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Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Near North Side, River NorthChicago (Purple Express, Brown)
Chicago (Red)
Mon-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
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I've been wanting to try this place out since it opened and then I moved out of state. It was at the top of my list to try when I came home this week and tonight was the night! After seeing Graham on Top Chef masters I was even more intrigued and I was on the edge of my seat all day waiting for dinner time! Nothing disappointed here at all, it was fabulous.
There were three of us dining and we each had a drink, an appetizer and an entree plus two desserts and two coffees. Drinks were great all around, they had a good selection. My sister wound up getting a dirty martini but said it was perfectly done. My mom had a martini with some sort of pear liquor that isn't on the website but was on tonights menu. I had the London Calling and it was so much better than I had expected it to be! The popcorn on the table was fun, tonight it was drizzled with truffle oil and sprinkled with parmesan, chives and pepper. I loved snacking on it when I was perusing the menu.
Appetizers consisted of the following:
Roasted Baby Beets--amazing. The horseradish foam and the pickled pears combined with the roasted beets, goat cheese and micro arugula was delicious! I think I stole more than my fair share of bites off my mom's plate and I don't really like beets...at all.
Wisconsin Cheddar Risotto-delicious. My sister can be a fairly picky eater so I was thrilled that she agreed to come to dinner and even happier that she wanted to lick her plates(s) clean. The risotto tonight had bratwurst instead of bacon and it was so good! I loved the combination of cheddar and apples plus the smokiness of the brats. She ate it very quickly so I was only able to swoop in for one bite but by the looks of things it was a winner.
Sweet Potato Bisque--Awesome! This was right up my alley of tastes and I couldn't wait to try the homemade marshmallow plus it was such a chilly night that bisque was the perfect thing to try. The corn nuts added a nice crunch and swirling the melting garlic marshmallow into the soup gave it a pretty look but also made it taste so good! There was a chipotle jam in there as well and while I'm the last person who wants any extra spice it went so well together I dealt with the slight heat that was trickling down my throat. My sister also enjoyed it and ate a few spoonfuls and she isn't one for sweet potatoes.
Arctic Char Fillet--very good! Mom cleaned her plate and didn't have much to say aside from the turnip bits were overly salty. I'm pretty sure that was the only downside comment of the night. The brussel sprout bed sprinkled with bacon rocked and gave the plate a nice pop of color.
Wagyu Beef Stroganoff--YUM! Again I have to say that my sister is picky and once again wiped her plate clean. She didn't even say anything about the meat being on the pink side because it was so good! I did manage to grab a bite and the meat was perfectly tender and the peppercorn sauce was perfect.
Glazed Pork Belly--Delicious! My pork belly was so tender it was falling apart while I cut into it. It melted in my mouth and was perfect with the dandelion greens and the butternut squash. I savored every bite and even parted with two so my mom and sister could try it. We all loved it! I wanted more when my plate was clean!
While the dessert menu didn't scream to me I knew I had to try something so I went with the Caramel Heirloom Apple while my sister had the Pumpkin Pound Cake. The apple one was delicious, the salty carmel on the plate was calling to be licked right off but I was pretty sure I'd get some strange looks if I did that so I scraped off as much as I could. The pound cake was the lightest poundcake I've ever had and was so yummy I could have enjoyed more! The foams on both were a perfect accompaniment.
Needless to say I LOVED this place and would highly recommend it to most people.
I took Amisha S's here for an early birthday dinner. The deconstructed Wagyu Beef Stroganoff was A-mazing...both whimsical and extremely tasty!! The beef just melts in your mouth. The Duck Confit Agnolotti was also a hit with both of us!
The bad: Cheddar Risotto was overpowered by bacon flavor. I love bacon and all things pork, but this was a bit too much of a good thing. Colorado lamb was a little tough for my taste and the clementines were too tart so thumbs down on that dish. I wish I had gotten the squab instead of the lamb. Dessert menu is very uninspiring.
You can get a really great meal if you choose the right dishes!
After watching top chef masters, I had to to visit GE.
We made reservations day of (Friday) and arrived early. And there was the chef chilling by the bar as patrons trickled in. I was star struck.
Food was good. Small portions. Big bill. Popcorn tossed in truffle oil with parm cheese? Very good! For entrees, I really loved the different layers of flavor of each dish. I would recommend the sturgeon. Light delicate flavors. Service was excellent. Very attentive but not overdone.
Just be prepared to order couple of entrees to try to have the best experience. Don't skip out on dessert. Also had one of the best mojito from here. ;D Favorite part of the meal was listening to the explanation of each dish.
LOVED!
Wagyu Beef Stroganoff - I'm not a meat eater, but this dish made me actually enjoy meat. Loved the sauces.
Pumpernickel Crusted Sturgeon - Perfect. Do not leave this place without trying it.
Chocolate Torte - Dense chocolate flavor, and nice texture.
EHHH...
Glazed Pork Belly - The pork was tough, and hard to cut into. The pork on its own tasted mediocre, but combine it with the butternut squash and greens...YUM!
Arctic Char Fillet - The fillet was nicely cooked, but it wasn't as flavorful as the rest of the dishes. Although the cider bubbles really pulled this dish together, it was sloppily doused on the plate.
Blood Orange Dreamsicle - Fun yummy desert for orange lovers. I'm just bothered by the way it jiggles...
HATE.
Deconstructed Italian Beef - I normally like beef tartare, but I wasn't feeling this one. I guess it was the whole deconstructed deal (I'm kind of a lazy eater).
**I wouldn't call this top notch fine dining, but it was a nice experience. You just have to stick to the right signature dishes.**
It seems that the restaurant has come a long way in year. While I don't find the food quality to be 5-star, the service definitely isn't as bad as some reviewers have described a year ago. I'm actually even surprised it was as bad as some people say, because our waiter was a driving force behind my 3 stars.
Being a Top Chef Masters fan, this was an obvious pick during my trip to Chicago. I went in with reasonably high expectations and GE hit close to the mark, but not quite.
The cheddar risotto sounded SO GOOD, but was so average! The cheese-its were out of place and the bacon "pancetta" was all fat and no meat (for flavor, not eating I guess). As mentioned, the caesar salad was strange but tasty (the anchovies were good but the monster crouton wasn't worth the calories).
For entrees, we all ordered seafood:
Arctic char: Good, the brussel sprouts were great.
Scallops: I still don't like scallops and even GE couldn't convince me that they're good.
I didn't get to try the cod because my BF scarfed it down before I got the chance. So no review there.
