From upthread, it sounds like there could be less desirable seats in the dining room, namely ones that would put you behind a pillar. Are there others, and are there any parts of the dining room that might be worth trying to request?

I wasn't interested in Sixteen before, but I recently visited the SOM offices (and, coincidentally, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill), and got to look more closely at the building plans. I'm kind of infatuated now, so am treating my family to a meal so I can geek out inside the building. There's probably a cheaper way inside, but they'll like the vistas. It seems like the building also offers some decent views of other newer additions to Chicago's skyline. Taken from the offices of an architecture firm not associated with either project, the Sixteen terrace with Aqua in the background (just ate there, too, so I could geek out in the building):

The only other cheaper way is to go to Rebar, but it's only on the mezzanine level. Cocktails are like $19 a piece. Same view, but on a much lower level. We timed dinner at Sixteen for sunset so we could be see the view in the daylight and the evening. Two for one. Some people don't like to eat that early, but it worked for us.

Thanks. Was only half-kidding about the cheaper part. I'm happy to take the clan for a meal. Eating early would work for us, except that sunset is very, very early nowadays, so we will have to settle for nighttime views or reschedule for brunch.

Update: we had brunch at Sixteen a few weekends ago. Everyone in my family enjoyed it. I thought it was good...for a nice hotel brunch. I'm not really a buffet or brunch person, so I think chances were slim to begin with that this would feel special to me. The breakfast items were pretty generic and unexceptional--bacon, pancakes, eggs Benedict. My brother-in-law liked the seared duck salad. I thought the best thing was a boozy banana with some kind of wafer layer. Understandably, there were a lot of people having their picture taken against the view. The value seemed fine. For me, the experience--food, service, location, decor--was too soul-less or something for a special occasion, but I understand why it would resonate with others.

Sixteen took six months to hire a new executive chef, Thomas Lents, formerly chef de cuisine at Joel Robuchon. Jeff Ruby raves in the new issue of Chicago magazine:

Review: Sixteen at the Trump Hotel
STARS IN THE SKY: After a dazzling start and a potentially devastating setback, Sixteen is back—and it's four stars. But it wants more

Just an update to inquire whether or not anyone has eaten dinner under this new chef? Thinking about going to Sixteen at the end of August and would like to know any LTH experiences.

No first hand knowledge (yet) but two of my friends recently dined at Sixteen (separately) and were both extremely happy with the meal - in fact they spoke so highly that I booked a reservation (but am not dining there for a few more weeks yet). They feel confident between the new chef and GM that they will earn back their Michelin star.

Awesome! Made my reservation for late August and will report back soon afterwards.

But wait, there's more!

Patrick Fahy joins Sixteen as executive pastry chef

Just back from a wonderful meal at Sixteen - I am copying my review that I posted to another website below and adding some of my pictures. Because Sixteen has undergone so many changes I think that if you have not dined there in the past few months that it is now a completely different experience; I would ignore any reviews that are more than a few months old (or that are about breakfast or lunch) if you are contemplating heading their for dinner.

Dining at Sixteen is a special experience. As we entered Trump Tower Christmas decorations adorned the lobby and the elevator doors opened up to an elevator made to look like a gingerbread house; even a toy train rode around the top interior of the elevator car. The doors opened on the sixteenth floor and we were greeted by Mallory who recognized us from her time at the Aviary. The dining room at Sixteen is stunning; elegant and classy decor without feeling old fashioned and breathtaking views of downtown Chicago through the floor to ceiling 30 foot windows. We were seated at a table for two by windows looking out at the Wrigley Clock Tower and other Chicago landmarks.

Soon after being seated a cocktail and wine list were delivered by Jeremy, our captain for the night. Sixteen features three different menus; a four course prix fixe for $110 (with two to three choices per course), an eight course tasting menu for $150 or a sixteen course tasting for $210. The menus change with the seasons to keep the ingredients as fresh as possible. There is also an optional cheese course for $20, and an optional white truffle course that was delivered by Chef Lents himself to the tables that indulged. Multiple amuse bouches, bread service, Lavazza coffee, a delightful Mignardises cart and a take home treat are included in the pricing as is tap water (with still or sparkling bottled water available for a surcharge). My wife and I love tasting menus, but both have some dietary aversions that can sometimes pose a challenge. We discussed our aversions with Jeremy and in a comfortable manner he assured us we would be accommodated. We opted to partake in the eight course tasting which with all the extras was quite a feast; I would have had a hard time consuming more.

The food at Sixteen was consistently very good, some great, but I would not say that anything stood out as being phenomenal or mind blowing or left me craving more. The food really highlighted the seasons with the appetizers focusing on pumpkin and squash, the entrees emphasized game (with it being hunting season) and the dessert focused on apples (and was even served accompanied by a glass of hot cider). All of the food was beautifully and meticulously plated. Everything was cooked extremely proficiently but adding to the experience was a certain whimsical aspect that Sixteen incorporates into the experience such as the Mignardises cart with a Ferris wheel sporting goodies reminiscent of childhood favorites such as cracker jacks, cotton candy and Baby Ruth's, but upscale homemade versions. All the extras beyond the actual eight courses really enhance the experience; the flavored pop corn amuse bouche served inside a hollowed out corn cob and the bread service (especially the bacon buns) were incredible. The dessert courses need a bit more work than the savories; the first dessert was more of a palate cleanser (small but delicious) so there really was only one true dessert - though the vast Mignardises help compensate.

