Just a note- I've heard Kirk from Moto and Otom has started working over at Lockwood as their GM. I'd expect things to get significantly better over there- he's one of the best GM's around.

jpschust wrote:Just a note- I've heard Kirk from Moto and Otom has started working over at Lockwood as their GM. I'd expect things to get significantly better over there- he's one of the best GM's around.

That is interesting news indeed. I know Kirk to be a highly professional, very down-to-earth manager who really understands the business. He also has a keen eye for interesting, affordable wines - something that Lockwood needs desperately. Kudos to the Palmer House bigwigs if they indeed saw fit to bring him in for a significant turnaround role. If it's just to suggest a few cursory changes -well, that won't go nearly far enough based on my experience there, and also based on the rather horrible press Lockwood has received so far.

Kennyz wrote:

jpschust wrote:Just a note- I've heard Kirk from Moto and Otom has started working over at Lockwood as their GM. I'd expect things to get significantly better over there- he's one of the best GM's around.

That is interesting news indeed. I know Kirk to be a highly professional, very down-to-earth manager who really understands the business. He also has a keen eye for interesting, affordable wines - something that Lockwood needs desperately. Kudos to the Palmer House bigwigs if they indeed saw fit to bring him in for a significant turnaround role. If it's just to suggest a few cursory changes -well, that won't go nearly far enough based on my experience there, and also based on the rather horrible press Lockwood has received so far.

I'm going to speculate, and this is purely speculation off knowing Kirk- that he wouldn't leave the Moto/Otom group where he seemed to be very happy unless he got to do it his way. I'm also guessing that whatever it took to lure him away meant they were serious about changing the place up more than a little bit. I think we're going to stop in come a few weeks from now to give him some time to settle in.

When the ridiculous hyperbole at http://www.lockwoodrestaurant.com is gone, and the wine list has received a 100% overhaul, I'll believe Kirk's influence might be starting to turn the place around. A couple of years and several positive reviews later, and I might be willing to stop in again for a drink if someone else is paying. As much as I like Kirk, that's how bad my initial impression of this place was. I wish them well. Really, I do.

A glowing (3 star) review from good old Phil today:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/dining/chi-0306_d_vettelmar06,0,3482975.story

Has anyone been recently? Have things really improved this much?

I haven't been back (surprise, surprise), but I do note on the website that there has been a complete overhaul of the food and wine menu. Virtually nothing my dining companion and I had is still there, and there are actually a number of wines available for under 50 bucks (exactly zero during my visit). I sincerely hope that Kirk has made a big difference, and that the place turns out to be a winner.

I prefer the ambience and service of Custom House, but the quality of the food we received last night at Lockwood, and the skill and style of its preparation were at the same level, and I wouldn't be ashamed to recommend the restaurant for those in search of that kind of upscale, American cuisine in the Loop.

Standouts were a wild asparagus soup (poured around a square of jellied/truffled/duck terrine, which gradually infused the soup with its flavors) and a salmon plated on a wonderfully rich potato puree and a layer of lardons and mushrooms and cooked to perfection, crisp on edges, moist on the inside with nary a hint of dryness or rawness. The fois gras and rack of lamb ordered by the SO, were also similarly well-cooked, well-plated, and flavorful.

Prices are similar to Custom House with apps ranging from $12-$22, entrees generally in the $30-45 range, and desserts at $10. I am not a wine connisseur, but there were numerous selections in the $40-$55 range, and we found a good pinot noir that fit in between. Service was cordial and available, and altho the pacing between courses was a bit slow, it was not excruciatingly so.

Lockwood would seem to be the kind of hotel restaurant that will need to attract a local following to survive (as has Custom House and, apparently, Mercat). It was only half full this past Saturday, and most of the occupied tables seemed to be taken by hotel guests. We did sense under-the-surface rumblings about the prices, and I fear that quality will suffer if management decides to meet the demands of a more transient market with lower expectations (on both price and offerings), and the requirements, say, of this metromix reviewer: "I like ranch dressing. I was told that I could not have ranch dressing. I know the staff is doing what they are told, but you cannot tell me that a hotel as large as the Palmer House does not have ranch dressing. Chef Foss needs to put his ego to the side and concentrate on taking care of the customer. I will never be back to dine there."

Anyway, we arrived preparing to be disappointed (on part because of some early reviews above, based it appears on a previous incarnation of the restaurant) and we left very much satisfied.

