Chicago｜Valhalla — A “High-End” Southeast Asian Night Market

In my opinion, the flavors here are pretty decent and approachable — nothing overly experimental. The rave reviews online might come from people who love the over-the-top presentation and ceremony, or perhaps just haven't explored enough fine dining 😅. To me, the ingredient selection and preparation here don’t scream “fine dining” — it feels more like Southeast Asian street food plated in a fancy way. The raw materials are average, and the execution feels rough. If you treat this as night market food, it’s tasty — but as a Michelin-level meal? I’d have to shake my head 🙅🏻‍♀️. My favorite of the night was the foamy onion soup — smooth, rich, and the only dish that made me think, “Okay, maybe there’s some skill here.” ❌ Lowlights: 🦪 Oyster — less fresh than $1 happy hour oysters, paired with a terrible sauce. 🐚 Clam — tough and chewy, gave my jaw a workout. 🍖 Fried items — served lukewarm, and the pork rib wrapped around the bone? So awkward to eat — felt messy! 🍅 Tomato with vinegar gelée — just three plain tomato chunks, no special treatment. 🐟 Sablefish — low-quality fish, just tender and oily, no real freshness. The fancy Filipino salt on top made it too salty! 🦀 Crab rice — no crab aroma, tasted like “gym-rat crab” 😂, and I found a big piece of shell — no apology when mentioned. 🍰 Desserts — first one was overly sweet, lychee ice and black sesame were bland. 🍞 Truffle French toast — bland compared to Kumiko’s truffle milk toast. ✅ The ceremony is undeniably extra: hand-drawn cards, spoon selection, breaking wax seals on menus, chocolate with a note, and even a personal Chicago food guide from the owner at the end! Great for photo ops and those who love a show. #ChicagoEats #Valhalla #SoutheastAsian #NightMarketVibes #FineDiningOrNot