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  • Post #31 - December 1st, 2018, 6:40 pm
    Post #31 - December 1st, 2018, 6:40 pm Post #31 - December 1st, 2018, 6:40 pm
    Was there the other nite and had the agnolatti and rouen duck breast, both very nice, but then truffles are nice on pretty much anything. Star of the show was the huge tempura matsuke mushroom w/hollandaise (which besides the carne asada pambazo @ el habanero) was one of my best bites of the yr.
    "In pursuit of joys untasted"
    from Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata
  • Post #32 - December 19th, 2018, 7:04 pm
    Post #32 - December 19th, 2018, 7:04 pm Post #32 - December 19th, 2018, 7:04 pm
    We ate at Band of Bohemia last Friday night. Dinner was excellent, mainly the savory dishes, which were one outstanding dish after another, with bold, delicious flavors. The short rib, in particular, was one of the best preparations you'll find anywhere. Desserts were less successful - mostly rather bland, and not "wow inducing" - not terrible, but not memorable like the savory dishes.

    Charred Octopus - xo sauce, quinoa, kale, herbs
    Image
    Wild Boar Agnolotti - sumac, chestnuts, white truffle-pecorino sauce
    Image
    Seared Foie Gras - figs, lemon thyme cake, pink peppercorn glass
    Image
    Guinea Hen - smoked cranberries, turnips, heirloom carrots
    Image
    Kurobuta Pork - smoked heirloom grits, brussels sprout kraut, fermented rye, uni butter
    Image
    Braised Short Ribs - kimchi, fermented plum, roasted potatoes, maple-yuzu glaze
    Image
    Black Currant Vacherin - black cocoa meringue, tonka bean ice cream, cava and cassis
    Image
    Bavarian Cream - sour cream bavarian, hazelnut brown butter, parsley, golden and red beets, hazelnut ice cream
    Image
    Cheesecake - fermented banana cheesecake, macadamia crumble, coconut sorbet, guava-passionfruit gel, lime
    Image
  • Post #33 - January 3rd, 2019, 8:04 pm
    Post #33 - January 3rd, 2019, 8:04 pm Post #33 - January 3rd, 2019, 8:04 pm
    appears Ian Davis is leaving Band according to his Insta
  • Post #34 - January 3rd, 2019, 8:39 pm
    Post #34 - January 3rd, 2019, 8:39 pm Post #34 - January 3rd, 2019, 8:39 pm
    gocubs88 wrote:appears Ian Davis is leaving Band according to his Insta

    Oh damn. He's already off the website. Eggs on Eggs was a gaping hole in my 2018 eating that I planned on correcting soon. I just called and asked when to expect menu changes and got a vague answer. I then specifically asked about Eggs on Eggs and, while still listed on the website menu, it's already gone. Here's hoping Davis took it with him and brings it back somewhere else in Chicago.
  • Post #35 - January 4th, 2019, 5:22 pm
    Post #35 - January 4th, 2019, 5:22 pm Post #35 - January 4th, 2019, 5:22 pm
    Chef Ian Davis departs Band of Bohemia
    https://trib.in/2TtXwdo
    Never order barbecue in a place that also serves quiche - Lewis Grizzard
  • Post #36 - January 8th, 2019, 3:30 pm
    Post #36 - January 8th, 2019, 3:30 pm Post #36 - January 8th, 2019, 3:30 pm
    MarlaCollins'Husband wrote:Eggs on Eggs[/url] was a gaping hole in my 2018 eating that I planned on correcting soon. I just called and asked when to expect menu changes and got a vague answer. I then specifically asked about Eggs on Eggs and, while still listed on the website menu, it's already gone.

    I loved Eggs on Eggs, here is my #homecooking version. If you ask nice, and bring some wine, I will make it for you. :) (actually, you don't even have to ask nice, just bring wine)

    EggsOnEggsPLTH1.jpg Eggs on Eggs #homecooking
    Hold my beer . . .

    Low & Slow
  • Post #37 - January 8th, 2019, 3:54 pm
    Post #37 - January 8th, 2019, 3:54 pm Post #37 - January 8th, 2019, 3:54 pm
    MarlaCollins'Husband wrote:Here's hoping Davis took it with him and brings it back somewhere else in Chicago.

