Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/253609
Say "Chicago," and the knee-jerk reaction is steak. But this is also a city on a lake—a very large lake, connected to many other very large lakes. And at L2O, they pay homage to seafood, both local and shipped in with such speed, it can be fresher than fresh. As with Tru, L2O is a dazzling space in the venerable Belden- Stratford Building, illed with dark wood, frosted glass, leather and many stones of many colors. The seafood is ever-changing, but expect dishes like spiny lobster with mango and matsutake mushrooms, a mussel tart with lemon and a geoduck clam and Manila clam combina- tion with lime. Ever hear of etrilles or cusk?—neither have we. But they're both on the menu. The wine list is as long as a novel by Stephen King, with vintages so rare, you may be staggered to ind they actually exist. And for those who are fans of Master Chef, there's a chance to taste the cooking of Graham Elliot at his Graham Elliot Bistro—the place to go while his more upscale Graham Elliot Restaurant is being remodeled. Elliot is a mild-mannered chef who's a soothing inluence between the hot tempers of Gordon Ramsay and Joe Bastianich. His relaxed style can be found at his Bistro, a Windy City destination for local whiteish with ham hocks, red kuri ravioli with maple-bacon cream and crispy chicken skin and a smoked sirloin with sweet potato hash. Cocktails run from his classic Rob Roy to a new-school thang called Ghostface Killah. And Sippin' on Gin 'n Juice. The man's got a hip-hop heart under all those tattoos. PHOTO COURTESY OF TRU Hip-hop heart: Chef Graham Elliot. "Sorrel + Buttermilk" is part of The Experience menu at Tru. PHOTO: ANTHONY TAHLIER Available through your distributor or at riedelop.com. YOU KNOW HOW TO DINE THEM. Degustazione Red Wine Glass Height: 8-7/8" Capacity: 19-3/4 oz. Here's how to wine them. Starting at $3 per glass.