Aria Restaurant (long)

Excellent dinner last night at Aria Restaurant (in the Fairmont Hotel). We wanted something nice but were pretty much winging it at Aria; though I’d heard of it, I know no one who’s been and couldn’t find a lot written on it of a substantive nature. Our experience? In a word: excellent. We will be back.

The room appears to be somewhat half-moon shaped, in a gentle arc, and although the décor was not to our particular taste, it was certainly in good taste. Even better, the tables were rather generously spaced. The room itself was neither particular quiet nor particularly noisy and the music, which sounded like world music, was generally quiet and easy to listen to. From the moment we were served our water from a large aluminum (?) frog—other animals are on tap, as it were—we knew we were in for an unusual evening.

But your interest and ours was the food. As you may know, the menu is a largely a series of Asian variations, although there are a number of dishes that have nothing to do with Asia (such as steaks and a few Moroccan entrees). But I get ahead of myself. The evening begins with a basket of very fresh naan cut into pie-shaped slices. Accompanying the naan are four small “sauces,” each with its own spoon: a mild lentil “stew,” a yogurt-based dip, spinach-based one, and a pureed cashews and raisins. Each is different but, as you can see, an Asian influence immediately asserts itself. Should you be seated in the right place, you can watch one chef whose sole responsibility appears to be baking the naan. It’s a below-counter “oven” and quite intriguing to watch as he manipulates giant chopstick-like stainless steel tongs to pull the bread off the walls of the oven. The bread is literally fresh from the oven and you may have as much of it as you wish—a distinct danger as it’s easy to fill up before anything else arrives. Pace yourself. Because the appetizers are impressive.

There are about half a dozen cold ones and perhaps a few more hot ones. Again, although there are non-Asian offerings (including a buffalo carpaccio, wild mushroom risotto, a trio of Hudson valley foie gras, and a few intriguing salads), most reflect some Asian cuisine, whether it be the Shanghai spinach salad (with edamame and daikon sprouts, among other things, and a ginger-mirin dressing), the hot and sour baked rock shrimp, or our choices: “Thai basil shrimp and lemongrass-scented chicken gyoza” (for the Lovely Dining Companion) or shrimp “kow maan” for me. The former was served in a bamboo steamer and the presentation was beautiful. More to the point, the dish was excellent. The gyoza were lightly fried (and exceptionally grease/oil-free) and exactly the right portion. The gyoza were accompanied by some shaved scallions, a few slices of remarkably mild hot red pepper, and two vinaigrettes: a chili-sesame and a yasawa soy. (We couldn’t identify the elements in the latter, but it was also quite mild and a very pleasant accompaniment.) Topping the dish (literally and figuratively) were stunning hand-carved and polished wooden chopsticks.

My shrimp kow maan was also beautifully presented in a large deep bowl. Several shrimp surrounded a two or three-inch coconut shrimp rice cake, whose textures were simply astonishing—from the creamy rice inside to the crispy, lightly-fried rice on the top and bottom. Piped around the entire circumference was a remarkably flavorful thai basil coconut foam. I am not a fan of foams but this one won me over. More coconut than basil in flavor, it nevertheless complemented the dish perfectly without overwhelming it. It added flavor without adding any "weight." Best of all, the sauce itself, a deep peanut-colored (not flavored), very rich sauce. Atop the rice cake, a shredded green papaya “salad.” And a small dish of steamed white rice which I unceremoniously dumped into the sauce, the better to soak up every drop. As mentioned, the textures, from the foam to the crispy/creamy rice cake, were stunning, and the flavors exceptional. All in all, it’s hard to imagine a better start to the dinner.

Choosing dinner was a challenge. Too many intriguing choices and tempting combinations. Some of the items we did not choose included: chicken tagine with couscous, cured black olives and preserved lemon; roasted cod with a soy/mirin glaze, shimeji mushrooms, and “fork-mashed snap peas”; Hong Kong bbq duck and lobster “chow mein” with coriander noodles (also offered in a vegetarian option); spit-roasted rack of lamb with tomato-eggplant relish and coriander jus. A true wealth of fascinating options. They even offer a selection of steaks for the un-adventurous, ranging from a 10-ounce filet ($42) to a 28-ounce smoked prime rib chop ($48 ). After much discussion, LDC finally chose the bi bim bop, a large assortment of steamed “Asian” vegetables, all casseroled up with jasmine rice, grilled tofu, egg, sriracha, and a shiitake-miso broth. Once again, the flavors melded perfectly. The accompanying sauce was rich and flavorful without being heavy or overwhelming the dish itself. Two side dishes came with it: a pickled cabbage and what appears to have been pickled daikon. Great complements and, as with the appetizers, the entree was beautifully presented in its own glazed ceramic bowl.