    I heard he's teaming up with a recently-fired Cubs' batting coach and opening a chili restaurant. :mrgreen:

    Gary, the DIY EoE looks amazing!

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #38 - January 8th, 2019, 11:25 pm
    Post #38 - January 8th, 2019, 11:25 pm Post #38 - January 8th, 2019, 11:25 pm
    ronnie_suburban wrote:Gary, the DIY EoE looks amazing!
    Thanks Ronnie, tasty for sure. Surprisingly economical as well. Since I'm not
    ScroogeMcDuck1.jpg Scrooge McDuck
    and it was weekday lunch, I used black tobiko from Hmart instead of Osetra. If I sold my #homecooking version in a restaurant for $10 food cost would be 18%.
    Hold my beer . . .

    Low & Slow
  • Post #39 - January 8th, 2019, 11:45 pm
    Post #39 - January 8th, 2019, 11:45 pm Post #39 - January 8th, 2019, 11:45 pm
    G Wiv wrote:If I sold my #homecooking version in a restaurant for $10 food cost would be 18%.

    Damn, very nice!

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #40 - March 1st, 2020, 9:14 am
    Post #40 - March 1st, 2020, 9:14 am Post #40 - March 1st, 2020, 9:14 am
    Band of Bohemia at regular dinner hours is astounding. Elevated plating, inventive flavor combinations, Richard Richardson floating in and out with interesting pairings, and a coffee bar that amazes.

    Yesterday's brunch was a different story. A "cheese biscuit" was refigerator-cold on the interior and warm on the exterior. My heart sunk. Sent it back. It was like watching a prized stallion fall to the ground.

    A short rib crepe, maybe a full third of an inch thick, with sliced scallions and delicious morsels of short rib, featured a gob-stopping pile of bonito flakes on the top, giving the entire dish a fishy, off-color look and flavor. Who doesn't love a few bonito flakes? But not a half a cup of them.

    Dishes were served without description. Just plunked, diner style. This place has a Michelin star, mind you.

    When I ordered the short rib crepe and was served a waffle by mistake, other than Chinese five spice added to the maple syrup, the waffle itself was unremarkable. It was maybe a wheat flour buttermilk waffle, a hint of crisp on the outside and bready on the inside, not pillowy and cakey. Unremarkable. (Of course I ate it anyway.)

    I ordered a third dish, the scallop crudo, which was plated beautifully, but with "pickled mussels" which you could smell as the dish was dropped in front of you. The mussels were chewy and fishy tasting, not delicate briny morsels. Fish should entertain the mouth, not assault the nose. One spherified component on this dish couldn't be identified by the server. Gulp.

    I don't know, guys. Even an incredible barista with a gourmet coffee mezcal drink couldn't save this off night-- I mean, morning.
  • Post #41 - July 9th, 2020, 6:16 am
    Post #41 - July 9th, 2020, 6:16 am Post #41 - July 9th, 2020, 6:16 am
    Michelin-starred brewpub temporarily closes amid employee complaints and a restaurant industry reckoning

    https://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/c ... story.html
    Never order barbecue in a place that also serves quiche - Lewis Grizzard
  • Post #42 - October 21st, 2020, 2:31 pm
    Post #42 - October 21st, 2020, 2:31 pm Post #42 - October 21st, 2020, 2:31 pm
    Band of Bohemia, the nation’s only Michelin-starred brewpub, files for bankruptcy

    https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavi ... story.html
    Never order barbecue in a place that also serves quiche - Lewis Grizzard
  • Post #43 - October 21st, 2020, 3:58 pm
    Post #43 - October 21st, 2020, 3:58 pm Post #43 - October 21st, 2020, 3:58 pm
    That stinks. Only got to eat there a couple times but really enjoyed my meals.

    I live in the neighborhood; and BoB was actually one of the first restaurants I thought of when the Pandemic started shutting things down. That room was so big* and so little opportunity for outdoor dining; unfortunately my concerns were well founded.

