Charlie Trotter's
Chicago, IL 60614-4308
Phone: (773) 248-6228
- Price:
- $$$$
- Cross Street:
- Halsted Street
- Directions:
- El stop: Brown line to Armitage
- Hours:
- Two seatings nightly: Tue-Thu 6pm-6:30pm and 9pm-9:30pm, Fri-Sat 5:30pm-6:30pm and 9pm-9:30pm
Editorial Review for Charlie Trotter's – by J.P. Anderson
The Scene
Set in an inconspicuous two-story brick townhouse, Trotter's is conservative and quiet. In the intimate dining areas, voices are hushed, service fastidious and precise. This isn't the place for a particularly romantic or relaxed evening; rather, a meal here is an intense, focused, immensely rewarding gastronomic experience.
The Food
Charlie Trotter is considered one of the finest chefs of our time. Why? The man's a genius, a master of flavor and texture and temperature who challenges the palate as he satisfies it. Under his hand, seemingly disparate ingredients come harmoniously together: Apples dance with mushrooms and asparagus; halibut swims with pig tail and tofu. Neither dramatic nor showy, Trotter's global cuisine is, however, intense: Lamb loin and rack appears as a tiny bone wrapped with a tiny chunk of meat, accented with a foamy red curry emulsion that gives just the faintest suggestion of heat. Brilliant.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
The ExtrasTwice weekly during the school year, Trotter hosts public school students for a free meal. Charlie's one requirement? Each student must ask two questions before leaving.
What to DrinkThe wine list is one of the world's finest, with four cellars storing about 18,000 bottles in temperature- and humidity-controlled environments.
Look GoodOn your way out, ask the host whether you can see the kitchen; if things aren't too hectic, you may be treated to a guided tour.
Know Before You GoReservations are taken four months to the day in advance. Hint: Call in the afternoon, when cancellations generally come in, and you may luck out with a same-night table.
Where to SitReserve the kitchen table, where four to six guests can dine in the midst of the action (reserve at least eight weeks ahead).
User Reviews for Charlie Trotter's
07/07/2008 Posted by stephmckean
My husband surprised me with a romantic dinner for our 10 year wedding anniversary. He knows I am a foodie and love to cook. He knew this is something that would be very special to me. He tried to get the kitchen table, but he was told that they only sit 4 to 6 at the kitchen table. Well, the day of our reservations they called us and said that the kitchen table had a cancellation and that it was noted on our reservation that my husband had asked about it. They said they would make an exception for us to fill the table. I thought it was so nice of them to call us, even though we were only a party of 2. It was truly a remarkable experience. The food was so imaginative. I would have never thought of combining some of the ingredients they did. Even my husband who is traditionally a steak and potatoes kind of guy, thoroughly enjoyed the food. His favorite dish of the 18 dishes we were served was a rare type of tuna that the chef told us only 1 was imported into the United States every week. My husband also ordered the wine pairing with his meal, which he truly enjoyed. The chefs try to make sure everything planned on the menu for that evening is from fresh seasonal ingredients. They surprised me with asking if I would like to go with one of the chef's and plate a dish. They could tell I was having so much fun, I couldn't stop smiling. Then the asked me to take the dish and present it to my husband. This is not something they do very often, I was told. I don't eat chocolate because of it making me have headaches, so they made me some non-chocolate deserts that were not the plan for the evening. We were so stuffed we were almost not able to try all the assortment of deserts that came our way. Then we got a private tour of the restaurant including the wine cellar. The whole restaurant experience was about 3 hours. Wow! This was an amazing experience of a lifetime!
Pros: Incredible dining
Cons: Very expensive
02/27/2008 Posted by ebberlyn
We came to Chicago to dine at Alinea for the 'Tour' menu. We left talking about Charlie Trotter's. It was my friends birthday and coming from a culinary city (NY) are mission was to try as many restaurants as possible. After a meal at Alinea, our intentions were to dine like everyday locals- the best brunch place, best deep dish, etc. After eight restaurants in two days, our bags were packed and we were ready for the airport. But not till we strolled the streets of Lincoln Park (AKA the 'Soho' of Chicago). After sludging through the slushy streets with luggage in tow, we just happened to walk by CT. Mind you, CT was not even on our list of places to see. My friend was reading the menu and announced erroneously that they were closed. I proceeded to walk up the stairs to take a closer look only to notice that there was a gentleman at the bar (this was 3PM). I turned around to join my friend and before you know it, the door opened and the gentleman said "well, hello. Would you like to come in for a tour?" Without hesitation, "of course!" . We walked through the dining rooms to the kitchen to the cellars with our wet boots (Chicago received 8" of snow the night before). When we return to the back to the bar area, two settings were set at the bar. The maitre'd motioned to us to have a seat while he took our coats. As we removed our layers (Chicago gets really COLD!), he said that the Chef has prepared a small bite if we had time to stay. We were in our seats before he finished his sentence. We were treated to a three-course meal with wine pairings a la minute. Just like that. Before service, whilst the staff was setting up! We were speechless and felt like we were on candid camera.It didn't end there. As we left, furiously calling our friends to brag about our experience, the maitre'd catches up to us (four blocks away) to hand us a cookbook and a bottle of steak sauce! Who does that? Chef Charlie- when we come back to Chicago, were coming to see you!
Users Like You Also Viewed
Vivo
838 W Randolph St
Chicago, IL 60607
Brasserie Ruhlmann
500 W Superior St
Chicago, IL 60610
