Elske
Last year one of my patients told me about a new, fancy Danish restaurant they really liked in the West Loop called Elske. The restaurant is run by the former head chef of Blackbird, David Posey, and his wife Anna, former pastry chef of the Publican; both very famous restaurants local to Chicago. David's family is from Denmark, and the two were married in the beautiful countryside. Their menu is inspired by the native culture, and based on the idea of "hygge" (pronounced who-ga): a Danish term which basically translates to cozy. It is a warm, welcoming environment that promotes modernism, while making you feel at home. Interesting fact about me, I am also Danish. My dad and grandparents immigrated here by boat when he was just an infant. Needless to say I had to go, and more importantly needed to wait until my parents visited so my father could experience the motherland with me!
The Michelin star gem has an unique menu, with many intriguing dishes. I had been told by others that the pre-fixed menu was the way to go. It is seasonal, ensuring freshness and creative ingredients. One of the unfortunate things about this, is it is all or none. What I mean is everyone in your party has to order the pre-fixed menu, or no one can. Among our group, some wanted to try it, but others did not. I felt bad, because I felt I had forced it upon everyone. This may have discouraged them from dishes they were looking forward to, while leading them into ones they did not desire. Please see a plate by plate breakdown below.
Duck liver tart with salted ramp and buckwheat - the meal begins with three starters, all served at the same time (see the next 2 that follow). One of my favorite dishes of the night. It is small (2 bites max), but packs the flavor. Melts in your mouth and reminds me of a liver pate` I ate as a kid, but wayyyy better.
Green Garbanzo fritter with black garlic and cured egg yolk - this particular dish is a falafel. Everyone at the table loved it. Personally, I felt it was a little dry, but was saved by the flavor. A little sauce may have helped!
Kohlrabi with smoked brandade and garden herbs - Basically the Danish take on sushi. Really unique texture, but overall flat. Not enjoyed by many at the table.
Tea of lightly smoked fruits and vegetables with grilled shiitake and marigold cracker - a transitional part of the menu. Although I am not a huge tea fan, the warm brew was pleasant. It was extremely earthy, but not filling. The best part was the marigold cracker. Somehow, they were able to make it crunchy, but not hard, and flaky, but not a mess. I dipped it in the tea initially, but liked it more on it's own.
Grilled autum squashes with pumpkin seed praline, caviar, and chickeweed - extremely fresh squash, and cooked perfectly. While this is something I would not typically order, I really enjoyed it. The table loved it as well!
Poached sturgeon with creamed wax beans, walnut scholarly, and dill - I never had sturgeon before. The way I would describe it is very fishy, with limited finish. The texture reminded me of a lobster tail, but the taste was far from it (in their defense, they are a different fish haha). Not taken well by the table, as Annie does not like fish, and my mom does not like sturgeon.
Roasted leg of venison with roasted beets, ricotta, and plum - for you meat lovers out there, look no further. Maybe one of the best things on the menu. Cooked to perfection, and complimented with the most beautiful array of flavors. I don't even like beets, but when combining it with ricotta, plum and red meat, it's delicious. The entire dish melts in your mouth and may be one of my favorites ever.
Frozen fennel jelly with mint - the palate cleanser. Warning, it is like eating a gummy-bear filled with Listerine mouth-wash. The taste was so strong my mom had to spit it out. Again, this is just a palate cleanser; and trust me it gets the job done.
Blueberries with coffee, kombu, lavender, and soft frozen cream - I've never said this after a meal, but the dessert was my favorite. Typically, that's my wife's avenue, but that night was all me. The frozen cream is presented in an egg-shaped, vanilla form, and clearly homemade. The ice cream was extremely soft, and had the most amazing hint of coffee (not overwhelming). I loved the compliment of berries, and felt it was the perfect end to the meal.
Wine - We ordered the wine pairing with the meal which I also enjoyed. I do not know much about wine, but my dad is obsessed. It truly made his night, and even he found himself stumped with the beautiful selections. They complimented each dish wonderfully, and left us feeling a little tipsy :)
In Danish, Elske translates to love, and that was exactly how I would describe our experience. The pre-fixed menu definitely contained items I would not have typically ordered, and took me out of my comfort zone. That being said, I was rewarded with very unique surprises and delighted by the fantastic dishes. I would recommend ordering off the normal menu, and see if you can try some of the plates I spoke highly of.