Which also leads me to my next point that the PORTIONS ARE TINY. Fill up on the delish popcorn, how can you go wrong with truffle oil and Parmesan?
The bill was enormous considering we didn't order drinks, and definitely over priced for what we were served. I wouldn't go back.
Graham Elliot is like your friend's boyfriend that you really want to hate, but can't come up with a single justifiable reason to do so.
I walked in expecting to dislike GE (mostly because I'd read a few not so great reviews that may have prematurely tainted my opinion, and sort of because I had called earlier in the day and the hostess on the phone was really snooty. Restaurants like this should get that they make an impression over the phone, too). And I definitely thought things would get worse - it was half empty and sounded like we were front row at a rock concert. Not sure why they feel the need to play obnoxious music so loudly... but upon second thought, after a few drinks I decided it wasn't so loud, and then Bizarre Love Triangle by New Order came on and I was quite content.
GE serves some white truffle pepper something or other popcorn at the table instead of bread - it was quite fun to munch on. Their menu is rather limited and they offer no specials. I tried the Wisconsin cheddar risotto with apples, the Caesar salad, and the duck confit ravioli -- all incredibly tasty. Plus, the cheddar risotto comes with Cheez-its on top - I mean, what's better than that?? Also, the Caesar salad comes with this peculiar little "loaf" of bread that has some amazingly delicious cheese concoction inside it - I am dreaming about it as we speak. The scallops were also great.
A bottle of wine was ordered that a certain wine connoisseur at our table found to be about 10 degrees too warm, and upon noting where GE keeps his wine, found it odd that they store it in what is probably the warmest part of the restaurant. But the only thing I usually complain about in the drink compartment is a weak cocktail, and my French martini was just the right amount of cocktail.
Dessert... I wouldn't go here for the dessert. One of those "minimalist" dessert menus... when it arrives, if you're as big of a dessert nut as I am, you're incredibly disappointed at the ridiculously small one bite serving you get for 8 million dollars. (OK it wasn't 8 million dollars, but you get my drift.) And, admittedly, the one bite was mouth-watering. In fact, it was so good that I had to go eat more dessert after we left.
So, GE, I can't hate you and I must give you 4 stars. Well done - you really grew on me. Just turn down the music, k thanks!
An orgasm in my mouth. Oh yes. I said it.....It's that good!!
You leave feeling like you've been on a rollercoaster of yummy goodness. Completely satisfied.
Damn, I need a cigarette!!
P.S. Jeff was the best waiter ever!
Over hyped, over priced...
I'm totally lost as to what is so great about this place. Great chef that made a huge mistake
I guess everyone watches way too much top chef and like foam in every dish or everything deconstructed. The only thing missing is Padma telling me to pack up my knives and go.
I don't need my waiter to explain what deconstructed means...you mean if I swirl it all together then it tastes like it was all one dish? I get it, I get it, we all get it, its great. If that's the case then why not just serve that way to begin with?
The waiter raved, and raved about the truffle oil popcorn. He raved about it so much that he forgot to bring it until the end of our meal. Sad part was it was the lone highlight
Service was pretentious, food was fun to look at but disappointing to eat
My advice, pop some jiffy pop, buy some good truffle oil and save yourself $100
Cute decor. Loud. Cool menu. Dark.
They can make vegetarian dishes by request. They give you free popcorn instead of bread. Hm, my dish was sort of bland and expensive(got the scallops). Good service.
The first time I went to Graham Elliot it was so delicious that I had to bring back my foodie friend when she visited.
Unfortunately the second visit we got miso lobster and it was too salty, the foie groie lollipops were interesting but left a weird aftertaste and unfortunately the dessert was a seasame yuzu and prickly pear jam...I know weird and it tasted weird. So unfortunately until my next visit...it is a 3 star visit!
Dear Graham Elliot - don't lie to potential customers and claim to be vegan-friendly when all you are prepared to do is send out a plate of grilled zucchini for $25. Pathetic! Look, I don't expect much from a "fine-dining" establishment in terms of catering to vegans - but that is why I call in advance to ask if they are vegan-friendly. You'd be surprised at how many reputable chefs and gourmet restaurants will embrace the challenge. Graham Elliot certainly talked the talk but then walked a painfully pathetic walk. When I saw the plate arrived I had to hold back from laughing.
The decor and server were nice - hence the two stars. However, the two non-vegans at our table ordered from the menu and both got appetizers and entrees (pork loin and bison skirt steak) and weren't excited about their food at all.
I obviously wouldn't come back.
My husband and I had dinner at Graham Elliot last night for our first year anniversary, and I cannot say enough good things about this place. I know there are a lot of haters out there saying that it was "over-hyped" and "not what they expected from watching Top Chef Masters," but we had a fantastic meal with amazing service in the perfect ambiance.
We started off the night with the foie gras lollipops. I know, they sound totally weird, but they were absolutely delicious. Yes, you can have pop rocks at a nice restaurant! I had the cheddar bacon risotto as my first course, and it was really, really good - strong bacon flavor, a nice hit of cheese, great consistency, and oh yeah, topped off with Cheez-its. The thing I enjoyed the most about our meal was the whimsy. I really liked that the chef didn't take himself so seriously. It made it so much more relaxed and fun to eat there.
For entree, I had the glazed pork belly with dandelion greens & butternut squash. That piece of pork belly goes down in history as one of the best pieces of meat I have ever eaten. It was perfectly seasoned, perfectly cooked, and most of all - delicious. My husband had the sturgeon. It came on a bed of napa cabbage and potato puree. The flavors on his dish were totally different from mine, but just as good.
For dessert, we tried the flourless chocolate cake and the caramel apples. I would recommend the cake over the apples, but both were good.
I really appreciated the laid back atmosphere in the restaurant. The decor is warm and inviting, and the service was fantastic. Our server was informative without being condescending, and everyone we came in contact with seemed to really love working there. I would go back any time!
Very urban, upscale and delicious dining experience.
I took my parents and mother-in-law this past Saturday and we all had a wonderful experience. Our server was wonderful and attentive and knew so much about the menu and bar! It never felt too crowded inside or too loud. The decor was really modern but not over the top.
The entrees were delicious but a little too small because I think my husband was hungry later that night. I only give it four stars because I thought it was a touch overprice for the amount of food you got. The quality of everything TOP notch though. Definitely would go back for another special occasion.
The last time I visited my lover, (see original review for the continuance of theme, kthanxbye), and apparently I was nervous. Just a tad bit. See my lover has left others uninspired, some full of spite and not so lovely vibes. They left complaining why in hell did we go there? So when I, two clients, two significant others descended upon G.E. last Friday, I was just hoping this night wouldn't end is disaster.