Not sure if this belongs in a different spot in the Forums (other culinary chat?), but Chef Foss has posted some thoughts on reviews, generally, and Time Out's, in particular. Mike Nagrant (and then Heather Shouse) chime in with thoughts here (Time Out's review, for reference, can be found here).

It doesn't really seem as though Lockwood took off, certainly not among this community. Has anyone been recently? They have once already re-vamped the menu -- have they done so again? More than anything, though, I'm a little struck by the timing of this. Time Out reviewed the restaurant in January and Chef Foss is only now posting his thoughts on it?

danimalarkey wrote:Not sure if this belongs in a different spot in the Forums (other culinary chat?), but Chef Foss has posted some thoughts on reviews, generally, and Time Out's, in particular. Mike Nagrant (and then Heather Shouse) chime in with thoughts here (Time Out's review, for reference, can be found here).

It doesn't really seem as though Lockwood took off, certainly not among this community. Has anyone been recently? They have once already re-vamped the menu -- have they done so again? More than anything, though, I'm a little struck by the timing of this. Time Out reviewed the restaurant in January and Chef Foss is only now posting his thoughts on it?

I agree that the timing is weird, though - while I was expecting the worst forms of hypocrisy when I read Foss's blog - I actually found him to have a relatively decent sense of humor about the thing. Especially at the end where he mentions Vettel's positive review of Lockwood and says, "...now that's a great publication:)". There is of course plenty of hypocrisy though, in that on his own blog he seems to seek out and link to blog reviews (e.g., Epicurista) that that say something positive about his restaurant. And I agree with Nagrant that the baseless and condescending attack on Heather Shouse's credentials was unwarranted. At least she wrote about real experiences with Foss's food and the restaurant's decor, and didn't write, "I also hear that his experience at Le Cirque was really as a dishwasher."

As anyone who has read the Hungrymag piece now knows, the review that started this thread was based on a meal I had with Heather. Obviously, my opinion of the meal was quite similar to hers. Foss is right that restaurant experiences can differ widely from night to night. After my experience, I pretty much swore I'd never return. However, I'm now glad to have discovered his blog, where it is easy to see that he is a passionate, talented, and dedicated chef. It used to be that someone would have to hold me at gunpoint to get me back to Lockwood. A sharp knife would probably do now.

A few notes in response to the recent posts.

1) I have sent an apology to Heather for the unacceptable mis-information in my posting. I have also removed reference to her and Time Out (a day late and $ short). I drastically underestimated the fallout it would have.
2) The timing in my post is unusual only because my blog started in September and the only thing that kicked off the rant in the 1st place was the quote i liked in Frank Bruni's blog. It just carried from there and it wasn't a pre-meditated rebuttal. I don't regret some of the points in general, but I don't have any plans to comment on any criticisms again. The bottom line is that restaurants - and the dining community as a whole - owes much to the restaurant critic... besides, the kitchen is where my time is best served.
3) The menu is 're-vamped' every month based on ingredients and my own whims. There are only 2 hold-overs from the original menu and none of the dishes from the Time Out article remain... just the same, none of the dishes that the Chicago Tribune loved remain either.
4) Finally, at least the weapon necessary to convince you to come back is getting less dangerous! Maybe one of these days a simple invitation will do I will be the first to say we had some major obstacles to overcome before getting into a rhythm. All the same - biased though I may be - we're now a very healthy 1 year old and are doing much more right than wrong. Hopefully you'll bite the bullet (pun intended), and give us another look.

That's an impressive post from what I'm coming to think is a pretty darn impressive guy. Hey, whatever flak he's deservedly taking for what I think is a misguided rant against reviewers (with or without the removal of names), the upside is that it almost certainly has drawn extra traffic to a truly terrific blog. It's fun and educational to get a behind-the-scenes look at how some excellent-sounding dishes get created.

phillipfoss wrote:4) Finally, at least the weapon necessary to convince you to come back is getting less dangerous!

At this point, I might be convinced by a burly, intimidating man with serious-sounding threats. Unfortunately, you're letting your soft side come out too much, so you'd have to send one of your staff members.

