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Elske (and some Entente)

Elske (and some Entente)
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  • Elske (and some Entente)

    Post #1 - January 12th, 2017, 11:42 am
    Post #1 - January 12th, 2017, 11:42 am Post #1 - January 12th, 2017, 11:42 am
    Anyone been to Elske or Entente (or both)? I will be heading to each place in the next couple of weeks and did a search to prepare and there do not seem to be any posts related to either. In any event, I'll plan to report back.

    https://elskerestaurant.com/menu/
    1350 W. Randolph
    (312) 733-1314

    https://www.ententechicago.com/
    3056 N. Lincoln
    (872) 206-8553 (yo! new area code)
  • Post #2 - January 12th, 2017, 12:40 pm
    Post #2 - January 12th, 2017, 12:40 pm Post #2 - January 12th, 2017, 12:40 pm
    I've been to Entente twice already; heading back again at the end of the month, so obviously I am a big fan. First visit went with another couple and we shared the entire menu. Felt dishes ranged from good to outstanding. For the price, the creativity and quality is an amazing deal. Definitely save room for dessert, because they are stellar. Loved the vibe and extremely friendly service as well.

    Elske I went to opening weekend; was mostly positive, but a couple to-be-expected opening gaffes (both in service and food). However love the concept they are striving for and super talented people behind Elske. Am returning next month and am expecting it should be a wonderful experience. Am hoping it will be a warm enough evening to take advantage of an after dinner libation by the fire in their beautiful outdoor area.
    Twitter: @Goof_2
  • Post #3 - January 17th, 2017, 11:01 am
    Post #3 - January 17th, 2017, 11:01 am Post #3 - January 17th, 2017, 11:01 am
    Thanks for the feedback Suburban Ronnie and Gonzo. As I review the menus they look similar in concept (and price point), including bread service charges :D, so visiting within a couple of days of the other should be a good compare/contrast exercise. I love the order the whole menu gambit - looks possible at both places given our hungry 4 top groups. Will report back.

    Also, I can't remember the name of the predecessor (perhaps with an intervening place) izakaya in the Entente space, which I liked very much, but the back room there always felt a little deserted and cold because the front bar had more action - though it strikes me the opposite might be true at a place like Entente. Interested to see what they've done to marry the two. Also, fireplace at Elske sounds great.
  • Post #4 - January 17th, 2017, 11:15 am
    Post #4 - January 17th, 2017, 11:15 am Post #4 - January 17th, 2017, 11:15 am
    Ahmad Shareef wrote:Also, I can't remember the name of the predecessor (perhaps with an intervening place) izakaya in the Entente space, which I liked very much, but the back room there always felt a little deserted and cold because the front bar had more action - though it strikes me the opposite might be true at a place like Entente.

    That would be Chizakaya.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #5 - January 22nd, 2017, 2:34 pm
    Post #5 - January 22nd, 2017, 2:34 pm Post #5 - January 22nd, 2017, 2:34 pm
    Elske just got a great review from Phil Vettel, however my experience was not as great as his. I was there a couple nights ago. The courtyard is beautiful, even on a damp gross night, and it had the wonderful smell of a campfire coming from an outdoor fireplace, however the inside of the restaurant had that same smokey smell and it permeated my clothes, hair, nostrils, etc...I could've done without it inside (apparently they have another fireplace in the kitchen or something). Our table chose to do the tasting menu after much debate, and perhaps that was the mistake. Several of the courses were really more like an amuse that other prix fixe restaurants wouldn't include as a course, which surprised us. The duck liver tart was very good, but we weren't given individual plates or silverware with it, it was a little slice that was supposed to be eaten by hand, which most of my party wasn't thrilled about. The bass confit was quite good, probably my favorite of the courses, though one of my dining companions said her's was fishy. The wagyu flat iron was cooked perfectly and totally delicious, but the rice cakes that were paired with it were chewy and awkward. I didn't get the combination. The last two courses were really not appealing at all, no one at my table liked either, the frozen fennel chew with mint (again more of an amuse than a course), tasted more like a licorice gelatin and the "sundae" had a terrible texture, it was much too soft and too sweet and overall barely edible. Service was friendly, but they insisted on holding on to the bottles of wine and came around too infrequently to refresh glasses, which was frustrating. I did the juice pairing with the dinner which I thought was really cool that they offered, but I wished I hadn't done it (there was the option to do this a la carte, I only really liked one of the juices, it was like a citrusy cold chamomile tea with some froth, I can't remember the details). We did order an extra course of the sweetbreads and they were excellent, so the key may be not to do the tasting menu next time, however I don't think there will be a next time for me. I felt it was too expensive for being too uneven to warrant a return visit.
  • Post #6 - January 22nd, 2017, 4:11 pm
    Post #6 - January 22nd, 2017, 4:11 pm Post #6 - January 22nd, 2017, 4:11 pm
    Mod Note:

