Teresa wrote:The rocky road dessert was the perfect example of this ingredient hodgepodge. It consisted of brownies, “smoked” cherries (I didn’t taste smoke), almonds, ice cream, weird marshmallow goo, caramel, and some heavily basil-flavored bread pudding-ish textured stuff – all topped off with white cotton candy that literally looked like an unappetizing piece of cotton placed on top of our food. It reminded me of the crazy concoctions I would come up with at ice cream sundae bars as a kid. That's why, despite how weird it was, I dug in happily.

I typically don't like desserts (or anything) with too many components, but I really felt that everything worked harmoniously. Our table of four actually ordered a second one of the Rocky Road because everyone liked it so much.

milz50 wrote:

Teresa wrote:The rocky road dessert was the perfect example of this ingredient hodgepodge. It consisted of brownies, “smoked” cherries (I didn’t taste smoke), almonds, ice cream, weird marshmallow goo, caramel, and some heavily basil-flavored bread pudding-ish textured stuff – all topped off with white cotton candy that literally looked like an unappetizing piece of cotton placed on top of our food. It reminded me of the crazy concoctions I would come up with at ice cream sundae bars as a kid. That's why, despite how weird it was, I dug in happily.

I typically don't like desserts (or anything) with too many components, but I really felt that everything worked harmoniously. Our table of four actually ordered a second one of the Rocky Road because everyone liked it so much.

You and Matt have such good palates, I second guessed myself...so I referenced the menu we had a few weeks ago. Sure enough, our version was different. We had:

ROCKY ROAD - Brownies, smoked cherries, brown butter ice cream, almonds, marshmallow fluff, cotton candy and creme fraiche caramel.

I think the version I received sounds a bit more cohesive despite the large list of components.

milz50 wrote:

milz50 wrote:

Teresa wrote:The rocky road dessert was the perfect example of this ingredient hodgepodge. It consisted of brownies, “smoked” cherries (I didn’t taste smoke), almonds, ice cream, weird marshmallow goo, caramel, and some heavily basil-flavored bread pudding-ish textured stuff – all topped off with white cotton candy that literally looked like an unappetizing piece of cotton placed on top of our food. It reminded me of the crazy concoctions I would come up with at ice cream sundae bars as a kid. That's why, despite how weird it was, I dug in happily.

I typically don't like desserts (or anything) with too many components, but I really felt that everything worked harmoniously. Our table of four actually ordered a second one of the Rocky Road because everyone liked it so much.

You and Matt have such good palates, I second guessed myself...so I referenced the menu we had a few weeks ago. Sure enough, our version was different. We had:

ROCKY ROAD - Brownies, smoked cherries, brown butter ice cream, almonds, marshmallow fluff, cotton candy and creme fraiche caramel.

I think the version I received sounds a bit more cohesive despite the large list of components.

It had all those same components, with the addition of the basil-bread, which I did not dislike. For me, the whole thing inspired one of those, "This is so wrong, yet so right," moments, which is not altogether uncommon for desserts. So yeah, it worked ... in a way.

I forgot they are doing reservations on Sunday night and tried to go last night around 6PM. They said they had two tables for walk ins , but that they had been completely booked for the evening and they wouldn't even take my name down at all. It's good they are doing this though. I know a lot of people who wouldn't go to Ruxbin because they didn't want to have an unpredictable wait. It's also good they aren't doing it every night though because it definitely changes the character of the restaurant.

Anybody been here recently? What's the wait like on weeknights?

I had an extremely solid meal here tonight. I am not great at details and I didn't take pics so I'll leave it at that. I did want to clear up one thing...corkage fee is $5 per table, not per bottle. I think it is stated once in this thread as that, but Yelp reviews go back an forth.

Also as a data point. we arrived at 7:45 on a Wednesday and were quoted a 45 min wait. They were almost right on. Walked around the corner to Chipp Inn (classic dive, replaying Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals, everyone there into it like it was live) and got a couple $4 craft pints. Got a call around 40 mins later and walked in. Great service all around.

I was there on Saturday and the first folks in line had showed up at 5pm, but I think there were actually a couple of tables open until 6pm or maybe even later.