No problem... my potwasher Markus can pay you a visit... He's in the background of this photo and is very convincing.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZsyS4ugule4/S ... 0_1134.jpg

If there is a better short rib sandwich in the loop area, let me know. It's the only thing I tend to order because its so good. I think the restaurant and the hotel are beautiful. The renovations are stunning. I also like meeting for drinks in the bar area at Lockwood. (Potter's is Ok too)

I've only gone to Lockwood for special events but each time I've been really impressed by the food, service - and most recently wine service. An interpretation of buffalo chicken wings - with a beautifully Frenched tiny wing segment bone; a dish that included rösti - thanks to a German sous-chef; and another with autumn aromas were especially good and imaginative. I've been puzzled as to why the restaurant has not only not received more recognition for the excellent work for which I know it's capable, but actually the opposite.

Yeah, I agree with what's said above. While I was defending the seriousness with which we do our jobs, I do believe Foss' blog is pretty cool and demonstrates a spirit of dedication that you don't find in even some of your better chefs in Chicago or anywhere. We all know they have little free time, so when someone goes above and beyond, it says something. Likewise, I also like that he had the cajones to stand up for what he believed in, even though maybe the message was a tad garbled at first. I'm really tired of chefs who hide behind their PR folks and pretend like they can't be bothered. I became a food writer because of my passion for eating and cooking, but also because while chefs have become media celebrities, they also tend to be 'real' folks who are willing to be honest, sharing, and forthright about their profession. They are craftsmen who are good at sharing the tenets of their craft. That's inspring and interesting. Maybe my favorite case in point of recent is the New Yorker profile on David Chang....he could have played it safe, but instead he even criticized the phenomenon of how a humble noode slinger could raise so much praise. Of course, we know he's no humble noodle slinger. Point is, when the deli dude on ther corner starts bringing their PR staff in to the room for interviews and asking if they can see my questions before an interview and making Tom Cruise like demands, I'll be out of this profession. I'm here to learn and explore, not be coddled and cajoled. Though I can understand why you'd want to be careful and protect yourself when some journos who don't understand food decide they want to cover cooking like it's E entertainment news and don't even do background research. Foss, is going the other way and circumventing the middle-man communicators to share his vision and I dig that.

WARNING: Adults Only Link to Chef Foss's lesson on how to work with mussels. Only the content is adults-only - there are no obscene pictures.

I really like this guy's blog!

OK, is anybody else following the link just to find out why mussel prep could be adults-only? Kenny, I'm going to be highly disappointed if it's only because the chef drops the f-bomb.

I promise, Michelle... it's much better (or worse) than that.

I knew you wouldn't let me down, Kenny!

Kennyz wrote:WARNING: Adults Only Link to Chef Foss's lesson on how to work with mussels. Only the content is adults-only - there are no obscene pictures.

I really like this guy's blog!

Holy Judy Chicago.

Wowza.....

As a sex educator, he had me until #4.

mtyf and I responded to an offer for a complimentary dinner at the Lockwood this past week, and we were lucky enough to be among the chosen for a 6-course tasting. Many of the courses we were served are on the current menu, and have been recently discussed (with pictures) on Chef Foss' blog. Overall, we thought the food was quite good, although a few slight changes could have made a few of the courses great.

barely smoked wild sturgeon & caviar - cucumber, radish, creme fraiche, quail egg
Single-bite amuse served in a spoon. Quite a few elements, but it worked quite nicely, although the fish was a bit stringy for one of us.

rosace of scallop - lobster risotto, cauliflower, gremolata
This dish was both hit and miss with two parts: cauliflower puree with small pieces of lobster were served in a cup that was covered by a scallop shell topped with risotto and thinly sliced seared scallop. The scallop was quite delicate, but we both agreed it would have been improved by a bit more salt. The risotto was a bit of a disappointment; a bit too al dente with cauliflower florets that were still crunchy, and not as creamy as we would have liked. However, the cauliflower puree and lobster were great; the puree was creamy and well-seasoned and the lobster was very well-cooked. Unfortunately, the plating (and server's instructions) forced us to eat the puree last, and by that point, it was not as hot as I would have liked. In this case, we probably would have been much more impressed if were only served the cauliflower/lobster portion.

buffalo-ed wing - reinventing the wheel
This was a fairly clever deconstruction of a classic, essentially a buffalo chicken lollipop (meat first removed from the bone, wrapped into a roll, then fried and replaced on the bone. Served with walnuts and crumbled roquefort. My only criticism would be that it could have been hotter, both in temperature and in spiciness.

prosciutto wrapped boar tenderloin - parsnips, huckleberries, bitter chocolate sauce
The boar was served as a long thin piece (as opposed to a fat medallion) standing vertically on the plate, and was very nicely cooked with the prosciutto giving a nice salty kick. As it was being delivered to the table, it looked like a Wellington, so were almost disappointed that there wasn't a layer of puff pastry. Maybe this is something they could try?

banana, bacon & beer
Banana was caramelized and served with a sliver of a bacon, peanut ice cream, and beer gelee. Together, the banana, bacon and ice cream worked, evocative of a peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwich. The peanut ice cream was great: creamy and very flavorful. The beer gelee was a bit of an odd addition for us (although we aren't beer drinkers).

liquid chocolate sponge - milk chocolate bath, raspberry ice cream
A good rendition of a molten chocolate cake with a warm cookie separating the chocolate and the ice cream.

