Fine cuisine meets fine design. With the advent of haute dining, restaurants became more than just a place for dinner before a movie or after a show. They became the main event - places to see and be seen. Trends in food began to meld with trends in architecture: Asian fusion saw design influenced by bamboo and golden Buddhas, French bistros featured rustic woods and coppered fixtures. Chicago's famed Blackbird restaurant is certainly no exception. Opened in 1998, over a decade ago, this eatery still remains one of the hottest spots in the Windy City. Thanks to its token minimalism, sleek angles and clean look, the restaurant has managed to look effortlessly modern and hip all these years later.
Designed by Thomas Schlesser, Blackbird's interior is all clean lines, mahogany chairs, coffee-color woods and white walls. The table cloths are crisp and white, made to match the sleekness of the white bar. The bottles of spirits behind the bar are layed out just as finely, backlit by softly tinged lighting. The private dining room (above) offers the same contrasts of light greys, blacks and whites. Small, circular lamps are embedded in the ceiling along with recessed LEDs. The fare as well, is highly influenced by the restaurant's ambiance, according to head chef Paul Kahan. He sticks strictly to light and clean flavors, serving everything from octopus confit to milk chocolate ganache. Definitely worth a visit the next time a Chicago trip is due.
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