Elske

Lou Stejskal

9 years ago

I was familiar with David Posey’s cooking talent from when he was chef de cuisine at Blackbird restaurant in Chicago. Back then, I didn’t follow restaurants or knew who was creating my dishes. I read the food section in the newspaper, a few magazine articles and lots of cookbooks. I went to eat where I was invited and discovered places when I took full advantage of my lunch hour. Blackbird was simply a place I went to have a nice lunch and it still is today.

Social media has become a fascinating way to see what is going on all around the world but at times it can feel like having to skim hundreds of spam messages to find the messages that are meant for you. By activating my personal Facebook account only once a week, I eliminated a lot of the noise. I found myself reading whatever I was in the mood to read by going to the actual sites. I began to enjoy the tranquility of Instagram. I found myself wanting to revisit my “old” favorite restaurants more than ever and carefully watched the new ones settle in. My list of restaurants now fits a realistic schedule and budget. I eat at restaurants a lot less but have been incredibly pleased with all of my meal experiences.

Elske is no exception. It was raining the night I was there but there was a welcoming patio fireplace that smelled of burning juniper. The restaurant is spacious, the decor is simple but Elske embraces you with a relaxed vibe. The food is refined using good ingredients. The dishes are creative and presented in an uncomplicated way. You can dine at Elske dressed up or in jeans. You can order from the tasting menu, the a la carte menu, or both like I did. Elske is a lot of the best things about a good meal in one cozy package.