Chicago 100 Restaurants Challenge - #30 Oriole (2 Michelin Stars) 🌟🌟

Oriole Cuisine: Japanese-French Fusion Price: $400+ per person Visited Oriole in March - truly one of Chicago's finest Michelin experiences! 🍽️✨ 12 exquisite courses perfectly tailored to Asian palates, paired with exceptional wines and champagne. With three distinct dining areas, every moment was an immersive delight. 📍 Waiting Area: Enter through a charming retro elevator lobby 🏮. The host stores your belongings and serves warm tea while sharing the restaurant's history before your server escorts you in. 📍 Bar Area: Kicked off with a crisp Chardonnay champagne 🥂 - light and elegant. Then came three stunning bites: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Maine Eel with kale and sea lettuce - refreshing and clean. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Raw Octopus (my favorite!) - melt-in-your-mouth tender with briny capers. 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Hokkaido Uni with rhubarb - creamy, sweet-tart perfection that takes off! ✈️ 📍 Kitchen Counter: Moved to the open kitchen for a Spanish rosé vermouth 🍷 (slightly sweet). Then... 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Hudson Valley Foie Gras- crispy bread topped with velvety foie gras mousse, balanced by figs and pink pepper. Absolute heaven! 😇 📍 Main Dining Room: An intimate, romantic space with perfect lighting and music 💫. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Spanish Red Prawn - giant, bouncy texture with chili heat. Finger-licking good! 👌 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Sunchoke - delicate with smooth sake aroma. 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Charcoal Eel - smoky with mushroom cream (a tad salty). 🌟🌟🌟 Creamy Berry Pasta - ultra-thin noodles with explosive richness (but oversalted). 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Miyazaki A5 Wagyu - two cuts: ribeye (juicy with coconut notes) and shoulder (sweet-spicy harmony). 🥩💖 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Yuzu Sorbet - crispy rice + smoky citrus = perfect palate cleanser. 🌟🌟🌟 Hokkaido Chocolate - sweet espresso mousse + buckwheat (pleasant but forgettable). 🌟🌟🌟 Petit Fours were overly sweet: hōjicha caramel cookie, miso macaron, berry crepe cake, dark chocolate truffle. For soul-stirring cuisine in Chicago, Oriole delivers! 🎉 Perfect for birthdays/anniversaries. Book at least 1 month ahead! ⏳ #FrenchCuisine #FineDining #Chicago #ChicagoEats #Michelin #ChicagoMichelin #JapaneseCuisine #ChicagoLife