Ria - chefs Jason McLeod & Danny Grant - Elysian Hotel

There's been a lot of chatter lately about Ria, especially since mid-November when it became one of only three restaurants in Chicago to be awarded 2 stars by Michelin. I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical about it, even though I'd had a very good previous experience at Balsan, which is also in the Elysian Hotel and shares a kitchen with Ria. For our family's holiday dinner this year, we chose Ria, which turned out to be a great choice. Our experience was virtually flawless from end to end. The food was masterful, wine pairings -- by sommelier Dan Pilkey -- were intuitive and thoughtful, and service -- provided by Jordan and GM Brian O'Connor -- was nothing short of exceptional. It's a meal we'll remember fondly for quite some time.


Ria's Lounge
This comfortable-looking lounge is just inside Ria's entrance and we passed through it on the way to our table in the dining room.



Cart of Sparkling Wines
As soon as we were settled in at our table, sparkling wines by the glass were offered. My wife had the Leclerc Briant Brut "Cuvee Extra." I had a glass of NV Barth Brut Rose (Rheingau, Germany), which was something I'd never had before. I'm a sucker for rose and really enjoyed the balance of this wine -- not sweet but not austere, either. The wife's Leclerc was, not surprisingly, considerably drier. It was an interesting contrast, tasting them both.

We decided to order the Seasonal Tasting menu, which is comprised of 5 savory courses, an intermezzo and 2 desserts. This is probably as good a moment as any to convey a bit about the wine pairings we had with our meal. As I mentioned above, they were exceptional. Sommelier Dan Pilkey is a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic gentleman whose pairings for each course were extraordinarily intuitive and dynamic, though not necessarily traditional. The pairings cleverly highlighted and showcased select ingredients in some dishes and unified groups of ingredients in others. Mr. Pilkey provided relevant background information about each of the wines we had and briefly discussed his process in selecting some of them, which was fascinating. His exceptional knowledge of both the grapes and the food was noteworthy. Relatedly, I also appreciated that my wife and I were able to split a pairing, which turned out to be just the right amount of wine for us.


Gougere made with Pleasant Ridge Reserve Cheese
A delicate and pungent opening bite. Having just been to Uplands Farm, I was excited to see Andy Hatch's Pleasant Ridge Reserve "in action."



House-baked Mini Baguette
Excellent mini baguette, which reminded me of another lunch I had earlier this year. These had a great crust, an intoxicating aroma and a tender, uneven crumb. Not only were they great on their own but they were also especially useful in sopping up some of the delectable sauces in the dishes that followed.



Butter
I neglected to ask about the provenance of this butter but it was pleasantly sweet and tangy.



Amuse #1: Broth with Calvados, Breakfast Radishes, Apple Butter, Pumpernickel Toast
I loved the intense and complex flavor of the broth and thought the other components -- especially the apple butter and pumpernickel -- accented it marvelously. A great opener.



Amuse #2: Smoked Sable Mousse, California Select Caviar, Spinach Puree, Pain de Mie, Chive
This was another great couple of bites. I thought the components all worked together very well and I loved the subtle smokiness of the mousse. Sable is one of my favorite fishes for smoking and this really hit the mark.



Sea Scallop, Caviar, Octopus, Fumet Blanc
Pairing: Long Shadows "Poet's Leap" Riesling, Columbia Valley, WA, 2009
This was a delicious and immensely successful plate. The scallops were poached in a seasoned milk bath and served chilled. This created both a distinctive texture and flavor. The octopus was indescribably tender. The star of the show, though, may have been the fumet blanc "foam," which was rich and complexly-flavored.



Dungeness Crab, Pain de Mie, Carrots
Pairing: Kiralyudvar, Furmint, Tokaji, Hungary, 2006
Rolls 1 & 3 were comprised of leeks that were stuffed with the crabmeat. There was also an herbaceous, mayonnaise-based sauce in there, which made the whole thing play like a very luxurious crab salad. Rolls 2 & 4 were actually cylinders of toasty, buttery pain de mie. The plate was garnished with some nicely-pickled carrots and bits of Perigord black truffles.