I ordered vatapa, a name and a dish completely new to me. It is, I now learn, a Brazilian dish. Having never had it before, I have no basis for comparison nor any notion how this preparation compares to the authentic Brazilian dish. What I can say is that it was, again, stunning. The relatively small (but, it turned out, precisely right) portion combined jumbo shrimp and striped bass (absolutely perfectly cooked, I must add). The sauce, a coconut milk/lemongrass “essence,” included both cashews and slices of the tiniest okra I've seen. Words fail me. Superb comes to mind. A total of no more than six or eight bites, but each better than the last. I cannot conjure a better sauce.

Equally impressive, the wine that was recommended. I had been leaning toward a gewurz (which, in retrospect, I think, would have been just fine). Instead, the waiter directed me to a wine new to me, an albarinho from Spain. He offered a generous tasting of it, should I decide otherwise. But it was wonderful: a bit heavier than light-bodied (which was the direction I was leaning), perfect acid, citrus-y notes that perfectly complemented the lemongrass in the sauce. And a perfect summer wine as well.

(I should add a short parenthetical here. Aria has an impressive wine list covering the world. A very nice selection of both reds and whites by the glass, and an exceptional variety. When was the last time you saw wine from Lebanon on a wine list? The reds by the glass included selections from California and Oregon, Australia, Chile, Tuscany, Spain, and France. Also represented elsewhere, Argentina, the Hudson Valley, South Africa, New Zealand, and on and on. Prices by the glass ranged from $9 to 14 and bottles from $35 to $185, with a healthy sprinkling throughout. Also a few exceptional champagnes for over $200.)

One interesting/odd note: apparently the kitchen sends a little tray to every table to "accompany" dinner. The tray contains approximately one serving each of three savory side dishes, usually at least two of which are potato-based. Ours included a traditional turkey stuffing with pine nuts, a sweet potato dish so sweet it could have qualified as a dessert, and a "plain" mashed potatoes so rich in butter that the cows would have been embarrassed. This gift from the kitchen was the subject of much discussion between LDC and I. Each item was, as usual, excellent. But the items had no relation whatsoever to either entree on the table or, indeed, to most entrees on the menu. The kitchen is justifiably proud of these offerings, yet one must wonder--at least if one is me--why they are presented to every table, regardless of entree. They would have worked with the steaks; with bi bim bop and vatapa, not so much.... I am required to add that this opinion is mine; LDC also thought they were excellent and was unbothered by what I took to be a jarring note, no matter how delicious. Our discussion continues, because LDC raises some good points in favor of the kitchen doing precisely what it is doing.

Although we had a wait a little longer than we would have liked before the appetizers and, again, before the entrees arrived, I will note that the house was completely full the entire time we were there and that the waiter was attentive enough to keep us apprised. Though a delay, it was not so much that it reached the level of a conversation topic. And given the quality of the food, was quickly forgotten.

As dinner wound on, we had watched stunningly presented desserts being served to other tables. The presentations alone were sufficient to pique one’s interest. But as we tasted our appetizers and our entrees, it became clear that desserts were a must. And the dessert menu, truth be told, is one of the few I can remember in many years that truly and genuinely left me torn. As with the appetizers and the entrees, the selections show creativity, a sense of humor, and best of all, temptations galore. You choose! a Thai lemongrass crème brulee with passionfruit granita and cardamom-scented “exotic fruit”; artisanal cheeses accompanied by a pineapple/cherry chutney, huckleberry relish, peach current preserves, and golden raisin fennel toast; a Vietnamese iced-coffee float, complete with five-spice spring roll and sesame shortbread; or three “courses” of single-origin chocolates from Ecuador, Madagascar, and Venezuela, each “prepared in styles reflecting the native flavors of each region.” Ay-ay-ay…. How to choose, how to choose?