Excellent meal as always with some surprising new combinations again.

Had a great dinner tonight. As an update, they take reservations. We had the tomato salad which was great. Bright and balanced with thinly sliced apple. I loved the octopus, it was grilled and overall had a rich dark tone. My wife didn't care for it-she found a fish flavor I didn't catch. I had the sea bass, which was lovely-very nice broth balanced with rich vegetables. The fried ginger was in one large piece-better if it was spread out. My wife had the steak and loved it

A word of warning to people who hate fish- several dishes have nori sprinkled throughout. If you don't care for it mention it upfront.

Overall a great meal. We brought in some nice wine and appreciated how great the food was. I'm so glad this is opened up with reservations.

I had eaten at Ruxbin about a year ago and really liked it, finding it much better than the last time I had been there a couple of years ago. So my wife and I went again on Saturday night, and I'm sorry to say I was really disappointed again. The problem wasn't with the cooking, which was done very well. The problem was the format.

The restaurant is now doing a fixed priced, shared plates format where two people must choose five dishes to share between themselves, for $65++ per person. However, there are only 11 dishes total on the menu, including the two desserts. So finding five dishes that two people are both excited about is very difficult, or at least was for us. Maybe it's advantageous to the kitchen to do prep this way, but for the customers it assures a mutual lowering of expectation and standards for what they want to eat. So we both left underwhelmed at what we ate, and had the honor of paying $180 all-in for the privilege.

I'm sorry to say that Ruxbin is back off my list unless the format changes.

John Danza wrote:I had eaten at Ruxbin about a year ago and really liked it, finding it much better than the last time I had been there a couple of years ago. So my wife and I went again on Saturday night, and I'm sorry to say I was really disappointed again. The problem wasn't with the cooking, which was done very well. The problem was the format.

The restaurant is now doing a fixed priced, shared plates format where two people must choose five dishes to share between themselves, for $65++ per person. However, there are only 11 dishes total on the menu, including the two desserts. So finding five dishes that two people are both excited about is very difficult, or at least was for us. Maybe it's advantageous to the kitchen to do prep this way, but for the customers it assures a mutual lowering of expectation and standards for what they want to eat. So we both left underwhelmed at what we ate, and had the honor of paying $180 all-in for the privilege.

I'm sorry to say that Ruxbin is back off my list unless the format changes.

Interesting to hear. I do find it odd that their are no additional charges for certain items, like the foie gras. Perhaps they simply accomplish any price adjustment in the portions, but it seems like some of the dishes should be priced far lower than others, particularly if a couple were to order two desserts. That being said, couldn't you avoid the issue by simply going with two separate dishes each and sharing a dessert, or three courses each (supplementing the five courses)? That might eliminate having to negotiate.

In any event, how was the food?

BR wrote:

John Danza wrote:I had eaten at Ruxbin about a year ago and really liked it, finding it much better than the last time I had been there a couple of years ago. So my wife and I went again on Saturday night, and I'm sorry to say I was really disappointed again. The problem wasn't with the cooking, which was done very well. The problem was the format.

The restaurant is now doing a fixed priced, shared plates format where two people must choose five dishes to share between themselves, for $65++ per person. However, there are only 11 dishes total on the menu, including the two desserts. So finding five dishes that two people are both excited about is very difficult, or at least was for us. Maybe it's advantageous to the kitchen to do prep this way, but for the customers it assures a mutual lowering of expectation and standards for what they want to eat. So we both left underwhelmed at what we ate, and had the honor of paying $180 all-in for the privilege.

I'm sorry to say that Ruxbin is back off my list unless the format changes.

Interesting to hear. I do find it odd that their are no additional charges for certain items, like the foie gras. Perhaps they simply accomplish any price adjustment in the portions, but it seems like some of the dishes should be priced far lower than others, particularly if a couple were to order two desserts. That being said, couldn't you avoid the issue by simply going with two separate dishes each and sharing a dessert, or three courses each (supplementing the five courses)? That might eliminate having to negotiate.

In any event, how was the food?

Unfortunately, there was no foie gras on the menu on Saturday.

