Chicago 2008: graham elliot

In the gutted space that was once home to my first real fine dining experience (the sadly passed Harvest), a new modern foodie paradise has sprung up. Ranking top among the Summer 2008 new arrivals on the Chicago scene, the cool, rough hewn interior of graham elliot (after the chef, Graham Elliot Bowles) is as refreshing as the lemons and limes framing the room. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are showcased simply in frames in lieu of art, and elicits an immediate wonder and anticipation of the meal. Don't go here if you, like so many poor souls, have an irrational fear of citrus - or if you don't dig music a bit too loud during dinner - as these are critical elements of the laid-back ambiance of the dining room.

The service was very attentive and the servers quite pleasant, clad in jeans and black tees for a more casual feel, but still getting the hang of things (as expected in a new restaurant).

As the occasion was a going away dinner, we were anxious to try the much ballyhooed (no, I don't really know what that word means) wine list. There is a good selection of value-priced bottles and glasses, well laid-out in order to allow the uninitiated to pair wines by food type. However, the reserve list for the more savvy wine enthusiast is lacking; limited list and only newer vintages. All said, we had a wonderful bottle of champagne (Rose Laurent Perrier) to start and a decent Neyers 'Ames', Napa Cab '05 (which was too young to drink, but very tasty).

After several great suggestions from our waiter, the food began rolling out. Replacing the traditional bread and butter on the table was a fresh bowl of popcorn with a savory tomato and cheddar flavoring. For starters, our table tried a range of salads and hot appetizers, including heirloom beets served with a whipped goat cheese; a "non-traditional" caesar salad served with "twinkie" croutons (a toasted brioche filled with liquid cheese); well-cooked scallops with peas and a carrot yogurt sauce; and an amazing truffle gnocchi.

The fish entrees we sampled were good, but not great. The Hawaiian Wahoo and the BLT Salmon were both well-prepared but overly strong on flavorings. The chocolate brownie dessert was an excellent finish to the meal.