We finally settled on one of the evening’s specials: tiny ladyfingers surrounding a vanilla/chestnut puree, tied with a vanilla bean, and I opted for a four-flavor selection of sorbets. I’m usually a sucker for sorbets, if they sound tempting enough. I’ll spare you the recounting of truly mediocre sorbets I have encountered over the years. So easy to make and yet so hard to make right. Sort of like playing Mozart. A child can play the notes. Only a genius can make the notes “work.” And brilliance, if not genius, was at work here: Concord grape, roasted French butter pear, Meyer lemon/hibiscus, and my personal, all-time favorite, blood orange. Not only very nice selection, but intense flavors all around. Pear is, at least in my experience, a notoriously difficult flavor to “intensify.” This was not only pear, but roasted pear. The “roasted” part came through loud and clear. The lemon/hibiscus, tart and assertive. And best of all, blood orange with a powerful, concentrated essence of flavor.

(For those inclined to wonder: two appetizers, two entrees, one glass of wine and two desserts. Tax and tip included, about $145. Not cheap, but very reasonable for the food and the evening.)

In re-reading my review, perhaps I err a bit on the side of enthusiasm. Perhaps I was so relieved that the experience turned out so much better than I could have hoped, I remember the evening bathed in a golden glow. But even without the glow, Aria performed superbly and I would not hesitate to recommend it. There are people—my parents come to mind—for whom the offerings may be just a bit too…offbeat. For us, they retained enough of the familiar to accompany the charge of the new. We had a great time and will return without hesitation. Beautiful presentations, highly flavorful, creative dishes and choices, reasonable prices, and very good service. What’s not to like?

(P.S. All of the menus are available online at ariachicago.com; click on the link to "cuisine.")

Gypsy Boy wrote:I opted for a four-flavor selection of sorbets.
<snip>
This was not only pear, but roasted pear. The “roasted” part came through loud and clear. The lemon/hibiscus, tart and assertive. And best of all, blood orange with a powerful, concentrated essence of flavor.

Gypsy Boy,

Just reading your Aria post again as the lure of roasted pear sorbet is strong, not to mention blood orange. Not that that the meal in general didn't sound quite good, but I'm with you, a "sucker for sorbets."

Enjoy,
Gary

I have not been to Aria . . . but I think you just convinced me that I need to get there soon. Thanks for the review -- sounds fantastic.

no matter what you do at Aria, don't ask for the naan "uncut":

it was the size of a basketball...

echoing gypsy boy... the sorbets (included in part of our prix-fixe), was amazing. the sour green apple tasted literally like a blended frozen apple without the peal.

I had an amazing creme of mixed mushroom soup (including morels), lemon caper whitefish with gnocchi, and the rockin sorbet as part of the pre-theatre prix-fixe. spot on service coupled with a fun glass of La Spinetta Moscato made the dance program that followed dinner almost bearable... unfortunately, the rest of the menu looks extremely disturbing: pad thai, bi bim bop, etc.

We are debating going to Aria this week. Anybody been recently who can comment?

I was there about 2 mos. ago, and we were pleasantly surprised by it, as was the OP (from 2 yrs. ago). They have their own tandoori oven, and the super garlicky naan they bring out as the "bread" is very scarf-able. We did their 3 course pre-theater prix fixe, and were more than stuffed. As a surprise, they brought out a 'potato tasting' with our entrees - au gratin, sweet potatos with pecans/maple, and mashed with horseradish. We'd like to go back again soon!

Aria is definitely worth a visit. We've been several times and will be back. The food is uniformly interesting, although execution isn't perfect. Do *not* miss the mushroom soup. Order the mushroom soup. Seriously.

Service can be pretty hit-or-miss, especially with wine. The list is decent, but often vintages are wrong, and they have trouble finding things. Reds are too warm, too.

Last time I was there I had a fabulous lamb, and greatly enjoyed it with K Vintners' The Boy Grenache blend.

In the 4-5 times we've been there, they've always brought out 3 potato dishes. They're good, but don't always go with the meal.

Oh, and get the mushroom soup.

Here's my two cents on Aria from my experience tonight.

-So I took a good friend out on a first date after reviewing a good 45+ restaurants over an 11 hour period (I know that sounds excessive but I'm paticular).

-The ambience was great; nice seats, decor, linen, etc. Nothing to complain about there...other than the paper menu's, maybe I'm picky.

-The service was poor, maybe better put as unproffesional, poorly trained, or unexperienced. We could tell from the beginning that the service would rank with a restaurant like Bennihanas. He was a nice guy but just didn't have what it takes to serve for this type of restaurant. He pushed menu items, didn't know what was in some dishes, and told us "it'd be a big hassle to also order from the sushi bar across the room" are you kidding me? Not only was he a poor waiter but the person that brought the 'praised' flatbread and four dipping sauces rambled them off so fast I only caught 'yogurt'. Ehhh...