Service was for the most part stellar. In addition to Jeremy several other staff pampers you throughout the evening and everyone was pleasant, genuine, personable and attentive (the bread server even stopped by four times). We enjoyed that despite providing formal service, there was a laid back, comfortable vibe - Jeremy expressed some humor when I had asked his name partway into the meal, stating he had purposely left out his name earlier to cut back on all the complaints he has been receiving. There were some minor gaffes and the staff did not quite anticipate our needs as much as some of the very best venues we have dined at in terms of services (EMP and Boka would be tops in my books in service). For example I had mentioned our main dietary aversions when I made the reservation, these were acknowledged when I was called a few days prior to confirm the reservation, but when we were seated Jeremy was not aware of them. Also as we departed and went to retrieve our coats the hostess stand was abandoned; when someone materialized they thought we were arriving.

I would say that Sixteen is very deserving of their recently awarded Michelin star and out of the one star venues I have dined at they are among the cream of the crop (they most remind me of Tru). Sixteen definitely has multiple star potential but are not quite there yet. To ascend to the next level the food needs to be a little more memorable with a couple mind blowing courses, the service flow a bit more smoothly and the experience made to be a bit more of a special event (at all but one of the three star venues we have dined, we were presented with a souvenir menu and offered a kitchen tour at the end of the meal). Nevertheless these are picky criticisms and only meant as what stands between Sixteen being worthy of multiple Michelin stars, they are already one of the top ten venues in Chicago and have an extremely bright future.

Breathtaking View of Downtown Chicago:


Flavored Popcorn Amuse:


Butters:


My Selection from the Bread Service - Be Sure to Pick the Bacon Buns:


Trout Course:


Kabocha Soup:


Turbot:


Pork Sausage & Turffle:


Brussel Sprouts & Mushrooms:


Palate Cleanser:


Apple Based Dessert:


Supplemental Cheese Course with White Truffle Shaving:


Mignardises Trolley:

Gonzo70 wrote:I would say that Sixteen is very deserving of their recently awarded Michelin star and out of the one star venues I have dined at they are among the cream of the crop (they most remind me of Tru). Sixteen definitely has multiple star potential but are not quite there yet. To ascend to the next level the food needs to be a little more memorable with a couple mind blowing courses, the service flow a bit more smoothly and the experience made to be a bit more of a special event (at all but one of the three star venues we have dined, we were presented with a souvenir menu and offered a kitchen tour at the end of the meal). Nevertheless these are picky criticisms and only meant as what stands between Sixteen being worthy of multiple Michelin stars, they are already one of the top ten venues in Chicago and have an extremely bright future.

Based on my dinner there two weeks ago, I think this summary is quite good, one I agree with. I thought there were a few outright "misses", but if the food were indeed "a little more memorable" it would have made up for them and pushed the meal into the multi-star pantheon.

I did note two things in your dinner that differed from mine:

Gonzo70 wrote:The dessert courses need a bit more work than the savories; the first dessert was more of a palate cleanser (small but delicious) so there really was only one true dessert - though the vast Mignardises help compensate.

In addition to the apple dessert pictured, we had a second dessert. It appears on the current 8-course website menu as "chocolate - bourbon - wood" and consists of bourbon-flavored ice cream inside two thin tubes of chocolate. (Perhaps they eliminated it in accommodating your specific needs.) I agree that the dessert courses were the weakest part of the menu, although the palate cleanser was indeed very good, better than the two "true" desserts.

Gonzo70 wrote:Mignardises Trolley

This must have been added in the past two weeks, because it was nowhere in sight at my dinner. (We did have the Andes-looking mint chocolates shown on the near platter, but served on a small plate.) What are the multi-colored items on the trolley? Are those French macaroons? If so, that's a nice touch, that would have complemented our dinner well.

Thanks for posting your thorough and insightful report!

To piggyback off Gonzo's post and expound on some of the dish descriptions I'll share my review here, as well:

http://endoedibles.com/?p=4265

The Gist: http://www.sixteenchicago.com/

The Why: With the Michelin Guide for Chicago an ever disappointing mess compared to those in other cities and three of the 2* locations closing during the past year I’d originally booked Alinea for a fourth visit during this trip to Chicago but in the months between securing that ticket and my first vacation from Arizona in four months my curiosity got the best of me – just who was this Thomas Lents and why was his cuisine garnering such raves on the sixteenth floor of the Trump tower…as much as I love Alinea this was a case of something new and shiny taking precedence over the tried and true.

The Reservation: Far less difficult than one at Alinea I simply used Opentable and with my flight to Midway arriving at 5:00pm I played it safe with an 8:00pm table for two while transferring my tickets on Halsted to a friend and his wife (they loved the experience, as I knew they would.)

The Space: To call Sixteen swanky would be an understatement – while opinions vary on Trump the man it would be foolish to assume anything but refinement and opulence in the spaces bearing his name. From the warm greeting at the front door to the chrome and marble elevators leading to the sixteenth floor each step of our trip through Trump International Hotel was met with smiles and “yessirs” and with a location in the center of downtown our emergency to the dining room was met with dramatic 30+ foot ceilings, a million dollar wine collection in dual glass wine rooms, and a million dollar chandelier hanging high above while the Wrigley Clock Tower and Lake Michigan stared back at us through the windows. With perhaps twenty tables in the dining room and all covered with fine linen, crystal, and polished silver throughout the night everything about the room drips with luxury – the thread counts high, the two-tops large enough for four, and easily six feet separating each table.

The Service: With a dining room manager circulating throughout the night and our captain, Rick, a beacon of knowledge the majority of our service at Sixteen was exemplary and neither myself nor my friend were ever left for want of anything but all things being equal the back servers and assisting waiters still need a bit of work to match the lofty goals of the restaurant and its chef – cumbersome descriptions often went on too long and bobbled ingredient names were not uncommon, but on the whole these are minor quibbles to which the average diner would pay no attention…and rest assured, there are many “average diners” at Sixteen as witnessed by quick turnover of businessmen asking for multiple dish modifications and single a la carte dishes as they “have a plane to catch.”

