euthe wrote:The squab I had at Charlie Trotter's in April is perhaps the single most delicious thing I've ever had; specifically the squab's leg.

We did not experience any service gaffes while dining there and I'm a bit surprised at the events described recently in this thread.

The only thing coming close to a service gaffe was our refusal of the super-expensive wine pairing and the servers apparent befuddlement and annoyance with our lack of appreciation of the first wine offering - something to laugh at, really.

This may seem pedestrian, however, when I find myself at a restaurant of Charlie Trotter's calibre I do not judge the service on the same plane I judge the taste of the dishes being served. That being said, I do expect a level of service higher than that of TGIF.

Since this thread has evolved into focusing on service I feel I must contribute in some way to that area. I would rate service at Charlie Trotter's as top notch. The most impressed I've been with the level of service has come from Moto. It is appropriate to note that the level of food at Charlie Trotter's far outdid that of Moto, for me, personally.

For me, the food at our meal ranged from excellent to 'didn't like it' but other than the desserts, I can't say that anything I ate was transcendant. That quail dish I described upthread was the best savory course and it certainly was memorable. Ingredients across the board were definitely top-notch but there weren't too many courses in which all the components really sang or worked well in unison. Our opening course, for example, featured some exquisite bluefin tuna but the seawater which accompanied it actually distracted and detracted. Maine Bay Boat Lobster with fermented black garlic and grilled oyster was tasty but the lobster was, unfortunately, very tough. Lamb Shoulder with toasted buckwheat, cumin and ricotta was tender and tasty but the buckwheat was oversalted. I personally enjoyed the ocean trout with crawfish and roe but it was not roundly popular at the table.

I'm hesitant to compare CT's to other high-end places in Chicago at which I've dined, because I hate when restaurants that are somewhat similar get lumped together. That said, there was nothing at Trotter's that really spoke to me or had an emotional impact on me. At its core, great cooking is essentially one imagination communicating with another, via the language of food. For me, that connection was just not made at Trotter's. Was the service a barrier to such a connection? I honestly cannot say for sure. But as an overall dining experience, for me it was lacking, except for the company, which I stated upthread, was simply outstanding.

=R=

Gypsy Boy wrote:P.S. I skip over the food in the interest of getting this posted. I will post pictures and some descriptions of the food later and hope that I can prevail on Ronnie to add some of his pics and reactions as well. The food was far too good to skip over and I think we both owe it to the restaurant and the community here to talk about it.

Rather than give detailed descriptions, I refer you to Ronnie's scattered comments upthread and some of our thoughts mentioned here.

GRAND MENU
Japanese Kindai Bluefin Tuna with Seawater

A little conflicted here: liked the tuna quite a bit but agree with Ronnie that the seawater detracted rather than enhanced.

Chilled Tasmanian Ocean Trout with Watercress, Louisiana Crayfish & Indian Celery

Not quite my cup of tea though the dish was beautifully conceived and and beautifully presented. Ocean trout is more like salmon than I care for, salmon not being a favorite of mine. This is milder than salmon in flavor, though akin to it in texture and fattiness. The sweetness of the crayfish complemented the ocean trout nicely and the sharpness of the greens helped make the whole thing work well.

Four Story Hill Farm Quail with Chorizo, Spring Onions & Clover

Golly. I mean, really. Extraordinary. The quail was simply luscious...no other word for it. What's more, everything on the plate contributed to a remarkable coming together where the whole greatly exceeded the sum of the parts. The chorizo (note the tiny "cigar" on the right-hand side) was ground into a fine paste, spread out as a sheet, and dried. Then there was the pickled onion, the quail egg, the sauce.... The sauce is a liver sauce and, speaking as one of those few people on this board who have no taste for liver (no, not even as foie), I was astonished at how perfectly it worked. Would have been my favorite dish of the evening were it not for the next offering.

Maine Day Lobster with Fermented Black Garlic & Grilled Eagle Rock Oyster

Exquisite. I still remember putting the first bite in my mouth—just a wonderful dish all the way around, though the picture hardly does it justice. (In fairness, the picture is an accurate one of the presentation: there’s little sense of what’s there for all the foam but, oh, that first bite!)