Service was friendly, but somewhat unpolished. As mentioned upthread, the room has a bit of a strange design with a somewhat low ceiling, but it didn't really affect the final experience. It sounds like Lockwood had a rough start, but it seems to be on the right track.

Not much to add to BJY's review, except that I was the one who communicated with Chef Foss, who was very nice. He is clearly trying to increase exposure to his food and the restaurant, and we felt lucky to have gotten the chance to try it.

I did want to make a brief mention the bread service. We were served rolls, and I'm not sure what *kind* of bread it was, but they were really nice and fluffy. They came to us warm, and accompanied by 3 spreads - a homemade churned butter (delicious), a roasted garlic spread, and a chive butter. Even though it's a complimentary thing, I always appreciate when some thought is given to the bread service, because who doesn't love good bread and butter?

I was fortunate to win two baby lamb and couscous dinners last Thursday night. RAB, my dad, and I had an enjoyable meal Thursday night thanks to Chef Foss and Lockwood.

Service was quite good. A few times, when the server wasn't able to answer a question, he ran away and quickly returned with an answer. The room, right off of the stunning Palmer House lobby, is modern, intimate, and a bit dark. Bread service was fun. Fresh, warm, slightly chewy rolls with a trio of spreads including hand-churned butter, chive compound butter, and garlic puree.

The baby lamb with couscous was lovely. Chef Foss was nice enough to stop by the table a few times, and shared with us that the lamb had come from the fine folks at Slagel Family Farms. The lamb was a very generous portion that included pieces of shoulder, leg, loin, and liver. Table favorites, by far, were the liver and the loin. The delicate, house-made couscous and veggies were subtly seasoned and provided a nice accompaniment to the lamb. We also tried the skate amandine, which was good, but not memorable.

Our favorite appetizer was the Scotch Fig (fig wrapped in foie gras and duck sausage). Crunchy exterior, livery sausage, over a moist, sweet fig. This was a very well-executed, large-portion appetizer. We also enjoyed the Blue Hill Bay mussel appetizer, though we would have appreciated a few more of the bivalves. The mussels were tender and in a flavorful, light chardonnay-based sauce with garlic, shallot, and thyme. We requested extra rolls to sop up the liquid that remained when the mussels were gone.

Our third appetizer was a bacon wrapped, pan-fried cannelloni stuffed with greens and ricotta, on top of a very rich tomato sauce. All three of us found it to be a bit too greasy, with flavors that fought, rather than complementing each other.

For dessert, we had the apple tarte tatin with star anise ice cream and three spoons. The tarte was served warm, with a salted caramel sauce. This was a wonderful dessert that my dad considered the best bite of the meal.

Chef Foss is clearly enthusiastic about cooking, and seems to be having a lot of fun creating new things and experimenting. We appreciated his visits to our table and his general excitement. His menu highlights sustainable and local farms, something that I was pleased to see in a hotel restaurant. Aesthetics are clearly a focus, as every dish that came to our table was gorgeously plated.

While Lockwood will likely not be in my regular rotation because of the cost, I would not hesitate to recommend it to folks looking for an upscale dinner spot in the Loop - - especially if somebody else is picking up the tab.

Ronna

ronna, i saw the free dinner offer that chef foss offered and which you were lucky enough to win, but i'd love an explanation FOR the free dinner offer. do you know why he offered it; is it a regular thing he does? thanks, justjoan

4 stars and a nice writup in the Sun Times.

Since my scathing review that started this thread and some initial bad press, it's been fascinating to watch Lockwood progress, and to read all about it on the chef's excellent blog. I've been back twice since that early visit*, and have had enjoyable experiences both times. The restaurant has changed substantially since its inception: Chef Foss has created strong relationships with local farmers, and his menu now reflects less focus on heavy, traditionally French preparations, with more emphasis on the best local ingredients prepared with simple yet creative techniques. Prices have come down quite a bit too, reflecting what I believe is the Chef's desire to cater at least as much to Chicago citizens as he has to for captive hotel guests.

