Chicago Sprout by Chef Dale Levitsk and Sous Chef Sara Nguyen
Sprout is a beautiful restaurant situated on West Fullerton. The street is filled with small places to eat, convenience stores, and homes which if you blink twice you may miss the green banners for Sprout. I did the 1st day I was in town, I walked by completely unknowing. But once inside you really get the feel of a classy and elegant dining experience. The tables are lined with white linen and these strange kind of abstract ash tray looking holders with little flowers. The table is set with classic silverware and the lighting is dim but not too dark. The color is of brick, beige, and dark woods and along the side of this restaurant is a beautiful wooden bar. I was sat early for my reservation seeing as my dinner partner was no longer going to meet me but was sat promptly as the restaurant was to close at 10pm. My server Scott was brilliant, very knowledgeable and kind. As I looked over the menu Scott made sure all the details were explained well with charisma and confidence. The items are placed on the menu with no explanation just a list of ingredients that play a main role in the entree and then once inquired about are explained to their full potential with intricate detail so pay attention. If you’re allergic just have the server explain what’s going on in your dish, these very eloquent dishes are worth the inquiry. The menu is devised so that you choose an appetizer, entrée and dessert as three courses after each of the 1st two courses an intermezzo is served from the chef and is not stated on the menu. As I looked over the menu certain things popped out at me and so I decided on my three courses which were explained on the menu as
DUCK: foie gras : cherry : corn : mustard
SKATE WING: strawberry : zucchini : bacon : beet
BERRIES: white chocolate, hibiscus, coconut :ginger
I began with a very ingenious cocktail of champagne mint blueberry and white port. It was so refreshing and a perfect way to start out my meal. My server also placed a little dish of bread and “butter” which was an very smooth delicious white bean puree.
Duck: My meal started out with this beautiful dish. The duck was a very smokey thinly sliced cured duck breast. It was situated aside a nicely baked corn cake that had wonderful texture and was very moist. It was also sitting on top of a sweetly tart cherry sauce. Piped atop the corn cake was this smooth creamy foie gras mousse which had the buttery fully whipped quality of whipped cream but was savory and extremely luxurious. Every bite was a new experience and if that wasn’t enough there was also a small tossed salad of radishes, raw zucchini, arugula, and mustard vinaigrette which cleans the pallet and refreshes the taste buds from the creamy richness of the foie mousse.
Yellow Beet Soup: This small soup so delicately prepared reminded me how much I love soups and how under appreciated they are in kitchens all over. The smoothness of the soup was something to rival many others I’ve had with a very luscious texture but cleansing and not to heavy either. Red Micro Shiso that’s what I’m talking about.
Skate Wing: This skate wing is one of the best things I ate in Chicago. I loved the preparation of the fish itself which was lightly panko encrusted and seasoned perfectly. The skate wing was sitting atop a bed of bacon which had sherry vinaigrette that gave a really strong sharpness of sherry that had been cooked down with the crispy bacon pieces. I sorted through my dish on a scavenger hunt of flavors, picking through a sea of watercress, perfectly ripe strawberries, seasonal radishes, slivers of zucchini, and perfectly prepped pink beets. The flavors were so fun and well thought out. I even started at the top of the dish and missed some of the sherry bacon but once I found it the full flavor or this amazing dish blossomed. A dish to remember forever. Skate wing is so delicate and flaky definitely something everyone should try.
Grilled Cheese with Prune Dijon
This grilled cheese is almost as if you’re eating a very sharp cheese crisp filled with more cheese and a lovely bite of green apple, it’s served alongside a huge portion of prune Dijon mustard for the small sandwich which the flavors should be experienced on their own in my opinion. I loved the prune Dijon though, it was fantastic. This is a very intelligently made cheese course thought out and covered the basics of a good cheese board in the form of a small sandwich. The course also comes with a very good hard apple cider that compliments the sandwiches saltiness with its crisp sweetness.
Berries: This dish had a really lovely explanation that just put it over the top. The berries dish is conceived of various textures and flavors. You have this wonderful hibiscus broth that is at the bottom of the bowl then sitting in the broth is this gorgeous jello like texture of fruit jelly then on top of this was this very soft sweet coconut and ginger whipped topping with shaved white chocolate and a beautiful mountain of huckleberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. One bite is a multitude of flavors something easy on the pallet after so much amazing food.
After so much amazing food in such an elegant place with the best service I’ve had in such a long time by not only my server but others working in the restaurant as well as the lovely and talented Dale Levitski who was the sweetest most modest person I’ve ever thanked for the many meals I’ve had. Chefs like Dale, Sara Nguyen his sous chef, and the people in his kitchen deserve credit beyond what is given to them. This is an amazing place for dining in Chicago, I’d have no problem going back one day.
Thank you everyone at Sprout.
1417 West Fullerton, Chicago, IL – 773.348.0706
Cheers
Unrivaledkitch