Elysian Fields Lamb Shoulder with Toasted Buckwheat, Cumin & Sheep's Milk Ricotta

Surprising, to me, how well the lamb and the ricotta worked together. A melt-in-your-mouth piece of meat cooked perfectly and, while I don’t remember the saltiness Ronnie speaks of being as strong as he suggests, I do remember noticing it.

Nigorizake Sorbet with Asian Pear & Jasmine Rice

The only course that repeated from my first go ‘round. I didn’t care for it then and I didn’t particularly like it this time either, though I found it worked much better. The first sensation is quite pleasant but the bran of the rice leaves an unpleasant aftertaste that wouldn’t go away.

Okinawan Sweet Potato with Sweet Stout & Vanilla Marshmallow

Simply don’t remember this well enough to comment.

Venezuelan Chocolate Custard with Kaffir Lime, Grilled Cactus & Agavero Jelly

Quite good except for the jelly which tasted far too heavily of alcohol. I didn’t particularly notice the kaffir lime, though the grilled cactus nicely set off the richness of the chocolate custard.

I should point out that we were also given another, off the menu dessert that was everyone’s favorite and, when I find my notes [ ], I'll post on what it was.... Olive oil ice cream with shards of chocolate and...?


VEGETABLE MENU
Celery Sorbet with Celery Seed
[No picture was taken, sadly]
In a word, about what you’d expect, which is to say, beautifully made and presented and just not that enticing. Celery seems to be one of those veggies that can be a wonderful accompaniment or complement but ought not be featured as the star.

French White Asparagus with Morel Mushrooms, Fava Beans & Wood Sorrel

Beautiful presentation and wonderful combination. Morels were intensely flavored and the spring-y-ness of the components offered a terrific array of flavors and tastes.

Globe Artichoke Soup with Spearmint & Spun Honey

Exquisite. Extraordinary flavor combination and everyone loved it. Really superb dish. Note the brown "chip" of spun honey. For a chef who emphasizes his classic roots and preparations, he's happy to take advantage of the occasional fancy-pants hi-tech stuff. And, to give the devil his due--as they say--it was absolutely wonderful!

Adirondack Blue Potato with Fingerling Potato Blini, Mustard Seed & Queen Anne’s Lace

Good, though a bit on the salty side. At first, we actually mistook the tiny potatoes for immense olives! The blini were found to be a bit too bland although the Queen Anne's Lace worked nicely. All in all a very pleasing dish without being a stunner.

Grilled Japanese Maitake Mushroom with Coarse Miso & Shiso

Remembered favorably but not in much detail. Earned kudos at the time for both the miso and, in particular, the use of shiso.

Jasmine Granite with Water Chestnuts & Tahitian Vanilla

Split opinion here with one big thumb’s up and one “not so much”

[Again, no useable pictures survive of the two desserts]
Stewed Rhubarb with White Chocolate Yogurt & Coriander Shortbread
Excellent. And this from someone who doesn't like sour things or rhubarb in the least. I, who do, but don't like white chocolate, concurred. A wonderful dish.

Milk Chocolate Semifredo with Carrot, Star Anise & Red Wine

Assorted mignardises were also presented and the hands-down favorite was a tiny almond shortbread cup.... Also included were macadamia nuts rolled in cocoa, tiny chocolate bars, and candied ginger.

Additional thoughts, Ronnie?

we had the valentine's lunch today at trotter's and I have to say it was quite disappointing.

The food tasted great and their pairings are always good That being said they left membrane in the lobster and the scallops were not cleaned properly. I ate some grit/sand and had a decent amount of crunches. I let the captain know about the membrane and nothing was done - not even an apology.

When we closed the meal out they had grossly overcharged us. We let them know of the mistake and they again gave us a grossly exorbitant bill. The staff assured us they would fix the error. We got an apology and asked if we wanted to tour the kitchen - nice but we've toured the joint already. The bill was adjusted sufficiently had everything been perfect - what you expect from Trotter's - but this is not the case.

