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White Truffles in Chicago

rhinopias
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rhinopias

rhinopias

Posted
Posted

Two weeks ago we went to Sweets and Savories for the first time. During a great seven course dinner they told us they were having a special white truffle night in a few days, sadly we could not make the date. Last night we were deciding on what to do when my partner called Sweets and Savories to see if by chance they had any fresh white truffle left over. The response was yes and that the chef would be happy to make something for us; we never asked a price! Now, I've only had a fresh white truffle once, and it was an add on to a twelve course dinner we had at Trio with Chef G. I swooned. Fast forward, last night after the third course our server arrived with a whole truffle and a slicer and set them on the table and said " This is yours, handle it, smell it, what ever you like." I didn't even process the "This is yours" part. It was the most amazing smell ever - I was completely high. Gone. He then arrives with a foie gras risotto, and proceeds to shave the truffle on top, however he doesn't stop....................ever! He topped each plate with appx. 30 shavings each. I don't think I have to explain the aroma or the flavor. I was dizzy. I couldn't speak because my head and nose were completely saturated with that truffle. I spent about 20 mins on this one dish. A few other dishes came, they were great, however I was still covered in the truffle so I didn't eat so much of them as I was to busy smelling my fingers(sorry) and reveling in the lingering aroma. Later, the final course came out - a white truffle ice cream. :blink: OMG! They ground up the remaining truffle and made ice cream. I wish I was a better writer and could truly do this experience justice. Fantastic. Then the biggest shock of my life. During after dinner drinks our server told us our entire bloody truffle was a gift from the chef and had been COMPTED!!!! Why? I have no idea. The entire seven course meal was fifty dollars per person including the whole truffle. We moved to the bar and a friend met us for another drink where she was also given a scoop of this fresh white truffle ice cream for free. This was not going on at any other table, I swear.

After my first white truffle at Trio I've read and dreamed about going to Italy for the truffle season. Well, I no longer have that desire. This was the pinnacle. I will remember it forever.

Please go to Sweets and Savories. Support them. They are what dining in small neighborhood Chicago is all about. I know no one at this restaurant, however to say I was treated like a king is an understatement.

Jim

amccomb

amccomb

Posted
Posted

Is this the place that serves the foie gras burger? If so, we went there maybe a year ago for lunch, and first of all, that burger was amazing, but I wish my husband and I had split it. Second, we got the dessert trio, which I expected to be small tastes of signiture desserts - instead they were three full sized desserts! Amazing, at that. Third, I mentioned we had read about his place on egullet, and he got very excited and kept telling us how much he appreciated us coming. Before we left, he packed us a to-go box for our ride home that contained all of the leftover fresh pastries from that morning, and the threw in a couple of extra chocolate sea salt truffles, as well. He and the waitress waved to us as we left. It was like leaving my grandma's house. We had a great experience there, and want to go back in November. This story just confirms what I thought about this place - very generous people who love what they do.

ronnie_suburban

ronnie_suburban

Posted
Posted

S&S is a great spot, IMO. Their 7-course, $50 tasting menu is often mentioned at the best dining deal in Chicago. And I agree completely about their desserts which are absolutely delicious and generously/obscenely-portioned.

We've had a couple of other discussions about S&S as well:

Sweets and Savories - Chicago, and the Kobe beef burger

Doin' it Right at Sweets & Savories - Chicago, Eating with Alex

=R=

"Hey, hey, careful man! There's a beverage here!" --The Dude, The Big Lebowski

LTHForum.com -- The definitive Chicago-based culinary chat site

ronnie_suburban 'at' yahoo.com

Alex

Alex

Posted
Posted
Please go to Sweets and Savories. Support them. They are what dining in small neighborhood Chicago is all about.

I couldn't agree more, rhinopias. David and crew are the best. I'm trying to get to S&S most every time I'm in Chicago. Lady T and I ate there last Saturday, and imho it was the best of the four meals I've had there so far. (She took notes, so I believe there's a post forthcoming.)

They told us about the truffle night, of course. I was sooo disappointed that I wasn't going to be back in town until November, but at least I can enjoy the feast vicariously through your post. (Actually, I'll be back twice -- once for a symposium, once for Ms. Alex's 50th birthday celebration. We're most definitely there for the b-day, and probably the other time as well. Maybe we'll see you there, amccomb.)

"There is no sincerer love than the love of food."  -George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman, Act 1

 

"Imagine all the food you have eaten in your life and consider that you are simply some of that food, rearranged."  -Max Tegmark, physicist

 

Gene Weingarten, writing in the Washington Post about online news stories and the accompanying readers' comments: "I basically like 'comments,' though they can seem a little jarring: spit-flecked rants that are appended to a product that at least tries for a measure of objectivity and dignity. It's as though when you order a sirloin steak, it comes with a side of maggots."

 

A king can stand people's fighting, but he can't last long if people start thinking. -Will Rogers, humorist

  • 2 weeks later...
jesteinf

jesteinf

Posted
Posted

Similar to the thread in the NY forum, just wanted to see if there are any restaurants in Chicago featuring white truffles now that the season has arrived.

