Brass Heart is Chicago’s newest Fine Dining Restaurant. Taking the place of 42 Grams, the stellar Two-Michelin-Starred Restaurant in Chicago’s Uptown Neighborhood. We loved 42 Grams from jump, and I was personally surprised at its abrupt closing. You can Google more about that, but I refuse to support a chef with abusive tendencies, no matter how amazing the food is.
Brass Heart opened in late August and I’ve been looking forward to popping over for a while now. Deciding to pull the trigger before it becomes impossible to snag a reservation, I searched just four days ahead of time and found an early spot for two on a Saturday. While 17h30 is usually too early for me, I figured I would make an exception this time.
Unlike 42 Grams, which was fully BYOB (YES! A 2 Starred resto and BYO to boot), Brass Heart has a lovely cocktail and wine menu. While not outrageously extensive, it was very respectable and the prices are perfectly in line with the neighborhood and the City as a whole.
We arrived a few minutes before our reservation. The space is small, and without a proper separate bar, we didn’t want to crowd the space….although, the only people there when we arrived were also dining at 17h30. We were seated immediately upon arrival and were welcomed by several staff members.
When booking the reservation I selected the nine-course tasting menu, so our only real decision was beverages. We could do the wine pairings or select individual cocktails, glasses of wine or bottles. We obviously chose the pairings – we always do.
Full Nine Course Tasting Menu
Osetra Caviar, Pumpkin
Osetra Caviar, Pumpkin
Ham and Eggs
Ham and Eggs
Mulligatawny Soup – Ham and Egg Alternative
Duck, Apple, Black Walnut
Duck, Apple, Black Walnut
Brioche, Fried Chicken, Honey
Brioche, Fried Chicken, Honey
Rice and Beans
Rice and Beans
Duck Fat Halibut, Celery Root, Matsutake
A5 Kobe, Chanterelle, Pommes Souffle
Quince, Acorn Squash, Granola
Gateaux d’Epices, Paw Paw, Bourbon
Petit Fours
Petit Fours
The meal was stellar. We loved every part of our experience. The wine pairings were on point. There were a surprisingly large number of Oregon wines on the wine list, which we all know is the quickest way to my heart. The nine-course tasting menu is $125 per person, plus $75 for the wine pairings. While this isn’t a cheap night out, it’s cheaper than most other fine dining options in Chicago. My recommendation: Make reservations NOW while you can still get in!
Have you dined at Brass Heart? Did you dig the wine pairings? Which course was your favorite?