My problem is when a restaurant like Trotter's makes a mistake like this; the diner should not have to complain this much for them to right their wrong. I am really taken aback by this massive lack of judgment at a place like Trotter's and will have a very difficult time returning.

Trotter is held to a much higher standard so these technical mistakes mean a great deal. I hope they can see that and will again strive for excellence.

It's a shame, in a previous post I gave Trotter's a great review.

Did I miss something, Charlie Trotter terminated the cook that cooked your hamachi, did he fire him or what.
Was that information he felt he should tell you, for what reason. Unless this cook was just bad, is some ones
lively hood so trivial that you can casually terminate him and casually tell it to a customer.
Unless I am missing something here I would reconsider eating at an establishment that has that kind of an attitude no matter how good the the food might be.

foodmex wrote:Did I miss something, Charlie Trotter terminated the cook that cooked your hamachi, did he fire him or what.
Was that information he felt he should tell you, for what reason. Unless this cook was just bad, is some ones
lively hood so trivial that you can casually terminate him and casually tell it to a customer.
Unless I am missing something here I would reconsider eating at an establishment that has that kind of an attitude no matter how good the the food might be.

Yes. You missed that it was a joke*.

(*Joke being that he terminated not his employment, but his life... naturally, he did neither.)

euthe wrote:we had the valentine's lunch today at trotter's and I have to say it was quite disappointing.

The food tasted great and their pairings are always good That being said they left membrane in the lobster and the scallops were not cleaned properly. I ate some grit/sand and had a decent amount of crunches. I let the captain know about the membrane and nothing was done - not even an apology.

When we closed the meal out they had grossly overcharged us. We let them know of the mistake and they again gave us a grossly exorbitant bill. The staff assured us they would fix the error. We got an apology and asked if we wanted to tour the kitchen - nice but we've toured the joint already. The bill was adjusted sufficiently had everything been perfect - what you expect from Trotter's - but this is not the case.

My problem is when a restaurant like Trotter's makes a mistake like this; the diner should not have to complain this much for them to right their wrong. I am really taken aback by this massive lack of judgment at a place like Trotter's and will have a very difficult time returning.

Trotter is held to a much higher standard so these technical mistakes mean a great deal. I hope they can see that and will again strive for excellence.

It's a shame, in a previous post I gave Trotter's a great review.

did you send the food back to the kitchen? was it an honest mistake on the bill, or something else?
I admire CT's usual perfectionism as well, but he and his staff are not superhumans either; regardless of how much he may have liked reading Nietzsche

When we closed the meal out they had grossly overcharged us. We let them know of the mistake and they again gave us a grossly exorbitant bill. The staff assured us they would fix the error. We got an apology and asked if we wanted to tour the kitchen - nice but we've toured the joint already. The bill was adjusted sufficiently had everything been perfect - what you expect from Trotter's - but this is not the case

This is a bit confusing. Did they twice overcharge versus the listed price of the meal, or wee you expecting an adjustment due to the poor quality of the items, which they did not make?

Hopefully I can explain better.

the price for the valentine's day tasting was 75$. Two of the courses were options, we chose to taste everything (two additional dishes).

We also had two additional wines for pairings. The wine tasting offered was 45$

so basically four additional courses, and four additional pours. Had we not chosen the additions, here is what it would look like:

75 x 2 = $150
45 x 2 = $90

We got the bill and it was as follows:

Food - $330
Wine - $200


Food:

330 - 150 = $180
180/4 = $45

so essentially for each additional course we were charged $45 a course. I have a hard time paying that when the ENTIRE tasting is $75

Wine:

200 - 90 = $110
110/4 = $27.5

so essentially for each additional tasting pour we were charged $27.5 - Full pours and it's probably not a big deal, but these are 1/4 glasses - Again I have a hard time paying $27.5 per pour when the ENTIRE wine tasting is $45

The second bill was maybe $100 dollars cheaper and really not a significant drop. I think the problem here is they were not prepared to charge accordingly for people wanting to extend the menu a little - so they decided to charge for a Grand Tasting that they offer during dinner service.

