Hot Spots: S.K.Y. in Pilsen
Dining out is one of my favorite things to do. Tasting new and traditional culinary ideas, socializing and communing with friends, and experiencing great service are what I find most enjoyable.
Recently restaurants in Chicago opened to 25% indoor capacity. This has been an off and on endeavor due to the pandemic. Outdoor dining has remained open mostly throughout the year despite the frigid temperatures. Most places have tents or green houses with heat lamps. In my opinion this is not much different than indoor dining as some establishments have figured out a way to operate within the jurisdictional regulations and keep guests warm.
With the regulations for indoor dining being relaxed we decided to take a short trip to Pilsen and try S.K.Y. They've been open since 2017 and I'm kinda disappointed that it took me this long to dine there. Every 3rd Saturday of the month for approximately 4 years I was the resident DJ at Punch House for my event entitled "Saturday Soul". I would often notice this rustic yet stylish establishment located directly across the street on southwest corner of 18th and Allport. What really caught my attention was when walking down the street I was able peek inside the kitchen windows and watch the chefs create culinary masterpieces. I would say to myself, "I gotta check them out someday".
Well, someday came last weekend. Upon looking at the menu just prior to making a reservation I saw a few entrees that I was extremely excited to try. Although, the brunch menu wasn't online there were plenty of items from their regular menu that were on the brunch menu. The quality of the food was great. The quantity was adequate. Not an overwhelming amount of food, but enough to share with another person. It's adequately priced in my opinion which allows for sampling multiple items.
We had the Black Truffle Croquettes, Maine Lobster Dumplings, Crispy Potatoes, and Creme Brulee Cheesecake. All were supremely delicious and creative.
Maine Lobster Dumplings: The lobster was very fresh and flavorful. What tasted like a mild citrus cream sauce (is actually Jade butter) modestly distributed on bottom of the dish was very interesting and went well with the dumplings. When most people think about eating lobster dishes they are expecting traditional butter and/or lemon. The Jade butter was a nice upscale change of pace. It also gave feel of eating pasta with a light cream sauce while staying true to the traditional nuances of eating lobster. 4 dumplings per order.
Crispy Potatoes: Very good. If you've visited my blog previously you know how I feel about potatoes. I love them and am not afraid to show my affection. Lol. These were nice and crispy to the point where even the herbs (rosemary and parsley) were crispy. They even come with a Black Truffle Dip. The potatoes were also used for cleaning the dish with the remaining Jade butter from the Maine Lobster Dumplings.
Service: Excellent. We did not have to wait very long for our food and I enjoyed the personal touch of either the chef, someone from the kitchen, or our server delivering our food to the table. As far as social distancing and safety go they did a good job of following the safety protocol requirements and I felt very safe.
Valentine's Day is Sunday February 14th. This may be a good move for a nice romantic afternoon or evening. S.K.Y. is located at 1239 W. 18th Street in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood.
To peruse the menu and make brunch and/or dinner reservations please visit them online at www.skyrestaurantchicago.com
Filter'd by Sean Alvarez (www.djseanalvarez.com)
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