    *And beautiful. One of my favorite restaurant spaces in the city.
  • Post #44 - October 21st, 2020, 4:42 pm
    Post #44 - October 21st, 2020, 4:42 pm Post #44 - October 21st, 2020, 4:42 pm
    jellob1976 wrote:That stinks. Only got to eat there a couple times but really enjoyed my meals.

    I live in the neighborhood; and BoB was actually one of the first restaurants I thought of when the Pandemic started shutting things down. That room was so big* and so little opportunity for outdoor dining; unfortunately my concerns were well founded.

    *And beautiful. One of my favorite restaurant spaces in the city.

    It does suck. And yes, it was a beautiful space. The owners were good people who, earlier this year, got swept up in the momentum of some social activism complaints that never seemed to have been credibly substantiated*. They worked so hard to open their place and it's a shame that they could not ride this out.

    =R=

    * They did have a well-documented workplace issue that, after a thorough investigation, resulted in the accused employee being terminated. In some quarters, that termination was not considered adequate though, I'm not exactly sure why.
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #45 - October 21st, 2020, 5:46 pm
    Post #45 - October 21st, 2020, 5:46 pm Post #45 - October 21st, 2020, 5:46 pm
    ronnie_suburban wrote:* They did have a well-documented workplace issue that, after a thorough investigation, resulted in the accused employee being terminated. In some quarters, that termination was not considered adequate though, I'm not exactly sure why.

    I think it's because of they handled initial complaints about him/took so long to fire him. At least that was the allegation.

    Anonymous poster on the86dlist Instagram page wrote:I received an Instagram message from a former "friend" of Ian one morning detailing the abuse and misconduct that Ian had done to her and other women. I took this message to Michael Carrol and his response was "Allegations, allegations" mustering up a big chuckle so he could dismiss these claims. Weeks after this account, Craig and Michael began calling employees to their office to be interrogated about Ian's behavior. During this meeting they said things like "you have to tell us everything you know or we'll get the police involved" and at one point stating "lawyers might be involved."

    I left this meeting furious, not only because I had come to them weeks before with information, but because Craig was Ian's drinking buddy. Craig continued to act like he had no idea about Ian's behavior.

    There were also a lot of complaints, most but not all anonymous (some can be found scrolling through the Instagram post I linked to above), about how the owners treated/communicated with employees after the pandemic started.

    As for the restaurant itself, I'll have good memories of the food and the hilarious memory of the beet beer, which was so unbelievably terrible that I still can't fathom how it made it past their internal review process to be served to customers.
  • Post #46 - October 21st, 2020, 7:16 pm
    Post #46 - October 21st, 2020, 7:16 pm Post #46 - October 21st, 2020, 7:16 pm
    MarlaCollins'Husband wrote:
    ronnie_suburban wrote:* They did have a well-documented workplace issue that, after a thorough investigation, resulted in the accused employee being terminated. In some quarters, that termination was not considered adequate though, I'm not exactly sure why.

    I think it's because of they handled initial complaints about him/took so long to fire him. At least that was the allegation.

    Anonymous poster on the86dlist Instagram page wrote:I received an Instagram message from a former "friend" of Ian one morning detailing the abuse and misconduct that Ian had done to her and other women. I took this message to Michael Carrol and his response was "Allegations, allegations" mustering up a big chuckle so he could dismiss these claims. Weeks after this account, Craig and Michael began calling employees to their office to be interrogated about Ian's behavior. During this meeting they said things like "you have to tell us everything you know or we'll get the police involved" and at one point stating "lawyers might be involved."

    I left this meeting furious, not only because I had come to them weeks before with information, but because Craig was Ian's drinking buddy. Craig continued to act like he had no idea about Ian's behavior.

    There were also a lot of complaints, most but not all anonymous (some can be found scrolling through the Instagram post I linked to above), about how the owners treated/communicated with employees after the pandemic started.

    Having some knowledge of HR (though, not nearly as much as some others who post here), I know that investigations cannot always be as expeditious or transparent as some would want. I don't know all the circumstances here. What I find troubling is that the employee in question ended up being terminated and yet, ~18 months later, the issue was being brought up again as if it hadn't been resolved. That's why the timing seemed opportunistic and agenda-driven.