So they twice overcharged and on top of that did not attempt to make any concessions about the poor performance from the kitchen. I have a problem with this and it really reflects poorly on Trotter's.

If I own a restaurant of that calibre I would comp those courses and offer additional ones at no extra cost to make my customer happy. In this instant, no effort was made, not even a simple apology.

I've yet to hear back from their web-form.

dk wrote:

euthe wrote:we had the valentine's lunch today at trotter's and I have to say it was quite disappointing.

The food tasted great and their pairings are always good That being said they left membrane in the lobster and the scallops were not cleaned properly. I ate some grit/sand and had a decent amount of crunches. I let the captain know about the membrane and nothing was done - not even an apology.

When we closed the meal out they had grossly overcharged us. We let them know of the mistake and they again gave us a grossly exorbitant bill. The staff assured us they would fix the error. We got an apology and asked if we wanted to tour the kitchen - nice but we've toured the joint already. The bill was adjusted sufficiently had everything been perfect - what you expect from Trotter's - but this is not the case.

My problem is when a restaurant like Trotter's makes a mistake like this; the diner should not have to complain this much for them to right their wrong. I am really taken aback by this massive lack of judgment at a place like Trotter's and will have a very difficult time returning.

Trotter is held to a much higher standard so these technical mistakes mean a great deal. I hope they can see that and will again strive for excellence.

It's a shame, in a previous post I gave Trotter's a great review.

did you send the food back to the kitchen? was it an honest mistake on the bill, or something else?
I admire CT's usual perfectionism as well, but he and his staff are not superhumans either; regardless of how much he may have liked reading Nietzsche

The dishes were not sent back but I did let the staff know there was a problem.

At first I think it's an honest mistake but when it happens a second time I have to think it's something else.

I can also understand mistakes are made and no one is perfect but my problem was no attempt was made after the issue arrose and on top of that I felt like they were trying to get over on me after the second billing mistake - probably not what happened but things had snowballed.

Thanks Dom, I am relieved, I thought there might be something else to it I just couldn't figure it out.

euthe wrote:Hopefully I can explain better.

the price for the valentine's day tasting was 75$. Two of the courses were options, we chose to taste everything (two additional dishes).

We also had two additional wines for pairings. The wine tasting offered was 45$

so basically four additional courses, and four additional pours. Had we not chosen the additions, here is what it would look like:

75 x 2 = $150
45 x 2 = $90

We got the bill and it was as follows:

Food - $330
Wine - $200


Food:

330 - 150 = $180
180/4 = $45

so essentially for each additional course we were charged $45 a course. I have a hard time paying that when the ENTIRE tasting is $75

But the important thing is, what did the menu say the cost of each additional course would be? Or, what did the waiter say the extra cost would be? Is the $45 more than the posted price? Or did you not ask before you ordered it? What were extra courses?

euthe wrote:Wine:

200 - 90 = $110
110/4 = $27.5

so essentially for each additional tasting pour we were charged $27.5 - Full pours and it's probably not a big deal, but these are 1/4 glasses - Again I have a hard time paying $27.5 per pour when the ENTIRE wine tasting is $45

Again, what was the posted price for the extra pours? Were you tasting Chateau d'Yquem? I say that in jest, but if the pours were of a truly exceptional wine, they should be more expensive than the standard wines.

euthe wrote:The second bill was maybe $100 dollars cheaper and really not a significant drop. I think the problem here is they were not prepared to charge accordingly for people wanting to extend the menu a little - so they decided to charge for a Grand Tasting that they offer during dinner service.

When you complained about the first bill, did you say something along the lines of "This is too expensive for what we go?" or did you say something like "There seems to be an adding mistake here?".

Sometimes we order specials, don't inquire about the price, and then kick ourselves for assuming the special would be in the same ballpark as the other entrees. So, we make an effort to ask about prices before ordering. In this, it still isn't clear whether you are saying there was a mistake in how the bill was calculated (i.e. they "overcharged"), or you just think it is too expensive.

Darren72 wrote:

euthe wrote:Hopefully I can explain better.

the price for the valentine's day tasting was 75$. Two of the courses were options, we chose to taste everything (two additional dishes).