Dover Sole, Apple, Parsley, Black Trumpet Mushroom
Pairing: Vincent Dauvissat, Chardonnay, Chablis, France, 2003
This piece of fish was extremely tender and flavorful. The sauce -- which was rich and flavorful but didn't overpower the delicate fish -- is Ria's take on Sauce Normande, which is one of 2 variations they produce (this one is served with fish, the other with meats and vegetables).



Duck Breast, Blood Orange, Fennel, Cumin
Pairing: Betts & Scholl, "O.G." Grenache, Barossa Valley, Australia, 2008
Here, a velouté sauce is applied to the duck at the table.



Duck Breast, Blood Orange, Fennel, Cumin
Pairing: Betts & Scholl, "O.G." Grenache, Barossa Valley, Australia, 2008
This was just an awesome slab of moist and ducky duck meat. The skin was crispy and a perfect amount of fat was left between it and the breast, which lent additional richness. This was my favorite wine pairing of the meal. The "OG" grenache had some distinctive but restrained fruit and the acidity played with the fattiness of the duck in true synergy. We learned a lot about how this wine was made from Mr. Pilkey, who explained that it was a fairly old-school process (hence, the "OG" moniker), even though it's made in Australia, where more modern techniques are widely used.



Foie Gras, Potato, Perigord Truffle, Duck Confit
Pairing: Alvaro Palacios, "Les Terrasses," Priorat, Spain, 2007
I love terrines, I love torchons but this is my favorite preparation of foie gras: seared until crispy on the outside and perfectly creamy on the interior. The cylinder below on the left is a forcemeat of confit and other components, the cylinder on the right is tender potato. The small salad provided a focused acidic counterpoint to the richness of the overall dish. This plate, like all the others, was sent back to the kitchen perfectly cleaned. We sopped up every bit of the sauce with our baguettes and throughout the meal, we each ate 3 of those baguettes. We never wanted to let any of the sauces go back to the kitchen.



Intermezzo: Granny Smith Apple Sorbet, Goat Milk Yogurt, Finger Limes, Pomelo, Gin-Soaked Apple
Great combinations here formed a perfect bridge between the savory and sweet portions of our meal. There was a lot working here: the sweet and tart sorbet, the crunchy apple, the savory notes from the gin and the tangy yogurt.



Brown Butter Chiboust, Cinnamon, Huckleberries, Meyer Lemon Ice Cream
Pairing: Vietti, Moscato d'Asti, Piemonte, Italy 2009
I loved that this first dessert combined so many classic flavors so deftly. They were each so distinctively rendered that each one could have stood successfully on its own. You wouldn't consider a dish containing chiboust and ice cream to be light, yet this one actually came off that way, mainly because of how expertly the components were executed under the direction of pastry chef Stephanie Prida.



Tainori Chocolate, Hazelnuts, Red Verjus, Sweet Potato Ice Cream
Pairing: Warre's Late Bottle Vintage, 2000
Another great combination of flavors and textures. There was just enough sweetness here to counter the bitterness of the chocolate. The roasted hazelnuts paired up beautifully with the chocolate and the port.



Mignardise: Poppyseed-Tangerine Macaron, Apple Cider Gelee, Chocolate-Peppermint-Caramel Truffle (left to right)
A few tasty mini-sweets to finish.

We were really into this meal from the very beginning. After eating that lighter-than-air gougere and 2 highly evocative amuses, our expectations rose significantly. When the scallop, caviar and octopus dish hit the table, we felt like we were locked. The food continued to be sensational throughout the entire meal. Flavors were in harmony, components were cooked deftly and the plates were beautiful. Clearly, there was a tremendous amount of skill and imagination in the kitchen that was sending out this food. It was refined but compellingly delicious; sophisticated but entirely approachable; intelligent but not overly-intellectual. It created emotions and piqued the imagination.

As for the inevitable question of the stars, based on our experience, I'd say Ria fully deserves the 2 they were awarded by Michelin (which is not to say I agree with much else Michelin had to say about Chicago). This meal was comparable to several meals we had at Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris this fall. In fact, we ate at one 2-star restaurant in Paris that I don't believe was Ria's equal on any level. As has been said elsewhere, this is a gem and it's an exciting one, at that. Skill, energy and passion are joyously present here and they show up in every facet of the dining experience at Ria.