    As for the rest of the coronatime claims, IMO that's a case of they said-they said. I think there were some complaints about how funds from a Go-Fund-Me campaign were distributed but I believe there was a public accounting of that issue, which showed that the employees actually received more money than had been raised. In times of unprecedented uncertainty, some react by trying to assign blame. I get that. It's easier to feel angry than sad or scared.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #47 - October 21st, 2020, 8:15 pm
    Post #47 - October 21st, 2020, 8:15 pm Post #47 - October 21st, 2020, 8:15 pm
    ronnie_suburban wrote:
    MarlaCollins'Husband wrote:
    ronnie_suburban wrote:* They did have a well-documented workplace issue that, after a thorough investigation, resulted in the accused employee being terminated. In some quarters, that termination was not considered adequate though, I'm not exactly sure why.

    I think it's because of they handled initial complaints about him/took so long to fire him. At least that was the allegation.

    Anonymous poster on the86dlist Instagram page wrote:I received an Instagram message from a former "friend" of Ian one morning detailing the abuse and misconduct that Ian had done to her and other women. I took this message to Michael Carrol and his response was "Allegations, allegations" mustering up a big chuckle so he could dismiss these claims. Weeks after this account, Craig and Michael began calling employees to their office to be interrogated about Ian's behavior. During this meeting they said things like "you have to tell us everything you know or we'll get the police involved" and at one point stating "lawyers might be involved."

    I left this meeting furious, not only because I had come to them weeks before with information, but because Craig was Ian's drinking buddy. Craig continued to act like he had no idea about Ian's behavior.

    There were also a lot of complaints, most but not all anonymous (some can be found scrolling through the Instagram post I linked to above), about how the owners treated/communicated with employees after the pandemic started.

    Having some knowledge of HR (though, not nearly as much as some others who post here), I know that investigations cannot always be as expeditious or transparent as some would want. I don't know all the circumstances here. What I find troubling is that the employee in question ended up being terminated and yet, ~18 months later, the issue was being brought up again as if it hadn't been resolved. That's why the timing seemed opportunistic and agenda-driven.

    As for the rest of the coronatime claims, IMO that's a case of they said-they said. I think there were some complaints about how funds from a Go-Fund-Me campaign were distributed but I believe there was a public accounting of that issue, which showed that the employees actually received more money than had been raised. In times of unprecedented uncertainty, some react by trying to assign blame. I get that. It's easier to feel angry than sad or scared.

    =R=


    Never a good idea to conduct your own investigation, particularly for allegations of sexual harassment and where you are known to socialize with the accused. Not to mention the optics of two males grilling female staff (or leaving themselves open to accusations of doing that).

    While I’m sure there was some opportunistic venting and smearing, I’d bet there was a fair amount of truth in the stories this summer, generally. Certainly was a perfect storm of destructive forces.
    "Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad." Miles Kington
  • Post #48 - October 21st, 2020, 8:25 pm
    Post #48 - October 21st, 2020, 8:25 pm Post #48 - October 21st, 2020, 8:25 pm
    There are specific and credible accounts of the BoB owners treating their employees like total crap. Someone who is an acquaintance may not see that side of BoB owners, but employees seem to have had a different experience.

    Labor exploitation, abuse of power, and sexual harassment are practically ubiquitous in the restaurant industry and that is not by chance. As there is currently no legitimate restaurant workers' union in place to protect the safety and rights of employees, it is unfortunately up to owners and operators, with little to no external oversight, to be accountable for the safety and fair treatment of their own employees. That is why we have the current situation.
    Logan: Come on, everybody, wang chung tonight! What? Everybody, wang chung tonight! Wang chung, or I'll kick your ass!
  • Post #49 - October 21st, 2020, 8:40 pm
    Post #49 - October 21st, 2020, 8:40 pm Post #49 - October 21st, 2020, 8:40 pm
    Also want to point out that the person who claims to have created the BoB employee gofundme that was spoken of above, said it was created in response to employees being told by the owners that they would not be receiving their post-lockdown final paychecks.
    Logan: Come on, everybody, wang chung tonight! What? Everybody, wang chung tonight! Wang chung, or I'll kick your ass!
  • Post #50 - October 21st, 2020, 10:24 pm
    Post #50 - October 21st, 2020, 10:24 pm Post #50 - October 21st, 2020, 10:24 pm
    boudreaulicious wrote:Never a good idea to conduct your own investigation, particularly for allegations of sexual harassment and where you are known to socialize with the accused. Not to mention the optics of two males grilling female staff (or leaving themselves open to accusations of doing that).