    It was tough to truly split the previous Elske and Entente thread into 2 because some of the posts contain content about both places. But we did our best to part them on a going forward basis and this one is for Elske.

    Thanks,

    =R=
    for the Moderators
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #7 - February 6th, 2017, 11:31 am
    Post #7 - February 6th, 2017, 11:31 am Post #7 - February 6th, 2017, 11:31 am
    Circling back to this with a report since I started the (now split) thread. In general, I wasn't nearly as impressed with Vittel, and although I would return, having had a the vast majority of the menu I will definitely wait until there are some significant changes. I am rooting for the place though, as it's a fun space, and is ambitious, and the kind of place I would like to see more of in Chicago.

    My now-fading memories are, in order:

    1) Rough service, other than the somm who was a very helpful, genial guy, and an interesting wine list. We had a rose champagne and I think a sangiovese that he guided us to. And some Amaros and Byrhh by the fire.

    2) Good room/outside area. The fireplace has been described, I think, but it is really nice and we were there on one of these unseasonably 50 degree Winter days that we've been having. A little awkward as there was a couple of women out there having an intimate discussion and we had to muscle in a bit for blanket use and space, and then our conversations kind of clashed, but still a nice concept. I am interested in seeing what they do with the yard in the Summer - hopefully some outdoor dining options. I liked the spirit and simple clean feel of the dining room also. It was a Saturday and a packed with a bumping crowd having a good time, and (once we got some attention and drinks) were carried by that despite some grouchiness from service issues.

    3) Salty skate wing - nuff said, this wasn't edible, and too bad cause it seemed like it had potential.

    4) Meh egg/chicken thigh and lamb - disappointing as I had heard good things about the omelette and the lamb sounded good. The former was lacking in chicken and any real assertive flavors and the lamb was underseasoned and overdone in my opinion.

    5) Get the salsify dumplings and maitake - great dishes; really wonderful. Just bursting with flavor.

    6) Comically small octopus portion - too bad because it was good. We got 2 orders for the 4 of us and each person got two one inch nubs along with the ruffage. I don't like to beat on places for portion size because often we end up stuffed because of, well, big eyes primarily, but also being served too much, but the general theme here was smaller sizes (both in the small and large items). We ordered everything on the a la carte menu but the sweetbreads (a shame, but someone in our group with an aversion), including two octo and two lamb and still came out with some room left (though no need for chili-cheese fries at Floyd's on the way home, like after one of my Bonsoiree meals). As an aside, can anyone explain octopus pricing to me? It is often very expensive at restaurants (Bella Notte appetizer is a tasty good value at $11 or $12), though not so much at the fish monger. Extra prep time?

    7) Odd desserts. I don't remember them very well, other than some interesting textures - perhaps a beet flan? In any event, no chocolate bombe here. Or anything else you've heard of. This could be fun but I wasn't blown away with these.