=R=

Ria (in the Elysian Hotel)
11 East Walton Street
Chicago, IL 60611-1408
(312) 880-4400

Note: I started this new thread about Ria because I don't believe that posters here should be required to follow an extreme, editorialized subject line if their experiences differ greatly from that of the OP. It, by default, puts those who disagree with the title of a given thread in the position of "opposition." I also worry that in such instances, casual visitors seeking information may see the subject line and just assume that the thread is either entirely negative or positive. My hope is that in a neutrally-titled thread like this one, differing perspectives can all carry the same weight and hopefully, the resulting thread will be more likely to take the tone of a discussion as opposed to an argument. I very much respect the opinion of nsxtasy, who started this thread but his opinion differs so greatly from mine, I wasn't comfortable putting my post on the thread he started.

How much of your tasting menu came from items on the a la carte menu? I was at Balsan a few weeks back and took a look at Ria's menu, which was considerably less persuasive than your photos and pictures--but I get the sense that's because you didn't have much from the regular menu...

I've reported on my dinner at Ria in the topic to which Ronnie refers, here, where I noted the following flaws:

Food:
- mediocre bread service (tasteless gougeres, tasteless butter, unheated rolls)
- tasteless amuse bouche
- food served insufficiently hot
- food insufficiently cooked
- tiny portions

Service:
- pouring grossly unequal portions of broth
- failing to bring/offer sweetener with iced tea
- excessive time between courses
- clearing dishes when all are not done eating
- failure to offer coffee service

I cannot explain why my dinner had so many problems while Ronnie's didn't, although some of the food flaws I observed were apparently true of his. For example, tiny portions are not a problem when ordering a longer tasting menu, but when ordering a la carte, a dungeness crab appetizer the size of 4-5 small tater tots (as pictured) is ludicrous. And the poor service we experienced did not arise from a single individual, as virtually all of the service flaws I noted were by the runners and busboys, rather than our waiter or sommelier.

chezbrad wrote:How much of your tasting menu came from items on the a la carte menu? I was at Balsan a few weeks back and took a look at Ria's menu, which was considerably less persuasive than your photos and pictures--but I get the sense that's because you didn't have much from the regular menu...

When I was there, almost everything on the tasting menu was also on the a la carte menu.

Wonderful report; thank you. With the combination of text and pictures, it tells truly of your experience.

Your experience mirrors mine. Ria is international class cuisine and service that can hold its on on that (versus local or just regional) stage. I can't wait to go back. Because the Elysian is not that far from my home, I think I may be a regular at their bar--its a nice place to relax with great quality cocktails at a surprisingly reasonable price (don't mean for this to sound like an infomercial but I am really impressed with the place).

Thanks again for sharing your experience and photographs.

Thanks for this write-up. We're going in February and this has me very excited for our meal.

brilliant pictures and report as always Ronnie,

really brings the restaurant, & food to life vs a text only report.

chezbrad wrote:How much of your tasting menu came from items on the a la carte menu? I was at Balsan a few weeks back and took a look at Ria's menu, which was considerably less persuasive than your photos and pictures--but I get the sense that's because you didn't have much from the regular menu...

Here's a lousy picture of the menu on the night of our visit . . .


Ria Menu 2010.1229

You can see that there was definitely some overlap between the a la carte and tasting menus. In this case, it worked well for us because most of the a la carte items we really wanted to try were included -- in one form or another -- on the tasting menu.

=R=

From Ronnie's pictures the dishes seem very Michelin-two-star (of course, Ronnie's pictures make every restaurant seem like it deserves two stars - even Patty's [which definitely deserves one star]). What strikes me is how beautifully composed the dishes are with interesting and well-chosen ingredients. Perhaps the dishes are not at the height of inspiration that characterize three-star restaurants such as Alinea and some dishes of Gras' l2o or the best of Tom Keller's or Jean-Georges cuisine. Of course, one cannot eat the photos and, crucially, there are no pictures of the "iced tea" (and accompaniments).

nsxtasy wrote:I've reported on my dinner at Ria in the topic to which Ronnie refers, here, where I noted the following flaws:

Food:
- mediocre bread service (tasteless gougeres, tasteless butter, unheated rolls)
- tasteless amuse bouche
- food served insufficiently hot
- food insufficiently cooked
- tiny portions