We also had two additional wines for pairings. The wine tasting offered was 45$

so basically four additional courses, and four additional pours. Had we not chosen the additions, here is what it would look like:

75 x 2 = $150
45 x 2 = $90

We got the bill and it was as follows:

Food - $330
Wine - $200


Food:

330 - 150 = $180
180/4 = $45

so essentially for each additional course we were charged $45 a course. I have a hard time paying that when the ENTIRE tasting is $75

But the important thing is, what did the menu say the cost of each additional course would be? Or, what did the waiter say the extra cost would be? Is the $45 more than the posted price? Or did you not ask before you ordered it? What were extra courses -- truffles?

euthe wrote:Wine:

200 - 90 = $110
110/4 = $27.5

so essentially for each additional tasting pour we were charged $27.5 - Full pours and it's probably not a big deal, but these are 1/4 glasses - Again I have a hard time paying $27.5 per pour when the ENTIRE wine tasting is $45

Again, what was the posted price for the extra pours? Where you tasting Chateau d'Yquem?

euthe wrote:The second bill was maybe $100 dollars cheaper and really not a significant drop. I think the problem here is they were not prepared to charge accordingly for people wanting to extend the menu a little - so they decided to charge for a Grand Tasting that they offer during dinner service.

When you complained about the first bill, did you say something along the lines of "This is too expensive for what we go?" or did you say something like "There seems to be an adding mistake here?".

Sometimes we order specials, don't inquire about the price, and then kick ourselves for assuming the special would be in the same ballpark as the other entrees. So, we make an effort to ask about prices before ordering. In this, it still isn't clear whether you are saying there was a mistake in how the bill was calculated (i.e. they "overcharged"), or you just think it is too expensive.

These weren't specials and definitely not the chateau d'yquiem - I definitely know that stuff is worth it - also no truffles.

These were items offered on the 75$ tasting menu which you had a choice between. Instead of choosing the steak instead of the vegetables, we ordered both offerings. Nothing special. The wines were also off the regular 45$ wine pairing.

I can't recall how we raised concern about the price.

Also there was no information about pricing for adding, and we didn't ask (our mistake). I assumed they would use a pricing scale similar to 75 since that's the menu they were sourced from. ASS U ME - I know.

I think I understand better now. So, it seems it would have been cheaper for you to just order four entire meals. You would have paid $300 instead of the $330 that you were asked to pay. Not only would you have gotten the two extra courses, but two of all of the dishes. Is my understanding correct?

By the way, there is a Customer Feedback link on Trotter's website. You should let them know about this.

Darren72 wrote:I think I understand better now. So, it seems it would have been cheaper for you to just order four entire meals. You would have paid $300 instead of the $330 that you were asked to pay. Not only would you have gotten the two extra courses, but two of all of the dishes. Is my understanding correct?

By the way, there is a Customer Feedback link on Trotter's website. You should let them know about this.

You are correct.

I've filled out the form on their website and await their reply.

anyone been to trotter's recently? any reports?

interesting business news re: Trotter's

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/ ... l?mmId=839

(video)

It has been quite a while since we have had a discussion of Charlie Trotter (although there is some discussion on other threads including the Michelin Guide thread that asks why have we discussed CT so infrequently). Now the New York Times is on the case, asking the same question about whether CT is outside the discussion of contemporary food, even while his former chefs have made a huge impact. (It should be noted that Trotter's was once considered for a GNR, but not selected). CT is still a great restaurant (especially the vegetable menu), but so many of his innovations are now tried and true techniques. He transformed American dining and demonstrated that a truly stellar restaurant could thrive between the coasts (not forgetting The Bakery or Le Francais).

At any rate the New York Times discussion of Trotter is here: Trotter, a Leader Left Behind

Kind of proves the point made by the NYTimes in that that the post before Gary's was from 2009.

Lily Tomlin used to wear a shirt that said "Evolve or Die."

Yeah, I saw that piece. But Trotter does have a good point: if he were in new digs, in a different context, people would probably be talking a lot more. Context is key, but given his admitted concerns re: control, I can see why Trotter may be reluctant to shake things up at this point. Besides, AFAIK it's not like this place is desolate and forgotten. Just not new. I mean, no one talks about Spiaggia, either.