-Now to the food(since I am a culinary graduate). We started with an order of Unagi, it was great but I can't say I've ever been dissapointed by Unagi before. The entrees were poor, very poor. We eached ordered fish, mine being Barramundi. Each fish was over cooked and incorrectly paired with sauces to my liking. Her fish was served skin side up! Once again I could just be very picky but would you serve a steak with grill marks down? or a pie with crust up? The desserts were decent. I ordered the apple egg rolls and she had the chocolate cake, adding 'will you be mine?' at request to the Maitre D'. Each dish tasted great, had stylish platings and took away some bitterness from a poor meal.

Conclusion- weak meal, poor service, and to my suprise not worthy of the price in the end. I would not recommend this to friends or for that matter anyone who asks for a review. Would I return? No, unless I was treated to the meal.

*If you like sushi I would recommend the sushi bar just by looks. It's hip, stylish, and based on my purchase of the Unagi alone, tasty.

Average food at the Fairmont can lead to good results.
My first date with my wife (10 years in July) was at the bar in the basement of that building.
If things work out, in ten years you can return there for a drink -- avoiding the food of course.

Thing is, your experience doesn't surprise me. I don't think I've had an entire evening that bad, but probably all the individual parts.

But other times we've had some awesome food. We keep going back, even though I can't tell you why.

Oh, and you didn't get the mushroom soup. That's a mistake.

basis wrote:Thing is, your experience doesn't surprise me. I don't think I've had an entire evening that bad, but probably all the individual parts.

But other times we've had some awesome food. We keep going back, even though I can't tell you why.

Oh, and you didn't get the mushroom soup. That's a mistake.

Hahaha...I KNOW! I came home to read the previous posts and said to myself "shoulda tried the mushroom soup...".

I haven't been to Aria in quite awhile. I am going to get back there soon however. I remember having a tremendous steak there. They age their steaks in a room with a very light hickory smoke.
I had a monstrous bone-in ribeye, presented with the bone frenched so that the steak looked Flintstonian, that had a perfect crusty char on the outside and hot pink center. The meat was tender and robustly flavored. You couldn't tell it had been smoked at all, though I imagine the smoke enhances the beefy flavor.

I am going there for dinner again soon.

I was with a group and I remember we had a private room with 14 of us and we finished a case of red wine, plus 2 bottles of white and cocktails. Good time had by all, obviously.

Tried Aria during restaurant week. Some thoughts:

The naan was fantastic. Everything else (well, except dessert) was just too darn salty! Everything! We split the risotto milanese, with veal shank, saffron, lemon gremolata, then each had the restaurant week menu. The risotto was the first example of the kitchen being way too heavy-handed with the salt, to the point where everything else was just overwhelmed.

The salad they served was truly exciting, though, which is weird given that it was simply a salad. But the fennel and roasted tomatoes, together with the goat cheese and just the right amount of dressing, made it a really enjoyable starter.

Walleye pike with herb gnocchi, wilted greens, capers and brown butter-memon sauce was salty, salty, salty! We couldn’t figure out what the herb was in the gnocchi, and with the capers they really needn’t have added more salt, which we’re sure they did.

Carrot cake with cream cheese ice cream, ginger-poached carrot, Malibu rum-caramel sauce and walnut vinaigrette was very tasty as well. I couldn’t really taste the ginger, but the sauce & vinaigrette, together with the cream cheese ice cream, took this cake over the top.

We ordered a 2005 Krug chardonnay but they were out. They brought 2005 St. Clement instead, which was nice and buttery, good body. Sadly, this substitution suggestion was the only good thing about the waiter. He was just plain creepy and bothersome, and I’m not sure how to explain that better, but he detracted from the experience.

All in all, I’m not really interested in returning to Aria, though I would like to have some cream cheese ice cream again…

Made my first trip to Aria on Wednesday for an early business dinner. Like most of the posters above, I had an uneven experience.