Okay if you call a disaster a hang over the next morning and memories of the night before with everyone leaving with smiles and friendly faces and "We should do this again!" coming out of their mouths, then shoot.... it was a disaster.
When we arrived for our table of five, my girlfriend and I were the last to arrive. We ordered a drink each and then sat to discuss the plan.
Oh wait... they have tasting menus now? The majority of the table threw up their hands and called for a ten course tasting. Sure! Let's do it. Oh and spirit pairings for each course, sure of course! I am sure they will be 1/4 pours or 1/2 pours. I'll be fine. Yes. Famous last words.
I won't go through the entire ten course, but they weren't 1/2 pours they were full. I was schlitzed by the 5th course. So things got hazy when I had the glazed buffalo steak, but the caprese salad was amazing and inventive. Hand pulled mozzarella on a sliced tomato, micro basil, and on top of that balsamic sorbet and drizzled olive oil. Simple, true to form, but playful all in the same breath. The kung pao sweet breads were really good, but sadly I was wishing for heat. The seafood was well done, by that I mean very expertly cooked. The halibut course and the scallop course were great, while the dessert and land dishes were lovely. I will say though the duck, could have been cooked maybe a minute more. It was a little too rare for me as well as ... dare I say? (Dare! Dare!) A little too fatty, (insert audible gasps here). I know.... I know....
The tasting menu is decided by the chef, (yes, Graham was there because we saw him at the end of the night), but really it was all good. We also tried the lobster corn rolls, which was met with mixed reviews. Um, it is a ton of lobster with a little breading. Not earth shattering. But hey, I loves me some lobster so I was happy.
The wine pairings were great and went well with everything. I will say the were some interesting conversations about the smell of some of the wine, (the pinot won for best wine and I am trying to figure out what beer we had, everyone loved it), but really, what I was most worried about, was one of the best things. The service. Perhaps it is because we got the ten course tasting menu with the spirit pairings, but really, I never felt like we were ever abandoned. In fact I felt like we were treated better then ever.
Maybe I have some good karma. Or perhaps its because I was there... (okay that one was a stretch), I really don't mind. I was reaffirmed in my faith in my lover, as whorish as that lover can be, over the top, full of ways to tantalize, torture, whips and chains, bag of tricks I was completely satisfied.
Besides, its not about the size of the portions, but the motion of the ocean.
I have a new lover. I have resisted my lover's calls for weeks, nay over a month of beckoning me...… Read more »
I had a great meal at Graham Elliot.
The dining area is nice loft-like space (e.g., exposed air ducts, rafters) and has exposed brick walls. The lights are soft and give the room a very warm feeling. My only complaint about the restaurant space is the noise level. The music seemed a bit loud and that may be the reason diner's conversation level was a bit amplified, but it wasn't unbearable. I wouldn't come here on a first date or a business dinner because the noise may be a bit too much to overcome.
The food was great. We shared the caesar salad, the beets, the risotto, the duck confit, the cod and beef stroganoff. Everything was good but I think the standouts were the risotto and the duck confit. You could easily smell the smokiness of the risotto and it tasted as good as it smelled.
We also split the pumpkin pie sorbet for dessert - I love a good pumpkin pie and this didn't let me down in any way.
One comment about our server - even though he very knowledgeable and helpful, I couldn't help but feel like he was trying too hard to be "cool."
Yawn.
Either I was way to excited and drinking the Kool-Aid that it was one of the best places ever, but I was kind of disappointed. Don't get me wrong, the food itself was tasty and the ambiance was enjoyable, but I was not "WOWed" at all.
The parmesean truffle popcorn was probably my favorite. Foi gras pops were too much FG and not even Pop Rocks. Asian sweet bread good, buffalo chicken good, caprese salad, good. I had the scallops which were excellent and I tried the bison with the root beer bbq sauce which was too root beer for me :)
So yeah. Not much to say. Good food and I'd go there again, but I don't get the hype so I'm going 3 stars.
Superb...need I say more? For those who have not tried this restaurant, do yourself and your pallet a favor and go here immediately. Don't even save it for a special occasion, just go, have fun and don't worry about the bill at the end of the meal because it'll all be worth it.
The flavors go so well together and melt in your mouth. Scallops are phenomenal and the appetizers are unique and tasty. We had the lobster corn dog (how cool is that) and the white tuna sashimi that came w/a passion fruit sauce..ohhh so yummy.
I'd go here again in a heartbeat if I had the chance. We were celebrating our anniversary so Graham Elliot signed a menu for us. Great personal touch. We even saw him roaming around the restaurant w/the Operational Manager (his right man). Our waitress told us all about the structure of the place and how Graham Elliot is opening up a sandwich (Grahamwich) place in downtown soon. We'll check that out too once it's here.
What a fun place! Approachable, interesting fine dining with a sense of humor. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who hasn't tried this kind of food before. It's inventive, surprising and I laughed out loud in happy surprise more than once.
The atmosphere is relaxed and the music is great! Very fun.
We drew a bad pick with our waiter, I think since many of the others seemed more relaxed and fun. Still, he was fine and polite, though a little pushy with the alcohol. If you ask me 4 times if I'd like another drink and I say no each time, why do you feel the need to keep asking? The tables are much closer together than I thought as well. We could hear the people at both tables next to us quite clearly though we had a bit of trouble hearing each other.
We started with the caesar salad which might've been my favorite thing. The brioche "twinkie" with parmesan fluff was tasty as well as fun. The dressing was the best caesar dressing I've ever had.
We also had the sweet corn soup (delicious and so fun with the marshmallow and corn nuts!) and the kung pao sweetbreads (pretty good, and I liked the peanut brittle addition). At this point, we were really looking forward to the scallops and the bison with rootbeer bbq sauce.
The bison was our least favorite, but it had my boyfriend's favorite component (root beer bbq sauce). It was pretty tasty, but we even left some on the plate. The onion ring and slaw were pretty good, but nothing seemed very interesting, and the onion ring didn't have much onion flavor.
The scallops were much better and cooked perfectly. The potato salad they were served on was tasty and the fried pickles were a great touch. I'm still not positive they were my favorite combination, but I definitely liked trying something new!
Despite my feeling that our server wasn't too happy with us, he brought us complimentary half glasses of bubbly and foie-lipops (foie gras mousse with pop rocks). These were definitely interesting and another instance where I laughed aloud at the quirkiness, but it might've been too rich for me since I left half of one on the plate.