Service:
- pouring grossly unequal portions of broth
- failing to bring/offer sweetener with iced tea
- excessive time between courses
- clearing dishes when all are not done eating
- failure to offer coffee service

I cannot explain why my dinner had so many problems while Ronnie's didn't, although some of the food flaws I observed were apparently true of his. For example, tiny portions are not a problem when ordering a longer tasting menu, but when ordering a la carte, a dungeness crab appetizer the size of 4-5 small tater tots (as pictured) is ludicrous. And the poor service we experienced did not arise from a single individual, as virtually all of the service flaws I noted were by the runners and busboys, rather than our waiter or sommelier.

chezbrad wrote:How much of your tasting menu came from items on the a la carte menu? I was at Balsan a few weeks back and took a look at Ria's menu, which was considerably less persuasive than your photos and pictures--but I get the sense that's because you didn't have much from the regular menu...

When I was there, almost everything on the tasting menu was also on the a la carte menu.

I couldn't help myself and near the end of our meal, I noticed a table being served a round of iced teas. I playfully asked GM Brian O'Connor if that was the "infamous $4 iced tea?" He smiled humbly and immediately told me how heartbreaking it was for them to have read about that. When I asked whether something like that could have been resolved at the time of the meal, he acknowledged that that's a hard thing to do and that not even he -- a resto-industry pro -- is always comfortable with doing so. He went on to say that they considered the feedback valuable, even if painful. It's clear that the team at Ria is looking everywhere, even here, for feedback about what they do. Fwiw, we never even asked about how my son's multitude of Sprites were priced (at this price point, I honestly don't care if they charge for refills or not) but when the bill came we were charged only $4 and he had to have had 3 or 4 of them. So, it's clear that they really took nsxtasy's complaint to heart.

As for portion size, we were very happy with the amount of food we were served. I wanted to eat more because everything was so delicious but I was certainly full and left the restaurant feeling comfortable, not overstuffed. I doubt food cost is what really drives portion size. My guess is that they try to gauge portion size based on the various feedback they receive. I once discussed this with Grant Achatz about Alinea and gauging portion size is always a challenge for them because they hear from people that it's too much, not enough, just right, etc. It's really hard for anyone to nail that down.

=R=

Ronnie,

I have to ask since you brought it up. It is clear that the restaurant "knew you." [Not that you said "Cook for me! ] Given the mixed reviews, do you think that Ria is one of those restaurants that treats "friends" better than off-the-street customers? Obviously there is not that much that can be done with dishes (apart from an extra rosy raspberry), but since service seems to be a point of contention perhaps there is VIP treatment?

GAF wrote:Ronnie,

I have to ask since you brought it up. It is clear that the restaurant "knew you." [Not that you said "Cook for me! ] Given the mixed reviews, do you think that Ria is one of those restaurants that treats "friends" better than off-the-street customers? Obviously there is not that much that can be done with dishes (apart from an extra rosy raspberry), but since service seems to be a point of contention perhaps there is VIP treatment?

I really can't say. I like to think -- as we all probably do -- that I've fine-dined enough to comport myself in a way that helps elicit better treatment. For example, when we were told that the gougere contained Pleasant Ridge Reserve cheese, I made of point of telling our server Jordan that I'd recently been to visit Uplands Farm. I hoped that would convey that we were both enthusiastic and somewhat knowledgeable. Taking out a big DSLR camera cerrtainly puts a fly in the ointment, too.

That said, the folks at Ria clearly read LTH and could very well have extracted from the other thread who I was and when I was coming. But as you said, at the end of the day, there's very little that can be done to make the food better, regardless of what the house wants to do. We did have one funny moment in this regard. After we finished one of our courses, our empty wine glasses sat on the table a just bit longer than they had after previous courses. I mentioned this to my wife, simply as an observation because I certainly didn't care. Almost immediately after that, they were swooped up. After the courses that followed, the wine glasses were removed almost immediately. We joked at the table that, perhaps, there was a listening device positioned somewhere nearby.

As an aside, all the stemware was, I believe, Zwiebel Sommelier Series and it was as gorgeous, elegant and functional as any I can ever remember using.

