The Windy City Part 4: (Michelin) Star Gazing

As I said in a previous post, "Chicago is a foodie's paradise." You can find award-winning restaurants around every corner. In fact, Chicago is currently home to 22 restaurants that have at least one Michelin star. I was blessed to dine at three of them during my visit. Two are featured in this post (along with a Bib Gourmand restaurant) and one is yet to come.

First up is "Kasama" which means "with" or "together" in Tagalog. It refers both to sharing and communing with others over food, as well as the husband and wife team of Tim Flores and Genie Kwon, who opened Kasama in 2020. As many feelings and experiences of together-ness as this restaurant engenders, it stands alone in this one fact: Kasama is the world's first and only Michelin-starred, Filipino restaurant.

And it seems that people all over the world want a taste. When I arrived close to opening, and thinking I was early, there was already a line both up ...

... and down the street for several blocks. I joined in and started to prepare for the long wait ahead.

Almost two hours later, I finally made it to the front door. This is the longest I have ever stood in line to get into a restaurant. The wait was long, the weather was hot and I was quite hungry, but the time passed quickly because I met two lovely people in line ahead of me, with whom I chatted, as we all eagerly anticipated our upcoming meal.

When we got to the counter, we decided to sit together and share our meal.

Oh, Hot Yam!

We began with a refreshing, iced coffee made with ube (purple yam) and coconut sap for sweetness.

Lumpia Shanghai

Next, we shared the lumpia. These Filipino spring rolls are traditionally made with a very thin, flour wrapper and stuffed with a savory mixture of ground pork, vegetables and spices. The crispy rolls are delicious on their own or dipped in the sweet, chili sauce.

Chicken Adobo

Chicken adobo is a staple in Filipino cuisine. That said, this was different than any chicken adobo I've had previously. The flavors of a traditional adobo were present, but Kasama subtracted the liquid, decreased the vinegar and added caramelization and that unique flavor you can only get from a grill. These smoky, savory, sweet chicken thighs, along with a bite of garlic rice were fantastic.

Filipino Breakfast

At Kasama, you don't have to choose between bacon or sausage. You've got to love a breakfast that includes both. I have always loved longanisa (Filipino sausage), but this was my first time trying tocino. Like bacon, tocino is made with meat from the underside of the pig. It is then marinated in sugar and spices and cured before grilling. Both the longanisa and tocino were rich with fatty flavor that was balanced by fresh herbs (mint, cilantro and green onion) and complemented by the garlicky rice and fried egg.

Black Truffle Croissant, Strawberry Crème Fraîche Cheesecake, Ube Huckleberry Basque Cake

Kasama isn't just a restaurant. It is a bakery as well and their desserts are so, very good. The black truffle croissant was, flavor-wise, the best croissant I have ever eaten. The croissant is filled with a mixture of black truffles and Delice de Bourgogne cheese and then topped with honey and truffle oil. It is sweet and savory perfection. The cheesecake was light, airy and flavorful and the ube huckleberry tart was moist, with perfectly crisped edges.

And if you think that was a sweet ending to a delicious meal, I have something to add even more charm. Of the two lovely people that I met in line, and had the pleasure of sharing this meal with, one was a local. She insisted on paying for my entire meal as a welcome gift to the city of Chicago. The kindness of strangers moves me deeply every time. Thank you to both of you for making my meal at Kasama extra special.

North Pond

North Pond

North Pond is located in beautiful, Lincoln Park, which I shared about in my last post. The restaurant has earned numerous awards including a Michelin star. The menu at North Pond celebrates the seasons by honoring ingredients when they peak. The food is hearty, rustic and comforting.

And the view is spectacular. This picturesque spot can be found at the edge of the North Pond Nature Sanctuary, overlooking Chicago's skyline.

The restaurant itself is housed in a 1912 building laden with beautiful windows, fireplaces and French doors. It was built in the Arts and Crafts style which emphasizes the inherent qualities of the building materials themselves. With Chaucer and Thoreau quotes on the walls, and bricks and wood all around, the setting makes you feel like you have been transported to the countryside, with a view of a big city skyline.

Amuse Bouche: Green Eggs and Ham

I found the presentation of this dish so creative and inviting. The amuse bouche, made with capers, peas, jamon iberico and herb hollandaise sauce, set my meal off right.

Potato Roll with Corn and Truffle Butter

I've had truffle butter many times and I love it. At North Pond, they add corn which contributes a lovely touch of sweetness.

Tomato, Crab

The ingredients listed in this dish on the menu include "rooftop" tomatoes, which I found out were literally grown on the roof of the restaurant. In addition, the dish incorporates a dehydrated green tomato chip, busan crab, ginger dressing and basil seeds.

Tuna Tartare

The tuna tartare was made with blue fin tuna, aji amarillo, chicharron and black beans. These ingredients were then topped with a shiro plum reduction sauce, golden raspberries and leche de tigre.

The restaurant provides extra sauce that you can pour over the tartar to create a proportion that is to your exact liking.

Agnolotti, Squash Blossom

I cannot resist a good agnolotti and this one was great. The pasta was made with toasted masa and stuffed with daylily ricotta filling before it was drizzled in a maple-sunflower cream sauce, topped with prawns, sunflower seed brittle and a tempura squash blossom.

Combining all the components made for a perfectly balanced bite. Everything at North Pond was great, but this was my favorite dish.

Lamb, Dates

Next up was a spice rubbed lamb loin, that was served with pistachio amlou pastilla, orange blossom gel, hakurei turnip, lamb jus and charred dates.

Intermezzo: Korean Melon Stuffed with Honey Creme

Between the savory and desert courses, North Pond provided a palate cleanser made with melon and honey that was sourced from the restaurant's rooftop hives.

Peach, Basil

Dessert was a pandan castrella cake, served with Thai basil and peach swirl ice cream, tapioca pearls, almond crunch, and pandan dust.

Passion Fruit Gelee

Along with the check, North Pond sent out one final bite, a passion fruit gelee topped with crispy rice pearls.

Avec

The last restaurant in this post is Avec. Avec is a Mediterranean restaurant and a long-time Chicago favorite. For 20 years, everyone from Anthony Bourdain to FX's The Bear and the Obamas to Dua Lipa have sung its praises. Though is has not earned a Michelin star, it does have a Bib Gourmand distinction.

Despite its popularity and high profile guest list, the space is laid-back and understated. There is no flashy signage and the entrance is indicated by nothing more than a little pig next to the door handle.

Chorizo-Stuffed Medjool Dates with Bacon and Piquillo Pepper-Tomato Sauce

These bacon-wrapped, chorizo-stuffed dates are an Avec signature and must-order.

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken with House-made Pita and Falafel-Seasoned Potato Chips

Dylan Patel, who is of Indian origin, is the chef at Avec. His earliest experiences were watching and helping his uncle cook traditional Indian food. Therefore, I was not surprised to find that the pita bread read much more like naan than traditional pita, and it was absolutely delicious. The chicken also had subtle Indian influences such as the yogurt marinade which is also used to make tandoori chicken.

Nutter Butter Square

To complete the meal, the restaurant sent out a small dessert. This peanut butter bar was made with a corn flake crust and topped with chocolate ganache. The three layers enjoyed together did remind me of a nutter butter, but this was far more tasty than the store bought cookies.

My next two posts will feature the amazing art that I viewed in Chicago and an iconic restaurant that has consistently been ranked among the world's 50 best restaurants. Stay tuned.