Chicago Sepia 🌟 A Refreshingly Sweet Michelin Experience

🌟I visited Sepia, a one-Michelin-star restaurant in Chicago, because my family strongly recommended it. Surprisingly, this was my first time experiencing a fine dining meal in the US that leaned towards sweetness, which was quite pleasant. Compared to the overly salty dishes at other Michelin restaurants like Alinea, Kasa Mapo, or Oriole, Sepia was a delightful change of pace. Additionally, the restaurant is housed in a historic building with a lively atmosphere for a high-end dining spot. The servers were also very friendly and attentive, which makes me want to come back for sure. Since I was dining with five friends, we pretty much covered the entire 4-course menu: 🌟TLDR - Appetizer recommendations: Fluke Carpaccio: Thin slices of fluke fish, which were delicate and refreshing. Snow Crab and Uni Salad Rice: A standout dish with a mix of snow crab, sea urchin, and rice. It’s one of the few dishes that aren’t overly sweet. 🌟Second Course recommendations: Black Cod: The fish was tender and flavorful. Ricotta Gnocchi: Highly recommended! It’s reportedly the most popular second course and one of the few dishes that aren’t overly sweet. The ricotta flavor is mild, even for those who usually avoid cheese. 🌟Main Course recommendation: Duck Breast: The duck was cooked to perfection with a nice crispy skin. Dessert: All the desserts were quite sweet, so it really depends on your mood. 🌟Amuse-Bouche: Parmesan Donuts with Thin Prosciutto: These were deliciously savory and a great start to the meal. I personally prefer savory bites over acidic ones. Additional Order: Crab and Caviar Chips: I’d suggest asking the server to use less of the green sauce, as it’s very salty. However, the caviar was sweet and not fishy at all. 🌟Lobster Egg Custard: This dish was pretty standard, nothing exceptional. 🌟Southeast Asian-Style Fried Chicken Wings: The skin was crispy and slightly sweet. My friend was a bit disappointed that the filling was sausage instead of rice (missing the taste of rice-stuffed chicken wings). 🌟Beef Carpaccio: The onion-based sauce was nice at first, but after a few bites, it tasted overly sweet, almost like sukiyaki. Not highly recommended for solo dining. 🌟Fluke Sashimi: The fish was quite oily, which balanced out the sweetness of some of the other dishes. Must-Try: Crab and Uni Seaweed Salad Rice: Similar to bibimbap, this was one of the few dishes that weren’t overly sweet and was a refreshing change. #StudentExploration #ChicagoExploration #ChicagoFood