Chicago One-Star 🌟Jeong

Took my mom to try Chicago’s Korean-inspired one-Michelin-star restaurant Jeong over the weekend. It’s classic one-star level — traditional Korean flavors with subtle modern twists — and the 8-course menu left us comfortably full and satisfied. Great value for a lovely weeknight dinner. Here’s the menu rundown: Bugeoguk. Cod. Shimelji. Napa. Gochugaru 🐟 Classic Korean cod soup with a clear, savory broth. Added kimchi for texture and gochugaru for heat 🌶️. My mom and I both love spicy food, so this first course was a hit (kimchi lovers rejoice!). Salmon. Yuzu. Dwenjang. Crème Fraîche. Crispy Rice Pearls 🍣 Salmon tartare — hard to go wrong here. The crispy rice pearls and crème fraîche added nice crunch and cut through the richness. Eomuk. Squash. Rutabaga. Sunflower Seeds 🎣 Traditional Korean fish cake (made with fish and scallop mousse, per the manager), served over squash purée with sunflower seeds and rutabaga. The fish cake was fine, but the squash purée and seeds were delicious 😄. Saw reviews saying it was heavy, but I found it pleasantly hearty. Seared Scallop. Beurre Blanc. Spinach. Trout Roe. Chives 🐚 A plump seared scallop with beurre blanc sauce, spinach roll, trout roe, and chives. Scallop was tender and fresh; loved the spinach wrap! Jimmy Red Corn Grits. Duck Confit. Gim Jianachi. Frisée. Buchu 🌽🦆 My favorite course! Red corn grits topped with tender duck confit, frisée, and Korean wild chives (buchu). After a long break from carbs, that first spoonful of warm grits felt like a hug 🥹. The duck was flavorful and tender, and the wild chives were aromatic. Paired beautifully with the red wine. Australian Wagyu. Carrot Velouté. Makgeolli. Cabbage. Gamtae 🥩 Hard-to-mess-up Wagyu — delicious, no surprises. Still not sure what the crispy topping was, though. Bokbunja. Huckleberry. Crema. Shortbread. Ginger 🍪🍧 Not-too-sweet shortbread with huckleberry sorbet and cream. Loved it! The huckleberry sorbet was tart and refreshing, and the shortbread was savory-crispy — a perfect finish. #JeongChicago #MichelinStar #KoreanFusion #ChicagoEats #TastingMenu #MotherDaughterDate