It looks like Chef Foss and Lockwood are in it for the long haul. I sure hope so.


*Once for a special event that I paid for, and once as a guest of the Chef.

I had to set up a lunch downtown that I wasn't particularly looking forward to until I made reservations at Lockwood.

I really enjoyed the mushroom soup. The texture was smooth, but oh so un-Campbell-like and the creme fraiche provided a nice twang at the end. The lobster dog was terribly interesting in that it was satisfying in the same way that a Chicago dog is, but much more refined. Each flavor was familiar even though the ingredients were not. My only quibble, and it is a minor one is that the bun did not quite live up to the rest of the hot dog assembly.

I had a very nice dinner at Lockwood the other day. For the first time while dining at the Palmer House, I wasn't asking myself "Why am I here?" If not perfect, Lockwood is a success as a hotel restaurant and almost a miracle as a Hilton Hotel restaurant.

I need to begin by announcing that my friends and I ordered the prix fixe menu ($38 before a 20% discount, and 500 Hilton Honors Points): as a result the dishes were not as creative as what Chef Foss is - likely - capable of producing. Still we were very pleased, particularly at the price. From our meal I can't say that Lockwood is a "destination" restaurant (other dishes seemed more creative), but it is a restaurant that I am very comfortable eating at. Service was fine and the restaurant, even if off the lobby, is nicely designed.

I started out with Blue Hill Bay Mussels with Shallots, Garlic, Thyme, and Chardonnay Broth. While I was surprised that the mussels were not as plump as many, they were fresh. The broth, quick garlicky, was delicious.



For a main course I ordered Pan Roasted Skate Amandine with Herb Croutons, Almonds, Golden Raisins, Brown Butter and Lime. The skate was beautifully plated, and I enjoyed the combination of tastes, even if there lime was not very prominent and the skate might have been removed from the stove a minute or two before. Still, it is understandable that a hotel kitchen might err on cooking fish slightly more than some would prefer.



Dessert was Apple Tarte Tatin with Star Anise Ice Cream and Salted Caramel. The tuile was not sufficiently crisp, but again it was plated well and the star anise ice cream had a starring role. The tarte was a success, if short of inspiration.



Still, I am holding Lockwood to a very high standard, which when one is served three courses for $30 may not be totally fair. Chef Foss is producing high quality food at the Palmer House for which we all should be grateful. The next time I will at the Palmer House I will order some of Foss's more innovative dishes, and the rubber can meet the road.

My wife and I ate at Lockwood on Thursday night as guests of Chef Foss. He semi-regularly posts to his blog that he's giving away a dinner for two, so it'd be worth following if its something you're interested in (he blogs at The Pickled Tongue).

Anyway, it was the first time either of us had been "guests of the chef" and that alone made the meal simply fun. We were upper crust for a night.

The meal itself was very good. Enough to make me want to go back and a full price paying guest. We started with the Buffaloed Buffalo Wings. The first bite wasn't spectacular, but every bite after that was simply delicious. We found that the celery puree and buffalo sauce mixed was simply divine. My only complaint about them was the Roquefort was a little lost amongst everything else. Overall though, the way I would describe them to friends is that they are the best buffalo wings you've ever had. They won't knock your socks off culinary wise, but they are a delicious take on some good comfort food.

For our entrees (and the reason for winning the meal), we had the Choucroute Garnie. This was simply the best sauerkraut we had ever had (and a very generous portion of it). Tangy with out being overpowering, and still a bit crisp (all to often sauerkraut is just a big pile of mush). There was a nice selection of sausages and pork on top and some great mustard on the side. Again, fantastic, save one complaint. Everything got fairly cool quickly. Other than that though, it was great.



Dessert was the bananas dish. It had carmelized bananas, bacon(!), peanut butter ice cream, beer gelee, and maple syrup. The beer gelee was the only part of the dish that had us wondering in the end. The best way to describe the rest of the dish was "fun". Mixing the different pieces to create your own flavors was fantastic. Our server called it an "Elvis dessert" and that's fairly apt.



All in all, a great experience (especially the women sitting at the table next to us asking their server who we were and how we knew the chef). I'll definitely go back, and I'm looking forward to the Prix Fixe menu. Seems like a great deal over all.