I think a lot of this comes down to personal tastes and expectations. Nsxtasy mentioned that the rolls were cold. I'd never expect baguettes to be served warm, so their temperature didn't even occur to me. He also mentioned that the butter was flavorless. By contrast, the moment he tasted the butter, my son commented on how sweet it was (perhaps it had been changed between our visits?). At some point, people who are given empirically identical experiences are going to perceive them in a multitude of different ways . . . and such is life!

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

GAF wrote:Ronnie,

I have to ask since you brought it up. It is clear that the restaurant "knew you." [Not that you said "Cook for me! ] Given the mixed reviews, do you think that Ria is one of those restaurants that treats "friends" better than off-the-street customers? Obviously there is not that much that can be done with dishes (apart from an extra rosy raspberry), but since service seems to be a point of contention perhaps there is VIP treatment?

I really can't say. I like to think -- as we all probably do -- that I've fine-dined enough to comport myself in a way that helps elicit better treatment.

The only problem with this--and I know you don't mean to imply this, but it's the logical corollary of what you say--is that it says that people who receive worse treatment are receiving worse treatment because they don't know how to comport themselves in a fine-dining environment. Rather than because the restaurant treats equally deserving patrons with different levels of consideration, which is also possible.

Riddle--

I have a slightly different take on what Ronnie said. Just because it might pique the staff's interest that someone shows a level of interest and knowledge beyond the average diner and that results in a slight "bump up" in service doesn't mean the converse is true--a bump below the average diner for the rest. Sort of true in any service industry--when one "clicks" with the staff in some way, it can result in a bit more attention--hopefully not to the detriment of others, but its just human nature.

One final note--at the restaurant (and bar as well) one can get Badoit water, my favourite water. It became funny because in NYC, they used to keep some in the back for me at Eleven Madison Park, knowing I like it so much. On a recent visit, they told me they couldn't get it anymore because the importer wasn't bringing it into NY anymore. Can't get it in NY, apparently, but they have it at the Elysian Hotel.

We're unknown to pretty much every restaurant we go to but, and we've found this especially true at the high end, expressing interest in what the restaurant is doing and asking lost of questions will always results in better (and sometimes VIP-like treatment). That isn't to say we've been treated poorly at any high end restaurants before engaging with the staff, things just (as DutchMuse said) get bumped up a notch after.

Thanks, Dutch and Josh, for helping me to see this facet in Ron's meaning, which is undoubtedly what he meant.

DutchMuse wrote:One final note--at the restaurant (and bar as well) one can get Badoit water, my favourite water. It became funny because in NYC, they used to keep some in the back for me at Eleven Madison Park, knowing I like it so much. On a recent visit, they told me they couldn't get it anymore because the importer wasn't bringing it into NY anymore. Can't get it in NY, apparently, but they have it at the Elysian Hotel.

I am amused to report that ever since your post, Amazon thinks I'm a water lush. I looked up Badoit, certain that Eleven could at least get it online for you (of course they can, if they wanted), and each time I log into the site now I get six or ten recommendations for sparkling water. It was on sale for $11.99 for three 750ml bottles last week, and I almost pulled the trigger.

According to this article in Crain's http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20110211/NEWS07/110219959/michelin-starred-chef-jason-mcleod-leaves-ria-restaurant#axzz1DgLhIUZS , Chef McLeod has left Ria.

Ursiform wrote:According to this article in Crain's http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20110211/NEWS07/110219959/michelin-starred-chef-jason-mcleod-leaves-ria-restaurant#axzz1DgLhIUZS , Chef McLeod has left Ria.

Thanks, for the information.

I suggest that a new thread be started for future experiences at Ria, since the title of this thread would render any new posts on this thread obsolete.

=R=

I'm going next Friday, great timing.

jesteinf wrote:I'm going next Friday, great timing.

It seemed that Danny Grant was managing most of the day-to-day kitchen functions when we were there in December, so my guess is that you'll be fine.

=R=

Ursiform wrote:According to this article in Crain's http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20110211/NEWS07/110219959/michelin-starred-chef-jason-mcleod-leaves-ria-restaurant#axzz1DgLhIUZS , Chef McLeod has left Ria.

There's more in the Tribune's blog, "The Stew" (click here).

ronnie_suburban wrote:I suggest that a new thread be started for future experiences at Ria, since the title of this thread would render any new posts on this thread obsolete.

