After living in Chicago for three years, I can confidently say I have explored my fair share of restaurants. Luckily, I don’t plan to stop that exploration and am always ready to try somewhere I’ve never been. Kindling, a steakhouse known for live-fire cooking and located on the ground floor of Willis Tower, was a new spot for my partner and me, and we were looking forward to it.
Our reservation was on a stormy Wednesday in June. Despite the rain outside, Kindling was packed, hosting an array of people, many of whom looked like they had just arrived from their offices downtown and were sporting work bags or suits. The atmosphere was high-energy and busy, with people chatting excitedly and servers darting around to get everyone their orders. The interior of Kindling is modern and stylish; it is similar to other spots in Chicago's downtown area, but it is still clear that someone with a good eye for design brought their unique vision to life.
The first thing we did upon settling into our booth was order drinks. I opted for the Garden City cocktail, and my boyfriend chose the Old Fashioned, which is his favorite cocktail to order. Immediately, we were impressed. The Garden City, which is a mixture of vodka, green tea simple syrup, and lime juice, was incredibly fresh and just sweet enough, which I love. It was definitely one of the highlights for me.
The first dish we tried was the hamachi, which was sliced into small pieces, formed into balls, and served over aji amarillo mayo and Peruvian causa. It was fresh and flavorful, with a hint of spice and a limey taste. I enjoyed it, but if you prefer your fish in larger pieces, I would opt for something else from this expansive menu.
Next, we tried the crispy Brussels sprouts, which were topped with torn mint and seasoned with Thai chili sauce. The Thai chili sauce was my favorite aspect of this dish, as it elevated the flavors without being overpowering. If I were able to make one change to these, however, it would be to make them a bit crispier, as I did expect them to be crispier than they were.
Another appetizer we indulged in was two pieces of saku gold tuna, served on a bed of crispy sushi rice and topped with kizami and wasabi aioli. As someone who loves nigiri and will order it at any chance I get, this dish did not disappoint. The tuna was fresh, and the wasabi aioli gave the dish a kick without becoming the only flavor I could taste. The crispy rice cakes were a bit large in proportion to the tuna slices, so keep that in mind, but otherwise this is a great choice.
Going into dinner at Kindling, I knew I had to try some of the restaurant’s seafood dishes and steaks. My boyfriend and I felt that we had aptly covered the seafood portion in our first round of dishes, so we opted for steaks as our entrees. He chose the 16-ounce prime NY strip with the truffle butter enhancement, and I chose the 8-ounce Mrs O’Leary filet, which came with red wine demi glace and fried shallots. We also added the mac n’ cheese side, which was perfectly decadent and creamy, a blend of cheddar and American cheeses enveloping the housemade pasta. We both really enjoyed our steaks, noting that they were seasoned well. I especially enjoyed the red wine sauce that came with mine.
Last but certainly not least, we finished off our meal with the miso caramel budino dessert, topped with toasted Thai coconut flakes and dried bananas. On the side, we had a small container of rich banana caramel, which we could drizzle over the dessert ourselves. This concoction was decadent and rich, but never once did we feel like it was too sweet. My two favorite aspects were the dried banana slices and the caramel. In my opinion, this is a must-try. My mouth is watering just thinking about it right now!
All in all, Kindling is a classic, contemporary steakhouse located at the corner of Adams St and Franklin St and led by James Beard Award-winning Chef Jonathon Sawyer. The restaurant offers an array of steaks, seafood, and more, and emphasizes a shared-plates style of dining. For more information on reservations, menu items, and hours, visit their website at https://www.kindlingchicago.com/.
This coverage was made possible by a promotional invitation. Our opinions and editorial choices remain entirely our own.
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