Althea, plant based fine dining

Althea has been on my list to try since it opened last November. My wife and I went last night ordered quite a few things to share and everything was wonderful. She was here a month ago with one of daughters and really wanted me to try it. Haven’t been to Brass Heart for the vegan menu, but I’m sure this is currently the most creative plant based restaurant in Chicago, with beautiful presentations. With the dished we ordered, I really doubt many people would even notice that it was a plant based meal, it was just well prepared and delicious food.

A large and attractive space, in an unusual location on the 7th floor inside the Saks on Michigan Avenue. Glad to see it really busy on a damp and chilly Wednesday evening.

Started with excellent house made dumplings filled with kimchi, cashews, cilantro, and coconut served with a red cabbage puree and ginger foam garnish.

We loved the spring gnocchi with English peas, artichokes, beech mushrooms, peppercress, and pistachio cream. I usually do not care for kelp, but the cold Kelp Noodle Cacio E Pepe, with sugar snap peas, pea sprouts and finely chopped black olives was another great dish. The plant bowl with quinoa, black lentil, charred root vegetables, marinated kale, avocado, piquillo romesco, and preserved lemon tahini was good and beautifully presented, but my wife would have liked a bit more tahini on side. Everything was perfectly prepared and plated individually in a large bowl, just calling it a bowl is not giving it justice.

Two awesome desserts: mocha layer cake and the hibiscus strawberry cheesecake.

Looking forward to returning.

Althea
700 N Michigan Ave.
7th Floor
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 525-3400

While I am aware that Bad Hunter serves chicken, beef, and fish, their menu skews heavily toward vegetables and I'm curious: if you've been, how would you compare them? We steered away from anything non-veggie when we were there and thought it pretty creative.

Forgot to mention it is very fairly priced, one app, three entrees, and two desserts were $110 with tax, pre-tip. But they will be getting a liquor licence soon, so drinks will increase the total.

Gypsy Boy wrote:While I am aware that Bad Hunter serves chicken, beef, and fish, their menu skews heavily toward vegetables and I'm curious: if you've been, how would you compare them? We steered away from anything non-veggie when we were there and thought it pretty creative.

I haven't been. Had a reservation for a day right after their fire, so never made it. I'm sure we will try again now that they have re-opened.

At least prior to the fire, almost all of the vegetable dishes had dairy or meat in them. Two of our daughters went and felt there was not much they could order without dairy or meat. Even the veg burger had dairy IN the burger.

I have a personal issue when a restaurant states they can make a dish vegan by removing one or two integral parts of the dish, cheese or a meat and many times a sauce, without an option for a replacement. This usually leaves the dish not complete and I have never been offered a discount for the items removed, many times the most costly ingredients.

When we are at a restaurant, I not always completely strict about avoiding dairy and meat since it is VERY difficult when eating out. My wife and daughters are and they enjoy having at least a portion of a menu they can order from without thinking about avoiding an ingredient.

Another nice visit. Great to see them busy. We brought a friend for an early dinner before seeing Dee Alexander and the John McLean Quartet at Winter's Jazz Club.

Highlights of several dishes were the kimchi dumplings, the barbacoa taco (maitake/oyster mushrooms), Kelp Noodle Cacio E Pepe, and the 'crab' cakes. Too full and out of time for desserts.

They are still waiting for their liquor licence, so still BYO with no corkage! I brought a 2018 Le Sot de l'Ange Caradras, a delicious Loire Cab Franc (since our friend loves cab francs) and an 2008 Socre Barbaresco, that needed more air.

Al Ehrhardt wrote:Another nice visit. Great to see them busy. We brought a friend for an early dinner before seeing Dee Alexander and the John McLean Quartet at Winter's Jazz Club.

Highlights of several dishes were the kimchi dumplings, the barbacoa taco (maitake/oyster mushrooms), Kelp Noodle Cacio E Pepe, and the 'crab' cakes. Too full and out of time for desserts.

They are still waiting for their liquor licence, so still BYO with no corkage! I brought a 2018 Le Sot de l'Ange Caradras, a delicious Loire Cab Franc (since our friend loves cab francs) and an 2008 Socre Barbaresco, that needed more air.

Uhm, Dee Alexander was in town?!