L2O

I met Laurent Gras when I was at the French Culinary Institute in NYC back in 1998. He was a chef judge at my final and he invited me to trail at his infamous restaurant because he liked what I cooked. I did a stint at Peacock Alley in the Waldorf Astoria and moved on to 21 Club... And L.G. mysteriously disappeared from NYC not long after. That was until, I heard that he resurfaced in Chicago with a new restaurant called L2O inside the hotel, Belden-Stratford. What better city to start anew than in Chicago... Which is an amazing culinary town with some of the best restaurants in the Nation. So, I had to put his joint on my list when I traveled up there along with Alinea.

The restaurant located in Lincoln Park is beautiful inside as it is outside. Pure class all the way. There's no need to explain the dishes in detail when the pictures speak a thousand words... Plus, I ate that shit so fast I can't even remember what some of it was...

You may not see it but there's 26 chefs in the kitchen... Pumping away. Squirt.

Amuse bouche #1

Amuse bouche #2

Buttah like no uttah

Shima Aji, roasted garlic chips, red liquid sauce thingy

Peekytoe crab, avocado, ,gelee, lemon oil

Tuna, hamachi, gold leaf and some green leaf thingy... Damn, mofo, it's good to be da King.

Foie Gras... Holy shit, you're good looking and tasting

Pink cold mushy thingy

Shabu-Shabu hiramasa, konbu bouillon, sesame, king oyster, noodles

Korean BBQ

Oodles of noodles

Some cold palate cleanser thingy

Souffle... I didn't poke it, I swear but it was nice and warm. Zippp!

Custom made sorbet concoction with nuts... Not mine tho

Wood fork/chopstix in some cube thingy with macaroon

Not long after I dined here, Laurent Gras has left indefinitely for personal reasons... What they are, who knows but I'm glad that I got to eat his food again with him in the kitchen. Great chef, super nice guy and hopefully I'll see him again and eat his incredibly clean and savory food. Somehow, I get a feeling he will be back in NYC. Call me, brah...

Take a limo, don't walk.

2300 N. Lincoln Park West
Chicago IL 60614
773.868.0002
http://www.l2orestaurant.com/