    Again, the uneven service won't keep me away as our visit occurred really early (hopefully) in Elske's life cycle, but the uneven preps will. For now. Like I noted, I am interested to see what they do outside in the Summer.
  • Post #8 - September 13th, 2017, 9:36 am
    Post #8 - September 13th, 2017, 9:36 am Post #8 - September 13th, 2017, 9:36 am
    https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/09/trav ... eview.html

    Chicago is home to many pricey temples of fine dining (Alinea, Oriole, Grace, et al), but chefs Anna and David Posey wanted to create an alternative to the overly formal, often dauntingly expensive prix fixe experience. “We both like very fancy things, but we like going about them casually,” Mr. Posey said. The result is Elske, which opened in December in the restaurant-rich West Loop, offering a relatively affordable tasting menu ($85) and à la carte options that nimbly blend Midwestern and Nordic sensibilities.
  • Post #9 - September 16th, 2017, 1:13 pm
    Post #9 - September 16th, 2017, 1:13 pm Post #9 - September 16th, 2017, 1:13 pm
    excelsior wrote:https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/09/travel/elske-chicago-restaurant-review.html

    Chicago is home to many pricey temples of fine dining (Alinea, Oriole, Grace, et al), but chefs Anna and David Posey wanted to create an alternative to the overly formal, often dauntingly expensive prix fixe experience. “We both like very fancy things, but we like going about them casually,” Mr. Posey said. The result is Elske, which opened in December in the restaurant-rich West Loop, offering a relatively affordable tasting menu ($85) and à la carte options that nimbly blend Midwestern and Nordic sensibilities.


    The reviews have been so curious: the out-of-towners love it--Bon Appetit named it as the #2 Best New Restaurant in 2017; Eater named it to its national list of best new restaurants--yet it got mixed reviews from both Sula and Ruby locally. Going to try and swing by next week and see what's what.
  • Post #10 - October 20th, 2017, 12:08 pm
    Post #10 - October 20th, 2017, 12:08 pm Post #10 - October 20th, 2017, 12:08 pm
    Both Elske and Entente were awarded one Michelin star.
    https://chicago.eater.com/2017/10/20/16 ... stars-2018
  • Post #11 - January 3rd, 2018, 12:50 pm
    Post #11 - January 3rd, 2018, 12:50 pm Post #11 - January 3rd, 2018, 12:50 pm
    Elske: classic in approach, the challenge here was to look past the often unprepossessing appearance of what was set down in front of us. We were often caught off-guard by how a dish looked and, our fault, I suppose, but it made an impression on us before we ever sank a fork into anything. Thus, the lobster terrine, to pick one example, looked nothing at all like any terrine we had ever seen. And disappointment, on some level, kicked in. On the other hand, once we tasted it (or at least, once I tasted it, in this particular example) we learned to trust and appreciate what the kitchen did. The layers of flavor in each dish were surprising in the best possible way. We enjoyed the meal a great deal and liked the ability to linger over the courses. It’s an unprepossessing place and we liked the informality. But mostly, we really, really liked the food!

    Image
    Publican Quality dark rye & koji butter

    Image
    Chanterelles with buckwheat porridge, as presented (in a fuzzy picture)
    Depressing when I first looked at it. But an extraordinary melding of flavors, one of the best dishes of 2017 for me.

    Image
    Chanterelles with buckwheat, revealed

    Image
    Grilled squashes with pumpkin seeds, grapes and "savory sabayon"
    Presentation may not be the most enticing thing I’ve ever seen but the flavors were absolutely wonderful. Terrific dish.

    Image
    Lobster terrine w/fennel, chestnut & grapefruit
    For reasons we don’t quite understand, even after having the restaurant’s approach explained to us, the presentation seems about as far as you can get from what we have always understood a terrine to be. For that reason, its appearance, upon initial presentation, was a letdown. The LDC didn’t particularly care for its deconstructed flavors. I enjoyed it.

    Image
    Veal sweetbreads with shaved cauliflower
    Among the best sweetbreads I’ve ever had anywhere.

    Image
    Sunflower seed parfait w/sour honey, licorice, and bee pollen
    Who knew? Really wonderful.

    Image
    Birthday cake
    Gypsy Boy

    "I am not a glutton--I am an explorer of food." (Erma Bombeck)
  • Post #12 - January 3rd, 2019, 8:06 pm
    Post #12 - January 3rd, 2019, 8:06 pm Post #12 - January 3rd, 2019, 8:06 pm
    Had a great meal there 2 weeks ago. highlight was the koji butter in their bread course (PQB). Also, the firepit was open even though it was 37 degrees and lightly snowing. We sat out there with some glogg.
  • Post #13 - June 13th, 2019, 10:25 am
    Post #13 - June 13th, 2019, 10:25 am Post #13 - June 13th, 2019, 10:25 am
    Elske keeps plugging along as one of the best restaurants in Chicago. I went last night for a bit of a different meal. It's the second time I've done it and definitely won't be the last. With apologies to Dave Posey, who's an outstanding chef, this new mini-tradition is 100% about Anna Posey with a little bit of Publican mixed in: Two people, one order of bread, and all three desserts.

