Oriole 🍷 My Personal Chicago Michelin Peak ✨

Update: Tried their Spring 2023 menu this week — very disappointed. Oriole is no longer my top Chicago restaurant. Below is my original review — it was a truly special experience back then. Highly recommended! Except for so-so desserts, the overall experience and flavors were amazing! I chose the non-alcoholic pairing — every drink was thoughtfully crafted and delicious 😋. We started outside with apple mint tea, then a tour of the expanded space. At the bar: a mocktail + three appetizers: 🌽 Fresh Corn Husk, Maine Uni & King Crab, Maine Lobster Dumpling 🦞 After visiting the open kitchen, we enjoyed Foie Gras with Huckleberry 🫐 (my favorite dish!) paired with a rosé-like drink. Then seated in the dining room — we chose a chopstick rest (I picked cherry blossom🌸). Courses included: 🐟 Caviar with Spinach (warm, perfectly seasoned) / Hiramasa with Radish (tender fish) 🦞 New Zealand Langoustine (with coconut & melon, refreshing) / Foie Gras & Black Truffle (tasted like savory egg custard 😂) 🐠 Sablefish & Croquette (fish well-seasoned, croquette okay) with bread & butter / A5 Wagyu (of course delicious) 🥩 🍅 Sweet Tomato + Cantaloupe Ice (too tart for me) / Lemon Sesame Soufflé (soufflé good, sauce too heavy) 🌰 Gianduja with Fennel, Calamansi & Hazelnut (dark green = too sweet, hazelnut = better, light green = best) We received the evening’s menu, drink list (love their textured paper!), and chocolates as a gift. 13 courses total — more than filling. The bread went mostly untouched because the drinks were so rich. One drink (“Toasty”) had a milky tea aroma — so fragrant and sweet 🥂. At the time, Oriole was my favorite Michelin spot in Chicago. Hoped to bring my mom post-pandemic… but now, sadly, it’s lost its sparkle. #Oriole #ChicagoEats #MichelinStar #FineDining #NonAlcoholicPairing #FoieGras #Wagyu