For dessert we went for interesting rather than creative with the halva (supposed to taste like peanut butter, jelly and banana sandwich, GEB's favorite dessert). It was interesting and kind of fun, but at this point, maybe I was just getting tired of trying to get all the components on the plate in one bite, but it wasn't spectacular.
I really enjoyed the place and love the idea behind GEB's philosophy of relaxed fine dining. I'm really glad we went, and though we probably won't be back (too many other places on our list to try!), I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a food adventure.
Oh, and because I was trying to get an idea of prices and couldn't find them anywhere, appetizers are $10-16, entrees $30-40ish and dessert $10. Specialty cocktails are $10-15.
Really, really enjoyed Graham Elliott - a friend and I visited after visiting the stand at Lolla this year (great idea)!
We shared the white tuna sashimi and the lobster corn dog - 5 stars for the sashimi - really fresh and just delicious - great complimentary flavors on the plate (plantain chips, passion fruit, etc). The lobster corn dog was good but not amazing - almost a bit too much on the 'corn' part of the corn dog - too short on the lobster. Tried the white fish for the entree and while it was great - was incredibly jealous of my friend's scallops - great flavor in that dish.
For dessert, we shared the blackberry panna cotta - fresh and delicious - a huge plus that it wasn't a gut buster.
I would absolutely go back; especially since they update the menu items on a frequent basis. Great food with reliable and informed service - can't go wrong.
Within minutes of arriving into Chicago on a rainy, cold, and late Thursday night, BrianQ and I knew we'd be fiending a delicious and satisfying meal at an upscale joint, not too far from our downtown hotel. Refusing to settle on the first thing we stumbled upon, a little research prior to arrival led us to make a reservation at Graham Elliot. After GE's appearance on Top Chef Masters, I was excited to see what his self proclaimed "bistronomic" restaurant concept was all about and try a bite at his quirky food combinations.
We were seated immediately and served his infamous truffle popcorn; regular popcorn lightly tossed in truffle oil, pepper, and Parmesan cheese, in place of the classic bread/butter combo. I don't even like popcorn, but could not stop munching on this stuff. Twas excellent, but be forewarned - just like Orville Redenbacher's version, that of GE will work up a thirst. Not to worry though; the cocktail, beer, and wine selection at GE looked pretty solid. While I didn't try any of the cocktails, the house mixologist put together a pretty impressive and unique menu of drinks, including one with potato and cream cheese in it! (albeit $11-15).
We started our meal with 2 appetizers. Being that I'm a huge risotto fan and an even huger cheese-o-holic, it was clear that the marriage of both would create my adopted lovechild, an obvious first choice appetizer; cheesy risotto with caramelized onions and bacon. We decided our second appetizer, duck confit agnolotti, with much less certainty, but dived in anyway because the ingredients (duck, gorgonzola, fresh made pasta, port reduction, kale) sounded great alone. Ironically and unexpectedly, I have to say that I was turned off by the risotto, but licking the plate of the duck confit. The risotto was primarily flawed due to excess....bacon. I was overwhelmed the in-your-face flavor and 1 cm cubes of pork mixed in with an otherwise texturally sound classic. Yes, there can be too much of a good thing, and this was definitely a prime example. I did appreciate GE's use of apple chunks, pearl onions, and cheez-it's in it though, as each of those somehow enhanced the texture and created a favorable taste contrast. The duck confit was wonderful. The duck was perfectly cooked and fatty for my taste; the homemade pasta tasted fresh and light and the gorgonzola offset the sweet port sauce nicely. A great, well-rounded starter.
Similar to our appetizer selection, when deciding entrees, our first choice, grilled Colorado lamb, was a no brainer, whereas our second choice, deconstructed beef stroganoff, came to us after much deliberation. And similar to our appetizer experience, I was turned off by the lamb but begging for seconds of the beef and licking the plate clean. The lamb was cooked very well and quite pretty to look at, but the accompaniments and sauce had no place on the plate. I get that GE was trying to go for contrast, bold flavors, and wild combinations when he paired the lamb with cracked wheat and Clementine marmalade, but, no. The Clementine marmalade was far too tart; at first taste, I puckered my entire face (documented by BrianQ). The cracked wheat was okay, but added nothing for me. The endive was awkward on the plate, hard to cut, and kind of bland. Now onto the highlight of my meal- deconstructed beef stroganoff!!! What a creative, delicious, and phenomenal creation. The beef was cooked medium rare-ish and placed on a creamy/herby sauce (think ranch), paired with exotic brown mushrooms and sweet pasta chunks. The thing about this dish was that together the components created a heavenly bite, but each could stand alone as well. The dish made sense - on the plate and in my tummy .
Also
-great selection of music playing throughout the entire meal.
-nice waitress (friendly chicagans or amazing service?)
-spot on beer pairing suggestions as evidenced by brianQ's ale.
-warm lighting and atmosphere, yet swankay decor.
After having 2 superb dishes and 2 not-so-great ones, I give GE 4 stars; we may have ordered the wrong items, but a great restaurant is never hit or miss - it's always hit. At the same time, a GOOD restaurant will always have a few 'hits' so awesomely catchy and hittish, that they compensate for the misses.
I was really looking forward to going to Graham Elliot for a very long time. Very impressed with the decor...perfect for romance or simply a nice evening out with friends/business associates. Service was delightful...waiter knowledgeable. Loud though...tough to even hear the person across the table due to all of the background noise. Nice cocktail selection. We both had the 5 course dinner. Beautifully presented. Not impressed with the flavor combinations. Why is there a cheese nip in my risotto? Some might think eclectic..I think not really the right choice. Scallops, Caesar salad were good. Pork Belly entree ok. Dessert nice. Portions small yet filling. Popcorn at the beginning of the meal not the right thing for me...seemed like microwave popcorn with artificial toppings. Won't go back, but glad I went.
6 months later, still pretty good, but I liked the spring menu much more than the winter menu (or is it fall?), the waiter gave me incorrect information (yes, there IS sauerkraut in sturgeon dish, just like menu says.... not just "sauerkraut flavored sauce around the rim of the plate") and even though they comped a birthday dessert (which is REALLY nice to do and much appreciated), and even though it was delicious, it was the wrong dessert, not the one we ordered!. Drinks are still great and still overall love the food and service (they were very nice about re-plating the sturgeon so the sauerkraut was put on the side), but MUSIC IS WAY WAY WAY too loud ; it is hard to feel like you are having a special meal when you have to shout to be heard.
so much has already been said..........suffice it to report food was EXCELLENT, service could not… Read more »
I don't remember the last time I've enjoyed a restaurant so much. From the atmosphere to the drinks to every last bite off my plate, Graham Elliot is a genius. The ambiance is very relaxed rock and roll its the food of RL without the stuffiness which is exactly what I love.