I agree with the praise for the mushroom soup and the sorbets. The waiter emphasized that the soup is prepared with a generous dose of creme fraiche. But it did not seem heavy, if only because of the incredible flavor of the mushroom puree. I'm not sure why morels are included when they just end up slurried together with porcini and chanterrelles, but that's a quibble.
The roasted pear sorbet may be the best sorbet I have ever had. If I ever get dragged to this place again, I may be so boorish as to ask for four scoops of this rather than the assortment offered, even though the other choices were just fine.
My choice of entree was a foolish one, but the kitchen's execution amplified the error. When I saw bbq duck and lobster chow mein on the menu I became fixated on the "duck + lobster" aspect and was led astray by fond memories of Argyle Street and Chinatown Square. Alas, this dish ended up being a very pedestrian chow mein featuring overcooked coriander noodles in a gloppy sweet sauce. There were two tasty but small pieces of lobster. There was more duck, but too much of it was gristly. Note to self: when craving duck, hold out for Sun Wah. My mistake in ordering this dish, but it still should not have been on the menu. A restaurant that has a menu with an Asian flavor should have done better.
In a similar vein, the naan could not compete with the best of Devon Avenue. It was a bit overbaked and dry.
I shared some of the outstanding soup with a colleague in exchange for some of the baby beet salad. This was served on a bed of goat cheese and was topped by watercress. Excellent beet flavor and a very good dish.
The restaurant continues to offer a complimentary side consisting of three small dishes of potatoes, done three ways. I tried the sweet potatoes. Although a bit too dessert-like, with a whipped cream topping, they were still yummy.
Service started out strong but became a problem as the room filled up. The time between entrees and dessert was far too long, and a colleague was in danger of missing a flight by the end. As I watched the situation, I decided that our waiter simply had too many tables to cover.
In this neighborhood, Stetson's rates a clear edge in my book.

I ate at Aria on Friday for the Opentable Appetite Stimulus Plan deal. 3 courses, $35.

There were only two options for each appetizer, entree, and dessert. I had the mushroom soup to start. I have to agree with the previous posters - it was the best mushroom soup I have ever had. I had steak frites for the entree. It was good, but pedestrian. The steak was well seasoned and not over cooked, but wasn't special. The frites were average. The sorbet trio for dessert was good. I wish they would have had the pear....

The thing that really rubbed me the wrong way, was that the server initially asked if we would like still or sparkling water. We opted for still. It turned out that still by default means a $9 bottle of Evian. I realize that I probably should have specified "tap" instead of "still", but it would have been nice if the waiter would have been more clear.

joebuddy, not to get off on a tangent, but I know I read an article a while back about certain upscale restaurants doing that. It's a common tactic to try and sell more bottled water because most people, like yourself, wouldn't think to specify "tap." I find it unfortunate, even though the DH and I usually order bottled water.

At the same time, I can't help but cringe a little bit when I ask about the water and the server lists one of the options as "Lake Michigan's finest." Maybe I've just heard the phrase too many times...

Has anybody been to Aria in the the past few months? It is also on a list of places considering for this week.

DML wrote:Has anybody been to Aria in the the past few months? It is also on a list of places considering for this week.

Make sure to bring your iPad.

I like the sushi bar quite a bit for giant maki - taken as a separate cuisine, they do it freshly and creatively, and the room and competent staff create a pleasantly relaxed vibe. I was there last in the late Spring. I have not had entrees / non-sushi items recently.

Saturday, August 27, 2011 we finally got around to going to Aria. My wife and I had our first date in a bar in that building (since closed). Aria has been on our radar for quite a while, but it never seemed to get to the top of the list. Saturday we had a babysitter but it was not a big event (birthday, anniversary, etc.) so we thought we would give it a try. In a worst case scenario, we figured at least it would be nice to get back to the place where it all started for us back in 1997.

In hindsight, it is too bad we waited that long. This is a wonderful place that should get more attention from people serious about food. Initially, the room itself is beautiful and dark. Service throughout the meal was flawless. The waiter was charming. I note that the place has windows, but they look out on whatever side street that The Fairmont is on ("The Void Between Michigan and the New East Side"). A window table would add nothing to the experience. Best to sit along the wall as we chose to do.

The food has definite Korean influences although it is not a Korean place. We started with a nice tuna amuse. Like much of the meal, it was spicy. Next, we shared a fried lobster roll which was one of the best sushi rolls we've had. The taste was sensational, with a new flavor being revealed throughout the bite. This truly was good sushi. We intend to return to Aria (or at least the sushi bar) just for the sushi.

For starters, I went with kimchi while my wife with a truffled asparagus salad. Again, both had layers of flavor. For main course, I went with a Halibut while my wife had lobster. Mine was good, her's was very good.

If this were ranked on "Chicago Magazine" points I would give the place 2 to 2 1/2 stars. It is not on par with the 3 star places but still we had a wonderful meal and look forward to returning.