Chicago 2008 - Blackbird

It has been many years since I have frequented the hip Near West Blackbird, with sleek interior and new American cuisine. Frankly, I have been surprised by its longevity, as many similar restaurants in this area and genre have come and gone (Grace, D. Kelly, Mar y Sol, etc). However, while all of these restaurants had inventive cuisine and good execution, none has had what Blackbird has achieved on the service and business front of the house.

Blackbird remains a "top" spot in Chicago restaurant because its cuisine stays contemporary, whilst its dedication to service and the business of being a restaurant remain stable. Over the past decade, I have visited Blackbird many times, as both a dinner guest and for more corporate functions in its edgy and convenient private upstairs.

I hosted a dinner tonight in the private room, and arrived nearly 45 minutes early, surprised (pleasantly) to find a specially made sign pointing me to a separate entrance for my private party upstairs. Rather than the typical "your event starts in 45 minutes", I was greeted with excitement by the staff, and offered a cocktail. This high level of service continued through the event. Numerous guests arrived late, but accommodations were made seamlessly. Chairs and tables added without utterance; truly a professional place.

The food did not disappoint; celery root soup with grapefruit and pecan garnish, a traditional French salad course with ouef & lardons; both the flat iron steak and monkfish were excellent entrees. The sides with the entrees could use some work - for example, the mushrooms and fruits paired with the monkfish were too sweet to command a complete flavor for the dish. However, the dessert course was tremendous; a miniature fried loaf of bread pudding was paired with a sweet yogurt-flavored ice cream dollop - comprehensive and well thought out.

In all, it is clear why this almost-West Loop icon remains on the top of the heap after a decade; a reminder that one should often revisit favorites that have long-survived the "new on the scene" rush.