Your suggestion about the two and two, plus a shared dessert, would be a good one except for a couple of things:
1. The waitress said the dishes come when they come, so there's no attempt by the kitchen to time the delivery of the food. We received one of our dishes while barely half way through the previous one.

2. I think $65++ for two and a half of these dishes is much more than they were worth.

How was the food? They executed well, so no complaints there. However, as a wine aficionado (that's why I frequent BYOBs), I thought the construction of the menu was odd for a winter menu. There were only two dishes on the menu that were red wine friendly, and one of those (the "carrot steak") didn't turn out to be red wine friendly until we actually had it and could see and taste the dish. So the menu construction could have been better.

I'm torn because I've had really good meals there, and some clunkers. The clunkers haven't been execution, they've been menu construction. So my recommendation would be to always check the website for their format and menu before making the commitment to go to Ruxbin Kitchen.

John Danza wrote:Your suggestion about the two and two, plus a shared dessert, would be a good one except for a couple of things:
1. The waitress said the dishes come when they come, so there's no attempt by the kitchen to time the delivery of the food. We received one of our dishes while barely half way through the previous one.

That would seal the deal for me -- no option but to share and to negotiate the menu. No thanks -- glad you mentioned.

Had a good meal last night at Ruxbin. Purely regarding food on the plate, we definitely hope to return. Having not been back since Ruxbin changed over to the table sharing model, we were pleased to find the choices sufficient for the two of us. Highlights were the shaved vegetable salad, scallop and shrimp, and the bread/verjus course. Jackfruit carnitas was interesting, though we thought it could've use a bit more smoked tomato, and perhaps a hit of maldon salt.

EDIT: Note that they have the option to add a dish, separately from the prix fixe, for $12. This might add some perhaps needed flexibility to the menu.

The only slight downer was not really in Ruxbin's control, so I hesitate to mention, but: We snagged a 9:30 reservation, and weren't seated until 9:45 or so. This is all fine, and we neither dawdled nor were rushed. However, the only other table left in the house at 11:15 or so was a celebratory 6-top who clearly had over-imbibed. Also fine, except the music was turned down, and so the string of expletives and ****-talking pretty well interfered with our last 1.5 courses. Our waitstaff didn't themselves seem too jazzed by that table, and they don't really deserve criticism for our experience, but it did have an effect on our meal.

As I said, based purely on food and staff, we would definitely go back. We're thinking about taking our in-laws, who would really enjoy the food; if we do so, we'll try to get an earlier reservation.

Am considering Ruxbin for my husband's birthday - but I see on their website the BYOB policy is "You are welcome to bring one 750 ml bottle of wine, beer, or sake per 2 people."

Really? If we bring beer, we can only have the equivalent of about one beer per person for the duration of our dinner? By the same token, what if we want to have both red and white wines on hand? Or one of us wants beer and the other wine?

I've never encountered stringent quantity limits like this on BYOB before and am wondering how strict this is. Could be a deal killer.

That's a very limited & bizarre policy indeed - if you get a clarification from Ruxbin, please let us know. Would be a potential deal-killer for me and my wife as well.

When I went with a group of four a few months ago, that was the case. Each couple brought a bottle of wine. If you could, I'd advise finding another place anyway. BYOB policy aside, I was really disappointed with the standoffish service. It might have been that particular night, but the quality of the food didn't match up to the price point.

I think I agree with the previous comment. After both the institution of shared courses and a price hike, Ruxbin has gone off of our list. If you can make it work, I believe the Bristol offers no corkage BYOB on Monday and Tuesday.

Jasubar wrote:Am considering Ruxbin for my husband's birthday - but I see on their website the BYOB policy is "You are welcome to bring one 750 ml bottle of wine, beer, or sake per 2 people."

Really? If we bring beer, we can only have the equivalent of about one beer per person for the duration of our dinner? By the same token, what if we want to have both red and white wines on hand? Or one of us wants beer and the other wine?

I've never encountered stringent quantity limits like this on BYOB before and am wondering how strict this is. Could be a deal killer.

That is a typo by Ruxbin for sure. I was just there and I brought a 6-pack of beer without any issues.

Call them and ask.

Ruxbin is closing September 10th.

https://chicago.eater.com/2017/8/30/162 ... sabbatical