The Food: There are four menus – a 4-course, 8-course, and the 16-course – we opted for the 16 + optional cheese course and passed on the white truffle supplement. My friend purchased an excellent bottle of wine. Canapes, water, bread service, mignardises, and take-home gift were complimentary.

Canapes – Sweet Kettle Corn with black pepper and lemon, Lake Michigan fried smelt with tartar sauce, Mortadella Gougere with green tomato relish: An intriguing trio of bites, each quite savory and full of varying textures, but the second by far the most impressive as the crisp skin gave way to nearly liquid fish that when tinged with the bright tartar sauce reminded me of brandade.

“Grape”
1 Verjus – Grape, Ginger: With the menu divided into themes, ‘grape’ began with this amuse preceding bread service and almost immediately Chef Lents’ time with Joel Robuchon became apparent as a champagne glass filled with white verjus Jell-O, ginger beer foam, frozen champagne grapes, lime zest arrived in a lacquered box and with instructions to get “a bit of everything in each bite” the flavor profile was shockingly quite like champagne despite none actually being present. Sweet but also slightly bracing and altogether refreshing it was a great start.

California Goat Butter with Lavender, Cow’s Milk Butter from Normandy, Tuscan Olive Oil emulsification with black sea salt/French Baguette, Bacon and Stone Ground Mustard, Ciabatta with Sea Salt, Onion and Chive, Rye and Wheat: Second only to L2o’s bread service on my list of Chicago restaurants I’ll simply say the bread man visited our table frequently and the butter service was replenished twice – a lover of bread and carbs in general the Baguette was as good as many in France and the Ciabatta was crisp on the interior with heavy salting and a lovely moist crumb while each spread was superlative – the Cow’s butter reportedly the same as that used in the Robuchon empire and the goat butter unmistakably funky but slightly sweet.

2 Sole Veronique – Pressed Grape Sauce: The first of many tableside preparations, this plate featured tender sole roasted in butter along with lobster mushrooms, pearl onions, and raw grapes at its base with a lively sauce of roasted Thompson grapes with rosemary and garlic poured from a French press as the plate was described. A lighter take on the classic Veronique lacking both cream and flour this dish, like the one prior, would not have been out of place at Robuchon’s 3* location on the Vegas strip.

“Stream”
3 Trout Tartar – Crisp Skin, Bones: The dish of the night for my friend – and more surprisingly for myself – this plate nearly resembled Bao on arrival but what was instead delivered featured a tartar of Gravlax inside a light crème fraiche meringue alongside trout caviar, fried skin and bones, and a bit of chickweed. An entirely different take on serving the ‘whole’ fish everything simply clicked – the tastes, the textures, and even the plating all dramatic yet refined.

4 Cured Trout – Leek, Apple: The least inspiring course of the evening, though still quite good, featured a cut of Ruby Trout that was cold smoked and then confited served over sorrel puree along with smoked crème fraiche, sea beans, charred leeks, apple, and celery root. Another light and beautiful dish I think there was simply too much smoke and char in this presentation to properly appreciate the fish.

5 Trout Souffle – Beet, Horseradish, Rye: With a cured preparation and a smoked version already accounted for the last dish featured sashimi grade trout at the base of a horseradish soufflé served alongside a caraway tuille, sliced apples, Golden Beets, Purple Cuyahoga beets, and a “rye sponge.” Another light dish with each ingredient serving a purpose I was particularly impressed by just how well the horseradish worked to accent the trout without overwhelming while the beets and apple tamed the spice.

“Pumpkin”
6 Kabocha – Cardamom, Chestnut: Moving on to heartier flavors this creamy potage featured a veloute of Kabocha squash along with roasted chestnuts, a touch of heat from espelette pepper, and plenty of aromatics from the ginger and cardamom foam. Large in portion and moreso in flavor with salty toasted pumpkin seeds tossed in for texture this was yet another highlight of the night.

7 Turbot – Salsify, Pumpkin: Perhaps the most interesting pairing of the evening the turbot was first presented whole and then plated in the kitchen over top of confit pumpkin, stinging nettles, and roast salsify before being bathed in a butter stock of lobster, capers, and sundried tomato. Rich but well balanced and drizzled tableside with pumpkin seed oil the fish itself was beautifully prepared but it was the stock that really shined – each drop sopped up yet another baguette.

8 Pumpkin and Foie Gras – Parmesan: Equally unique as the course that preceded it this parfait of “sweet and sour” pumpkin, foie gras mousse, Madeira wine, pumpkin gastrique, and pumpkin seeds baked with black pepper was a dynamic blend of flavors and textures that suffered only one flaw – the fact that it was only a few spoonfuls when I’d have preferred it by the bowl.

“Truffle”
9 Truffle – Shirred Egg: Following one of my favorite ingredients with another the silver lining of Dave not enjoying runny eggs is the fact that I was able to enjoy this course twice. Quadruple plated in the style of Keller’s Oysters and Pearls and featuring brown butter roasted truffles and truffle sabayon inside the lightly poached egg this was a course you could smell from across the room – luxury in excess bolstered by accoutrements of truffle butter toasts and a frisee salad with truffle vinaigrette.

10 Pig Trotter – Pomme Puree: Answering his own question of “what happens when a truffle pig eats the truffles?” with the quip “you eat the pig” we were presented a simple and delicious preparation of Berkshire pork loin alongside a trotter stuffed with truffled sausage and buttery mashed potatoes drizzled with truffle pork jus. Hearty to be sure and interestingly placed on a menu with three savories yet to come this was another course where the bread service was put to good use, the plate retuning to the kitchen spotless.