    Elske Bread.jpg

    There's always a PQM bread option on the menu and, as far as I can tell, it's always served with housemade cultured koji butter. Currently, the bread is an outstanding oat porridge sourdough that gets a quick heating up before getting served with the umami-laden butter that may well be the gold standard for butter in town. The table next to us was doing the tasting menu and when I saw they were getting Parker House rolls made with the koji butter, I considered sneaking into the open kitchen and stealing one.

    With the appetizer out of the way, it was time for the entrees. There are always three desserts on the a la carte menu at Elske. Two spots constantly change and the third is one that I had to be talked into ordering on my first visit and is now my number one reason for going to Elske.

    Elske Fried Bread.jpg

    Up first was the fried bread with dark chocolate and bay leaf. The custardy piece of French Toast engulfed in really good dark chocolate was great, but it was the ice cream that really elevated the plate. I couldn't tell you that I would've picked out bay leaf as the flavor or one of the flavors, but it was a complex scoop of quality ice cream that paired perfectly with the rich bread.

    Elske Rhubarb.jpg

    Rhubarb season is a wonderful time of year and this dessert, meringue with smoked rhubarb, fresh rhubarb, and whipped buttermilk, doubled down on the Spring treat. Not seen in the picture is the whipped frozenish buttermilk and smoked rhubarb compote that were inside the meringue shell. This very Instagrammable dessert was every bit as good as it looked. The acidic (lightly pickled?) tangy strips of fresh rhubarb on top balanced out the sweetness. The combination of textures - crisp rhubarb, crumbly meringe, and creamy interior - was also really great. I didn't taste any smoke.

    Elske Sunflower.jpg

    The first time I went to Elske about a year and a half ago, our server had to convince us to order the sunflower seed parfait with sour honey, licorice, and bee pollen. It just sounds weird. But there's a reason this thing doesn't leave the menu - it's absolutely spectacular. I've never had anything remotely similar to it and can't really describe it other than to say it's a sweet, sour, nutty, licorice-y, custardy, crunchy, crumbly, and powdery plate of magnificence that anyone who even kind of likes desserts should go out of their way to try.
  • Post #14 - July 4th, 2020, 1:58 pm
    Post #14 - July 4th, 2020, 1:58 pm Post #14 - July 4th, 2020, 1:58 pm
    Perfect evening of hygge at home courtesy of Elske's curbside pickup. This week's menu is BBQ sturgeon, mixed grain salad, charred broccoli, and banana cream pudding, a great deal at $29 per person. It was nice to see fish as a main course option, after so many months of short ribs, pasta, and other comfort foods. We did, however, add two slices of the signature duck liver tart, rhubarb schnapps, and a pint of Dave's Flavs. Per Anna Posey's Instagram page, for Dave's Flavs, David Posey chooses the flavor each week, and she makes ice cream. My husband, of Norwegian descent, is not a dessert guy but insisted we order the frozen custard with apple pie and gjetost, a brilliant take on apple pie + caramel + cheddar, and we both loved it!
  • Post #15 - October 5th, 2020, 10:22 am
    Post #15 - October 5th, 2020, 10:22 am Post #15 - October 5th, 2020, 10:22 am
    Elske, woefully underappreciated on this board,* is shutting down for the year. Email sent out this morning

    Thank you!
    ...to all our diners, regulars, neighborhood walk-ins, local and far away friends who have continued to support us, Thank you for ordering takeout every week and dining on our patio. The conversations, warm reviews, feedback, thoughtful gifts, and letters have made us remember why we love what we do. We have truly enjoyed cooking for you again these past six months.

    Although it has been an incredible season, we have decided to take an extended winter break this year.

    Elske will be temporarily closing up until early 2021.

