I don't own a nice camera and I'm not particularly smart about food, so here's my takeaway:

Take a good, somewhat tannic red wine, a good port, and a really good sake. Furreal. Anything that you might think a white wine will rock, take a fancy junmai sake, instead. Some of the pairings were stupid good. The fancy junmai I took that seriously rocked my world was "Fragrant Jewel," which sounds literally stupid, but tasted fantastic with at least half the courses.

Thanks for a ton of great advice ... and the pointer to Sake which I would not have guessed!

Fragrant Jewel is on of my all time favorite Sakes. Well worth the price IMO. We are going in January and I am looking forward to the meal immensley. Any idea of the typical dining time. I assume everyone has to finish a course before the next is served to the rest of the restaurant?

The courses are no more than at most a few bites, so there's little that could stall service, short of someone actually leaving the room and not returning timely. But even then, they'd probably just keep moving after a short wait. I never felt rushed but it did feel efficient. There certainly weren't any notable lags between courses. I want to say we were there for 2.25 hours--we had the early seating so things might move along at a bit more of a clip, knowing they have to turn the room. But, again, the pacing was very comfortable from my perspective.

Has anybody been to 42 grams recently? I'm going on Saturday and was curious as to what their menu looks like these days. Also, what do you recommend in terms of alcohol? I'm going with my wife who is pregnant so I'm the only person drinking. While I'll drink wine, I'm more of a beer guy who prefers lagers and stouts. Would these types of beers pair well with the menu or should I stick with wine?

I went a couple weeks ago and the food was incredible; some of the best tasting and most interesting cuisine in Chicago right now IMHO. Only complaint was pacing; while the staff is really friendly the meal is FAST, bordering on rushed - the entire dinner was barely over 1.5 hours.

As for pairings, the food is complex; you should receive an e-mail with pairing advice - with food this complex though personally I am one that would rather bring what I enjoy drinking over attempting to do a true pairing and focus more on sipping my beverage between courses. The food is phenomenal on its own so no need to overthink your beverages; if you enjoy beer, I'd recommend going with that. Lagers would be best for first half of the menu, stouts for second half.

Have a wonderful time, it truly is a treat dining there.

fieldsm1 wrote:Has anybody been to 42 grams recently? I'm going on Saturday and was curious as to what their menu looks like these days. Also, what do you recommend in terms of alcohol? I'm going with my wife who is pregnant so I'm the only person drinking. While I'll drink wine, I'm more of a beer guy who prefers lagers and stouts. Would these types of beers pair well with the menu or should I stick with wine?

No offense & I'm not trying to be a jerk but I'm really just wondering....why would you post this on an internet chat site versus contacting the restaurant directly & just asking them??

I will have to agree with Gonzoo, food was incredible but pacing was quite quick. My wife and I went, and brought a 1/2 bottle of champagne, bottle of white burgandy bottle of bourdeaux and a 1/2 bottle of dessert wine. While clearly that is a lot of wine for two people trying to pair each with the correct course became more of a race than anything. I would agree that bringing what you like and sipping is the way to go.

Last night I went to the 8:45 dinner at 42 Grams. We were at the counter, and there were only 8 of us, so it was a very small, intimate experience. I was surprised to learn that there are basically just four people that run this restaurant - Chef Jake, Chef Emily, Alexa who is the manager/service director/server, and a dishwasher/helper in back.

The space is very non-descript from the outside. You have to know where you're going. On the inside, the physical space is really intimate, well designed and well kept. As a matter of fact, it is spotless and well constructed (this really scores big points for me for some reason..) There is just two seating areas; counter, and table, for ten. The dress code is explicitly comfortable.

Now, the most important part: the food is extremely refined and artistic with excellent balance of flavors. There were some fun bursts of flavor at points too, like the palate cleansers, and some of the sauces. I would certainly describe this as progressive cooking with Asian, French, American, and Latin-American influence. One dish that stuck out was a charred veal sweetbread course with grated foie gras (the char reminded me of Latin American cuisine), and another was the A5 wagyu beef course with bok choy, bone marrow broth, uemboshi, and tendon powder (Japanese influence).

My favorite course of the night, however, was the Irish Salmon that had been tea smoked, served with mushroom dashi, spent grain bread, and nasturtium. This was the best piece of fish I have had in a very long time. I would go back for just this course alone. The spent grain bread that was soaking in mushroom dashi would be excellent on it's own, and this dish was just calling for some daiginjo sake. An absolutely stellar dish.

Though counter seating provides a front-row seat to the kitchen, the chefs were very intently focused on what they were doing. They were happy to answer the occasional questions, but I preferred to watch them plate and do their work, which I found to be very precise and even mesmerizing at points. Chef Jake was unable to stick around after dinner but I was so smitten with the food that I wouldn't have needed to say much past "thank you!"

Alexa is the consummate host. I found her descriptions to be both technical and thorough but also candid and infused with humor. She really is a fantastic host with a smile, and a really nice person in general. The service style of this restaurant is what I believe many micro fine-dining restaurants will adapt to moving forward - casual attire, friendly service, music playing, etc. Please note that there is no beverage service at all here, but stemware and glassware is provided for any option you might desire.

This restaurant has a very promising future in the City of Chicago and the USA. It is worthy of stopping off for. I suspect it will be sold out for months in advance for quite some time to come. I highly recommend a meal at 42 Grams. I believe it is one of the most unique experiences in Chicago dining right now and probably national as well.

I have absolutely not one complaint at all and did not find pacing to be an issue. Our dinner was around 2 hours.

This place kicks ass. I absolutely cannot wait to return.

We had dinner at 42 Grams tonight. It was awesome, one of the best tasting menu meals I have ever eaten. Fortunately, I am replying to one of our most articulate posters, so I'll just quote his summary, with which I agree wholeheartedly:

Royal Lichter wrote:I highly recommend a meal at 42 Grams. I believe it is one of the most unique experiences in Chicago dining right now and probably national as well.

I have absolutely not one complaint at all and did not find pacing to be an issue. Our dinner was around 2 hours.

This place kicks ass. I absolutely cannot wait to return.

What I CAN do is add photos of their new winter menu, which started a couple of weeks ago.

Snail Caviar, buckwheat blini, avocado, Korean cucumber


Carabinero, phytoplankton, Gyokuro, rice


Sturgeon, osetra caviar, vichyssoise, dill


Mussels, curry, brassica, woodruff


Boar, fermented chestnut, blood orange, oca root, enoki


Squab, foie gras, black truffle, ground cherry, grains


A5 Miyazaki Wagyu, bone marrow, beef tendon, umeboshi, baby bok choy


Jamon Mangalica, fresh cheese, flax crisp, Siberian pineapple jam


Tart, kabosu, pineapple sage, honey


Sweet, aloe vera, galangal, amazake, miso caramel, oxalis


Coffee, Sparrow's 42 grams blend, cardamom


Everything was so outstanding that, if you asked me which was the best dish, I'd have to consider ALL of them (except the coffee dish, just because I don't like coffee - and no, it was not drinkable coffee, it was a mousselike consistency). They were ALL that good. Bravo, 42 grams!

A day later, I'm thinking back about a few tips I could pass along, things I might have wished to be told before going to 42 grams. (I haven't changed my opinion, though - the food was stellar, start to finish.)

The communications from the restaurant, on their web page as well as in the pre-dinner e-mail I received, were a bit off-putting. The reception at the restaurant was warm and friendly. But the communications sounded very regimented, like "it's our way or the highway", which can cause some diners to arrive with a negative predisposition towards the place. Don't make this mistake. (And Alexa, if you're reading this, perhaps you or someone could go through them and soften the language a bit. You don't have to back away from any of the rules/policies, just how they're stated.)

The website makes it appear as though there's a choice between the counter and the table, but there isn't; at any given meal, they serve at one or the other, not both.

The music at the restaurant is fairly loud, and between that and the counter arrangement, it's not exactly conversation-friendly. Be prepared to enjoy the food, more so than each other's company.

They're not kidding when they tell you what time they unlock the doors (in our case, only five minutes ahead of our 5:45 reservation time).

The advance e-mail notes that they only serve water (sparkling and still), so you can BYO, not only for alcoholic beverages (limit one bottle per person), but also non-alcoholic ones (soft drinks, tea, milk, etc). I was surprised to see no mention of coffee, as so many people are accustomed to having a hot cup of coffee/espresso/cappuccino at the end of a meal. They don't brew coffee, so coffee-lovers will have to bring their own.

The advance e-mail claimed that 95 percent of diners arrive dressed for "date night", which of course could mean just about anything. Based on our group, dressing for either of the Opentable categories "Casual Dress" and "Smart Casual" would be appropriate.

For our 5:45 reservation, dinner started at 6:00 and ended at 8:00. Meter parking on Broadway has a two-hour limit, so we ran out (not far) to feed the pay station towards the end of our meal. The e-mail said there's free street parking nearby but we didn't bother looking for it.

