Blackbird

Asparagus Custard Amuse Bouche

We ate dinner at Blackbird in the West Loop.  We had heard about it long ago from the Anthony Bourdain No Reservations show - he didn't actually eat there on the episode but referenced it because he ate dinner with the staff at someone's home.

For an amuse bouche we had an asparagus custard with mustard foam and pine nuts.  We are not used to savory custards, but it was very satisfying; clean tasting with a surprisingly tangy foam.

Appetizers:

Mussel Bisque

Mussel bisque - probably the best dish of the night; surprisingly strong flavors for a bisque.  Nice and creamy and tender mussels.

Confit of Suckling Pig

Confit of suckling pig - the presentation was a little confusing.  The dates, hazelnuts, shallots and dandelion were under a banket of pig.  We were expecting them to be on top.  The pork itself was thin and a little dry but the dates and other flavors made up for it.

Entrees:

Duck Breast with White Asparagus

Duck breast with white asparagus - we were a little disappointed with the duck.  Usually duck is very tender and flavorful but this was a little tough and chewy. The duck came with some fresh herbs on the side that were very tasty, but it was a bit difficult to get them in a bite with the duck together.  If the duck had been spread with an emulsion of the herbs it would have been a better dish for us.

Glazed lamb belly - this was our second favorite dish of the night.  The lamb was a little fatty (to be expected from the belly) but moist and captured all of the chicory glaze.

Chickory glazed lamb belly

The desserts were interesting but not tempting enough for us to order anything; although the cheese selections did inspire us to make a plate of our own for the next night for dinner.

Even though we didn't order any desserts we did get some small sweet bites before our bill came.  We each got a small caramel and chocolate bite that was a nice ending to the meal.

Final thoughts on Blackbird:

Small caramel and chocolate dessert bites

Food - good food but a little pricey.  We enjoyed the food at Publican (created by the same group as Blackbird) better.  Blackbird seemed like a big wine place; like Publican is to beer.  They seemed to be accommodating of food allergies.
Service - very good service; someone was constantly re-filling our water glasses.  They were very willing to explain the menu and they were very sharply dressed.
Atmosphere - There was a wide variety of clientele - people in designer jeans to women in cocktail dresses and men in sport coats (jacket not required). It has a clean and modern design; as if from the same designers of Apple.  The space is not that large, so you definitely need a reservation.  We booked the reservation way in advance but that was probably not necessary.

Interior - Bar and Kitchen in the background