Sixteen Chicago [closed]

In Chicago, Food & Beverages July 5, 2017

Dinner at Sixteen

Sixteen offers tasting menu options for dinner with a wide variety of options.

Choose one item from each section to build a 3-course dinner
Order the set 6-course dinner
Private Rooftop Garden Dinner for 8 to 20 of your people.
Tasting Menu (2 options) 1) Regular Tasting Menu. Select one item from each course section. 2) Chef’s Extended Menu. You get everything listed on the menu.

Tips

Allow extra time to park, walk through the lobby and take the elevator.
Arrive at least an hour early and enjoy a cocktail at The Terrace at Trump for spectacular Chicago skyline and river views.
The food is contemporary, classic American with some dishes having French, Asian or Mediterranean touches.
Dinners on Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the summer will include a peek of the Navy Pier fireworks.

Stay Green - Belvedere, Cucumber, Lemon, Juice, Simple Syrup, White Vermouth — Stay Green – Belvedere, Cucumber, Lemon, Juice, Simple Syrup, White Vermouth

Navy Pier Fireworks from The Terrace at Trump — *Navy Pier fireworks during dinner at Sixteen*

Chef’s Extended Menu – Summer Menu

Dinner: Chef’s Extended Tasting Menu
Chef: Nick Dostal

This starter course showcased variations on some of the seasonal bounty from their garden. Tomatoes and basil.

Tomato Basil Garden - Spoon of Smoked Tomato Water Gelee, Basil Seeds | Yellowtail Tuna Rosette on Tomato Leather | Tomato Skin Confit — **Tomato Basil Garden** – Basil Snow | Spoon of Smoked Tomato Water Gelee, Basil Seeds | Yellowtail Tuna Rosette on Tomato Leather | Tomato Skin Confit

Champagne trolley at Sixteen — Champagne cart

2017_07_05 sixteen 016.jpg — Poached Oyster, Summer Squash, Bronze Fennel

Bread Cart — Bread cart. Don’t be shy. Ask for a tiny slice of all of them!

Rabbit Liver Pate, Mint and Cherry Jam, Berries, Huckleberry Jam

Corvina, Leche de Tigre, Ossetra Caviar, (Lime, Coconut Broth, Apple)

Japanese Eggplant, Pak Choi, Black Garlic, (Soy, Sake, Paprika), Eggplant Puree

Sometimes you take that first bite and wish they would bring out a big bowl of it, turn the lights down and let you eat in peace. While I enjoyed all of my dishes, I could have eaten an unreasonable amount of the pasta dish, Sweet Corn, Chanterelle Pasta, Espelette. I had to look up “espelette” so I could tell you it’s a chili pepper from the Basque region in Spain. The pasta was tender, had a rich mushroom filling served with a slightly sweet corn and pepper sauce.

Sweet Corn, Chanterelle Pasta, Espelette

American Wagyu, Bluefoot Mushroom, Purple Cauliflower

Dessert

Pastry Chef: Evan Sheridan

Years ago, I started ordering coffee after dinner with the sole intention of staying up all night to work on my photos. But that rarely happens and now I can sleep soundly even after drinking coffee. So while I am now years behind in my photos, I have grown to appreciate really good coffee. The coffee at Sixteen by Sparrow Coffee Roastery is no exception.

This beautiful wooden box that came out with my cappuccino contained drawers filled with sugars from around the world. It was fun to open up the little drawers and try them all.

Demerara sugar from Guyana, Bourbon smoked Sugar, Okiniwan brown sugar, Belgian white sugar, Brown rock candy sugar

Apricot False Tart, Ginger-Almond, Lemon Verbana

Santarem Chocolate, Thai Basil, Cardamom Leaf

Pink Peppercorn Bon Bons | Hazelnut Sable Cookies, Banana Ganache, Milk Chocolate | Pina Colada Gel | Sudachi Caramel | Rasberry Pistachio, Hazelnut Nougat — Pink Peppercorn Bon Bons | Hazelnut Sable Cookies, Banana Ganache, Milk Chocolate | Pina Colada Gel | Sudachi Caramel | Raspberry Pistachio, Hazelnut Nougat

Is it stuffy and formal? What else do I need to know?

You will feel a lot more comfortable dressing up than wearing jeans.
You don’t have to whisper but you don’t want to use your sports bar voice.
Don’t worry about accidentally using the wrong fork. They will bring the correct utensil for each course.
The service is upscale, elegant and professional but you can definitely smile and relax.
Sixteen can appease the well-traveled, flavor-chasing fanatic as well as someone who wants the flexibility to select their own courses and have a shorter meal that is still special and luxurious.