The last restaurant we visited during Restaurant Week was Naha. However, due to the limited choices off the Restaurant Week menu (and seeing the regular menu's awesome selection), or Husband's excitement over the Canadian hockey team's gold medal win a mere hour prior, or the fact that the people sitting next to us were wearing sweatshirts (I'm talking a hoodie on that girl) and were clearly there for Restaurant Week, we decided to forgo the $32 prix fixe meal in exchange for a much more impressive and extensive dining experience.
Naha has Mediterranean and Californian focus and is located in the River North neighborhood of downtown Chicago. It is definitely one of the nicer restaurants in town, and normally you could not order three courses here for near $32.
We started with a half bottle of Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin Brut to celebrate (I assume) some Canadian nationalism and were also brought fresh bread and branded butter.
We received this complementary starter before the appetizers we ordered, a rich mushroom soup and selection of mushrooms on the side. As a mushroom lover, this was fabulous.
Husband and I were a little disappointed to hear that the foie gras appetizer was not to be since (I guess) they ran out (?). In any case, they suggested the gnocchi, which was quite a treat. It was super gnocchi since it also featured chorizo, oxtail, and broccoli.
We also had the tuna tartare and cured artic char - just as tasty as it looks. You must admire the pattern of sauce and fixins. It came with toasted brioche toast points.
Perhaps because we were the only people in the entire restaurant ordering off the regular menu, we also had the chance to try a taste of the black cod with butternut squash. I was tempted to order this so it seems I made the right choice.
Husband ordered the duck that was meant to also include foie gras. The chef offered to create a special assortment of goodies with the duck, and Husband agreed and loved the special treatment.
I couldn't pass on the scallops, perfectly cooked with apples (yes, apple!), endive, vanilla bean, and (I even liked the) ham.
We were pretty stuffed after all that food but managed to try out one of Naha's tempting dessert. We split the "Rocky Road" sundae, chocolate ice cream, marshmellow fluff, and almonds. I forgot who I was for a minute as we gobbled it up, and as you can see, I only have a photo of the glass licked clean.
Wonderful food, wonderful ambiance, and interesting people-watching :) And the final mignardises of chocolates and gelees certainly didn't hurt!
Restaurant Naha
www.naha-chicago.com
500 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60654-7188
(312) 321-6242
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