Vitesse98 wrote: I mean, no one talks about Spiaggia, either.

Fabulous point. While we all know about the new places that are excellent, the fact is that foodies from out of town see Trotter's as their primary destination. And he still delivers.

Vitesse98 wrote:Yeah, I saw that piece. But Trotter does have a good point: if he were in new digs, in a different context, people would probably be talking a lot more. Context is key, but given his admitted concerns re: control, I can see why Trotter may be reluctant to shake things up at this point. Besides, AFAIK it's not like this place is desolate and forgotten. Just not new. I mean, no one talks about Spiaggia, either.

Not trying to sound (or be) argumentative, but yes, I hear people talk about Spaggia all the time but never about Trotter's.

Anyway, not a huge point either way.

FWIW, it's been a few years - years - since anyone's posted on a Spiaggia thread here, too. Even Arun's has gotten more recent love than that.

While not in a Spiaggia thread, Spiaggia was more recently mentioned at the beginning of last month in the Worst Thing You've Eaten [Lately] thread.

Based in part on my wife's upcoming birthday, and the New York Times piece, we made a last minute reservation for Charlie Trotters last night. We had been there twice, but over 10 years ago. It was, at the time, two of the best meals we'd ever had. I was interested in recalibrating our response to dining at this level. While those were two of the first high end non French meals we’d eaten, in the years sincee those meals, we've eaten at several of the other top places, in Chicago and elsewhere. We never went back because there was always some new place to try. This interest in recalibration was also triggered by one of our last high end meals, about two years ago at L20. We both came away from that saying that objectively everything was excellent, but neither of us were wowed. Were we just burnt out from places like Alinea where the tricks never end, or was L20 just not to our taste?

The answer: We were not burned out. The meal at Trotters was, to our taste, exquisite, and once again, one of the best meals we've ever had. Trotters hasn't changed, and thank goodness for that. They are turning out food at the highest levels that it true to Trotter's style, rather than chasing any recent trends.
I had the vegetable menu, my wife the regular. No one has a better hand with vegetables, in my view. The flavors are so intense and complex that you feel you're tasting some vegetables for the first time. I'm not a recount the meal dish by dish person, but here are some general thoughts on why I like his cuisine so, so much:

1. He gets the depth of flavor, in both the vegetable and regular menus, primary from vegetables, rather that reduced meat stocks or dairy products. The broths are generally vegetable based, and the sauces are frequently vegetable purees. One of my wife's dishes, for example, was monkfish with asian peppercorns in a cucumber broth with Asian flavors. As a result, his dishes are both light, and yet contain profoundly deep and complex flavors. My carrot risotto, the best risotto I've ever had by far, may have had some butter or cheese, but it was not detectable. Rather, there was carrot flavor (and carrot chunks that they managed to keep the same texture as the rice.)

2. His plating by today’s standards is pretty simple. I get the feeling that form truly follows function. They conceive of a dish based on solely what works well flavor wise, and then determine how to plate it attractively. No dishes are conceived based on how they will look or some other trick (don’t get me wrong, I loved Alinea, but this is a different approach).

3. Portion size was, for us (we’re modest eaters), excellent. When my wife’s two meat courses arrived, the amount of actual meat was quite small. This meant we got through a 10 course tasting menu and didn’t feel unpleasantly full at the end. This was also aided, I think, by the lack of added butter, cream, etc., or large amounts of rich meats such as pork. Others might not like this, but we viewed it has a huge plus.
I could get a reservation two days before. This is not possible at Alinea, Schwa and many other places in Chicago. I hope Chicagoans don’t forget this gem in the search for the latest hot item.

Jonah

I'm curious to know how busy the restaurant was. My first and last meal at Trotters was in 2005. I enjoyed it greatly, but, like yourself, never had the time to return as we were always checking out newer places.

Puppy: The upstairs sections were full, but they did not appear to be using the downstairs section, as it was empty. Perhaps April Fool day is not a big dining out day?

