This is part of a series of posts about Chicago Restaurant Week 2015, held January 30–February 12. Check out recaps from 2014 and 2013, or browse all Restaurant Week coverage.
Coppervine Dinner
Best Bite: Coppervine’s dessert was the most memorable for me. Asian pears, possibly my favorite fruit, were poached in bourbon to become the focal point of a deconstructed pie. All the flavors worked, from crust to crumb to ice cream – although really, how could you go wrong with bourbon ice cream? And because Coppervine also focuses on beverage pairings for each of its dishes (the Restaurant Week menu was no exception), the dessert was nicely paired with a caramel-toned madeira from Portugal.
Other notes: My favorite pairing of the meal was the cocktail that came with the first course. Citrusy cachaça and spicy ginger were a perfect match for the pineapple, red chiles, and Thai basil oil that accompanied the trout sashimi. The first course also earned points for creativity from the coconut rice pudding underneath the trout, meant as a clever spin on the typical sushi rice used for nigiri. I was surprised by how well its sweetness harmonized with the other flavors. I liked the aesthetic of the dining area, too, especially the literal copper vine of silvery leaves overhead.
Coppervine’s last service is February 14, 2015.
The details: Coppervine, 1962 N. Halsted St., Chicago.
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