The Bristol — Summer Tasting Menu in Bucktown 🍅

The Bristol is a New American spot in Bucktown — I’ve known the owner’s wife for a while but had only tried their brunch. Their summer tasting menu looked so enticing, my husband and I finally booked a dinner. 🌼 Fried zucchini blossoms with pickled cucumbers and a gooey cheese-stuffed roll — crispy, tangy, and creamy. 🍅 Tomato salad with basil and mint — bright, acidic, and refreshing. 🍈 Spanish melon gazpacho packed with crab and cucumber — cool and savory-sweet. 🧠 Veal sweetbreads with chanterelles, king oyster mushrooms, and truffle — tender and earthy. 🍆 Eggplant pasta (chittara) with garlicky focaccia — perfectly cooked, though the plating could be cleaner. 🐟 Fried striped bass with pickled cabbage and caviar, plus garlic aioli on the side — light and balanced. 🐖 Shoulder tender (teres major) with grits — cooked sous-vide but underseasoned; needed the chili and grilled peach for flavor. 🌿 Fennel sorbet palate cleanser — tasted artificial to me. 🍦 Corn ice cream cone with a cherry on top — not too sweet, and absolutely delicious. The full summer tasting is $125 — great value, like Jeong. If you book between 5–6 PM, there’s also a $65 early-bird menu with different options — worth returning for! Highly recommended — try this seasonal menu before summer ends! The Bristol: 2152 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60647 #ChicagoEats #TastingMenu #TheBristol #Bucktown #SummerMenu #ChicagoFoodie