    We will be open for two more weeks, with a slightly different schedule. Please see below:

    THIS WEEK - October 8-11: Patio dining ONLY
    NEXT WEEK - October 16-18: To-Go Menu ONLY (now with patio seating available if you'd like to eat your meal here)

    *Part of the underappreciation surely comes from people going and not posting. Here are pics from 1, 2, and 3 meals from Elske in 2020 where the carry-out meals, especially the add-on dessert options from Anna Posey, were a COVID culinary highlight.
  • Post #16 - April 24th, 2021, 2:24 pm
    Post #16 - April 24th, 2021, 2:24 pm Post #16 - April 24th, 2021, 2:24 pm
    Michelin-starred Elske reopened this week for the first time since last fall

    https://chicago.eater.com/2021/1/8/2221 ... inter-2021
    Never order barbecue in a place that also serves quiche - Lewis Grizzard
  • Post #17 - April 26th, 2021, 12:25 pm
    Post #17 - April 26th, 2021, 12:25 pm Post #17 - April 26th, 2021, 12:25 pm
    Can confirm Elske is open and, at least as far as desserts go, is still as good as it underappreciated on this board. That's not a knock on David Posey's cooking, which I'm sure remains top notch. It's just that, as can be seen above, when I go to Elske, it's almost always exclusively for a dinner of Anna Posey's desserts and with the PQG oat sourdough and Posey's cultured butter.

    Image
    Frozen fennel jelly with mint is a mainstay on the tasting menu where it serves as a palate cleanser between savory and the bigger desserts. It's a little different every time because not all fennel has the same strength of flavor. What doesn't change is how incredible it is.

    Image
    Image
    Caramelized milk with huckleberries and frozen spiced cream.

    Image
    Chicory cookie with juniper caramel. Bite size sweet with some powerful savory elements. Would eat an entire box in one sitting.

    Image
    Dark chocolate and buckwheat koji pudding with cocoa. I love sweets but one of the things I appreciate most about Elske is how none of the sweets are overly sugary. In this dish, the buckwheat added some nuttiness and some crunch that transformed it from great to stellar.

    Image
    Rhubarb amaro baba with roasted rhubarb and coconut sorbet. Giving Anna Posey fresh fruit to work with is almost unfair to the competition. This one made me laugh it was so good. That's not an uncommon occurrence here.

    Image
    The sunflower seed parfait with sour honey, licorice, and bee pollen has been lauded here and elsewhere. If there's a better regularly available plated dessert in Chicago, I haven't had it. It's perfect.
  • Post #18 - June 5th, 2021, 2:54 pm
    Post #18 - June 5th, 2021, 2:54 pm Post #18 - June 5th, 2021, 2:54 pm
    MarlaCollins'Husband wrote:Can confirm Elske is open and, at least as far as desserts go, is still as good as it underappreciated on this board.

    Our group of four enjoyed a really nice dinner here last night and yes, desserts were great but for us, the rest of the meal was every bit on par with them. It was all at a very high level, across the board.

    We had the tasting menu (plus 2 other courses that were sent out for us), which is forgiving in its length compared to many others I've had in the past. It'd been a long time since I'd had anything I'd classify as fine dining (predating covid by at least a year), but my most recent memories are of perfectly fine -- even exceptional -- meals that went on too long and became textbook examples of the "too much of a good thing" axiom.

    No one wants to finish an expensive, multi-course meal feeling hungry but there is something to be said for the 'leave them wanting more' philosophy. Our dinner at Elske struck a nice balance. We were neither stuffed nor hungry -- and maybe we could have crammed down a few more courses -- but that would have diminished the enjoyment of the meal we had. More isn't always more.

    Our progression included clever, resourceful and tasty dishes that incorporated ingredients from as nearby as Elske's own garden to ocean fish and chocolate from distant locales. For me, highlights were a wondrous combination of hen of the woods mushrooms, green garbanzo beans & barley porridge, a tender-crisp trout confit with braised peas, caramelized onions & curry, umami-loaded fermented black bean agnolotti with braised morels, sugar snap peas & sherry and an unctuous plate of beef short ribs (in a sticky brown sauce) that were out of this world . . .

