Exterior

Kitchen

Interior

Tea of lightly smoked fruits and vegetables (part of the tasting menu)

Beef tartare (part of the tasting menu)

Duck liver tart with buckwheat and salted ramps (part of the tasting menu)

Leeks vinaigrette with toasted oats and blue mound cheddar (part of the tasting menu)

Orange and egg white foam (one of the non-alcoholic pairings)

Roasted skrei cod with sunchokes and black trumpet mushrooms (part of the tasting menu)

Grilled leg of lamb (part of the tasting menu)

Frozen fennel chew with mint  (part of the tasting menu)

Citrus sundae with toasted milk, barley malt caramel and satsuma (part of the tasting menu)

Fireplace on the patio

**** (4 stars)

This sleek yet laid-back new restaurant offers a creative eight-course tasting menu at a very reasonable price. We particularly liked the cod with trumpet mushrooms, and the citrus ice cream. Portion sizes are modest, so you won’t leave feeling stuffed. I suggest starting with an order of the delicious sourdough bread to supplement the tasting menu.

A wine pairing is reasonably priced, but only the Burgundy impressed. However the non-alcoholic pairing knocked it out of the park. Each offering was delicious and matched the food perfectly. Highlights were a modern take on an Orange Julius, and a chilled sparkling espresso. In fact, this is the best non-alcoholic pairing we’ve ever encountered, including the original at Charlie Trotter’s.

Sadly, the reason this is a four-star review is that the noise level is simply too loud for conversation. There’s no attempt at acoustic treatment whatsoever, and all the glass and wood guarantee maximum racket. Be sure to hang onto your mini-menu, as you won’t be able to hear the descriptions of the dishes as they are served.

Elske
1350 W Randolph St
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 733-1314
https://www.yelp.com/biz/elske-chicago