“Game”
11 Guinea Hen – Matsutake, Pine: Following pork with poultry the first course of three wild-caught options featured a moist pave of guinea hen breast served over Brussels sprout leaves, pine nuts, and an aromatic pine espuma along with confit leg meat. Intended by the chef to serve the hen in its natural habitat between the forest and the field I was most impressed by the finesse of the pine in this course, a note on the palate but far from the dominant and cloying flavor it can be when employed by less skilled hands.

12 Venison – Juniper, Cranberry: Locally shot, pan seared, and ash crusted my buddy’s eyes lit up at this presentation and although he was admittedly getting quite both of our plates returned to the kitchen empty. Rich and funky unlike so much of the farm raised deer seen on menus elsewhere and served with toasted Tuscan kale, sweet potato leaf, and cranberry blood-orange moustarda plus a drizzle of gin/juniper jus this was quite possibly the best deer dish I’ve ever had – so tender that it could be cut with the edge of a fork and exceedingly moist for something so lean.

13 Wild Hare – Civet, Risotto: Shot in Scotland just a day prior and cooked in mirepoix it seemed almost impossible that Chef Lents could find something bolder than the venison to serve as the final savory and yet here it was. Rich, nutty, and teaming with herbs and spices atop rye-berry risotto with a light bay leaf cream this was a perfect conclusion to a menu that effortlessly moved from something as light as champagne to a dish as hearty as stew.

Supplemental Cheese Course: Apparently something brand new to Sixteen the cheese was presented tableside first and with Dave quite full I decided to go with the $15 Epoisses course while he rested and although I generally prefer a carte to a composed cheese it would be hard to argue with a thick dollop of Epoisses served alongside white truffles, rye crisps, figs, and fig puree plus raisin toast and a small pour of Belgian Tripel Karmeliet that even to my beer-naïve-self proved to be a lovely counterpoint to the richness of the cheese and truffles.

“Orchard”
14 Pink Pearl Apple – Walnut, Sorel: A simple palate cleanser of tart apples, nutty walnut hash, and herbal sorel infused verjus was a nice refresher after the hefty cheese course.

15 Cider – Goat’s Milk, Brown Butter: Titled after the warm glass of 5-apple cider arriving alongside the elongated plate the penultimate course of the Sixteen signature menu featured a vast array of apples in the form of a crispy fritter, apples sous-vided with caramel, candied apple skins, and apple butter alongside a brown butter sponge cake and fresh goat’s milk ice cream. Hot and cold, creamy and crunchy, sweet and salty – a deconstructed apple pie served a la mode and a different experience with each spoonful.

16 Chocolate – Bourbon, Wood: A dainty portion, but just enough given the hefty flavors within, the last proper plate presented vanilla ice cream aged in bourbon barrels stuffed inside bitter chocolate logs alongside maple syrup, condensed apple butter, and barley streusel. Rich and smoky, just a touch sweet, and perfectly paired with a bold French press of highland Chiapas.

Mignardises: Presented on a trolly and described at length by our server, Sixteen’s collection of candies and confections are entirely made in house and meant to focus on both local favorites and whimsical childhood classics including “Dots,” Cracker Jack, Andes Mints, Butterfingers, Tootsie Rolls, Baby Ruth, three types of cotton candy (pecan, coconut, and rose,) three sucker selections (green apple, cinnamon, and rootbeer,) plus a pair of truffles – one milk chocolate filled with pear and the other a dark chocolate praline. Plentiful and fun, both myself and my friend took the ‘one of each approach’ and although nothing was particularly wowing I personally enjoyed the cracker jack and tootsie rolls.

Apple Turnover: Along with a copy of the menu dated to the day Lents’ Sixteen received its first Michelin Star our take home gift was a buttery apple turnover and amongst the last to leave we were each given a pair – the first eaten on the spot and the second going home to my sister…to say the least this most certainly wasn’t your morning toaster pastry.

The Verdict: Having mentioned the impetus for my visit to Sixteen, the meal I gave up in its place, and the irony of dining on the day Lents cooking was recognized by the red guide all I can say is that I could not have been happier with my first visit to the sixteenth floor of Trump International Tower and I anticipate plenty more accolades and stars for the young chef over the coming months and years. From the beautiful room and glorious view to the colors, textures, and flavors on the plate there is little doubt in my mind that Sixteen has the ambition and capability to become a world-class destination restaurant and while it may never be the ‘best’ restaurant in Chicago I don’t think second place is unrealistic – or such a bad thing given the competition.

Gonzo - the cheese course went up to $20? Did it come with the beer?

Also, regarding the coffee, to the best of my knowledge Lavazza does not source single origins and when asked my server specifically noted the origin of our beans - odd that this would change from something more esoteric to less given the restaurant's lofty goals.

uhockey wrote:Gonzo - the cheese course went up to $20? Did it come with the beer?

Also, regarding the coffee, to the best of my knowledge Lavazza does not source single origins and when asked my server specifically noted the origin of our beans - odd that this would change from something more esoteric to less given the restaurant's lofty goals.

There were some mishaps with the cheese course; I meant to put it in my review, but reached the character limit on the site where I first wrote the review - so couldn't squeeze it in. One of the food aversions we had mentioned was blue cheese. Our server never mentioned that there was a cheese course at the beginning of the meal (I only knew about it from your review); I thought that maybe he would bring up the option at the end of the savories. The final savory was delivered by someone other than our primary server and as it was being cleared I inquired about the cheese course; this person clearing said he would alert our server. Jeremy came by and said there was a cheese course and apologized about not having mentioning it saying that he thought because of the aversion we had mentioned about cheese we would not want to order it. I asked if it was a blue cheese and he said no, but that it was "pungent." He apologized again and we decided to order it. As dessert was already on route he said he would bring it after dessert (a bit of an inconvenience as we had a little wine left and it would have gone nicely with the cheese, but not with dessert). When the cheese course came it did not come accompanied by beer and we were charged $20. My wife and I did both enjoy the cheese and did not find it too pungent and certainly nothing reminiscent of blue cheese. This was just one of a few gaffes in service that I feel need to be ironed out for Sixteen to aspire to the next level, but Jeremy was extremely friendly and personable despite making a mistake here and there and I would not mind having him again despite the less than flawless execution at times.