I didn't hear about the Sweets and Savories dinner until it was too late (thanks for sharing people :raz: ). Anyone know of any similar dinners? I need my fix.

-Josh

Now blogging at http://jesteinf.wordpress.com/

ronnie_suburban

ronnie_suburban

Posted
Posted

From the piece, by Janet Fuller, linked above by nr706:

. . . The scrambled eggs fan is among the dozen or so special customers Spiaggia chef Tony Mantuano called recently to inform that the luxe foodstuff has finally arrived.

"If he found out I had them and I didn't call, I'd be in big trouble," said Mantuano, who is offering a $195, six-course, white truffle tasting menu through December. . .

=R=

"Hey, hey, careful man! There's a beverage here!" --The Dude, The Big Lebowski

LTHForum.com -- The definitive Chicago-based culinary chat site

ronnie_suburban 'at' yahoo.com

Alex

Alex

Posted
Posted

As long as truffles are available and he knows far enough in advance, David of Sweets & Savories said would make their truffle dinner ($150/pp for a bunch of courses including wine). I don't know what the minimum party size would be, but you can always call him.

"There is no sincerer love than the love of food."  -George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman, Act 1

 

"Imagine all the food you have eaten in your life and consider that you are simply some of that food, rearranged."  -Max Tegmark, physicist

 

Gene Weingarten, writing in the Washington Post about online news stories and the accompanying readers' comments: "I basically like 'comments,' though they can seem a little jarring: spit-flecked rants that are appended to a product that at least tries for a measure of objectivity and dignity. It's as though when you order a sirloin steak, it comes with a side of maggots."

 

A king can stand people's fighting, but he can't last long if people start thinking. -Will Rogers, humorist

nick.kokonas

nick.kokonas

Posted
Posted

Alinea received our first shipment of both white and black truffles this past Thursday. On the menu on Saturday was a real surprise... the 2005 update of an old ChefG classic... but with white truffles this time. I expect we will have these available for the next 6-8 weeks.

ronnie_suburban

ronnie_suburban

Posted
Posted
Alinea received our first shipment of both white and black truffles this past Thursday.  On the menu on Saturday was a real surprise... the 2005 update of an old ChefG classic... but with white truffles this time.  I expect we will have these available for the next 6-8 weeks.

White Truffle Explosion?!?!

=R=

"Hey, hey, careful man! There's a beverage here!" --The Dude, The Big Lebowski

LTHForum.com -- The definitive Chicago-based culinary chat site

ronnie_suburban 'at' yahoo.com

jesteinf

jesteinf

Posted
Posted
Alinea received our first shipment of both white and black truffles this past Thursday.  On the menu on Saturday was a real surprise... the 2005 update of an old ChefG classic... but with white truffles this time.  I expect we will have these available for the next 6-8 weeks.

White Truffle Explosion?!?!

=R=

Good Lord...I will now wipe the drool off of my keyboard.

-Josh

Now blogging at http://jesteinf.wordpress.com/

  • 2 weeks later...
ronnie_suburban

ronnie_suburban

Posted
Posted

I just learned from a friend that that Avenues has received their first shipment of Alba White Truffles. They're going to have them for the rest of the season, and will be shaving them tableside for a supplemental charge.

=R=

"Hey, hey, careful man! There's a beverage here!" --The Dude, The Big Lebowski

LTHForum.com -- The definitive Chicago-based culinary chat site

ronnie_suburban 'at' yahoo.com

inventolux

inventolux

Posted
Posted

We have had them for about 2 weeks. They are in a new dessert course. Its fettucini with alba truffles, cream sauce and pesto crostini. I love old school.

I just learned from a friend that that Avenues has received their first shipment of Alba White Truffles.  They're going to have them for the rest of the season, and will be shaving them tableside for a supplemental charge.

=R=

Future Food - our new television show airing 3/30 @ 9pm cst:

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tv/future-food/

Hope you enjoy the show! Homaro Cantu

Chef/Owner of Moto Restaurant

www.motorestaurant.com

ronnie_suburban

ronnie_suburban

Posted
Posted
We have had them for about 2 weeks. They are in a new dessert course. Its fettucini with alba truffles, cream sauce and pesto crostini. I love old school.

Thanks chef, for the info.

Just in case anyone here doesn't already know, inventolux = Moto :smile:

=R=

"Hey, hey, careful man! There's a beverage here!" --The Dude, The Big Lebowski

LTHForum.com -- The definitive Chicago-based culinary chat site

ronnie_suburban 'at' yahoo.com

  • 2 weeks later...
Alex

Alex

Posted
Posted

Last night jesteinf, yellow truffle, and I all had the truffle menu at Swets & Savories. It wound up being very similar to their regular tasting menu but with a truffle shaved over the top. We all enjoyed ourselves immensely, but felt that we had expected more original compositions, and with the truffle being integrated into more of the dishes. Still, at $150 including wine, it was worth it.

YT took his usual wonderful photos, which I imagine he'll be posting before long. Here's the menu, as best as could scribble it down. We were in unanimous agreement that the ice cream was the runaway hit of the evening. I'll leave more specific comments to my dining companions.

