Michelin One-Star Boka – Chicago Restaurant Week $59 Menu

Although I’ve been in the US for a few years, I’d never tried a Michelin-starred restaurant here—mainly because they’re so expensive. A meal can easily cost $200–$500, which isn’t easy on the wallet. Luckily, during Chicago Restaurant Week, some Michelin-starred spots offer partial menus at lower prices, featuring their signature dishes. This time, I went to Boka, which serves American cuisine (though I’m not entirely sure what “American cuisine” means 😅). The restaurant has been open for 21 years and has held a Michelin star for 13 consecutive years. Their $59 menu includes four courses: cold dish, hot dish, main, and dessert—with three to four options for each course except dessert. Since I had to drive home, I skipped the wine pairing and went for passionfruit soda. The bread looked like those golden square pull-apart rolls from back home, but it was savory. 🥩 Cold Dish: Dry-Aged Beef Tartare The beef was cured and slightly sweet—just my taste. Served with black garlic slices for a nice soft-crisp contrast. 🔥 Hot Dish: Roasted Hokkaido Scallop The texture was fascinating—like mochi but softer and less chewy, almost like hawthorn cake. Incredibly smooth. I don’t recall scallops having this texture, and I couldn’t see any muscle fibers. How do they do it? 🍖 Main: Roasted Pork Collar Nothing special—just okay, neither impressive nor disappointing. 🍫 Dessert: Black Sesame Brownie So complex! Layers of chocolate, cream, brownie, matcha ice cream, black sesame, and what seemed like strawberry jam at the bottom. From sitting down to leaving, the whole meal took about an hour—well-paced, with under five minutes between courses. The four courses + bread left me satisfied but not overly full. Overall, $59 for these four courses felt worth it (especially considering how bad and expensive food can be in smaller towns). The first two dishes were particularly memorable. Even on a Wednesday, the place was packed—completely full, with crowds waiting both when we arrived and when we left. Fun note: They hung all their past Michelin plaques next to the basement restrooms—I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t used the bathroom before leaving! #ChicagoEats #ChicagoRestaurantWeek #ChicagoFoodie #MichelinDining 🍽️✨🌟