Chicago is often unfairly derided as America's Second city. But there's no reason one can't have first rate food there. I had an extraordinary meal at Naha in Chicago last week. Dinner began with a coddled organic hen's egg with sweetbreads and some beans. My veal sweetbreads were crispy and certainly a little sweet. The dish was sauced with a rich beefy reduction that was just perfection.
Our waiter graciously helped me with the wine list and we got a very drinkable, but really moderately priced Duero Valley red to wash it down.
Next came the masterpiece: a superb roast squab with seared Duck foie gras and a noodle "cake" scented with raisins, Armenian rose petal marmalade, pink peppercorns (seriously?) and anise. It was a crazy and fun mix of different flavors that managed to all co-exist in something short of harmony.
There was barely room for dessert, but I did manage some of the homemade eggnog ice cream and a glass of 20 year old Graham's tawny port. Just the right thing to warm me up before facing the cold weather outside.
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