4Taste off Rush - The Best Restaurant in Chicago

4Taste opened a second location on Walton and Rush, which is nicer area than the one off of Milwaukee. For those of you who are not familiar with 4Taste, it is Chicago's first and original appetizer lounge according to their website. 4Taste off Rush provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The breakfast may very well be the best that I ever had, even when compared to Orange. Lunch and dinner are similar to the original 4Taste, which is an appetizer lounge. This place is an absolute bargain! You will never find such high end fine dinning at $10.00 an appetizer that is practically a meal. If you want dessert, you will be full with just 2 appetizers. Again, 4Taste added the fine elements of foodie fusion food without the price tag. I almost find it hard to believe since it is located in such a high rent location. This place is a must-go restaurant for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Here are few examples of my favorites from their menu (delicious!!!)
(1) Crab Cakes roasted pepper aoili and petit salad
(2) Grilled free range Australian beef tenderloin with caramelized onions & Dijon cream
(3) Mississippi quail, Yukon gold potato hash, fried quail egg & black pepper molasses sauce
(4) Seared Ahi tuna with oven dried tomato wasabi cream & soy reduction
(5) Seared Hudson Valley Foie gras with roasted caramelized apple & vanilla poppy seed sauce (not available now because of the city counsels)
(6) Lump crab meat salad wrapped in smoke salmon, caviar & tomato coulis
(7) Roasted spiced Maple leaf duck breast with rice wine cured purple cabbage & tamarind sauce

Here's more information in case anyone is interested:

4 taste
100 E. Walton
(312) 280-2400

$10.00 Valet Parking

Haven't been, but thanks for the report.

Welcome Alysongrace! Just a question, but are you in any way connected with the resturant? I just kinda feel like I drove into a billboard. Just so you know, it is ok to post on a place you are associated with (if you are that is), just put up a disclaimer to let everyone know where you are comming from. In fact, I know I love hearing from folks in the industry that I worked in for many years. Reminds me of the "good" old days . My appologies if this is not the case.

As I haven't been to 4Taste, I can't comment on the if it is or is not the best resturant in Chicago but I'd say any "small plate" establishment is up against some outrageously tough (if not insurmountable) competition with places like Alinea, Moto, Spring, Schwa, Avenues, etc that we are fortunate enough to have in our fair city.

Hi Stagger,

Thanks for your post, sorry if I sounded like a commercial (LOL). But know that I have no connection at all to the restaurant. In fact, I don't even know anyone who neither works nor owns the restaurant. I am just a huge fan of what they are offering to our great city. I really think they offer great food for the price. Although it did make me feel a little sad this morning when I went there for breakfast, and there were only my party of two and one other party with two people. I just hate to see a good thing go away. Thus, in that sense, I did have some self-motivation for posting this.

Alyson

P.S. The statement of being the best restaurant in Chicago is, of course, my own personal opinion. I know there are tons of good restaurants in Chicago, but I never had foie gras in my dinner and walked out under $30.00.

alysongrace wrote: I know there are tons of good restaurants in Chicago, but I never had foie gras in my dinner and walked out under $30.00.

And now you won't again...

alysongrace wrote:
I know there are tons of good restaurants in Chicago, but I never had foie gras in my dinner and walked out under $30.00.

gleam wrote:
And now you won't again...

Well, if they have to give the foie gras away as a garnish, or whatever, presumably that will keep the price down?:-)

Gleam,

I know it is going to be hard, but at least you can still get some foie gras if you are willing to drive a bit. Or better yet, more excuse to go to NYC or Europe. But I have to admit, foie gras is not the same outside of the City. I like it much better at places like 4Taste.

Alyson Grace

But I have to admit, foie gras is not the same outside of the City.

That's ridiculous.

Regards,

Chicago means chicago! City limits!

That's why this is "Eating Out in Chicagoland", not "Eating out in Chicago". For some reason people keep posting about the suburbs*


*says the guy who grew up in oak park

Cathy2 wrote:

But I have to admit, foie gras is not the same outside of the City.

That's ridiculous.

Regards,

It is not ridiculous. I like my night taking the train, eating, hanging out and about without DRIVING!!!! At minimum, you have to admit that the urban scene is different from the surburban.

alysongrace wrote:

Cathy2 wrote:

But I have to admit, foie gras is not the same outside of the City.

That's ridiculous.

Regards,

It is not ridiculous. I like my night taking the train, eating, hanging out and about without DRIVING!!!! At minimum, you have to admit that the urban scene is different from the surburban.

But let's be fair, that is not what you wrote. You wrote, "foie gras is not the same outside of the City" (emphasis added). Read plainly and literally, that is just false. Plenty of excellent foie gras is available in the suburbs, and it's indiscernible from that sold in the City. Why? Because it all (or 90% plus) comes from the same, out-of-State sources in New York State or California, and there is plenty of talent in the suburbs preparing that foie gras (as I, and Cathy2 and a number of others experienced a couple of months ago in Buffalo Grove). If, however, what you meant was, "the experience of eating foie gras (or anything else) is not the same outside the city, because the experience (not the food) is mediated and denatured as a result of the concomitant driving, parking, restaurant in a strip mall, etc.," then that's a matter of opinion and personal preference, but not at all ridiculous. And based on your follow-up post, I think that is what you meant. But if that is what you meant, you should've said so. Cathy was providing a terse yet effective evaluation of the literal statement you wrote. (And yes, while I don't HAVE to admit it, I will -- the urban scene is different from the suburban. That is why, after many years of suburban living in Buffalo Grove, Libertyville and Northbrook, I returned to Chicago at my first opportunity. But good food is good food, wherever it is served. Maybe you should come to the next French dinner in Buffalo Grove; it's worth the drive.)

My Bad, although I do think fine dining is not just about eating, but the whole experience. For example, it is the freedom to be able to go one place for dinner, then easily walk down the street to get some special desert, and then walk just another block to get some specialty drinks. To me, that is fine dining as an experience and not just how it taste. So when I made that statement, that is the only reason why I prefer city eating, not because the food tastes any different. If fine dining is beyond just eating, my preference has some merits. Plus, it is just my preference, and I know not everyone likes the city.

alysongrace wrote:For example, it is the freedom to be able to go one place for dinner, then easily walk down the street to get some special desert, and then walk just another block to get some specialty drinks. To me, that is fine dining as an experience and not just how it taste.

I love the city, but you can just as easily find the experience you describe here in Evanston, or in Oak Park, or Highwood, or probably some other areas I'm forgetting about.