I also agree with what you said in your review that have a cheese cart instead of a composed plate would elevate the course even further. I really love cheese carts and I feel that the cheese cart course at Tru really adds a l to the meal and also love the cheese cart in a Boston restaurant we have both been to (L'espalier). I think a cheese cart would fit in perfectly at Sixteen with what they are striving for and would make dining there even more of a wonderful experience.

With the coffee, we had actually asked for a French Press - we had noticed presses being dropped off at other tables and did not realize that it was actually part of a dish on the sixteen course menu and not coffee service. We were told that they did not have French Press coffee available, but did have Lavazza coffee. I did not know much about Lavazza, but the coffee seemed pretty good. I French Press option would also be nice as I do enjoy when coffee is served in that manner.

They pressed the grapes for the first stream course - but also had a French press for the coffee we ordered. Odd. The cheese was epoisses and I think you need to reassess your dislike for bleu cheese if you enjoyed it - there are MANY blue cheeses far less potent than Epoisses.

I don't know that a cheese carte is always "better" than a composed cheese course, but when well culled (as the one at TRU and ESPECIALLY at L'Espalier are) they can certainly add another dimension to the meal.

Very strange how different aspects of Sixteen manifest on different days to different diners - perhaps my experience was a 'best of' situation that would not be replicated on future visits.

uhockey wrote:They pressed the grapes for the first stream course - but also had a French press for the coffee we ordered. Odd. The cheese was epoisses and I think you need to reassess your dislike for bleu cheese if you enjoyed it - there are MANY blue cheeses far less potent than Epoisses.

I don't know that a cheese carte is always "better" than a composed cheese course, but when well culled (as the one at TRU and ESPECIALLY at L'Espalier are) they can certainly add another dimension to the meal.

Very strange how different aspects of Sixteen manifest on different days to different diners - perhaps my experience was a 'best of' situation that would not be replicated on future visits.

Hopefully your experience will become the norm over the coming months; while Sixteen is not a new restaurant, they have had so many substantial front and back of the house changes this past year that they are almost like a new restaurant in terms of having some kinks to work through before they can consistently execute near flawless service.

Definitely odd about the French press being available when you dined there; I wonder if it was a case last night of it being a full house and us having a very early dining time so them not having any extras available for coffee service. I did notice several surrounding tables receiving courses I knew to be on the 16 course menu from your review, so it is possible they simply did not have a clean press when it came time for our coffee.

I plan to return in a few months, probably March or April (assuming the menu seems appealing at that time) so hopefully by then the staff with have settled in sufficiently to deliver like the two or three star venue the restaurant is capable of transforming into. They certainly are charging three star prices for their New Year's Eve event, more than Alinea for the late seating, but they will have a much nicer view at midnight than Alinea - so I guess that is fair.

When do you plan to make another trip back to Chicago?

Gonzo70 wrote:while Sixteen is not a new restaurant, they have had so many substantial front and back of the house changes this past year that they are almost like a new restaurant in terms of having some kinks to work through before they can consistently execute near flawless service.

I feel the same way. And it's not like the service was bad; there were plenty of attentive and eager waitstaff, trying their best to please. They were superb at noticing and dealing with a small spill by one of our diners. But there were minor things that they need to work on. In our case, they brought the first of our wine pairings at the start of the meal while we were still working on cocktails - not a big deal, but it shouldn't have happened. And they managed to violate both of the cardinal rules of coffee service, which IMHO apply to fresh brewed coffee or tea, hot or iced: (1) At the time the beverage is first presented, either sweetener (including at least one sugar-based and one non-sugar-based) should be brought automatically, or the diner should be asked if sweetener is desired. The diner should not have to ask for it, and the beverage server should not leave the table without at least asking. (2) When the beverage has been almost or completely consumed, either a refill should be brought automatically, or the diner should be asked if a refill is desired. The diner should not have to ask for it, and an empty cup/glass should not sit there indefinitely. (You rarely think about this because sweetener and refills are automatic at most restaurants, at inexpensive bistros as well as at high-end temples of haute cuisine.)

This isn't major stuff - not egregious like bus-staff trying to remove a plate that a diner is still eating from - but you typically won't notice such flaws at places that deserve three stars.

My turn.

We were last at Sixteen several years ago for brunch, previously reported upthread. With the advent of a new chef and a new pastry chef and because we had always been curious about dinner, I decided that a return was in order. (A few days later, we were tickled to see a tweet from Dave Beran: “Randomly walked into bar at sixteen tonight. @cheflents spots us and hits us with courses from upcoming menu. Delicious!!! Eat this menu!!!”)

Then, I sit and slave over (okay, maybe “dally” is a better word) this review only to have Gonzo70 and then nsextasy and then uhockey beat me to the punch! Our menu was largely—though not completely—the same eight courses: as one example, we didn’t have Brussels sprouts but got venison (I’d say that was a fair trade.) More important, we agree in large part with what Gonzo70’s observations.

It was LDC’s birthday so she got to choose the menu. As Gonzo70 noted, the choice is among three tasting menus: four, eight, or sixteen courses. The eight (and sixteen) course menu is “pre-decided” in that the kitchen has decided what those courses are. We didn’t anticipate any problems with that restriction and, in the event, there weren’t any. (For what it’s worth, as recently as this summer, the choices were thirteen-course, six-course, and a la carte. That’s been changed.)

