For my birthday dinner, I had no shame in treating myself to an adventure (and I don’t use that term lightly) in culinary arts. I wanted that kind of sensory awe that one seldom experiences, unless fortunate enough to afford such a treat more than once in a while (not the case for a broke college kid like myself). There’s been much buzz among industry folk surrounding Iliana Regan’s Elizabeth and from what I heard, it seemed like what I was looking for.
Chicagoist labels an Elizabeth experience as if “Alinea went on a camping trip,” but this comparison fails to acknowledge Chef Regan’s joint as the industry beast it is. Diners can enjoy one of three menus: the farm-to-table Owl Menu (10-12 courses), the hunter-gatherer Deer Menu (15-17 courses) and the gastronomic Diamond Menu (20-25 courses).
Elizabeth is located in an unsuspecting strip of businesses at Western and Lawrence Avenues. With a step through the glass storefront door and through a velvet curtain, diners enter a Narnia of homeliness – Iliana’s home, that is. Three communal tables – one for each menu – sit just outside of an open kitchen area, each surrounded by a parade of mismatched chairs. Pickling jars, dried flowers and owls (mugs, centerpieces, twig-masterpieces, etc.) exist within the quaint dining area and even the bathrooms.
Chef Regan dedicates so much care and thought into each dish she creates. A team of able-bodied chefs gracefully maneuvering around each other acts as her support. I cannot fathom the magnitude of multi-tasking that is necessary for each night to go off without a hitch (that’s some serious mise en place).
The strapping, stylish sommelier sports a purple bow tie (with matching silk pocket square) and hails as the star of Elizabeth’s front of the house staff – knowledgeable and passionate about each pairing.
Iliana Regan began her restaurant career as a 15-year-old back of the house employee, transferring to the front of the house in Trio and Chicago gastronomy legend Alinea. In short, “I was inspired,” she told Chicago Reader. But inspiration comes from more than influential people and establishments – it can also come from Mother Earth herself.
Chef Regan’s grandfather owns a 100-acre farm with plenty of fertile land ripe for the foraging, which acts as a primary source for her elaborate tasting menus at Elizabeth.
Our Deer Menu experience consisted of 18 foraged courses (and a special uni course from the Diamond Menu that Chef Regan provided per my plea via Facebook), and lasted over three hours. The meal started with a shot of pine cone, plum wood, maple and roe; the rest was a whirlwind of flavor from there – some delightful, some intense.
I adored both teas that were served as pleasant transitions to enhance the flow of the meal. The mushroom tea with cocoa nib surprised me in its unifying tones and the foraged tea of bark, pine and aromatics (brewed in what resembled a Bunsen burner and served in adorable owl mugs) still has me craving more.
A “round pancake” filled with goat cheese was comforting and scrumptious. A plate of acorn gnocchi with broccoli and pickled veggies forced a tango of my taste buds. Potato mousse with slow-cooked quail egg, truffle and edible branches from the table’s centerpiece was soothing to my tongue and my stomach.
But it’s not an adventure without challenges to overcome! Despite my gung-ho “I’ll eat anything!” mentality, there were two courses that I am ashamed to say I could not finish. The first, a venison tatare with vinegar and a custard, was a beautiful sight and though I was eager to snarf it down, the pieces were a bit too large and chewy for my not-so-tough tummy. The second course equally pleased my pupils – a pretty collection of mushrooms and egg yolk surrounded by a blood, beet and quinoa porridge. You can guess what got to me – the blood. Though the course was admittedly delicious, this ingredient is now the first addition to my “dietary restriction” list.
Overall, Elizabeth gave me the culinary kick in the butt I was looking for and I cannot wait to go back for a taste of the other menus.
