On the Friday of the weekend in Chicago, I was so excited to be finally done with all my interviews, I was more than ready to celebrate. The food and drinks this evening did not disappoint. We started with dinner at a newer place, called Ronero. It is located in the West Loop Area, which I really enjoy, right next to Au Cheval (the famous burger I wrote about in this post from 2015). Of course Ronero has also been getting buzz about their burger with chorizo marmalade that I was dying to try. It was great, served with plantain chips. We also started with a variety of appetizers that ranged from a light Peruvian-style ceviche with coconut milk to a heavier cheesy dish. The vibe at Ronero was really fun with some old school music and palm tree wallpaper that made me feel like I was living in a different era.
Curandero: Tromba Blanco Tequila, Saler's Gentian Apertif, Chamomile Tea, Lime, Giffard Pomplemousse Rose
Ceviche Mixta: Shrimp, Mahi-Mahi, Coconut, Lime, Corn Nuts, Fresno Chiles, Cilantro
Ropa Vieja: Goat, Sofrito, Goat Cheese, Foccacio
(Had something that tasted like short ribs mixed in with the cheese that was great)
Ensalada de Palmito (Left): Hearts of Palm, Endive, Radicchio, Pear, Hazelnuts, Coconut Crema
Albondigas (Right): Pork and Beef Meatballs, Aji de Mani, Peanut, Cilantro
Hamburguesa: Angus Beef, Chorizo Marmalade, Shoestring Potato, Potato Roll, Plantain Chips
Picarones: Fried Sweet Potato Dough, Whipped Creme Fraiche, Hot Chocolate
We followed up dinner with drinks at The Aviary, which is part of the Alinea Group. Alinea is the famed restaurant from the Netflix show Chef's Table. We tried really hard to get dinner tickets to Alinea but unfortunately it was booked out. I am hoping to get this experience on my next trip to Chicago. The Aviary was created as a restaurant that specializes in drinks. Their kitchen is really a very extensive bar, with the mixologists as "chefs". They have quite the complex cocktail list (albeit expensive), where each ingredient is carefully selected to compliment each other. And many of the cocktails require some consumer interaction. My drink, the Barrel Aged Smurf, came to the table with some munchies on top. I first had to eat those (I loved the lime and coconut flavors), then blow bubbles into the spout of the "cup" to mix the different ingredients around, which completely changed its color. Our second drink choice was Barrel Depletions, a concoction of fruits and flowers mixed in with ice wine. It comes with a small glass, forcing you to pour yourself the drink slowly. Every pour has a bit of a different taste as the alcohol infuses with the flavors. I really enjoyed this fun and unique cocktail experience!
Butternut squash ganache on the left, Candied bacon on the right
Barrel Aged Smurf: butterfly pea flower, finger lime, coconut, mezcal
The purply-blue color of the drink after I mixed it by blowing on the tail (hence the "smurf" name!)
Barrel Depletions: ice wine elixir, hibiscus, elderflower, barrel aged genever
The view from the "Aviary" into the mixology bar/kitchen
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