As noted upthread, Sixteen named a new chef at the beginning of the year: Thomas Lents, chef de cuisine at Robuchon’s Mansion in Las Vegas. New restaurant director, too: Will Douillet (formerly of Alinea and Next). Oh, and new pastry chef: Patrick Fahy, from Blackbird/Café des Architectes.

Our server was quite enthusiastic and polished at the same time. Though he was undoubtedly reciting a carefully considered script, it never came off that way. Our only quibble with the script was the notion that Chef Lents had so fundamentally rethought and reconcepted tasting menus that we should take everything we knew—or thought we knew—about tasting menus, “crumple it up and toss it out the window.” Uh, no. Carefully attuned to the season, well-thought out, beautifully crafted, exquisitely presented, yes to all of those things. A whole new, previously unheard-of approach to tasting menus, no.

As our questions wound down and we zeroed in our placing our order, our server noted one last thing. It is fall and fall is truffle season. The kitchen had obtained some white truffles and so the chef was offering a truffle risotto as an optional add-on. We so opted. (It’s not insignificant to note that the risotto is $70 per person; and perhaps a testament to the specialness of the occasion for folks dining there, we noted that a large number of tables chose the risotto.)

We were truly astonished, for a Saturday evening, that the place wasn’t ever full. We had a very early reservation but arrived late and so were in the house from about 6:30 until after 9 pm. The room was never more than two-thirds full, the more surprising considering (a) the recent publicity (earning back the Michelin star that was taken away last year, among other things, (b) the very high quality of the food, and (c) the view. Dinner isn’t cheap but it isn’t out of line with other places operating at the same level and we were quite surprised to see more than a handful of empty tables. Given our overall pleasure with things, we do very much hope that more people discover the great work Lents and his entire staff are doing.

Speaking of fall, it is worth noting that Chef Lents is originally from Michigan and so, it seems fair to say, has a local’s sensitivity to the Midwestern “experience.” Not that those who grew up elsewhere can’t pick it up, but that growing up in the Midwest makes a difference. With Lents’ resume (he started at the Everest Room with Jean Joho and it was only up from there), he obviously had the freedom to reject an offer from Sixteen without harming his career. We should be very happy indeed that he accepted their offer: we’re lucky to have him here. (There’s an illuminating, if brief, interview with him at the Grub Street website, here.)
Jeff Ruby wrote an insightful, enthusiastic review this past August for Chicago Magazine. Last note: much of the menu now pays homage to Chicago. Thus, the first offering placed on the table is a very high-end, wonderfully delicious popcorn…thank you, Garrett’s. And note the humor in the paper cone in which the fried smelts are served. Sixteen, for those who didn’t know, occupies the site of the former Sun-Times building.


Amuses: Popcorn; Emmentaler gougere; fried smelt
All three were great. One quibble: the young man presenting the gougere offered the serving dish and indicated that we were to take one even though we had no plate to set it on. I guess we were expected to pop it immediately into our mouths, ready or not. As it happened, I was still working on something and would have liked to have him set it down for a moment. Faced with no choice, I took it and put it on the popcorn dish. We both loved the humor of the smelts “cone,” though the fish could have been crisper. The dipping sauce (uhockey said tartar sauce, which makes sense, but my recollection was something different…in any case, it was much more complex than I anticipated) was excellent.


Verjus, ginger, grape
I wasn’t expecting a lot from this (beautiful presentation notwithstanding). I was wrong. The foam was redolent of ginger and it worked absolutely perfectly with the verjus. A terrific appetizer: tart, sweet, light, perfectly balanced and a great introduction to the meal to come.


(Smoked)Trout, leek, apple
No. Remarkably enough, I didn’t adjust the color on this picture. We were told it was smoked trout and it tasted like smoked trout. It just happened to look exactly like salmon. Thank you, uhockey, for clarifying that it was ruby trout. We tend to agree that it was a pleasant dish—nothing less than very good (or better) but nothing exceptional or surprising, nothing unexpected and so, at the end, “pleasant.”


Kabocha, chestnut, cardamom
You have to wonder what’s up when the plates are delivered and the server sticks around for a moment and then starts off by saying how intelligent we both undoubtedly are. Huh? He then warns us—noting, of course, that we’re too wise to do so—not to sprinkle the sand and pinecones, etc., that decorate the serving plate into the soup. It really IS sand; they really ARE pinecones. Kinda makes you wonder…. The soup was lovely and the course wonderful in evoking the season from the presentation to the taste. Altogether a success. (Note to the staff: the name of the ingredient is kabocha. It’s three syllables and although it’s a Japanese word, it’s not hard to say. Get it right. No one said it correctly and everyone managed to get it wrong in a different way.)


White truffle risotto
Lest there be any question, the portion you see there is barely one-quarter cup. Though we joked, it’s one of those rueful jokes: each spoon was about $10. On the other hand, Chef Lents came out to slice the truffles and he was nothing if not generous in his portion. And the risotto was fabulous. If I had a quibble, I’d say that I prefer the rice (Chef explained that it was Carnaroli but didn’t have much else to say) a touch more done. Was it worth $70? I don’t know: I find I can’t evaluate a course that way. I feel more comfortable saying that the whole experience—the dinner, the service, the ambiance—was or wasn’t worth a particular price; I can’t do the same with a single course.


Turbot, salsify, pumpkin
Unlike uhockey’s, our was simply served plated, not prepared tableside. We also enjoyed it very much—a thoughtful combination of ingredients, perfectly done.


