Chicago Restaurant Week｜Michelin ⭐ Esmé

Booked Esmé early — a Michelin-starred spot. Thought the menu might be underwhelming, but it turned out pretty good! 🌮 Snack — Spicy cheese-dusted corn crisps. My partner kept raving — “so good, haven’t had this in years!” 😄 🍄 Mushroom Conserva — Delicious and complex, with what seemed like plump raisins mixed in (hard to pinpoint, but tasty!). 🎃 Butternut Squash Soup — Our favorite dish! The bottom of the bowl was layered with blueberry jam, pine nuts, pecans, and more — each spoonful was a new surprise! 🥩 Wagyu Pithivier — Solid, with nice texture, though I still prefer the Wellington from Swift & Sons (their pastry is unbeatable!). 🍝 Add-on: Beef Pasta — Filled with asparagus purée on one side, cheese on the other — very nice! 🍗 Add-on: Roasted Chicken — Incredibly tender, even the breast was juicy! The sauce oddly reminded me of Guizhou-style fish-fragrant shredded pork 😂 — this Guizhou native was thrilled! We couldn’t finish — left half of the last two dishes. Overall, the menu was decent — just one more course would’ve made it perfect! #ChicagoEats #Esmé #MichelinStar #RestaurantWeek #Wagyu #SquashSoup #GuizhouVibes