River North's C Chicago offers unique, fresh fish
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago's geographic position in the center of the country used to be a major hurdle when it came to getting fresh seafood. But thanks to technology and modern air freight, the latest temple of seafood in River North is getting fish barely a day or two out of the water.
The team behind Chicago Cut now has its seafood sibling. C Chicago is big and bold, and unafraid to show off where its seafood comes from.
"A big part of what we do here is sourcing the best quality seafood that we can get, flying it in ourselves, and then really trying to allow the quality of the product to show," said Chef Bill Montagne.
Pristine salmon fillets are cooked in a unilateral method, basted in an emulsified butter vinaigrette with unfermented, unripe grapes. Cooked slowly then topped with pea shoots and fish roe, it's one of the most delicate salmon starters you'll ever see.
Ahi tuna is cubed and rolled up with avocado for a light starter while trout is cured for 48 hours before being sliced and served over watermelon radish with a herbal vinaigrette.
"And we put a cure mix of about 40 different herbs, spices, salt, sugar; we pack the fish in that and then press it with that cure for two days," Montagne said.
The kitchen loves to cook whole fish, like a buttery black bass, or the rarely seen turbot, which is baked in a salt dough made with flour and herbs.
"What happens as the heat increases, the dough puffs a little bit, steam is created and the fish is essentially baked in a salty, moist environment," he said.
One of the reasons the restaurant is justifiably proud of its seafood selection is its uniqueness. So much of this is based on the chef's personal relationships with purveyors in New York City; you're not going find these kinds of species like turbot, langostine and Dover sole in just any restaurant in town.
One very important point: overnight shipping and rare species of fish don't come cheap. The seafood may be unique, but it's also uniquely expensive compared to what you might be used to in Chicago, so plan your budget accordingly.
20 W. Kinzie St., Chicago
312-280-8882