=R=

Maybe we will need to go back to the title of the original Ria thread: Ria - Deeply flawed (despite high aspirations)

Time will tell

I find it really odd that two chefs of high-end restaurants would leave so quickly after winning acclaim, especially for vague or unstated reasons. (You can also add a third recent departure, Christophe David of NoMI, although he apparently had personal reasons involving the need to move out of town.) High-end places don't typically have a lot of turnover among the executive chefs (although other staff frequently move on to run the show elsewhere). You look at our top places, and Achatz, Mantuano, Joho, and Trotter have been in charge for years. It was a really big deal when Tramonto left TRU and Bowles left Avenues, and those are the only ones I can think of in recent years before these three latest departures.

nsxtasy wrote:I find it really odd that two chefs of high-end restaurants would leave so quickly after winning acclaim, especially for vague or unstated reasons. (You can also add a third recent departure, Christophe David of NoMI, although he apparently had personal reasons involving the need to move out of town.) High-end places don't typically have a lot of turnover among the executive chefs (although other staff frequently move on to run the show elsewhere). You look at our top places, and Achatz, Mantuano, Joho, and Trotter have been in charge for years. It was a really big deal when Tramonto left TRU and Bowles left Avenues, and those are the only ones I can think of in recent years before these three latest departures.

Perhaps it's an unforeseen side-effect of the Michelin ratings, as chefs try to parlay their accolades into better deals and situations for themselves. After being "starred," their market values have never been higher.

The chefs you mention who've stuck around are (most likely) equity partners in their ventures, which makes leaving for better deals unlikely.

=R=

Correct and correct.

the Elysian let go a number of stuff this week, same time as Jason McLeod leaving. No idea if the two are related.

We went to Ria last night. Great room, great service, (mostly) great food, gorgeous presentations, but something about this restaurant just didn't click for me. Don't get me wrong. I liked it, I really liked it, but I wasn't completely blown away. I think part of that comes from the fact that we ordered a la carte. Based on what we ate and what I saw on the tasting menu, I think the tasting menu is really the way to go. This sounds silly, but I feel like Ria has a story to tell and can really only tell it through an 8 or 10 course tasting menu. I don't think a la carte does them justice. Honestly, I would get rid of it (but maybe that's why I'm not in the restaurant business).

We started with the gougere and amuse pictured above in Ronnie's posts, and I enjoyed both. The apple/ice wine consomme was intensely flavored and a great way to wake up the palate (with the apple butter schmeared pumpernickel adding some nice substance to the bowl). My appetizer was the scallop and octopus dish also pictured above in Ronnie's post. The scallop and octopus were both perfectly perfectly pristine, just exceptionally high quality ingredients. I didn't care for the foam (actually more like shaving cream) applied to the dish table-side. I think I got too much, and the texture was just kind of weird. I would have preferred a lighter, more traditional sauce. My main course was outstanding. A stuffed quail served in a foie gras reduction. The bird was perfectly cooked, and the stuffing made it deeply satisfying. I needed more bread to mop up the sauce. Seriously, one of the best high end dishes I've had in a while. Dessert was date cake with some brie and candied fruit. A nice, and not too sweet way to finish off the meal.

Service was right on all night. Friendly, the right level of formality, and well informed. This was a long meal, even ordering a la carte we were there for a little more than three hours. Some might consider that slow, but it didn't really bother me. I liked to room (and the style of the whole hotel really). It certainly wasn't hushed like L2O or Tru, but I wouldn't describe it as loud either. No one at our table had any trouble hearing each other.

So, like I said, I liked just about everything about Ria. But there was just something lacking that prevented me from really falling in love with the place. I think part of the issue is that this restaurant's most natural comparator is Tru and to me Tru does a better job. I feel like Tru, in it's current incarnation, has a little more soul behind it's food. The food at Ria, while delicious and lovely to look at, had a certain "antiseptic" feel that I still can't really place.

Would I go back? Probably, but I'd wait until the menu changed, and I'd definitely go with the tasting menu.

I went to RIA last night and had the tasting menu with wine pairings. I have to say, for a Michelin 2-star restaurant, I was disappointed. The service was outstanding, and the presentation of most of the courses was lovely. However, only a couple of the courses really came together in a spectacular fashion. The Beef Short Rib was the most successful of the savory courses, and also a newer addition to the menu. The sorbet intermezzo and Tainori Chocolate dessert were also really great. Most of the other courses fell short of expectations.