We started with drinks at the bar cause the restaurant was booked for the night, no surprise there. The wine pours were generous and fantastic. We got the caprese salads and buffalo chicken for appetizers. The balsamic sorbet with the caprese is out of this world and the sauce on the chicken is unlike anything Ive ever tried.
We finished with the gyro which was so flavorful. During the whole meal we snacked on the truffle popcorn. This man is a genius and deserves all of his success. At the end of our meal we were fortunate enough to meet him. Real nice guy and amazing time, Ill be back soon.
Any place that serves truffled popcorn is a sign of good things to come.
I'll spare you from a description that will only repeat what the other 169 reviews have to say and go straight into the glorious food.
I had the hamachi and the duck with forbidden rice. I still dream about that rice, and my stomach spites me for not eating anything as remotely as good. At some point there was a course served with a balsamic sorbet (It's been a month since I've been, so please forgive my amnesia.)
Graham Elliot's was by far the best, most memorable meal I had in Chi-town. Grab your favorite foodie and enjoy a night of pure culinary enjoyment.
So some disclaimers before I begin:
1) This is my first yelp! review and I'm opinionated (so that says something, right?)
2) My siblings and I are foodies, but agree that food does not make the meal.
3) Yes, I am one of those starstruck Top Chef Masters want-to-try-them-all people.
Soooooo.... What to say about Graham Elliot? There was not much say beyond: we loved every minute of it!
From the first step in, it was apparent that this was our "type" of place - from the casual but fun staff to the loud (maybe mom and dad wouldn't appreciate it -that- much) and Lolla-like music, we knew we were in for an experience of the write-home kind!
Now we're foodies, yes. And we usually set high expectations for the food on a menu like this, so we were quite impressed that our waiter, Clint, not only sold us on the tasting menu, but also encouraged us to let him drive the "wine" pairing (which he amended with the addition of some mighty fine white beer). We also "added" lobster corny dogs and may have depleted of GE's amazing truffle oil and pepper popcorn baskets several times over. Delish!
The tasting menu (detailed in much better fashion than I could do justice in many reviews before and after mine) is very hearty and for $75, a more than a deal! My personal favorite was the cole slaw on the root beer bbq steak - so much so I grabbed GE as he was headed back to the kitchen to tell him he had stolen this Texas girl's heart with a piece of home. And, to add icing to a decadent cake, GE stopped and chatted with us for several minutes (priceless!).
So, this may not be the place to celebrate your grandmother's 90th birthday, but if you're looking for a fun and lively dinner with some darn tasty and innovative food - don't think twice. And GE and family - I'll be back!
I was only in Chicago for the weekend and was referred to Graham Elliot for my dining pleasure. At first glance I knew I would enjoy this place the ambiance and table set up were great. When we first were seated we were graced with some champagne and some yummmmy popcorn! I then went for the amazing Caesar salad which had amazing visual appeal the brioche Twinkie is a great idea and was great!
The pork loin went great with the bottle of wine that we ordered and all the melded together for a perfect meal to a perfect start for a night out on the town. I truly cant wait to come back to this place and enjoy even more of what they have to offer!
Let me preface this by saying that I am a faux-foodie, this means 1) my palette is not refined (my ideal meal consists of anything with guacamole, cheese and sour cream 2) I'm frugal when it comes to food (I'd rather buy a new pair of shoes) and 3) everything I've learned about food I have learned from watching Bravo.
It was by watching "Top Chef-Masters," that I heard of Graham Elliot and his restaurant in Chicago. Two friends and I decided to check it out and what a great experience it turned out to be. The ambiance is very causal and welcoming. I tired a Blueberry hill drink(gin, crème de violette, blueberry compote and basil shrub) to kick off the evening and it was tasty and went down very easily (don't be afraid of the notion of basil shrub in your drink). White tuna sashimi for an appetizer, seared Alaskan halibut for my main course and blackberry panna cotta for dessert. The halibut was amazing and literally melted in my mouth and the panna cotta looked like a piece of art.
The best part of Graham Elliott was the service. Our waiter, Jeff, was so excited and zealous about the food that it was contagious. When the server put the plates down and they weren't properly placed before us, he came and twisted the plates so that we would be served to the chef's vision. When my friend couldn't decide between two different wines for dinner, our waiter brought him a half of glass of each. And when we were discussing having an after dinner Riesling but decided against it, he brought out a sample for us to try regardless. It was such a pleasurable experience and his passion about the food was contagious.
It was expensive, especially when the blueberry hills slid so effortlessly down my gullet, but it was well worth it. We left satisfied but not stuffed. The Graham Elliot experience is unpretentious, casual and fun just the way life and food should be! A must try.
I am a bit baffled by the previous reviews I read...after eating dinner at GE last weekend, I feel the previous reviews are almost dishonest. I almost decided to book a reservation for my birthday somewhere else, but I am glad I went with my gut instinct and chose GE in the end.
First off, if you don't know anything about Graham Elliot Bowles before you go to GE, you're really doing your self a disservice. Graham is not only one of Chicago's top chefs, but he is probably our most eccentric. I felt the restaurant reflected everything I knew about him. The atmosphere is relaxed as is the wait staff. Our waitress was phenomenal. She had a flawless knowledge of the menu and wine-list. She took great care of us and kept us entertained.
The food was everything I expected. Full of different flavors that all went together exquisitely. We went with the 5 course tasting menu and did not regret the decision at all. The flavors were always multi-dimensional and perfectly apportioned. I would warn you that you should be ready for your palette to be tested a little bit...unless you are used to eating things like root beer bbq sauce, or garlic marshmallows. That being said, if you're not looking for something different, there are plenty of other restaurants in Chicago for you.
I can't wait to go back, I'm excited for what Graham will throw at us next time!
I ate at this place twice last year and it was good. Great ambiance. Great food.
The reason I'm revewing it now is because Graham Elliott had a tent at Lollapalooza and served the BEST food. Lobsters corndogs, chicken with PBR bubbles, portabello mushroom satay. mmmmmm All of the food was delicious and somehow Graham Elliott managed to prepared it in a tent. If I didn't believe in the genius of this man before, I do now.
