chicken, and surprisingly, this was probably my favorite entree. The chicken breast was perfectly cooked and juicy, likely sous-vide. Jidori chicken is a specific type that is known for being a very flavorful bird, and this chicken was one of the best that I've had. The israeli couscous had a nice touch of acidity that went well with the chicken. I also believe this was my first time having purple carrots.

Colorado Lamb / Pea Cannelloni / Morel Mushroom / Homemade Lambcetta / Eucalyptus Froth

I only had a few bites of this, but the lamb was tasty. The lamb was cooked on the rare side of medium rare, and the eucalyptus froth evoked the traditional mint and lamb combination.

Skate Confit / Cornmeal / Fava Bean / Ham Hock / Pecan Oil

The skate was also one of my favorites. The skate was rolled into a cylinder, paired with orange peel and pecan purees, and topped with a ham hock sauce. There was also a fava bean salad on the side. I enjoyed trying the skate with each of the accompaniments.

Chocolate Framboise / Jivara Ganache / Manjari Cremeux / Coffee Earth / Ancho Chili

We ordered two desserts, and this was Kristen's favorite. There were multiple forms of chocolate (chocolate raspberry sorbet, cremeux, ancho ganache), as well as delicious coffee bean nibs, powdered raspberry, and balsamic glaze. A rich, but decadent chocolate dessert.

Lemon Cake / Citrus Curd / Blueberry Gelato / Poppy Ribbon / Violet Foam

This dessert was my favorite of the night. Similar to the chocolate dessert, lemon was in many forms (cake, ribbon, gels). The blueberry gelato was especially flavorful, as well as the lemon gel. This was a terrific, light way to finish the meal.

We ended with brownie bites as the mignardise. Graham Elliot is a fantastic choice for an upscale, yet casual dinner. There are different and creative flavor combinations that you will not find in many other restaurants.

Balsan (Chicago, IL)

Balsan is one of two restaurants in the Elysian Hotel in Chicago. It is a the more casual sister restaurant to Ria, which got 2 Michelin stars last November. We decided to come for brunch, where they serve a 2 course brunch for $19.

The brunch starts with "Something Sweet, Something Savory" for the first course. Unfortunately, we didn't think to snap a picture until we ravaged half of it. Salumi and Cheese are served aside various breads and pastries. On this day, we received Sopressata and Comté for the meats and cheeses. The sopressata was delicious, salty, and porky. The Comté tasted to be fairy young compared to older Comtés that I've had, having a subtler nuttiness while retaining a very creamy texture. The breads we were served were sliced baguette, scones, and madeleines, which were served with housemade chocolate-hazelnut spread, lemon curd, whipped butter, and housemade strawberry preserves. Not surprisingly, our favorites were the thick housemade version of nutella and the lemon curd, which we slathered on everything.

To drink with our brunch, Kristen ordered a Bloody Mary and I had a Bloody Margaret. The Bloody Margaret was a riff on the Bloody Mary, substituting in gin, thyme, and cucumber. While interesting, we both preferred the original. Both drinks came with small glass of a pale ale. Though I'm not sure as to the reason that they serve it with the Bloody Marys, I am not one to turn down a beer.

For the main course, Kristen ordered the Farm eggs with Maple Bourbon Sausage and Fingerling Potatoes. Unfortunately, one of the two eggs was fully hard instead of the requested over-medium. I'm not quite sure how they managed to overcook one of the eggs so badly, as the other yolk was properly cooked and still runny. Additionally, the sausage more resembled a Kielbasa or other Polish sausage rather than a Maple Bourbon breakfast sausage. It tasted ok to me, but it seemed more of a savory lunch/dinner sausage, and Kristen was a bit disappointed as she was expecting a sweeter breakfast-style sausage. The fingerling potatoes, on the other hand, were fantastic. They were extremely crisp, likely from a deep fry job. They also had a citrus note to them. While some of the sausage and eggs were left behind, every morsel of the potatoes were finished.

For my main course, I chose the Grilled Lamb Leg. Medallions of lamb sat atop a cheesy potato puree, lamb reduction sauce, and mint. The lamb was perfectly cooked, and went well with the hearty potatoes and sauce. Carrots and peas added texture and sweetness, while the turnips added a welcome bitter note. It seems to be trend of lamb being more mild (I like the gaminess of lamb), but even so, I loved every bite of this dish.

I found Balsan to be a great option for delicious, if somewhat pricy, brunch food. For a return trip, we agreed at it probably isn't worth coming back for the simpler breakfast foods (especially if they aren't cooked correctly), but I would be happy to come back to try some more of the savory dishes.

Frank and Albert's (Phoenix, AZ)

On a late Sunday afternoon, Carli and I wanted to go somewhere for a quite bite and some good drinks in an outdoor area.  After a little searching, we came across Frank and Albert's at the Arizona Biltmore for their High Five Happy Hour.  It's nice they offer their happy hour every day (including weekends) from 5-7pm.  We sat outside in a gorgeous patio area looking over the Biltmore grounds.  To start we decided on a couple of their happy hour drinks: Lavender and Lemons (Rain Organic Lavender Lemonade Vodka, Lavender Infused Simple Syrup, Splash of Lemonade) and Chef Conor Favre's Basil Lemonade (Rain Organic Vodka, Fresh Biltmore Garden Grown Basil, Lemonade).  Both were refreshing drinks on a warm day.  I especially thought the Basil Lemonade was a good combination.

We then decided on getting one of each of their bar board specials: 4 choices for $5.

Red Tomato Gazpacho Shooter | Cooling Sour Cream

The Grilled Cheese Sandwich | American Cheese | Toasted White Bread

Rice Paper Roll | Sweet Shrimp | Sour Orange Dipping Sauce

Sweet Lobster Salad | Crisp Lettuce | Soft Roll

Gourmet Pretzel Bites | Cheddar Cheese Dip

BBQ Pork Slider | Country Style Coleslaw

Meatloaf Slider | Chipotle Glaze | Crispy Onions

Loaded Potato Skin | Aged Cheddar Cheese | Bacon | Scallions

Mini Root Beer Float | Vanilla Bean Soda

Watermelon Sorbet | Plump Summertime Blueberries

Moon Pie Slider | Powder Sugar Dust | Marshmallow Fluff

Carli's favorite was the Red Tomato Gazpacho Shooter, although it had a little too much sour cream compared to the gazpacho.  I couldn't decide whether I enjoyed the lobster roll or the watermelon sorbet more.  Carli decided to get another drink, this time going with the Oak Creek Brewing Company Hefeweizen.

This was a lot of great food and drink for not all that much during their happy hour.  It's definitely someplace we'll come back to, especially during the cooler weather so we can enjoy the outdoor area a little more.