Chicago 2008: Province

I was perusing my backlog of drafts, and realized that I have over 40 items I have yet to properly post. For this, dear reader, I apologize. I am hopeful that I will be more diligent in posting in the coming months. With that lame apology out of the way, I bring you my latest dining experience.

New last week from former Nacional 27 chef Randy Zweiban comes Province, a LEED-certified, open space in the West Loop which incorporates green building materials and kitchen equipment, and stresses farm-to-table cuisine from local producers.

The service started off the evening right. From the minute our server came to introduce the South American cuisine and various "categories" of the menu, the service was exemplary. The manager and Chef Randy both came to chat with us at various points during the meal. In addition, the manager spent a good deal of time helping us pick a wonderful Tempranillo (Campillo, Gran Reserva, Rioja, Spain '94) which was well-aged, still acidic but with great flavor. Very unusual in this day and age for a new restaurant to have such a good selection of older wines.

We decided to explore the different types of servings outlined on the menu: Bites, Raw, SoupsSalads, Small, Big, Bigger.

After we ordered the wine, the chef sent out an amuse bouche: smoked salmon, cucumber, olive with chile cream cheese. A nice gesture to start the meal.

From the "Bites" section (which are about the size of a passed appetizer) we sampled the Mini Pork Sandwiches, which were good but served a little too cold, and excellent, crispy Squash Taquitos with a delicious chive & mayo dressing. Next came the "Small" section of the menu, which were more "normal" appetizer size. We sampled both the Fluke & Grapefruit Cerviche, which consisted of slices of soft and tender fish laced with a citrus and pepper flavor throughout and an order of the Shrimp & Manchego Grits, which were smooth & creamy with firm, grilled popcorn shrimp (perhaps our favorite dish of the evening).

The "Big" dishes are akin to a half order of a normal sized entree, and the "Bigger" dishes are regular entree portions. We had a few of these eclectic dishes, to try the range of interesting combinations that have been put out by Chef Randy - Lamb with Cornbread & Chorizo (Lamb is a bit too gamey, cornbread with chorizo very good); Rabbit Confit with Garlic & Almond butter (amazing flavor, but I would lose the celery); Slow-Cooked Salmon with Leeks (decent, good flavors, but served too cold).

Overall, an ambitious environmentally friendly newcomer with great service, and with a few tweaks, a stellar menu.