What a fantastic place this is! It IS all you hear about it...and more. Trust me, you just have to go and experience it for yourself. Stop thinking about it and just go! I didn't expect to enjoy a menu comprised of so many unconventional elements, but G.E. does so w/ such skill and forethought, he even made me a believer. That's no easy task!
There were 14 ppl in our party so our table was set up in an area apart from the communal dining area. Upon seeing the set-up of 2 medium sized tables, we all agreed one long table would be more suitable for our party. We told the floor manager and he didn't even twitch. He sent us to the bar, got us a bottle of champagne and worked on the seating adjustment. As someone who expects much more than great food for an optimal dining experience, I was truly impressed. A 5-star restaurant is NOTHING w/o impeccable staff.
The mixologist's drink menu was impressive to say the least. Every drink, just like every dish (as I would soon discover), is premeditated from top to bottom.
Yes, it's true...the popcorn on the table does in fact rock. Parmesan, cracked pepper and truffle oil popcorn...only a top chef master would think of that one. ;-)
I got the white tuna sashimi as an appetizer. It's made w/ dark chocolate pieces, guacamole mousse, plantain chips. It was a culinary masterpiece. The lobster bisque looked and smelled amazing.
My entree was the bison and it was also cooked and served to perfection. The deconstructed gyro is so creatively brilliant, in my opinion.
Strawberry shortcake was out of this world!!!
I'm sure the menu changes regularly, but you can be sure that every genius dish will be made meticulously with only the finest ingredients.
I can't wait to go back to see what is on the menu!
Ok, I know I'm vegan, but I try real hard not to be high-maintenance. My sister-in-law planned a dinner here for a family birthday, since she liked the chef from all the tv shows. She calls ahead to ask about vegan options. The restaurant says not only can they do it, but that they do it all the time and have repeat customers who are vegan and so on. They were positively ebullient.
Originally, I was ready for bland with a side of nothing, but this got my hopes up. I was excited. I was going to get the full Graham Elliot experience.
What I got was grilled zucchini. That's what you get when you go to any random place and they aren't prepared and just throw something together. It didn't have any interesting flavor pairings, just couscous and a sauce that was pretty mild. Plus the portion was less than what my co-diners had with their expensive cuts of meat.
Similarly, the popcorn in vegan form just was without things. The non-veg popcorn has truffle oil on it. Come on, mushrooms are vegan!
The slight uptick was dessert. Frankly, you just have to attempt it and you'll score points. It was berries and bananas with prickly pear sauce and foam, and banana sorbet. It was pretty good and they got a star just for that.
My omnivorous co-diners were not very impressed with what they got, and thought the place was over-hyped. I don't think any of us will really go back.
After wanting to come to GE since it opened last year, and being a fan of the top chef series, I recently saw Graham Elliot (the man) walking down the street. The GE spotting reminded me to make reservations. And in case you are curious, no, I did not say anything to him or embarass myself. It is weird how these cooking shows have made chefs into psuedo celebrities.
So I came here with a friend on an early Friday evening. The atmosphere is really relaxed and the bar was vibrant. Started off with some cocktails; the tainted love and the london calling. Both were really good, not overly sweet, well balanced without being too boozy. Tried the tuna appetizer, salmon and scallops entrees, and strawberry shortcake dessert. Delicous! The scallops just melt in your mouth, and they were served with a pork hash. The shortcake dessert was quite tasty, albeit tiny. Don't plan on sharing dessert if you want more than a mouthful.
Overall, graham elliot is a fantastic experience. Not someplace I'd come on a regular basis, but once in a while. Would definitely come back and sit at the bar for drinks. There is some good mixing going on over at the bar.
I know that yelpers have declared shenanigans over Graham's public dislike of yelp. Graham, believe me, I'm right there with you. But despite being sympathetic to that viewpoint, I still need to tell it how it is.
I came into Graham Elliot with high expectations. Thought I'd be sampling a new, fresh voice on the Chicago scene, giving me interesting food in a cool environment. This dude has made himself famous somehow - I've never been to Avenues, but I saw him on Top Chef and he seemed like he knew what he was doing.
Unfortunately, nothing really came together. The Foie-lly pops were OK, if you're into that sort of thing, but neither of our entrees were really that spectacular. I had the lamb, my wife had the halibut. Both were average, nothing terribly exciting. And were priced into the high $20s. The Mexican chocolate cake with the horchata milkshake for dessert was really tasty, though... but really didn't make up for the average entrees.
Unfortunately, Graham Elliot seems to be a lot of style, and not a lot of substance. The menu certainly is creative, but something just isn't working right.
foie-ly pops
foilli pops
foielli pops
Is that how you spell it? Who knows because they are not on the menu, allegedly not always available; except for when the moon and the stars are aligned just right... These wonderful little gems are nearly unexplainable; I will do my best; creamy, light, complex, simply delightful!!! A Foie Gras moose on a lollipop stick rolled in strawberry pop rocks! One of the best flavor texture experiences I have ever had.... Foie Gras 7 stars!
I have debated whether or not to even review GE because I find it ego driven and unfortunate that GEB himself is a vocal critic of the masses writing about his food, as if the only people that should write or speak of his food are professionals or something, then I remembered I am a foodie and even if he is shortsighted and old-school he still puts out a darn good food experience so I will not throw out the proverbial baby with the bath-water (like he has).... moving on...
There were 4 of us my good friend Miss M and her amazing parents! Luckily we are all foodies and all like to share, so we all ordered different things then passed the flavor and excitement around...
After the goosey goodness we moved on to 4 appetizers
Sweet breads Kung Pao
A lil crisp on the outside, a lil chewy on the inside and huge on flavor! Just genius! Sweet Breads 5 stars!
For the first course I really believe this was everyone's favorite...
Well wait there was sweet corn bisque brought with only one spoon, by the time we saw our server again to get more spoons-lets just say it had all disappeared. I did not try the bisque, I am told it was amazing... I did not want to share a spoon, I don't know why ...
White Tuna sashimi... I must say of all the small plates this one was mayhaps the least moving... The tuna was good but not exciting, one of my favorite sashimi and sushi proteins is Escolar/Super white tuna, I have had it all over the country in so many preparations, I am hard to impress on this front... It was good though for sure! Tuna 4 stars!
Our final small plate was a main Lobster corn dog, really quite good! Fancy this a little underwhelming, don't get me wrong, I liked it, I guess deep-fried is not my lobster preference; I don't know what I was expecting? The best lobster I have ever eaten was still crawling off my plate (long story)... If I want Lobster fair-food style I will go for a Lobsta roll off the side of the road in Maine... Lobster 4 stars!