    Image
    Short Ribs @ Elske - 21.0604
    Not only was the dish my favorite of the night, but given my ongoing obsession with cutlery, I loved the appearance of the Perceval 9.47 table knife, too.

    MarlaCollins'Husband wrote:The sunflower seed parfait with sour honey, licorice, and bee pollen has been lauded here and elsewhere. If there's a better regularly available plated dessert in Chicago, I haven't had it. It's perfect.

    I'm certainly not the guy to ask about how this compares with other, similar desserts around town but it was amazing and easily my favorite dessert of the night. That's not to say that the other desserts we had weren't also great because they were. But this really stood out for us, too.

    The contemporary space itself is comfortable and inviting. Doors to the courtyard -- with its wood-burning fireplace -- were open and the a/c was on, so the entire space took on a very cool and breezy indoor/outdoor vibe. Service was exceptional. Our server was knowledgeable, engaged and friendly. Lots of room between tables but I don't know if that's a covid thing or not. Entire staff was 100% masked 100% of the time but diners sitting at their tables -- including us -- were not.

    Not an inexpensive meal but a relative value in this arena, I think? Again, it's been a while but we came in at just over $800 for 4 tasting menus, 4 cocktails, 2 wine pairings (also exceptional, btw), tax and tip. We did not receive an itemized bill, so I don't know if we were charged for the extra dishes, though, I suspect not.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #19 - July 25th, 2021, 1:54 pm
    Post #19 - July 25th, 2021, 1:54 pm Post #19 - July 25th, 2021, 1:54 pm
    Elske just sent out this email:
    Anna and David Posey wrote:
    Dear friends,

    We have made the difficult decision to temporarily close Elske.

    Due to staffing shortages, we are unable to execute Elske at the level of service and hospitality we strike to uphold.

    We will take some time to renew the restaurant, focusing on how to become more sustainable and successful in this new chapter of the service industry.

    Thank you for your understanding , patience, and continued support.
  • Post #20 - December 5th, 2021, 8:47 am
    Post #20 - December 5th, 2021, 8:47 am Post #20 - December 5th, 2021, 8:47 am
    Co-owners and chefs Anna and David Posey, who were among the first in the city to put their restaurant into hibernation last year, are slated to reopen Elske on Wednesday, December 8 at 1350 W. Randolph Street.

    https://chicago.eater.com/2021/12/3/228 ... g-covid-19
    Never order barbecue in a place that also serves quiche - Lewis Grizzard
  • Post #21 - December 5th, 2021, 3:40 pm
    Post #21 - December 5th, 2021, 3:40 pm Post #21 - December 5th, 2021, 3:40 pm
    Le Bouchon Owners Plan Modern French Restaurant to Replace Michelin-Starred Entente in River North (Eater.com)
  • Post #22 - September 8th, 2023, 6:16 am
    Post #22 - September 8th, 2023, 6:16 am Post #22 - September 8th, 2023, 6:16 am
    I've had the savory food at Elske. It's fantastic and I'm sure I'll have it again. But last night I went back for the genius meal of PQM oat sourdough with cultured butter and all of the desserts. Just an incredible variety of flavors and textures.

    ImageFrozen anise jelly with mint (permanent palate cleanser on the tasting menu)

    ImageWatermelon sorbet with lemon verbena, spruce, and tapioca

    ImageÆbleskiver with roasted cherries, marcona almond, and cherry pit

    ImageVanilla ice cream birthday cake (off menu gift)

    ImageStrawberry and buttermilk panna cotta with nasturtium and spices

    ImageMilk chocolate custard with feuilletine, black garlic caramel and salted blueberry

    ImageSunflower seed parfait with sour honey, licorice, and bee pollen (permanently on the a la carte menu and still, IMHO, the best dessert in Chicago)
  • Post #23 - December 12th, 2023, 9:14 pm
    Post #23 - December 12th, 2023, 9:14 pm Post #23 - December 12th, 2023, 9:14 pm
    ImageBlack walnut tart with concord grape ice cream and fresh hops. Another winner from Anna Posey. Or maybe it's from T.C. Lumbar, the pastry chef under Posey, who's now listed as the Executive Pastry Chef. Either way, this thing was great.

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