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Going to Opera

Lady T

By Lady T
in The Heartland: Dining

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Lady T

Lady T

Posted
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Posted

Dessert. Oh, man. I wanna take lessons from Opera's chef.

The two drop-dead hits of this course, served family style, were the creme brulee (flat-down perfect: silky custard under fine brittle crispness, starfruit slices accompanying on top) and the molten chocolate cake (wonderfully velvet-textured -- not sludgy -- and bittersweet...didn't 'sweet' me to death as many of these have at other places.). The longish, filled milk-chocolate cookies didn't last long enough for me to taste 'em, but I take Aurora's and Maggie's and HH's sighs and purrs and moans to denote enthusiasm. The date pudding (mentioned as a specialty) was also lighter than I expected it to be: very welcome at the end of a mighty repast. I loved the accompanying sauteed bananas and cognac sauce likewise.

A note about wines: the Awbrigs did enjoy a glass or two of Merlot (Awbrig: I didn't look fast enough to get details when the server showed you the label. Where from? What year? You and Allison seemed to be happy, but give us details, please?), but everybody else did soda or water or the occasional beer, prior to coffee with the desserts. I for one was glad of the mental clarity by the end of the meal.

Not to put too fine a point on it, we closed the place just a bit before midnight (it was Monday night, there wasn't much of a scene going; what can I say? Frankly I was glad there wasn't that much ambient noise: conversation was that much livelier. I noticed a few folks looking over at us laughing and whooping and enjoying it all!), with handshakes and business cards exchanged all round. (They were gracious enough not to look TOO glad to see the backs of us, so they could clear up and go home!)

Questions? Comments?

Submitted at last,

at appalling length,

Lady T

:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

Me, I vote for the joyride every time.

-- 2/19/2004

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maggiethecat

maggiethecat

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Posted

Lady T: Brava Bravissima! I figure the "Chicago Chapter" owes you a meal after all your note-taking and sparkling writing. (Sorry I forgot the other three Grammies! :biggrin: )

By dessert I realized that very rarely had I eaten so much at a single sitting in my life! But I politely asked Aurora, Lady T and Lou if they had tasted the creme brulee, then grabbed the (largeish) bowl , hunched protectively over it, and and finished it myself. This from a woman who doesn't usually order dessert!

We will remember this meal for a long, long time.

Margaret McArthur

"Take it easy, but take it."

Studs Terkel

1912-2008

A sensational tennis blog from freakyfrites

margaretmcarthur.com

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awbrig

awbrig

Posted
Posted (edited)

fcb72aa3.jpg

Allison and Jerry Kleiner

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vinegary shredded cabbage, almost kimchee-like; peanuts with a sweet/spicy glaze (these vanished fast!); and cucumbers, sliced thin, with a chile-touched marinade.

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"duet of soups": a creamy ginger-soy on one side and a tomato-black bean on the other

Edited by awbrig (log)
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awbrig

awbrig

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Posted (edited)

fcb72aba.jpg

square of soft tofu topped with red chile sauce, a little lobster meat on a potato tuile with a fried lotus-root garnish, and a nicely sauteed (looked like; couldn't be sure) diver scallop

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Jonah crab egg foo yung

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crab cakes with soy and chili pepper sauces, topped with marinated vegetables and crab "chopsticks"

Edited by awbrig (log)
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awbrig

awbrig

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Posted (edited)

fcb72aa9.jpg

fresh prawns, lightly breaded and fried, sauced in a sweet-and-sour style with fresh raspberries as a part of the sweet component

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Carolina rock shrimp (very small, very tasty) bound with a chile mayonnaise

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Shanghai noodles with rock shrimp in scallion broth with sesame tuiles.

Edited by awbrig (log)
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Aurora

Aurora

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Posted

Well done, Lady T!

I was a wonderful meal. For me, one of the momentary highlights of the meal came with the presentation of palate cleansing sorbets. It was a trio that included pleasing scoops of strawberry/tangerine, coconut, and kiwi.

The strawberry/tangerine was a well-balanced, yet distinctly strawberry and tangerine burst of flavor. It really caught my attention. I said, "WOW!," right in the middle of the conversation. Sorry HH, I think I gobbled up your half of the scoop.

I always pass on coconut. My Chicago posse is now well aware of it. Nuf said, that was all for HH. The kiwi was amazing. Kiwi and strawberry are similar in flavor, but the sorbet was all kiwi WITHOUT tasting like the strawberry sorbet. It was delicate, without disappearing on the tounge too quickly.

The strawberry/tangerine sorbet, the prawns, the meaty, moist, fall-off the-bone without being greasy 5-spice ribs with the Chinese mustard, the rock shrimp, and the creme brulee were certainly among the highlights for me, but it was all very good--even the little of the "HOT COURSE" that I was able to taste.

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Suvir Saran

Suvir Saran

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Our very own Ed Schoenfeld had arranged for Jerry Kleiner to come spend time with you all.

How was the dinner?

I am in Denver... will read the thread now...Wanted to let you know it was no coincidence that Jerry showed up... Ed had called him to let him know of this special eGullet dinner. :smile:

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maggiethecat

maggiethecat

Posted
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Mon cher Suvir:

All of us at the table figured that you were taking care of us. In fact, we raised a toast to you.

And thanks, Eddie.

A memorable (to put it mildly) evening. Big kiss.

Margaret McArthur

"Take it easy, but take it."

Studs Terkel

1912-2008

A sensational tennis blog from freakyfrites

margaretmcarthur.com

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Aurora

Aurora

Posted
Posted
where are the photos of the good-looking people eating the food?

sorry.  i can't help it.

OH. Right. The beautiful people eating the food.

Well, it's rude to photograph people while they are eating, and we never stopped eating, so there you are--no pictures of the beautiful people eating the food.

Excellent photography, Awbrig.

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  • 5 weeks later...
MsRamsey

MsRamsey

Posted
Posted (edited)

From the James Beard Foundation site:

"'Everybody who eats here wants to go home and have sex,' says restaurateur Jerry Kleiner of his latest creation, Opera, in the South Loop."

Apparently the restaurant has "private dining nooks" in "former storage vaults."

:smile::shock:

Edited by MsRamsey (log)

"Save Donald Duck and Fuck Wolfgang Puck."

-- State Senator John Burton, joking about

how the bill to ban production of foie gras in

California was summarized for signing by

Gov. Schwarzenegger.

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Aurora

Aurora

Posted
Posted (edited)
From the James Beard Foundation site:

"'Everybody who eats here wants to go home and have sex,' says restaurateur Jerry Kleiner of his latest creation, Opera, in the South Loop."

Apparently the restaurant has "private dining nooks" in "former storage vaults."

:smile:  :shock:

:unsure:

The company was great, and so was the food, but it wasn't that great! :laugh:

Perhaps if we had been a little more patient with the hot course...

Edited by Aurora (log)
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