Wood

Last week Kevin and I had the most delicious last meal of 2014.  We made a reservation at Wood for New Year’s Eve and couldn’t have been more pleased with our meals.  The restaurant had a special prix-fixe menu for the evening which we weren’t aware of until we were seated, but it turned out to be great!  We each were served a four-course dinner with two options to choose from at each course.  Kevin and I ended up choosing the opposite dish for each course which was nice because we were able to try everything.  To start our meal, the chef sent out a complimentary amuse-bouche which were Oysters with a Cranberry Mignonette.

For the first course I chose the Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette.  The spinach was tossed with pistachios and golden raisins which all paired deliciously with the warm dressing.

Kevin went with the Hamachi Crudo which was served with Hearts of Palm, Roe, Grapes, and Cilantro.

For my second course, I ordered the Lobster Spaghetti which was my favorite course of the evening.  The spaghetti was topped with a very generous portion of lobster and the cream sauce had a little bit of heat from the ghost pepper.

The other choice for this course was the Roasted Quail which was served over Wild Rice, Roasted Grapes, and a Chestnut Puree.  I had never tasted quail before trying this and it was very tasty!  It had a very similar flavor to chicken.

For the main course, I chose the Filet Mignon which came with Rye Gnocchi, Roasted Carrots, Nettle Pesto, and topped with Shaved Truffles.  I loved the twist on traditional gnocchi and the filet was cooked perfectly medium rare you could cut it with a butter knife!

Kevin ordered the Salmon which was paired with Roasted Beets, Fingerling Potatoes, Soft-Boiled Egg, and a Mustard Beurre Blanc.  The salmon had a nice smoky flavor and the mustard sauce was fantastic!

Finally, the dessert course!  I went with the Sweet Potato Cheesecake which was a parfait like dish that had caramel and toasted marshmallow layers.  It was so, so good!

Kevin ordered the Chocolate Pot de Creme which was topped with crushed hazelnuts and served with a side of Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Wood has won a Michelin Bib Gourmand Award for the past three years and I can definitely see why.  Every dish we tried left us wanting more!  Even though it was a special menu for the evening, all of these items are on their regular dinner menu to order.

Wood is a small, quaint restaurant with a fun vibe.  It is perfect for a date night or night out with friends.  I would highly recommend making your next dinner reservation here.

Wood is located at 3335 N. Halsted St. in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood