A Squared: In The Loop: Adamus at the Silversmith Hotel

Monday, July 14, 2014

In The Loop: Adamus at the Silversmith Hotel

Today I would like to amend a previous comment I made here on the blog. I once mentioned that good food was hard to come by in the Chicago Loop. To my great surprise (and enjoyment), I have been proven wrong several times over the past few months-- and my most recent date night out was no exception. Alex and I made our way down to the Jeweler's District in the Loop to check out Adamus, the chic restaurant and lounge located in the newly renovated Silversmith Hotel.


The restaurant is a perfect fit for the Jeweler's District neighborhood-- a palette of metallic silvers, grays, and jewel tones with elegant fixtures and a great combination of traditional table seating, lounge areas, and communal tables. There's something for everyone here whether you're stopping by for dinner or for a post-work cocktail. And on a street that is occupied primarily by fast food joints and dive bars, a cool spot with legitimately good food is a welcome addition to this stretch of Wabash.


We started our evening with a round of cocktails. Their bar menu is filled with a great selection of beers and wines-- many of them sourced locally-- but their cocktail menu is really impressive, so we both decided to order from there. I tried the Grapefruit Bliss: a tangy and slightly sweet combination of Aperol, grapefruit vodka (one of the many flavors they infuse in-house), and fresh grapefruit juice. I loved that it was refreshing and a touch sweet, but not super sugary. Alex opted for the Bourbon Punch, a combination of pomegranate liqueur, Makers 46, and splashes of fresh lemon and orange juice. He liked it so much that he ordered a second one to enjoy with dinner.


Our server started us right off with a basket of warm bread accompanied by Vermont butter, sundried tomato tapenade, and olive oil with a touch of balsamic vinegar. We nibbled on the bread for a bit and then we moved on to sampling a few appetizers.


I should mention that the menu at Adamus changes seasonally and that when we visited last week they had just launched their summer menu that day. We were so excited to try everything out and ironically, one of the first appetizers that we picked-- the lobster croquettes-- were a carryover from the spring menu because they were such a favorite among diners. It was easy to taste why too-- these soft fried lobster balls reminded me of hushpuppies, but with a subtle lobster flavor and great smoky undertones. They're served in a tasso (ham) gravy with a sprinkling of corn and roasted shallots, giving the dish a nice hit of sweetness.


If you've read any of my other restaurant review posts, you'll know that Alex and I are big fried pickle fans. If they're on a menu, we are ordering them and these were no exception. The chefs at Adamus made the bread & butter pickles in house, sliced them thin, and fried them so that they were crisp and not soggy. As they should be! The pickles were served with two aiolis: a spicy Dijon and a smoky chipotle, which was my favorite of the two.


I'm not normally a big fan of raw fish-- you'll note that I have never reviewed a sushi restaurant on A Squared and tartares and ceviches rarely make appearances, but chef Nelson Erazo came out to chat with us and said that the scallop ceviche was one of the items he was most proud of on the new summer menu. He suggested that we give it a try and sent one out for us and to my surprise, we really enjoyed it. I loved the sweetness of the scallops and the thinly sliced peppers along with the crunch of the housemade chips. Alex loved the scallops so much he was just picking them out and eating them with a fork. Ceviche converts, I suppose!


When Alex ordered his second Bourbon Punch, I decided to give another cocktail a try-- there were just too many that sounded good! This time around, I ordered the sparkling mango daiquiri. It was definitely sweeter than my first cocktail, but still super fresh and went down a little too easily! Fresh mango puree was blended with rum, sparkling wine, and a squeeze of fresh lime. A perfect summer cocktail.


The entree menu is small, but there is a nice selection of sandwiches and full size entrees along with the extensive small plates and bar menu that Adamus offers. I opted for the brined Bell & Evans chicken breast (one of many locally sourced ingredients featured on the menu) for my entree. The brining gave it a really unique flavor and kept it super moist. It was served over risotto with cipollini onions (which I love!) and roasted plums. The plums gave really nice sweetness to this savory dish and I really loved the combination of ingredients here. I cleaned my plate, despite how many appetizers we indulged in!


Alex ordered the short rib tortellini. It was served with roasted golden beets in a light brothy sauce, which was a nice complement to a rich dish. I made sure to steal a bite and thought it was pretty delicious.


At this point we were both feeling pretty full, and were questioning whether we could handle dessert. After chatting with the hotel's food & beverage manager though, we were persuaded to try his favorite dessert: a rich housemade fromage blanc cheesecake. The cheesecake was creamy, dense, and flavorful served with a blueberry compote and topped with fresh blueberries and crumbled meringue for a little crunch.

Adamus truly is a hidden gem and since it's a bit under the radar, it the perfect location for post-works cocktails, a lunch in the Loop, or even a weeknight date. You won't be elbow to elbow at the bar trying to get a drink or waiting 90 minutes for a table, but the food and drink menu is really solid and the staff could not be more accommodating. And that's exactly what I'm looking for.
Adamus - Silversmith Hotel on Urbanspoon


Editor's Note: Our meal at Adamus was complimentary in order to facilitate this post. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own. 


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