SCHWA

After reading a bunch of blogs about the Chicago food scene, I came across a few that talked about the amazing dinners they had at Schwa. When I found out I was coming to Chicago, I decided right away that I would try to score a reservation.

The only catch is that Schwa is one of the hardest reservations to get in America. After two days of repeated phone calls, I finally got through at 12:30 p.m Chicago time. A man picked up the phone, I told him when I was coming out and if I could get a reservation at any time. He said 5:30 on the 21st of April and the rest is history.

I will not go into detail about Chef Carlson and his story, (read about it here here: http://www.gq.com/food-travel/alan-richman/200901/chicago-michael-carlson-schwa-charlie-trotter), because GQ magazine has a great article on him and the restaurant so I recommend you read that before.

I arrived at Schwa at 5:30 and to my surprise, I was the only one in the building other than the chefs. I was quickly greeted by culinary genius Michael Carlson and crew and was directed to sit down and enjoy. The drink policy is BYOB so I brought a few of my favorite beers to drink throughout the meal. The host also inquired about providing me with extra courses which I had no problem with.

With loud rap and metal music playing, i.e. atmosphere, sage francis, etc; the chefs were prepping food in the kitchen and the meal was underway.

The first course, I do not have a picture of, but it was a recreation of the drink Manhattan. The drink consisted of a shot of bourbon with a cherry covered piece of chocolate that melted in your mouth.

Next, was actually initially a set piece on the table. What looked like a flower was actually a root in a vase with soda at the bottom. WILD.

" Baked Potato Soup"

This soup was inspired by potato bars at weddings. Consisted of a baked potato soup, fried potato skins, scallion puree, bacon crumble and stretchy cheese across the plate. When mixed all together, it tasted like a liquid baked potato!

Carlson's signature dishes. Quail Egg Raviolo

I was instructed to eat it in one bite. Contained raw quail egg and truffle butter. It was an explosion of flavor that rivaled the previous night's black truffle explosion at Alinea. Superb.

Chicken Liver Risotto

A beautiful presentation. I had heard about this dish and was so excited to try it. Was really rich, decadent and delicious. The liver flavor was great and the gelee on top added a much needed sweetness that brought the dish together. Could have had a bucket of it!

Deep fried roe with passionfruit gelee and violet foam.

Another dish that reminded me of an Alinea dish which was the hamachi. This was one much different and actually blew Alinea's version away. The chef told me to combine the gelee, roe and foam and it would be somewhat reminiscent of fruit loops. It was amazing how much it tasted like fruit loops, but an insanely better version. Another one of my favorites.

Scallops with a shot of gin

I do not really remember the different components of the dish, but the scallop was cooked perfectly and was deliciously buttery and tender. The shot before the dish was also great.

Butterscotch Pork belly with mango

I was super excited when this dish came out due to my love of anything Pig. The pork belly was melt in your mouth tender with a beautiful butterscotch sauce. The mango wasn't overly sweet and added a delicious fruitiness that cut the fatness of the meat. Fantastic.

"Trail Mix"

This is Chef Carlson's interpretation of trail mix. THe dish consisted of many normal components with the addition of fried pork skin. Simple and comfortable, and really delicious. Under the glass was a consomme of the same trail mix. Basically a concentrated liquid of all the flavors. Very deep flavor and unique.

"Smore's"

After a few 22 oz. belgian beers and a few shots with the chef, it was time to segway into dessert. The chef said this was his play on smore's, but this was totally different. Yes there were graham crackers and marshmallows, but the chocolate component was a braised short rib in a chocolate mole sauce. I do not know how you would think of that, but it was probably the best thing I have ever eaten. What made it even better was when you lifted the glass, there was a glass underneath filled with smoke that was reminiscent of a campfire. Incredible.

"Cheese Course"

This was the cheese course and it was not so traditional. The dish consisted of a gougere filled with beer flavored cheese. The beer in the cheese was Chimay which is one of my all time favorites. Very unique and delicious.

Celery root cake

This dish consisted of a celery root cake, caramelized bananas and some creme fraiche. The celery cake wasn't overpowering and everything together was insanely delicious. Would never have thought to put celery with bananas, but it worked out perfectly and was a great end to the meal.

I really had no idea what I was getting into before dining at Schwa. There are no servers, the music is loud and profanity ridden and the food is unconventional, but insanely good. Chef Carlson is a culinary genius and his food represents his creativity and sheer brilliance. It was no mistake that Schwa was named GQ magazine's "Most Revolutionary Restaurant". The food was some of the most unique and delicious I have ever had. Each dish was well thought out and done with precision. Many dishes brought back past memories and that is what food is all about. When the meal was all over, I told the chef I wanted to start all over again because it was that amazing. If your in Chicago and want the meal of a lifetime, I suggest you head over to Schwa for a unique dining experience and some of the best food you will ever eat.