Chicago | Feast of Fire — Warlord

I previously wrote about Warlord’s bar menu and really enjoyed it. Recently, I discovered they launched a tasting menu, but since it starts at 8 PM, I never felt like going alone. Luckily, a new friend was also curious to try it, so we decided to go together! 🔥 Fig. 1: Smoked white sturgeon with caviar. In a way, is this like a "parent-and-child rice bowl" but in a fancy version? 😄 🔥 Fig. 2: Mangrove snapper with charred lovage. The burnt cooking technique truly tests the chef’s mastery of heat control—timing matters down to the second! If done wrong, the leaves could turn bitter and lose their texture. Here, the lovage was perfectly smoked, with no burnt bitterness, just pure flavor. 🔥 Fig. 3: King crab freshly caught in Alaska the day before. Sweet and tender, it was served on a plate still warm from the embers—so immersive! 🔥 Fig. 4: Golden enoki mushrooms with BBQ sauce. I expected them to be soft, but they were surprisingly crisp and nutty. Paired with the smoky BBQ sauce, it was an unexpectedly delicious combo. 🔥 Next up: A 120-day dry-aged beef short rib that diners had to retrieve themselves from still-burning charcoal! I was so nervous that I dropped my piece, but the chef graciously remade it and even gave me an extra slice—what a legend! 🙌 🔥 Fig. 5: Grilled ribeye with onion heart. The chef had us light the spruce branches covering the steak ourselves—so fun and interactive! Also, the onion was surprisingly sweet and paired perfectly with the rich steak. 🔥 Fig. 6: Dessert—pickled unripe blueberries with dill. This was the perfect transition from savory to sweet. The tangy, non-astringent blueberries cut through the richness of all the meat we’d just enjoyed. 🔥 Fig. 7: A clever pairing of white chocolate and amazake (sweet sake). Unlike typical boozy chocolates, this was much smoother, with the gentle sweetness of rice malt—almost like white chocolate infused with fermented rice wine? The entire dinner was full of fire-kissed energy and interaction—something I feel the Alinea Group’s "Fire" aimed for but didn’t quite achieve. Speaking of which, remember when I criticized them last time? They ended up closing down 😂. Let’s hope their next venture is better! Back to Warlord—the food quality is exceptional, but the service is slow. The chefs were not only preparing the tasting menu but also handling orders from the regular dining area. We were seated around 8:25 PM and didn’t finish until three hours later. Despite the wait, this was one of the best tasting menus I’ve had recently—truly memorable! Warlord: 3198 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60618 Have you tried Warlord’s tasting menu or another interactive dining experience in Chicago? What’s the most memorable dish you’ve ever had? Share your stories and recommendations—I’d love to hear them! 🔥👇 #SummerFoodieCat #Chicago #ChicagoExploration #ChicagoLife #ChicagoFood #EverydayFireVibes #KitchenWithSoul #GlobalFoodReviewerContest #CarnivalCornerOfTheAmericas #DinnerIsServed