Pig’s trotter, truffle, pomme puree
The only course we agreed that didn’t do much for either of us. The pig’s trotter was hollowed out and used as a “casing” for house-made sausage; both of us found it a little too…gamy…to enjoy. Here’s also where I have a problem with someone and I suspect that someone is the kitchen. I asked our server to tell me about the sausage. He said that he couldn’t and explained in the nicest possible way that the chef wouldn’t divulge—even to the servers—what’s in the sausage. I find complete silence hard to understand and speaking entirely for myself, don’t like being told that the chef won’t share any information whatsoever. That is unquestionably his prerogative but sometimes I like to know the components of a course or a dish and resent being left 100% in the dark.

Compounding our unhappiness with the stuffed trotter was the fact that neither of our slices of pork loin was particularly tender. Flavorful, yes; tender, no. The “pomme puree” is either the same as (or extremely similar to) the potato puree that Robuchon is so famous for. It’s hard to know how to describe it; though it’s ultimately no more than mashed potatoes, it’s no more “like” mashed potatoes than foie is like a piece of liver. The reason the portion is so small is because the potatoes are so unbelievably rich that you wouldn’t want more. Beautifully, exquisitely, done. Hard to believe that anyone couldn’t love these.


Venison, juniper, cranberry
The cranberry mostarda made this dish, in my estimation. Don’t misunderstand: the venison was nearly flawless, cooked just right, fork-tender, intense, rich, slightly gamy. But that mostarda (which, in its strength and intensity is, admittedly, not for everyone) could not have been a better complement. Altogether lovely—maybe the best course of the night.


Pink pearl apple (sorbet), walnut, sorrel
I love sorbet and have found over the years that people either have the skill and knowledge to make the most of the flavor or don’t. Sorbets are either pretty intense or not. We were both pleased at how apple-y this course was. A lovely interlude indeed.


Cider, goat’s milk, brown butter
I can’t improve on or add anything to uhockey’s description, so I won’t try.


Dessert cart
Very clever, many nods to Chicago, and exquisitely done. I think we might have been a bit more impressed had we not had a remarkably similar presentation only a few weeks ago at Steirereck in Vienna. That is not at all to criticize this offering: every single item we chose was exquisite, both beautiful and truly delicious. Only to observe that some of the delight in the creative vehicle was missing.


Selections from the dessert cart
I had a few “candy bars” and other items and every single one was absolutely scrumptious. A delight of a course.

I’m pleased to say that I very much enjoyed and was impressed with our sommelier. I chose not to have the pairings ($75) but to have two glasses, a white and a red, instead. I was delighted to be treated like an intelligent patron and not condescended to. We discussed the pros and cons of the by-the-glass list, which wasn’t particularly substantial. He not only offered to include a pour of anything from the pairings list but also mentioned several other options as well. I was quite pleased by our choices and think I may continue to go this way. I lose track of eight or ten (or more) wines in the course of a tasting and feel like I remember little, if anything. While there is undoubtedly much to be said for individual pairings like that, I think I enjoyed the two glasses more and could spend more time focusing on them. (Since we had a long discussion about alcohol levels and whites, I was very pleased when he brought over a generous pour of a Chardonnay from a maker new to me: a 2010 Diatom, “Kodo.” The winery is in the Santa Rita Hills in the Central Coast and the glass was a pure delight. I am tired to death of oaky chards and this one never saw the inside of an oak barrel: rich, extremely well-balanced; nice (if unexpected) complexity. Some minerality, stone fruits; maybe a touch austere.

Our “parting gift” was what uhockey called an apple turnover. I think of it more the way it was described when it was handed to us: a pop-tart. I will say only that if Pop-Tarts tasted like this, I’d have them for breakfast every day. Wow!

A word on the service: we thought it was professional, polished, but not quite there. Servers varied in their interaction and warmth, which is to be expected. But when a server makes a point of asking us to consider coffee or tea after dinner, I expected them to follow up the suggestion and ask again. We were visited by someone with bread twice. All evening. The breads were very good but, remarkably enough, we would have liked to be offered more than one or two pieces. We realize that there are other tables to serve and so we don’t expect to have someone at our elbow every moment. But in the course of several hours, more than twice doesn’t seem to ask too much.

Here’s how Gonzo70 summed up his experience, in part: “The food at Sixteen was consistently very good, some great, but I would not say that anything stood out as being phenomenal or mind blowing or left me craving more. The food really highlighted the seasons…. All of the food was beautifully and meticulously plated…. I would say that Sixteen is very deserving of their recently awarded Michelin star…. Sixteen definitely has multiple star potential but are not quite there yet. To ascend to the next level the food needs to be a little more memorable with a couple mind blowing courses, the service flow a bit more smoothly and the experience made to be a bit more of a special event….”

We agree completely. However, we disagree with his next sentence in which he noted that these are “picky criticisms.” Given what we presume must be Chef Lents’ and Sixteen’s aspirations, things like that aren’t picky, they’re critical. I’m glad to see the gist of this sudden group of reviews is all highly complimentary. And yet I’d withhold some praise. There are still issues: as Gonzo70 said, nothing blew us away, nothing left us craving more. I noted some service issues, as did all of the recent reviewers. I wish I could be unreservedly praiseworthy but I just don’t think they’re there yet. However, the one common theme that I do get from the others reviews and it’s one that I heartily agree with is: this is already a terrific place and it’s one that will almost certainly only get better. It is absolutely, undeniably a place to watch. Given the competition at this level, that’s no small praise. If you haven’t been—or haven’t been in a while—you really do owe yourself a visit. Now!

Nicely summed up - and, if it is any consolation on being late to the party, your pictures are stellar.

Great review and pictures Gypsy Boy; looks like we dined there at the same time (we were there Saturday at 5:30).

I love food and I love this board (long long time lurker), but this is just to much by Gypsy Boy.

