【Chicago Restaurant 🍴 2】Maxwells Trading

📍 Maxwells Trading 1516 W Carroll Ave, Chicago, IL 60607 🥗 Beginnings (Starters) Suzuki Tartare – Light and balanced, with a hint of peppery spice. Nasturtium, lemongrass, and nuts add lovely layers — interesting and far from boring. Prosciutto & Gnocco Frito – Served with caprino cheese (a goat cheese variety) — not my thing scent-wise, so I’ll leave it at that 😂 🥖 Griddle Bread & Dunks Japanese Eggplant – Recommended by our server as a popular side. Sweet, tangy, and tender roasted eggplant with fresh herbs — great with drinks! 🍺 🍚 Starch (Mains) Clay Pot Rice – A fusion-style “clay pot rice.” We ordered out of curiosity. The pork belly was well-prepared and the sauce had clever touches, but the elements didn’t quite come together cohesively. Probably skippable next time. Tonkatsu – *Seasonal item, no longer on the menu. The cut was a bit fatty and rich, but paired with fresh small peaches 🍑 that balanced the richness nicely (though a tad over-marinated). 🍰 In Conclusion (Dessert) Royal Milk Tiramisu – Moist, fresh, and satisfying after a full meal. The black tea flavor helped cut through any heaviness. 📝 Overall notes: A creatively named spot with strong design sensibility — feels like they’re telling stories through food. The space and menu are visually pleasing. Their group also runs a design studio, and they roll out seasonal menus each quarter — impressive! They have a rooftop garden where many herbs are sourced, adding subtle layers and aroma to the dishes. Great for a relaxed, stylish date or catch-up with friends. Would return to try their regular dishes and explore different seasonal menus. *⚠️ 20% service charge automatically added *💰 ~$100 per person without drinks *📅 Reservations recommended #ChicagoEats #MaxwellsTrading #SeasonalMenu #CreativeDining #DateNight #FarmToTable