It is always an easy decision when determining just how Lauren and I will get to Chicago for a lunch or dinner. Taking the train is the only choice. It is generally always on time and the trip is – with the exception of finding a parking place at the station in Geneva – hassle-free. The only part I find to be distasteful is a taxi ride from Ogilvie Transportation Center if the journey is at night or more than a mile or so… or both. I loath taxis for numerous reasons, but I digress…
Pleasing the Palettes of Chicago Diners
On this rapidly-cooling September evening, our destination was in the northwest portion of the city’s friendly River North neighborhood: Zealous Restaurant. Celebrating its 19th anniversary – which, by the way, says much about the restaurant – Zealous seemed like a marvelous place to sample some of Chef/Owner Michael Taus’s creations that have been pleasing the palettes of Chicago diners for the past two decades.
From the street, it’s difficult to know that any sort of restaurant is hiding behind the frosted glass windows and tall glass doors, let alone one the likes of Zealous. Upon entering however, it becomes immediately obvious that diners are in for an interesting and exquisite experience. The muted earth-tones of wooden ceiling beams in the former warehouse compliment well the soft lavender glow of the upholstered chairs and the cool green of bamboo trees. Austerely-set tables, lighting that is indirect and ample, new-age music softly fills the air. A glass-enclosed wine cellar with 750 selections and a chef’s table amid the aforementioned bamboo trees only heighten expectations for the fine dining that awaits…
Best of the Best” Five-Course Chef’s Menu
(Zealous interior) Lauren selects a glass of Washington State Chardonnay to sip as she studies the dinner menu. Me? Grey Goose is always perfect for such an occasion and I ask for one! Zealous has appeared on many of Chicago’s “best of” lists, and the evening’s menu heralds the restaurant’s anniversary by inviting guests to order the “Best of the Best” five-course chef’s menu that brings together five of Zealous’ tried and true dishes from years past.
Featured items include Big-Eye Sashimi Tuna Wrapped with Prosciutto, Basil in Rice Paper with House-made Kim Chee, (first introduced in 1993), Grilled Hudson Valley Foie Gras (substitutes are available) with Spicy Lobster Toast and Roasted Pineapple Vinaigrette (from 2000). You will also find Seared Duck Breast, Sweet Illinois Cornbread, Caramelized Onion Barbecue Sauce and Black-Bean Corn Salsa (first served in 1995), and Chilled Lychee and Melon Soup with Tropical Granita (from 1997). Dessert features the 1999 favorite of Steamed Valrhona Chocolate Ginger Pudding Cake, Sticky Rice Coconut Panna Cotta with Opal Basil Ice Cream and a selection of Mignardises (bite-sized desserts).
The five-course meal sounded outstanding, but perhaps a bit more than we wanted on this particular evening, so we decided to order from the “regular” side of the menu where no-less-interesting items beckoned.
Tempting Appetizers
(Scallop with Pumpkin Risotto appetizer) Of course, there was the tempting Short Stack of Mango Pancakes with Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Sunnyside-up Quail Egg and Savory Caramel Sauce that has been one of the chef’s major crowd pleasers (over 6,000 orders served) for over seventeen years. As well there were several other very tempting appetizers… But the item that ultimately grabbed our attention was the Szechuan Blue Crab Cakes, Grilled Bok Choy, Soy Mayo & Hoisin Glaze ($13).
Lauren and I both love blue crab and this pair of cakes was packed with it. The Bok Choy was grilled to perfection and the Hoisin Glaze was oh, so sweet and pungent. I opted for the special app: a Giant Sea Scallop perched atop pumpkin risotto and adorned with figs, heirloom cherry tomatoes and a shaved fennel salad with apple ($14). We tried each others’ appetizer and decided that, although each was superb in its own way and a winner was difficult to determine, the Crab Cakes however, got the nod.
Dinner Choices
Choosing a dinner entrée was no less difficult. Items like Sesame Crusted Chilean Sea Bass, Grilled Loch Duart Salmon, Braised Kurabuta Pork Cheeks and a Cassoulet Trio of Duck Breast, Confit Leg and Foie Gras all sang out like Homer’s Sirens, bidding us to select them… But in an unusual switch, it was the Grilled Beef Filet, Braised Short Rib with Exotic Mushroom-Potato Lasagna & Truffle Reduction ($32) that worked its magic for Lauren, and the Roasted Halibut with Savory Cabbage, White Beans, Confit Fingerling Potatoes & Blood Orange Emulsion ($31) for me. Awesome flavors pullulated from both entrées! Neither of us could resist the Brussel Sprouts with Pancetta and Balsamic Glaze ($7), so we added them to our dinners – excellent choice!
And For Dessert?
After dinner, our waiter informed us that the chef would like us to enjoy one of his special desserts, and was sending out the 1999 favorite of Steamed Valrhona Chocolate Ginger Pudding Cake, Sticky Rice Coconut Panna Cotta with Opal Basil Ice Cream, followed by a selection of Mignardises (tiny, bite-sized desserts; they are much like a petit four).
Liking ice cream as much as I do, I was anxious to try the Opal Basil variety here; it was incredible (never really had an opportunity to melt…) and I could easily have ordered a double-dip cone… The cake was quite good as well, velvety and with a very mild ginger flavor poking through. The Mignardises consisted of a duo of miniature chocolate cupcakes topped with a swirl of sweet frosting, accompanied by another pair of sweets that looked like teeny-tiny little cheeseburgers on turquoise buns – sweets for the sweetest of sweet-tooth diners…
At this point we were both quite sated and a walk would likely have been a better alternative than a cab ride, but trains don’t wait and we needed to catch one. The walk would wait until the morrow.
An Energy That Is Immediately Obvious
Zealous provided the perfect blend of ambience, service and flavors. It was easy to see why Chef Taus has enjoyed a nineteen-year run. “My great grandfather was a farmer and also had an amazing garden. I’ve always appreciated using farm fresh ingredients. Using the freshest ingredients from local farmers has always been a priority for us.”
It was also nice to see the chef make occasional sorties into the dining room to stop and chat with guests. The conversation at our table was brief but very pleasant. Chef Taus has an easy-going demeanor and an energy that is immediately obvious. Those trips are something in which I think more chefs should engage. They create a real connection between kitchen and dining room. And they also indicate to me a level of caring that is absent in too many restaurants.
Both before and after dinner, the street in front of the restaurant was strangely quiet and peaceful, void of the traffic so typical of much of the city, and the near-silence was a welcome relief for both Lauren and I, who generally prefer more solitude to less…
“We’ve Always Used Classic French Technique”
But no matter your preference for outside noise or lack thereof, Zealous – whether you have been a previous patron or not – deserves your attention. There is a great diversity in menu selection and nuance of flavor; a simple statement from Chef Taus says it perfectly: “We’ve always used classic French technique to produce delicious food with a lot of global influences.” Zealous is a classic 3 1/2 Zin experience. Make a reservation soon and go try some of the Chef’s best – from past and present!
Your Table is Waiting…
Ralph Pancetta
(I dined as a guest of the restaurant.)
Zealous Restaurant was located at 419 W. Superior in Chicago, IL. The space is now occupied by Minotti, a furniture company. Chef Michael Taus is now the Executive Chef at La Grande Boucherie in Chicago.
