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Brass Heart – Fine Dining Chicago
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?
Michelin Dining – No Really, They Have a Star!
Casual dining in Singapore is truly defined by the Hawker Stall. These Singapore equivalent of a food court in the mall are found throughout the city. You can get everything from grilled meats, noodle dishes, seafood and more. Singapore is also home to two Michelin Starred Hawker Stalls.
These stalls offer the cheapest Michelin starred meals on the planet. Generally, Singapore is a pretty expensive city, but you can easily eat some amazing food for less than $5USD each meal.
Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle
We visited both Michelin Starred Hawker Stalls on my 68 hours on the ground. The first was immediately after the great bike tour. I swung by Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle, in Chinatown. These guys are known for the ubiquitous dish of Chicken and Rice. You are probably thinking how can a simple chicken and rice dish be 1) the national dish of Singapore and 2) earn a Michelin Star. Well, it isn’t because of the service or the ambiance, that’s for sure.
Exterior of Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle
Menu at Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle
Interior of Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle
This place looked like a fast food joint in a mall. I arrived around 13h45 after the lunch rush and still waited in line for 30 minutes. I ordered the Chicken and Rice and a beer. The beer blew the budget as I spent S$10 on this meal. The dish was perfectly fine. Nicely cooked and mildly seasoned. I was lost as to how this was so highly rated. Then I saw the condiments. Simple sauces and peppers. Adding these to the meal was phenomenal. Loads of flavor, a little spice really kicked up the dish. I loved it.
Chicken and Rice from Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle
Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle
The second Michelin Starred Restaurant we visited was Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle. It was right near the bike tour shop too. Arriving around 14h00, we didn’t miss the line today. We waited for nearly an hour in the very hot Hawker area. Most of the fans were not working either.
Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle – Single Star Michelin Restaurant
Most of the neighboring stalls were quiet.
Pork noodle was the famous dish here, so of course that was our selection. We grabbed a beer while we waited in line and another once we had our food. We loaded the dish with all the recommended condiments and paid S$7 per person.
The tables were pretty full, but we lucked out and snagged a four-top the second we had our food in hand.
Full tables – everyone enjoying Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle
The kitchen hard at work Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle
The pork noodle was just the perfect dish. Spicy, salty and savory flavors made me want to order a second dish, but I couldn’t handle the line.
Our pork noodle and soup was totally worth the wait.
Noodle Close Up – It was delicious!
So, we managed to knock a couple of things off our Singapore must-do list. Enjoying street food and hitting Michelin Rated Restaurant. Have you visited either of these Michelin Starred Hawker Stalls? Did you think the food was worth the wait? What other places would you recommend who want great food, but can’t handle the 30-60+ minute wait for it?