February starts off with a BANG! Chicago Restaurant Week is like New York Fashion Week for all the foodies in the city. We researched where to go and thought Epic Restaurant would be a good place to start. Let me tell you one thing, the place is GORGEOUS! The city lights shine inside amazingly and the aura of the place just makes you feel baller. As for the food, there were hits and misses.
Crab and Shrimp Louie with Avocado and Tomato
The Crab and Shrimp Louie was a great start as it freshened our palates. It was an excellent starter and didn't overload us at all. Both of the seafood meats were full of flavors and juices that complemented the tomatoes and avocados.
Lamb Carpaccio. Pickled Huckleberries. Manchego Cheese. Pecans
The lamb was beautiful. Perfect texture and full of flavor. Both the huckleberries and cheese blended well with the lamb and the pecans gave it a bit of a crunch factor.
Baby Spinach. Grilled Apples. Goat Cheese. Almonds. Tarragon Vinaigrette
I could have eaten just the grilled apples and goat cheese with each other and would have been satisfied. That being said the spinach gave it a fresher taste and a softer texture to go with the apples and goat cheese.
Lobster Bisque. Calvados Cream. Chervil
The Lobster Bisque had a lot of flavor to it. It seemed like it was missing a crunch but the flavor was definitely delicious.
Braised Short Ribs. Scallion-Potato Puree. Baby Carrots
Despite being the entree, this was my least favorite dish. That being said, I actually really enjoyed the baby carrots a lot. They were full of flavor, had a perfect soft texture, and made me smiled. The reason I didn't like the short ribs was that it was overcooked. It tasted like a frozen TV dinner except it took longer to get out. I was indifferent about the potato puree.
Grilled Salmon. Crispy Risotto Cake. Spicy Tomato-Mint Sauce
This entree was also overcooked. Tasted a little dry and didn't have much punch to it. In theory it looks like it had a lot of potential, but the execution just did not hit it.
Milk Chocolate-Banana Cake. Rum Anglaise. Mango Sorbet
Nothing smashing about it, but not bad. The mango sorbet was mediocre here. Emma and I actually had Mango Sorbet bought at Dominick's and it was smoother and we finished a pint in one night. Maybe my expectations were too high after tasting some delicious mango-filled Filipino dishes. It didn't blend that well with the chocolate to compensate it either.
Overall, it was an okay experience but could have been better. It seemed like the veggies and fruits were prepared better than the meats. The service was great and our waiter was very personable and friendly. Despite having an awesome scenery, the food just doesn't match up to the setting.
As always,
"The Couple that Grubs Together,
Stays Together"
-Grub Couple-
-Grub Couple-