The best part of the night to me was meeting the chefs. Both David and Anna were present, overseeing each dish to ensure proper delivery. I frequently saw them discussing things with the chefs and wait staff. I was truly honored that Anna brought out the desserts personally, while David made time to say hello and chat when we finished our meal. The attention to detail and service was top notch. I plan to return soon and further explore this lovely restaurant.
Rating: 4/5
Restaurant Information:
Elske
1350 W Randolph St
Chicago, IL 60607
312-733-1314
The Michelin star gem has an unique menu, with many intriguing dishes. I had been told by others that the pre-fixed menu was the way to go. It is seasonal, ensuring freshness and creative ingredients. One of the unfortunate things about this, is it is all or none. What I mean is everyone in your party has to order the pre-fixed menu, or no one can. Among our group, some wanted to try it, but others did not. I felt bad, because I felt I had forced it upon everyone. This may have discouraged them from dishes they were looking forward to, while leading them into ones they did not desire. Please see a plate by plate breakdown below.
Duck liver tart with salted ramp and buckwheat - the meal begins with three starters, all served at the same time (see the next 2 that follow). One of my favorite dishes of the night. It is small (2 bites max), but packs the flavor. Melts in your mouth and reminds me of a liver pate` I ate as a kid, but wayyyy better.
Green Garbanzo fritter with black garlic and cured egg yolk - this particular dish is a falafel. Everyone at the table loved it. Personally, I felt it was a little dry, but was saved by the flavor. A little sauce may have helped!
Kohlrabi with smoked brandade and garden herbs - Basically the Danish take on sushi. Really unique texture, but overall flat. Not enjoyed by many at the table.
Tea of lightly smoked fruits and vegetables with grilled shiitake and marigold cracker - a transitional part of the menu. Although I am not a huge tea fan, the warm brew was pleasant. It was extremely earthy, but not filling. The best part was the marigold cracker. Somehow, they were able to make it crunchy, but not hard, and flaky, but not a mess. I dipped it in the tea initially, but liked it more on it's own.
Grilled autum squashes with pumpkin seed praline, caviar, and chickeweed - extremely fresh squash, and cooked perfectly. While this is something I would not typically order, I really enjoyed it. The table loved it as well!
Poached sturgeon with creamed wax beans, walnut scholarly, and dill - I never had sturgeon before. The way I would describe it is very fishy, with limited finish. The texture reminded me of a lobster tail, but the taste was far from it (in their defense, they are a different fish haha). Not taken well by the table, as Annie does not like fish, and my mom does not like sturgeon.
Roasted leg of venison with roasted beets, ricotta, and plum - for you meat lovers out there, look no further. Maybe one of the best things on the menu. Cooked to perfection, and complimented with the most beautiful array of flavors. I don't even like beets, but when combining it with ricotta, plum and red meat, it's delicious. The entire dish melts in your mouth and may be one of my favorites ever.
Frozen fennel jelly with mint - the palate cleanser. Warning, it is like eating a gummy-bear filled with Listerine mouth-wash. The taste was so strong my mom had to spit it out. Again, this is just a palate cleanser; and trust me it gets the job done.
Blueberries with coffee, kombu, lavender, and soft frozen cream - I've never said this after a meal, but the dessert was my favorite. Typically, that's my wife's avenue, but that night was all me. The frozen cream is presented in an egg-shaped, vanilla form, and clearly homemade. The ice cream was extremely soft, and had the most amazing hint of coffee (not overwhelming). I loved the compliment of berries, and felt it was the perfect end to the meal.
Wine - We ordered the wine pairing with the meal which I also enjoyed. I do not know much about wine, but my dad is obsessed. It truly made his night, and even he found himself stumped with the beautiful selections. They complimented each dish wonderfully, and left us feeling a little tipsy :)
In Danish, Elske translates to love, and that was exactly how I would describe our experience. The pre-fixed menu definitely contained items I would not have typically ordered, and took me out of my comfort zone. That being said, I was rewarded with very unique surprises and delighted by the fantastic dishes. I would recommend ordering off the normal menu, and see if you can try some of the plates I spoke highly of.
The best part of the night to me was meeting the chefs. Both David and Anna were present, overseeing each dish to ensure proper delivery. I frequently saw them discussing things with the chefs and wait staff. I was truly honored that Anna brought out the desserts personally, while David made time to say hello and chat when we finished our meal. The attention to detail and service was top notch. I plan to return soon and further explore this lovely restaurant.
Rating: 4/5
Restaurant Information:
Elske
1350 W Randolph St
Chicago, IL 60607
312-733-1314
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