20 Jun Beyond the Bar, Eating at Sable Kitchen & Bar
On more than one occasion, when I have traveled to Chicago for work, I have stayed at the Kimpton Palomar Hotel. On numerous occasions, I have had drinks at the bar at Sable where Mike Ryan has crafted a serious cocktail program. But, in all the visits, I have never made it past the bar into the restaurant….until my most recent trip to Chicago.
After a long event during the day, my colleagues and I wandered over to Sable Kitchen & Bar for dinner. We were ready to explore the seasonally inspired menu of social plates meant for sharing. I couldn’t have asked for better dining partners – four hungry women with no dietary restrictions and open to everything. We started to review the menu and were on the same page in our choices. We tried to cover every section on the menu and managed to order at least one item from each section (except the “between bread” section). It was hard to choose but in the end, we were very satisfied with our dishes.
One of the great things about the menu is that almost everything on it is available in full or half portions. Each item has two prices on it. This is perfect for a small group or a large one. For a small party, you can order more small plates to share and for larger groups you don’t have to necessarily order double orders of items.
Hors d’Oeuvres
Deviled Eggs: truffle oil, black trumpet mushrooms
Bacon Jam: brie cheese, toasted baguette
Brick Oven Flatbread
Forest Mushroom: fiddleheads, asparagus, taleggio cheese, oven tomatoes
Fish
Shrimp & Grits: laughing bird shrimp, three sisters cheddar grits
Farm & Garden
Green Garlic- Lemon Pesto Risotto: fava beans, sugar snap peas,
asparagus, arugula, house-made ricotta
Asparagus & Pea Shoot Salad: sugar snap peas, red peppers,
edamame puree, crunchy garbanzo beans, yogurt-cumin dressing
Roasted Beets: pistachio crusted goat cheese, honey
Meat
Steak Tartare: bulgur, dijon mayonnaise, quail egg, chili oil, gaufrettes
I am glad that I finally ate at Sable Kitchen & Bar and will make a point to eat there again – even if it’s at the bar with a cocktail in hand.