(Note to the staff: the name of the ingredient is kabocha. It’s three syllables and although it’s a Japanese word, it’s not hard to say. Get it right. No one said it correctly and everyone managed to get it wrong in a different way.)

Great review ruined IMHO.

levengood wrote:I love food and I love this board (long long time lurker), but this is just to much by Gypsy Boy.

(Note to the staff: the name of the ingredient is kabocha. It’s three syllables and although it’s a Japanese word, it’s not hard to say. Get it right. No one said it correctly and everyone managed to get it wrong in a different way.)

Great review ruined IMHO.

Why? This is a huge pet peeve of mine when servers can't pronounce or are unaware of what they're serving. It's especially unacceptable when it occurs at a restaurant of this calibre.

levengood wrote:I love food and I love this board (long long time lurker), but this is just to much by Gypsy Boy.

(Note to the staff: the name of the ingredient is kabocha. It’s three syllables and although it’s a Japanese word, it’s not hard to say. Get it right. No one said it correctly and everyone managed to get it wrong in a different way.)

Great review ruined IMHO.

Welcome to the board. And while I welcome your opinion, I really disagree. If I'm dropping $200/person for dinner and the staff doesn't properly understand the menu and the ingredients (evidenced by an inability to pronounce the ingredients), I'm going to be very disappointed. That's part of the justification for that price in my opinion.

Gypsy Boy and Gonzo70, thank you both so much for posting your extensive reviews and your great photos and all your thoughts about your dinners at Sixteen. Although there were one or two minor comments with which I might not agree*, that's to be expected whenever comparing notes, and one minor point certainly doesn't "ruin" or diminish your reviews in any way. I appreciate the time you spent writing them, and your insightful posts helped me clarify my own thinking about dining there.

*For example, I still think the popcorn sucked. Clever idea, but it tasted like pre-popped supermarket popcorn. But you're welcome to your opinions!

levengood wrote:I love food and I love this board (long long time lurker), but this is just to much by Gypsy Boy.

(Note to the staff: the name of the ingredient is kabocha. It’s three syllables and although it’s a Japanese word, it’s not hard to say. Get it right. No one said it correctly and everyone managed to get it wrong in a different way.)

Great review ruined IMHO.

Welcome to the board and thanks for posting. I have no problem with your disagreeing with me. I'm just curious why you find my thought "too much." I can understand disagreeing with it; what I'm having trouble understanding is why your disagreement is so strong that you believe that that one note ruined the entire review.

I'm headed to 16 in a month for an anniversary. Is there anything we should do about table location? Are there tables by the windows with better views? Should be ask in advance?

Thanks,

Jonah wrote:I'm headed to 16 in a month for an anniversary. Is there anything we should do about table location? Are there tables by the windows with better views? Should be ask in advance?

That's not necessary, IMHO. In the main dining room, the "wall" of windows is huge (several stories high, floor to ceiling) and the view is easily visible from any table in the room. But you might just request seating anywhere in the main dining room, because they have additional seating (see below) that is not quite as dramatic.

The main dining room has its pluses and minuses. When I was there a couple of weeks ago, I was seated in their smaller dining room to the right (one I'm guessing they sometimes use for private parties, and otherwise for overflow on weekends). That smaller dining room has lower ceilings, but still has a terrific view; it just doesn't extend quite as high so it's not quite as dramatic an effect. I actually rather enjoyed the smaller room, because it was less noisy than the main dining room. One of the ironies of Sixteen is that it is spacious - I think the tables are spaced further apart than any other restaurant in Chicago - but it can also be noisy, because the wall of glass represents a hard surface that reflects noise. The noise is generally not intrusive, with the exception of times when parties are arriving at the hoststand and/or drinking at the bar outside the main dining room; that is when the noise level is noticeably intrusive in the main dining room (I've been seated there in the past), less so in the smaller dining room where I was seated on this occasion.

HTH

Has anyone tried brunch or lunch here since Lents took over? Setting up a Chicago weekend in late December and thinking of trying something new for Sunday afternoon...

FYI the new winter menu just came out for Sixteen (see their website for the menu); it looks great to me! I am tentatively planning to return in early March.

Given all of the terrific, detailed reviews above, I feel a tad guilty about adding what doesn't amount to much more than a "yes, indeed" to the thread -- but I wanted to echo GypsyBoy echoing Gonzo, just in case it helps anyone reading this thread make a decision about dining at Sixteen.

My wife and I ate there on an early October Sunday with two friends from Montreal. All four of us got the eight-course menus. All four of us had cocktails; a couple of us got the wine pairings. All four of us felt the place still had some work to do in just about every domain -- food, bar, wine, service -- to achieve its aims (and, to be honest, to justify its price points).

The meal's various facets ranged from "meh" to "good" to "very good" and, rarely, to "great" (averaging, I'd say, "very good") -- but we never had anything that *really* wowed us. The cocktails were, bluntly, disappointing. The wine pairings were good enough, but not memorable. And the service ranged from friendly and informative to abrupt and slightly cold.

For context: our friends' visit included dinners at Schwa on Thursday night, Longman & Eagle on Friday night, and Topolobampo on Saturday night, as well. Schwa was the clear favorite.

I admit that I have a very soft spot for Schwa. (My wife's less over-the-moon; in general, she has mixed feelings about what's most easily referred to as "molecular gastronomy.") But: there was really no contest in our friends' opinions, either, along pretty much any dimension. And they do like the atmosphere and service Sixteen's aiming for, so it wasn't just being seduced by Schwa's game.

All of this suggests to me, at least, that while Sixteen is a valued addition to Chicagoans' high-end, exquisite dining experiences, it's not yet ready to move toward the very top of that list, and any recommendation I'd make to dine there would be qualified accordingly.