Main courses
A wonderfully executed duck dish, having just had my favorite duck the day before, I was extra critical, and you know what? GE delivered, juicy not fatty, flavorful and not overcooked! Duck 5 starts!
Pan seared scallops again a home run! Not an out of the park home-run, but really freaking good! It has become increasingly hard to get 5 stars out of me because to do so it must be in my opinion as good as it gets! My favorite scallop is served up raw in a roll named for an amazing rock band. I have been told it is in poor taste to mention other restaurant names while reviewing a restaurant, so lets just say when eating the aforementioned maki roll "Nothing Else Matters"... GE Scallops 4 and 1/2 stars!
OK wow! yeah! that! good! more please! again! and again! My favorite dish was a tie! Two dishes that I could keep coming back to over and over again...
The deconstructed gyro and the pork loin...
Both worthy of 5 stars!
Gyro, lets just say roasted watermelon! I didn't understand either, hey why do I have to understand something that tastes so amazing! I just can not fathom a gyro ever surpassing this one...
The same goes for the pork loin this was my curve ball order not exotic at all in any way! I thought to my self; this is going to be out of this world and it was, holy life changing pork experience batman!
This review is already wordy and windy, I purposely removed details of every ingredient in every preparation, and as the menu is always changing... Guess what? It doesn't matter anyway... This all just proves that GE puts out a rock star flavor and texture experience no matter what he is cooking!
Oh but I am not done yet!
All of this food was nibbled on while slowly sipping a wonderful Pimm's preparation from the mixologist. This was the best Pimm's preparation I have ever delivered upon my taste buds... Drink 5 stars!
We ended this gastric excursion with a deep chocolate cake and goats ice milk preparation that was truly divine! Dessert 4 and 1/2 stars!
GEB wake up! Without everyone talking about your food no one would be eating it! So whether they are talking about it at a cocktail party or online, just be happy they are talking about it chill out and enjoy the ride!
HUGZ!!!
Food is delicious.
I took my m-i-l here for her birthday. We each got 1 cocktail, 1 appetizer, 1 entree and coffee (no dessert, no wine) and the total came out to about $170.00 with tip. Just be aware that you are making an investment when you come.
My brother and sister-in-law accompanied us to dinner and they are vegan. When I called ahead for reservations, the hostess was very sweet and said that they can totally accommodate our vegan guests. The chef made a vegan-version of one of the appetizers, a completely off-menu vegan entree and a vegan dessert for them. The vegan alternatives were thoughtful and had some effort put into them, and I thought it was really nice that they would be so accommodating.
Though the restaurant did remember that we had two vegans, they completely ignored my m-i-l's birthday. The hostess had specifically asked if there were any special events associated with our dinner when I called to make our reservations, and our reservation card had the birthday/vegan information on it. Though the waiter addressed our vegan needs right away, there was absolutely no mention of my m-i-l's birthday at all.
For a restaurant that is so interested in providing a fun, welcoming atmosphere and so willing to accommodate their guests, I was really surprised about this oversight. I have to say that it was disappointing enough to cost a star in this review.
Utterly fantastic.
In the top three of the best meals that I have ever had. Inventive. Fun. Delicious. A complete experience.
If you have enough time, get the 10 course tasting menu. It's worth every penny and the spectrum of flavors is beyond compare.
Some really mediocre food.. After having his food at Avenues, I was truly excited to try the food at his very own restaurant..
I feel that he has tried so hard to be tricky that he has accomplished that without creating good food..
I ordered this kobe steak tartare that was swimming in truffle oil. The kobe steak was of bad quality.. He was more concerned with putting kobe on the title than, using a good cut of beef.. It had none of the actual properties that makes Kobe so wonderful. He also added some horrible bbq sauce to it on the side.
I had this asparagus terrine with goat cheese.. Lovely idea to put the asparagus in some sort of mold where all the spears were perfectly stacked aligned. However, in order to create the mold he had to take all the texture and flavor out of the goat cheese.. He provided a frissee salad with hard boiled eggs and this really nice emulsion with tarragon.. If he just served the salad with the egg and emulsion it would have been fine.. But the focal point of this dish was this really bland asparagus terrine.. Great idea, lovely presentation, average execution..
We then had the kung pao sweetbreads.. This dish was really original.. I love sweetbreads, I loved fried sweetbreads.. However, the dish would have been considered an average Chinese Dish.. No beating your run of the mill Chinese Restaurant's Kung Pao.. He got tricky and substituted peanuts for this sesame sugar brittle.. Peanuts would have been a lot better, a lot easier, a lot more approachable. I also found that it just wasnt a good version. I think it would have been better more crunchy.. Like a General Tzo chicken with broccoli and such... Though this version did have broccoli, it was served steamed and unsauced.
We moved onto entrees.. My father got a fish dish that was ok, nothing great.. He barely at his..
I had the buffalo steak served rare the way I ordered it.. Everything was good, the coleslaw, the bread pudding thing they provided, I however thought they tricky part was just wrong.. He made this super sweet rootbeer bbq sauce that tasted like rootbeer barrels melted in ketchup.. It sounds good on paper but, it was not good.. Too chemically tasting..
The dessert, the PB&J or whatever was easily the worst dessert I have had in several months. maybe in the last year or so.. It just didnt work, was way too tricky.. Halavah and fruity foam.. Oy veh..
All in all, I feel like the place is trying to be out there.. It's trying to be cutting edge for the sake of being cutting edge..
People seemed to enjoy it.. At the end of the meal, I asked my father if the meal was free and he lived around the corner would he go back here.. We both said no..
All this aside, I respect him as a chef, I respect him trying new things, I respect the effort.. I just feel like it's too forced, too out there..
I loved the popcorn, loved the foie gras lollipops and poprocks..
I love this place, from start to finish.
First of all, I guess I can see how service could be bad on a busy night. I was there on a Monday and they were busy but manageably so. That said, I also have noticed that a lot of fine dining restaurants (Charlie Palmer Dry Creek, French Laundry, etc) get poor reviews on the service. I think in many cases, some reviewers are not used to the tempo of fine dining. I am not saying that is the case with the reviews below, but I thought the service was wonderful.
First, we were seated promplty, and immediately brought complimentary champagne because we noted that it was our anniversary on the reservation. (I believe my husband called ahead, actually as well).
We were quickly served delicious white truffle and parmesan popcorn, which we ate in like 2 minutes, and they brought more without us asking. It was great and we were famished!