It's been mentioned that there's no outside signage, other than the name etched in the glass door. This is what it looks like from the outside:


And from the inside, the eight-seat counter:


and the ten-seat table (and the wall art made of corks):

BR was kind enough to dine with me at 42 Grams this past week and I have to say that though it was my first time here it will definitely not be my last. Absolutely astonished how good this meal was.

Menu

Golden Nugget Oyster - speck, sweet corn, corn silk, oyster leaf

Right from the beginning, this amuse knocked my socks off.

Carabinero - phytoplankton, finger lime, Gyokuro, rice


Hamachi - tom kha, dulse, cucumber blooms


Mussel - curry, cauliflower, wild fennel


Lamb Neck - fermented lily bulb, blood orange, enoki

BR was the one who said it out loud, but you didn't need a knife this entire meal. The lamb was super tender and folded as soon as as the fork hit it

Squab - black truffle, ground cherry, caramelized onion, grains


After I finished the squab I actually thought that this may have been the last savory course. It was hard to imagine that another course could top this...

A5 Miyazaki Wagyu - bone marrow, beef tendon, umeboshi, baby bok choy

...but then another course did. Like the lamb, the wagyu completely melted in the mouth. Mind-blowingly delicious.

Jamon Mangalica - fresh cheese, flax crisp, Siberian pineapple jam


Tart - calamansi, pineapple sage, honey


Sweet - aloe vera, galangal, amazake, miso caramel, oxalis

Without a pastry chef in the kitchen, it's incredible just how good this dessert was.

Coffee - Sparrow's 42 grams blend, cardamom

This was delicious as well. A cold coffee mousse and a perfect ending to a near perfect meal. Can't wait to get back.

sure was nice of BR to take one for the team like that

looks killer

incite wrote:BR was kind enough to dine with me at 42 Grams this past week

AlekH wrote:sure was nice of BR to take one for the team like that

looks killer

As an fyi, I am available in general for this type of "charity" work.

In all seriousness, a great evening incite and yes, what a fantastic meal. I've been to 42 Grams several times now and I just can't say enough great things about the restaurant. And Jake and Alexa always make me feel very welcome.

Though some courses appealed more to me than others, I pretty much loved every course. I'll add that I'm frequently complaining about desserts at these minimally staffed higher end places. They don't hire pastry chefs and the diners usually suffer. Yet you won't suffer the same fate at 42 Grams. Indeed, the dessert the other night featuring aloe vera ice cream and miso caramel was one of the best desserts I've ever tasted. And the Sparrow coffee finish is about as perfect a finish to a meal as I could ask for.

Aside from the food, 42 Grams is still byo and a great excuse to uncork some of your finer wines. And note, that may not be the case a year or so from now. I believe they are seriously considering offering wine pairings in the future . . . so . . . . don't say I didn't warn you. Go soon! (Though I don't mind seeing what they can do with pairings).

I went there with my wife for our first anniversary dinner and it was an incredible time. Each course (minus the grain course) was knocking it out of the park. The small, intimate setting with just a few staff and diners was very special. I also appreciated the relaxed setting and music selection chef chose.

I'm looking forward to returning!

Hello all, we will be visiting our favorite Midwestern city and making a stop at 42 grams for my wife's birthday.

I was wondering if anyone had been recently and has insight on the current menu.

Also, and I'm hesitant to ask this question as it exposes my ignorance of the city, but is the area around the restaurant a safe area? we will most likely be using public transportation but want to be sure the walk to the bus or train stop is a safe one. Thanks

Outoftowner4 wrote:Also, and I'm hesitant to ask this question as it exposes my ignorance of the city, but is the area around the restaurant a safe area? we will most likely be using public transportation but want to be sure the walk to the bus or train stop is a safe one. Thanks

While certainly far from the most dangerous area of Chicago, the neighborhood around 42 Grams is a bit sketchy and is prone to occasional violent crime and gang disturbances. If it is dark outside, I personally would advise using a cab or Uber versus public transportation. During daylight I personally would be fine with the train or bus.

I'm guessing the current menu is not vastly different from the one incite and I recently enjoyed.

As for transportation, where are you coming from and what time are you dining? Sure, be aware of the area . . . and personally, I would avoid the area of Sheridan between Wilson and Lawrence late at night (a few blocks east of 42 grams). That being said, I live west of the restaurant and I routinely exit the Red Line stops at Lawrence and (sometimes Wilson) late at night to take the Lawrence bus to my home a mile-and-a-half west and I've never had an issue. You're less than a minute walk from the Wilson stop.