As described in the recent NYT article mentioned above, Charlie Trotter’s frequently hosts area high school students. My son was fortunate enough to be one of those students last week. (For once I was eager to chaperone, but, alas, no chaperones were needed for this field trip!) He had an amazing experience that he genuinely appreciated. I thought I’d share some of his experiences and observations.

The students had a complete tour of the restaurant, the kitchen, and the three wine cellars. Each student was expected to ask a minimum of two questions of the staff. They did not meet Chef Trotter, unfortunately. My son asked so many questions that other kids wanted to know how he knew so much to ask. Answer: My Mom is into food . One of his questions: Does black quinoa taste different from other types? (Answer: No, it was chosen for its color.) And one more bit of maternal pride, if you will indulge me. When the sommelier told them in answer to a question that the oldest bottle in their cellars was from 1870, someone asked what was happening in France then. My boy said immediately, “the Franco-Prussian War.” Did I mention that the staff were especially impressed with his high school and were discussing inviting more students from it?

Well, how about the food? The students were served a “Grand Menu” of 8 dishes:

Hamachi with Braised Kombu & Daikon
Braised Pork Belly with Cucumber Blossom Kimchi, Lemon Balm & Thai Long Pepper
Diver Sea Scallop with Saffron & Sweet and Sour Tripe Vinaigrette
Peking Duck Breast with Black Quinoa & Candied Espresso
Black Trumpet Mushroom Risotto with Parmesan & Kale
Meyer Lemon Sorbet with Fresh Ricotta & Lavender
Roasted Banana Gelato with Pandan Leaf & Chorizo
Chocolate Brioche with Reduced Maple Ice Cream & Caramelized Popcorn

The courses were listed on a nicely printed menu that specially noted the date and the school.

The staff described the ingredients and cooking techniques for each dish. My son ate every speck of everything served. He especially loved the duck breast with espresso, the pork belly, and the risotto. But he also praised the vegetables he had never heard of. I am impressed that Trotter’s served tripe to high school students, even after the staff explained what it is and the meticulous process of cleaning and preparing it. My son liked it.

Besides finding the food amazing, my son was also impressed with the devotion of the staff to the restaurant and to the Chef. He described it as almost a cult, albeit an attractive one.

I have never eaten at Charlie Trotter’s, but my son’s outstanding experience makes me want to go. The high school program is a carefully constructed and thoughtful way to expose young people to some of the best cooking our city has to offer. I am grateful my son had this opportunity, and I applaud Chef Trotter for this wonderful community outreach.

That's a very cool report, Eva - thanks for sharing. CT's high school program is a truly fantastic thing. I'm particularly impressed that he doesn't limit the program to any particular demographic. I've heard of top notch suburban schools participating, and I have an ex who taught at one of the roughest, most underperforming schools on Chicago's west side, and she got to bring her kids in for this terrific experience too.

My wife and I were at Trotter's last night with my sister and her husband. This was the first time we had been there in a few years, for no other reason than there was always somewhere else we wanted to go. We were in the kitchen, which is how we prefer to dine there. My sister wanted to go, but I was a little concerned about the evening because of all the posts I had seen in other BBs about Trotter's having fallen off.

To paraphrase Mark Twain, the reports of Charlie Trotter's (the restaurant's) demise have been greatly exaggerated. The cuisine and the service were spot on. The execution was perfect. We ordered the wine pairings which were very good, although a bit pricey.

I mentioned in a previous post in this thread that, IMHO, out-of-town foodies still see Trotter's as a primary destination. That was proved to me last night. Most of the folks eating in the dining room get a tour through the kitchen when they're done, which means they went right past me last night. One woman was ecstatic to see it. She said she was from Nova Scotia and had come to Chicago solely to dine at Trotter's. She seemed to not be disappointed.

Here's the kitchen menu from last night.

Charlie Trotter's closing in August

In an interview [in the Sun Times], the 52-year-old Trotter told the paper that he will travel around the world and that he will return to college to study philosophy and political theory.

Trotter says he's not closing the 120-seat Lincoln Park restaurant for financial reason, and says that once he completes his master's degree he will open another restaurant.