Proseco (forgot to note the vintner)

Seared scallop on whipped potato w/mascarpone and green pea puree, topped with black truffle relish and shaved white truffle. >> NV Rosenblum Vintner's Cuvee Blanc

Sturgeon on potato-lobster hash and lobster sauce topped with mache and a sweet corn and black truffle butter and shaved white truffle >> 1997 LeRoy Bourgogne

Beef tenderloin on saffron grits, Perigord sauce, shaved white truffle >> 2002 Klinker Brick Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel

Foie gras on foie gras risotto, shaved white truffle >> 2004 Piculit Neri Delle Venezie

Salad of arugula, grana padano, and shaved white truffle >> 2003 Mandra Rossa Piano (Sicilia)

Cheese course: gorgonzola, poached pear, frisee w/sherry vinaigrette, shaved white truffle, and black truffle honey >> Warre's LBV 1995

White truffle ice cream >> Quaddy Essencia

"There is no sincerer love than the love of food."  -George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman, Act 1

 

"Imagine all the food you have eaten in your life and consider that you are simply some of that food, rearranged."  -Max Tegmark, physicist

 

Gene Weingarten, writing in the Washington Post about online news stories and the accompanying readers' comments: "I basically like 'comments,' though they can seem a little jarring: spit-flecked rants that are appended to a product that at least tries for a measure of objectivity and dignity. It's as though when you order a sirloin steak, it comes with a side of maggots."

 

A king can stand people's fighting, but he can't last long if people start thinking. -Will Rogers, humorist

jesteinf

jesteinf

Posted
Posted

The final blow that came with the check was a white truffle truffle. Not a bad way to finish things off.

All in all, just a great dinner. BTW, prior to the revelation that was the white truffle ice cream, my favorite dish of the night was the sturgeon. Not a fish I'm usually a fan of, but they did a great job with it. The shaved white truffles on top didn't hurt either.

-Josh

Now blogging at http://jesteinf.wordpress.com/

rhinopias

rhinopias

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted (edited)

I went to S&S again last evening, which was the fifth trip in six weeks. We did not do the Truffle tasting, however we were treated the white truffle ice cream along with four other desserts and a white truffle truffle. The ice cream is paralyzing. Thirteen courses in all. I sometimes think David and Paul want to see just how much I'll eat if they keep sending out food. I crawled home.

Edited by rhinopias (log)
jesteinf

jesteinf

Posted
Posted

The white truffle ice cream is essentially legal crack, and I told Paul as much when we were there. This restaurant could become world famous just on the basis on that one dish. I don't mean for this to sound like hyperbole, it's just that good.

babern - I've never been with a full-on vegetarian, but my girlfried usually prefers not to eat red meat or poultry and they were able to give us an all-seafood tasting.

-Josh

Now blogging at http://jesteinf.wordpress.com/

Alex

Alex

Posted
Posted (edited)

Oh, yeah -- I forgot about the truffle truffle. Thanks, Josh. There was no way I could handle one more food item, so they packed it up for me. I just got back home and it's still safe and sound in my suitcase.

The final blow that came with the check was a white truffle truffle.  Not a bad way to finish things off.

All in all, just a great dinner.  BTW, prior to the revelation that was the white truffle ice cream, my favorite dish of the night was the sturgeon.  Not a fish I'm usually a fan of, but they did a great job with it.  The shaved white truffles on top didn't hurt either.

Edited by Alex (log)

"There is no sincerer love than the love of food."  -George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman, Act 1

 

"Imagine all the food you have eaten in your life and consider that you are simply some of that food, rearranged."  -Max Tegmark, physicist

 

Gene Weingarten, writing in the Washington Post about online news stories and the accompanying readers' comments: "I basically like 'comments,' though they can seem a little jarring: spit-flecked rants that are appended to a product that at least tries for a measure of objectivity and dignity. It's as though when you order a sirloin steak, it comes with a side of maggots."

 

A king can stand people's fighting, but he can't last long if people start thinking. -Will Rogers, humorist

rhinopias

rhinopias

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Handle that truffle with care. I also brought mine home, and after an early 11:30 am Saturday lunch of braised Moroccan root vegetables I bit down in to the truffle. It about knocked me over, I was reeling. I saved the second bite for after dinner. It was great , but a bit much that early in the day. I gave my other two away just to watch the expressions on two friends faces-pricless.

yellow truffle

yellow truffle

Posted
Posted
Last night jesteinf, yellow truffle, and I all had the truffle menu at Swets & Savories. It wound up being very similar to their regular tasting menu but with a truffle shaved over the top. We all enjoyed ourselves immensely, but felt that we had expected more original compositions, and with the truffle being integrated into more of the dishes. Still, at $150 including wine, it was worth it.

YT took his usual wonderful photos, which I imagine he'll be posting before long. Here's the menu, as best as could scribble it down. We were in unanimous agreement that the ice cream was the runaway hit of the evening. I'll leave more specific comments to my dining companions.

Let me just say that it was trufflicious.

I woke up the next morning wanting someone to shave truffles on my omelette.

A little late with the photos... but here you go.

Thursday Night Truffles.

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