When a concept is reinvented at the same spot, it can be a risky undertaking.
The Midwest-focused FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar (221 N. Columbus Dr.; http://FireLakeChicago.com) is housed in the same spot, in the iconic Aqua Tower, that formerly featured the Italian spot Filini, which I thought was fantastic.
As for FireLake—it’s just as fabulous, if not more so.
Sitting outside (on a rare cooler day this summer) was an absolute delight, complete with a friend—and a couple neighbors who brought their pets (with one having an especially obedient beagle mix).
Chef Mike Alaridi’s cuisine has something for everyone. The honey-and-garlic roasted pork belly I ordered was accompanied by jalapeno creamed corn that added the slightest delightful kick to the perfectly cooked meat. My friend ordered the roasted bone marrow (that came up with parsley salad, bacon shallot jam and crusty bread) that she and I found sublimely creamy and tasty; the jam managed to heighten the flavor profile even more. (Another appetizer I eyed was the rotisserie baby cauliflower that came with grated parmesan cheese and brown garlic butter sauce).
Entree items cover several categories, including grilled/mesquite items, handcrafted sandwiches, rotisserie (hickory) offerings and house specialties—quite possibly a nightmare for the indecisive. However, our dishes were dreamy, including my pan-roasted salmon, accompanied by lemon-kalamata risotto and smoked tomato-fennel jam. (By the way, don’t skip the skillet cornbread, which comes with whipped honey butter.)
My dining companion really liked her cider fish and chips, but that adoration wasn’t close to what she felt for the beer-battered cheese curds—possibly the best both of us ever had. They were fried to perfection: crispy and not oily. In fact, my friend said the curds were “10 times better than a mozzarella stick.” I certainly didn’t disagree.
If you somehow have room for dessert, order one (or even get one to go instead, like I did). The fruit tart is incredible, but somehow the chocolate bomb—consisting of a chocolate flourless cake with chocolate ganache and mousse—managed to top it. This dessert is, in a word, heavenly.
There was only one “meh” aspect. The drink (sangria) that started things was memorable—because it was the only aspect of the experience that didn’t meet as high a standard as the rest of the experience. The drink wasn’t bad; it just wasn’t amazing.
However, I highly recommend checking out FireLake. The relaxing atmosphere and incredible dishes certainly make (re)visiting this spot worthwhile.