    Can't agree more with that. It was, at best, a naive approach. Yet, the investigation resulted in the accused employee eventually being terminated. I'm not saying that means that it was conducted correctly or wisely, though.

    bnowell724 wrote:There are specific and credible accounts of the BoB owners treating their employees like total crap. Someone who is an acquaintance may not see that side of BoB owners, but employees seem to have had a different experience.

    Labor exploitation, abuse of power, and sexual harassment are practically ubiquitous in the restaurant industry and that is not by chance. As there is currently no legitimate restaurant workers' union in place to protect the safety and rights of employees, it is unfortunately up to owners and operators, with little to no external oversight, to be accountable for the safety and fair treatment of their own employees. That is why we have the current situation.

    I believe the issue is serious and widespread -- and many incidents have been well documented -- but I don't believe non-unionization is a primary factor. There are plenty of union businesses/industries where similar behaviors take place, often times unchecked. There are also plenty of non-union businesses/industries where they don't. I'm not saying that a union may or may not have been helpful, only that citing its absence here as a cause seems like an oversimplification. This behavior has been part of the industry's culture for decades, even in venues that are part of larger entities that are unionized (e.g. restaurants/bars in hotels, sports venues, etc.).

    bnowell724 wrote:Also want to point out that the person who claims to have created the BoB employee gofundme that was spoken of above, said it was created in response to employees being told by the owners that they would not be receiving their post-lockdown final paychecks.

    If it's true that employees were not paid in full for the hours they worked -- and the business continued to operate -- that's inexcusable.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #51 - October 22nd, 2020, 7:12 am
    Post #51 - October 22nd, 2020, 7:12 am Post #51 - October 22nd, 2020, 7:12 am
    What I don't get is that any business, especially those serving the general public, rests on the performance of their employee's. To not treat them well brings lack of motivation, poor performance, turnover, etc.... which I think are all steps to failure. To be successful, your people have to be successful. Up in Milwaukee, there is a small "empire" in the business that is the Bartolotta Group. They have fantastic restaurants, but they are keenly aware that the employee's make it that way.
  • Post #52 - October 22nd, 2020, 8:55 am
    Post #52 - October 22nd, 2020, 8:55 am Post #52 - October 22nd, 2020, 8:55 am
    Puckjam wrote:What I don't get is that any business, especially those serving the general public, rests on the performance of their employee's. To not treat them well brings lack of motivation, poor performance, turnover, etc.... which I think are all steps to failure. To be successful, your people have to be successful. Up in Milwaukee, there is a small "empire" in the business that is the Bartolotta Group. They have fantastic restaurants, but they are keenly aware that the employee's make it that way.

    And yet, even they were unable to avoid being cited in anonymous allegations, though they seem to have handled it well . . .

    Reached for comment, Bartolotta, who was a finalist in the Outstanding Restaurateur category, told Eater in an email that he withdrew his name from consideration because of “anonymous accusations directed toward myself and the Bartolotta Restaurants organization that have been sent to the James Beard Foundation.” Bartolotta claims to have received no detailed information about the accusations, and that “no complaints have been filed either internally or with any outside agencies.” Nevertheless, the two-time James Beard-winner and co-owner of a 17-restaurant operation, says a third-party investigation has been launched. “I have decided to withdraw myself and our organization from consideration for this year’s James Beard Awards,” he says.

    Eater reached out to the foundation for comment surrounding allegations concerning Bartolotta’s restaurant group, and the foundation’s PR firm representative echoed the idea that the chef withdrew his name for “personal reasons.”

    Chefs Withdraw From List of James Beard Award Nominees for Murky Reasons

    =R=
    Same planet, different world

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