I ordered the blueberry hill martini, and it was so great. Not sweet, but refreshing, with fresh blueberries in it.
After looking over the menu, we had no idea what to order, but got some opinions from our waiter. I also asked about fois gras, which is not on the menu, and I guess is for people in the know. So here was the meal we chose, with commentary. Let me warn you, I will probably run out of words to gush over this amazing meal. Sorry if it gets repetetive.
Fois-lipops - These are fois gras mousse rolled in pop rocks candy. It was bizarre but so good. The flavor on the night we were there was watermelon. The mousse is mostly fois gras, but it has a more whipped texture and little bit of gelatin to make it take shape. This was weird but delicious. My husband and I talked about coming back on a nice night to have a few drinks outside and eat a few of these.
For cold appetizers, DH had the caesar salad, and I had the kobe tartare. Both were really amazing, but I had a little bit of envy. It is kind of a deconstructed salad, romain hearts and anchovies served on a brioche "twinkie" (filled with cream cheese or something). It was really good, perhaps even better than the tartare. This had microherbs on top of the pile, and a white truffle aioli mixed in, and it was a perfect portion.
Next was hot appetizers. My husband had the scallop, which I can not perfectly describe because the website menu is not up to date. I am not a huge fan of scallops, and this was one of the most delicious foods I have ever eaten. It melted in my mouth.
I ordered the Kung Pao sweetbreads, because I am a sucker for trying new and weird things. So this was already weird, and it came with bits of peanut brittle mixed in. My first few bites were full on 'close your eyes and savor the sheer pleasure". I must say that I just started to get a little "done" on the texture of brains, and the more I thought of it, the less appealing it became. You wouldnt notice the texture because they are lightly fried, etc, but my own mind just kind of freaked me out. Dont get me wrong, I would probably order again, I just over thought it.
Main entree - I got the pork over farah(sp?) wheat and my husband got the bison. Both were perfectly cooked, and we could not decide which we loved more. Both were also very lean, and the ingredients perfectly complented each other.
Finally, dessert. We ordered the sb&j. This was wacky and fun. It had halva, sesame shortbread, prickly pear jam gel and jam foam, and banana gelato. The server said that 75% of people like it and 25% percent are puzzled by it. We really liked the oddity of the flavors together. I liked that it was deconstructed, because you could mix the elements differently in each bite. Also, the halva was nothing like store bought. It was light and fluffy. Very decadent.
If you are on the fence about trying this place, give it a shot. I have a new favorite restaurant now!
Oh, and in keeping with the upscale food in an accessible environment, the dress was very casual. Most people were in jeans and nice shirts, men and women. That is a plus in my book.
The interior of the restaurant is gorgeous. Only problem: they seated us weird. My friends made reservations here for my 27th birthday (last week) knowing I was super intrigued as G. Elliot was on Top Chef Masters. Got dressed and went out to meet them - only a group of 5 - so it wasn't a huge group. I was confused as to why the rest of the diners were seated in the area away from the window except us. I looked over and most of them looked like people engaged in business talk. There's a chance my friends requested a table where we could better converse - hopefully that's the reason. Otherwise, it's just weird.
The waiter bothered me somewhat because he carded only me. I really hate that. If you're going to ask someone for their ID - you should card the whole group - unless you're out with your parents and their friends. Oddly enough, it took him 5 minutes to figure out the birthdate on it and I didn't get the obligatory "happy birthday". I'm thinking he never actually found the birthdate on the I.D. He wasn't all there I think. That said here's why I gave it 4 stars instead a confusing 1:
Drink: London Calling - not a huge fan but it might have to do with the fact that I don't exactly love gin. The waiter suggested it. I can pretty much drink any drink so finishing it wasn't a problem - it was good. Just not good enough to order again. I continued with Champagne for the rest of the evening.
Food (Apps & Entree & Dessert):
Signature Caesar Salad - SOO good. It's deconstructed so you get a whole (but tiny) anchovy and a giant twinkie-like brioche filled with a cream. It was AMAZING. If you get a small bit of every part in each bite - it is seriously delicious. Who ever thought I'd rave about a Caesar Salad!
Beef Tartare - It was just what it was. I can't really rave about it since there was nothing truly exciting and noteworthy about it. But it was good.
Lobster Corndog - Most of my table loved this but I was just "eh" about it. The pancake batter around the lobster mash-up masked most of the lobster for me. I believe this is seasonal so it might not even be there anymore.
Arctic Char - it was amazing. I rarely order fish at a restaurant but one person at the table said the fish was really good there. She was right. However, I got to try a little of the scallops from someone else as well as bison which came with root beer reduction. I could REALLY taste the rootbeer - not sure how I feel about it but the bison was fall apart delish. Both were seriously juicy and delicious as well. The scallops were very large in size. Like GINORMOUS.
Not-Sure-of-Name Dessert but it was a described as "GE's version of PB&J" - it included PB gelato and that was probably the best part. We also ordered the strawberry shortcake - and it was deconstructed too. It was SOOO yum.
I am officially a big fan of deconstructed food - I love the idea of piecing it together to offer a similar but bold-er taste to its original. The interior of the GE is warm, inviting but contemporary. It feels new-age Chicago. Not the old-school Gold Coast stuffy sugar-daddy-filled gross Chicago.
I'd definitely go again - but maybe on a busier day. It was nice to have good conversation without shouting but hard to fully feel the true atmosphere of it
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised after eating at GE.
The sweet corn bisque was the absolute highlight of the meal at GE....or any other restaurant this year. It was delectable and creamy with a central garlic marshmallow. So far, so good. THEN, to top it off, the bisque contained Corn Nuts! Who would've thought that? That was the defining moment for me as far as his genius and innovative use of ingredients.
The substitution of truffle and parmesan popcorn for bread was another one of his avant-garde calls. The only thing funny was that it tasted VERY SIMILAR to the foccaccia served at Avec. I know the ingredients are similar, just wasn't expecting that.
The service was attentive and friendly. Not stuck-up as I was expecting.
I want to give GE 5 stars, but.......wasn't a fan of the lobster (sorry, Graham). Don't get me wrong, the lobster was very tasty and the edamame spread was delightful, but the lobster meat was stuck to the shell. It was semi-embarrassing battling the hell out of this dead lobster as other diners glared on. In the end, the lobster won. I had to leave 50% of the meat behind. I know. So sad, so sad.
If it wasn't for my experience re-murdering the lobster, I would have given him more stars. Overall great innovative flavors and would go back again without hesitation. Just no lobster. LOL.
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