On the website of the Gold Coast restaurant Dearly Beloved, it states that the spot “is a beautiful mixture of cocktail bar, restaurant and journey of the senses.”
Practically any restaurant could theoretically claim to be a journey of the senses, but the senses are really provoked at Dearly Beloved—a place where you can order drinks that will constantly surprise.
But there’ll be more about that later. Dearly Beloved is nestled in a quiet part of the neighborhood—near Moody Bible Institute and close to where the venerable restaurant mk was. And it seems that the staff prefers the location: The manager told my friend and me that being away from the hustle and bustle of Michigan Avenue prevents the place from being overwhelmed by walk-in customers.
However, a happy hour indicated that at least some people have discovered this alluring spot. Walking into this space that Headquarters Beercade founders Chireal Jordan and Brian Galati have crafted, we were immediately taken by the dark gothic fantasy present everywhere, from the decorative gazebo (where we dined) to the borderline ostentatious-yet-compelling art adorning the back bar, Dearly Beloved is a place for Instagram influencers to photograph—but it also provides an intimate setting for good friends or people who want to get closer.
And although Dearly Beloved serves enticing food, it’s primarily known as a cocktail bar—and one look at the drink menu will tell you why. For example, Two Wrongs (described as “formidable,” “earthy” and “nutty”) is a heady-sounding mix of chapuline (or grasshopper)-infused Los Magos Sotol (sotol being similar to tequila), Convite Una mezcal, cochineal, chapuline syrup, coconut rum, cacao, chocolate bitters, white sesame oil—and tarantula tincture. (I’m beginning to see what the “two wrongs” might be.) Love in the Night consists of kaffir lime infused Tenjaku gin, agave nectar, orange bitters, La Muse Verte absinthe, coconut horchata chai foam and Pharaoh’s lemon dust. And Strange Sanctuary might present the only time you’ll enjoy (or at least tolerate) Malort, as the cocktail also contains Mi Campo blanco, Sirene Americano, Luxardo Bitter Bianco, tangerine, apricot, lime, fever-tree grapefruit soda, saline and chamomile sachet, with a honeycomb garnish.
However, my friend opted for one (or two) of a curated classic cocktail: the sidecar, which he thought was made very well. (Other curated classics include the pisco sour, espresso martini, daiquiri, Old Fashioned and the smoked olive martini.) I opted for a signature cocktail that turned out to be new: The Spire & The Gargoyle, which sounds like a British pub but is actually a spicy, refreshing mix of gochugaru-infused vodka, New Deal ginger liqueur, lemon, almond, orange flower, rose, chocolate bitters and pomegranate apple ice, and rimmed with volcanic salt. (BTW, the menu ranks each signature cocktail from “fresh” to “funky” on a scale of one to five dice, and there are cool-sounding mocktails as well.)
As for the cuisine, while nothing approaches the mind-blowing creativity of some of the drinks, the items are pretty darn delectable. We both really enjoyed the amuse bouche: a potato-and-caviar “cigar” with crème fraîche and chive. And the lamb gyro arancini with tzatziki, cucumber and tomato was a tasty twist on the original Sicilian street food. The mushroom campanelle pasta—with shiitake mushrooms, leeks, truffle butter, parmesan and lemon zest—was deliciously earthy, and the truffle honey fried chicken was a sumptuous mix of the savory and the sweet. However, my friend thought the Beloved Burger (a fontina-stuffed patty with bone-marrow aioli) was head and shoulders above any other menu item—and any other burger he’s ever had. (I also really enjoyed the sample I had, although I still—after all these years—have to give the nod to Mott St.’s burger. However, this would certainly be in my top 10.)
Dearly Beloved is a gem that probably won’t be hidden for long. Be sure to sample its pleasures before it becomes too trendy. It certainly provides a feast for the senses.
Note: SAVOR visits are pre-arranged.
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