The penultimate course among eight on the tasting menu at Elske is a forest-hued square of firm, chewy, sweet gelatinous matter, imbued with the cool flavors of fennel and mint. While it’s a perfectly refreshing intermezzo between the roasted brisket with creamed brussels sprouts and the vanilla ice cream with nicoise olive syrup, it looks a bit like Soylent Green, the processed food ration made from human remains that sustains overpopulated New York City in the 1973 dystopian science-fiction film of the same name.
The a la carte menu offers more substantial portioning. Servers recommend three to four dishes per person, allowing a less structured approach, which could find you pairing up everything from delicate crispy fried skatewing with thick fennel puree to thick sections of octopus tentacle shrouded in raw radicchio leaves.
The beverage program is overseen by Kyle Davidson, a Violet Hour OG whom Posey brought along from Blackbird. An abbreviated list of five cocktails is done proud by a dark, moody potion of smoky lapsang souchong tea, Punt e Mes vermouth, and gin infused with matsutake mushroom that tastes like it was distilled from the forest floor, while a sazerac’s inherent sweetness is tempered by a darkly flavored coffee-licorice syrup. The wine list is relatively brief for now, though the $45 pairing with the tasting menu hits all the right notes, beginning with a light sparkling wine to make the fish eggs feel at home, and ending on a rich, bitter digestif to send it all on its way without any arguments.
1350 W. Randolph 312-733-1314elskerestaurant.com
