So, it feels like a week of "oldies but goodies" in Chicago. Similar to my last post on Blackbird, I had not been to Bin 36 for dinner for several years. When the wine tasting plus dinner-themed spot opened next to the House of Blues back in the early 2000s, the mission was consistent with the current mantra of de-mystifying wines and making a variety of high-quality grape drinks available to the non-oenophile public.
Bin 36 is noteworthy for a number of facets; it has a sleek design and double high space that feels "new" even years after opening, it has an excellent and knowledgeable staff which stays true to its mission of providing wine novices with a broad selection of varietals from around the world by the glass.
Tonight, I arrived VERY fashionably late (after appetizers, apologies to SM, AK and CM) and had a solid flight of "global reds" (a nebbiolo, a bordeaux blend, a grenache and a syrah) with pork and potatoes. For dessert, we shared a range of classics; creme brulee, chocolate cake, rice pudding and a cheese plate; each paired by our server with an appropriate and unique after dinner drink or wine.
The food was disappointing, and not great. I remembered why I didn't come back more frequently ~ while the wine concept is fun and the service exemplary, the food is just fine. For those who want a neat experience, good to try it out, but those with higher gastronomical goals trend toward other Chicago chefs.
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