My photos are nowhere near as good as Ronnie's, but I thought I would share so you can all see how dishes have changed, although most have largely stayed the same.


This Gougere with Gruyere cheese was a lovely start to the meal, deliciously cheesy yet delicate.


The breakfast radishes were incredibly fresh, crisp and absolutely adorable. The pumpernickel was a bit hard and dry, but with the apple butter and broth, that was okay. The broth itself was a little too salty, overwhelming the apples and radishes.


Really nice baguette - nice crust and chewy interior. I also enjoyed the lightness of the butter. It's refreshing to be able to easily swipe a bit of butter as opposed to trying to cut through the rock hard cold butter some restaurants offer.


This second amuse was probably my least favorite. It mousse was just way too salty. Even though it was small and just a few bites, I had a hard time finishing it.


These scallops, served chilled, were a really interesting preparation. While I didn't particularly enjoy it, I appreciated the unique texture and flavor. The octopus though, was nowhere near as good as I've had in other less-pricey restaurants and the Fumet Blanc foam was unremarkable. I agree with jesteinf that it resembled shaving cream.


Rabbit terrine was beautiful, I loved how the colors came together, and the golden raisins were a wonderful touch of sweetness to cut through the (again) too salty terrine. This dish seems to have replaced the Dungeness Crab that was previously on the menu.


The Dover Sole preparation has changed a bit, and the fish was frankly overcooked. I feel like I can cook fish and trumpet mushrooms better, so while I was really looking forward to this, it fell far short of my expectations.


Okay, things are starting to look up. The Peking duck was brought to our table whole before the breast was plated (I wanted to snap a photo but missed the opportunity) and there was a healthy layer of fat between the skin and meat. Of all the sauces, I enjoyed this veloute the most, with spicy Szechuan pepper and cumin. The potatoes and duck soaked the sauce right up and the blood orange was a nice accent to cut through the richness.


This beef shortrib dish, that appears to have replaced the foie gras, was amazing. Easily the best savory dish of the night. The beef itself was so tender and easy to cut through, and served on a light pickled bed of parsnip. The little cubes of bone marrow added another layer of flavor to a great dish.


I cannot recall if our intermezzo sorbet was mango or passionfruit, but regardless, it was totally delish and topped with basil seeds and served in a light cream sauce. Very refreshing and a great palate cleanser.


Really interesting combination of flavors and textures, however, the huckleberries were a little too bitter and the chiboust a little heavier than I would have liked. The meyer lemon sorbet was outstanding.


Absolutely amazing. From the tart Aperol sherbet atop fresh pomelo segments to the deep and fruity tainori chocolate mousse log and the intense black cocoa powder, this dish really came together for me. Some others at the table didn't like the black cocoa powder as much as I did, and I am definitely a dark chocolate lover - I prefer 85% to 70% dark - so I might be biased. Also, I totally adored the Alcyone wine from Uruguay that was paired with this course. It had such a strong and deep vanilla flavor and aroma. I could have smelled it all day.


From left to right: chocolate macaron, salted caramel truffle, tangerine mint gelee. All really tasty and a great way to finish the meal.

While my meal had definite highlights, it fell short of what I had imagined. I know Michelin stars are not the gospel, but I think one-star restaurants like Blackbird and Naha are superior to RIA in terms of the quality of food. Considering that I generally prefer seafood and RIA is known for its seafood, I was surprised that I enjoyed the duck and beef dishes more than the seafood. This is my first time at RIA, so I cannot compare my experience last night to how it was when Chef McLeod helmed the kitchen. All things considered though, I doubt that I'll be returning, especially considering how many other amazing Chicago restaurants I have yet to try.

I had the chefs tasting tonight. I thought it was great. I can't say I liked it better than all the one stars restaurants, but a lot of that is personal taste. I think it was an excellent experience and worthy of either one or two stars.

It's a funny thing - we never managed to try Jason McLeod's food before leaving Chicago. And now, lo and behold, the man showed up in San Diego and is practically cooking in our backyard (the La Valencia hotel in La Jolla). His arrival is definitely a welcome addition to the rather depressing SD food scene. I just hope he won't be restrained in his current position...