Tonight we tried three year old, Ada St. restaurant near Elston and North Avenue in an industrial park in Chicago.  When you step out of the cab and look to the south you will see the Hancock, Trump and Sears Tower in plain view.  It seems like the most hidden restaurant we have found in the city.

The two hostesses were very friendly, greeting us in a dark hallway that left us wondering where exactly we were headed.  As on of them walked us to our table we passed the wine storage hallway with carefully displayed, very moderately priced wine.  She pointed out that the music being played in the restaurant was all vinyl records that we could peruse, pick out and hand to our waiter to be played.  We chose one of the first records we came across, “Hot Legs” by Rod Steward in memory of my cousin’s favorite song.  

As we entered the main dining room filled with probably 10-15 tables we noticed the kitchen was small and the bar big.  There were 4 sous chefs and one head chef working in unison in the tiny kitchen.  We ordered a bottle of wine from Sonoma that hit the spot.  The entire wine list is very reasonably priced, with the most expensive bottle in the $70 range.

Our waiter Spencer was a true delight. He was full of excitement for this hidden gem and was excited to create a wonderful first experience for us.  We ordered a variety of small plates and a dessert. Everything was flavorful, thoughtful and enjoyable. The atmosphere, service and food puts Ada St. at the top of our list of great Chicago restaurants. Definitely a must try this winter for all our Chicagoan friends!

We recommend…

Sweet & Spicy Chicken Wings with a Cucumber & Daikon Salad
Braised Pork empanadas with a Tomatillo Creme
Pan-Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Lemon, Chiles and Garlic
Orcchiette, spicy Merguez Sausage with Rapini Pesto and Parmesan
Wagyu Hanger Steak served over Potato Puree and topped with Baby Arugula
Chocolate Genache with Tuscan Olive Oil, Sea Salt and Toast