If you have the early reservation, you should have zero concerns. If you have the later reservation, you will still be fine but make sure you know where you are and where you are going. Feel free to follow up if you need more precise info.

Thanks for the quick response guys!

We will be coming from the area around grant park, so maybe uber is a better option. My concern there is the traffic due to construction in the area. The mention of violence has my wife worried now, even tho we do have the early seating

With the early seating this time of year, you will be arriving and departing in daylight. 42 Grams is on a major street, right near the el stop. I don't think there's any cause for concern at all.

I'm with nxtasy on this. Or it's easy enough to take the L there and splurge (!) on a taxi or ride share back.

Looking forward to hearing about your meal!

Having dined over the weekend I wanted to share some quick thoughts - if anyone else stumbles upon the page worried about the area: while it may not be a place to stroll around at 2 in the morning it was certainly safe, atleast during our visit, and was not a worry.

The menu had changed little from the one posted above, but everything was incredible. That paired with the unique atmosphere and amazing service make this a place we will be sure to visit again

My partner and I will be dining at 42 Grams to celebrate our anniversary on July 16th. We will need to bring our own non-alcoholic pairings. Does anyone here have suggestions for NA pairings at 42 Grams? I've never had to provide my own NA pairings at a tasting menu, so this is new territory for me and I'm a bit unsure how to go about doing that without just resorting to basic dry sodas or sparkling mineral water. Any suggestions?

Benjamin_B wrote:My partner and I will be dining at 42 Grams to celebrate our anniversary on July 16th. We will need to bring our own non-alcoholic pairings. Does anyone here have suggestions for NA pairings at 42 Grams? I've never had to provide my own NA pairings at a tasting menu, so this is new territory for me and I'm a bit unsure how to go about doing that without just resorting to basic dry sodas or sparkling mineral water. Any suggestions?

Pretty sure you'll have to provide your own as this is not your average full service restaurant and the space is quite small (I'm therefore assuming they have on hand only what they know they need). But you can contact them for suggestions.

Benjamin_B wrote:My partner and I will be dining at 42 Grams to celebrate our anniversary on July 16th. We will need to bring our own non-alcoholic pairings. Does anyone here have suggestions for NA pairings at 42 Grams? I've never had to provide my own NA pairings at a tasting menu, so this is new territory for me and I'm a bit unsure how to go about doing that without just resorting to basic dry sodas or sparkling mineral water. Any suggestions?

The restaurant provides glassware and ice. As far as what to bring, that's entirely up to you. Non-alcoholic pairings tend to be less specific to foods than wine, and really, anything goes, whatever your personal preferences are. When I ate there, my companions brought wine, and I brought non-alcoholic bottled ice tea. If you prefer soft drinks or mineral water or fruit juice, or some combination thereof, you can bring that.

If you enjoy NA wines at all, I'd maybe go with something like Ariel sparkling. Otherwise, a shrub--there are some really good ones out there like the caramelized orange, honey and ginger from 18.21 (I found mine at Bitter Pop on Lincoln just south of Roscoe) --or a few drops of one of the Bittermilk mixers (old fashioned or charred grapefruit tonic) or Jack Ruby small batch tonic --and mixed with a good sparkling water, would all work. Just go easy on the heavier flavors/sugar so that it doesn't compete with the food.

I enjoyed another spectacular dinner this past Wednesday at 42 Grams. I was the only Chicagoan at the late seating, but that might have had something to do with a sporting event I heard was going on . While 42 Grams is a Michelin two star, I personally think the chef is cooking at a Michelin three star level. It's edible artistry. Combine that with the intimate setting, the ability to interact with the chef and the fact that it is BYOB, makes 42 Grams my favorite restaurant in Chicago.

Current menu

Foie Gras

King Crab

Lobster Mushroom

Saba

Pheasant

Kurobuta

A5 Miyazaki Wagyu

Jamon Mangalica

Tart

Sweet

Coffee

1999 Haut Brion

Sad news broke this evening about 42 Grams; huge loss for Chicago's dining scene. Wishing Jake and Alexa the best.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/re ... story.html

Wow.

http://www.42gramschicago.com/:

To anyone speculating that people need to support their fine dining establishments more, we are not closing for financial reasons.

Very sad.

ReddiWhipSmart wrote:Wow.

http://www.42gramschicago.com/:

To anyone speculating that people need to support their fine dining establishments more, we are not closing for financial reasons.

Very sad.

If they were trying to avoid speculation, they shouldn't have been so cryptic . . . and it's clear that they care what people think.

=R=