This is downtown Chicago at night: a city of enticing lights, hidden treasures and sophisticated meanings. A world of secrets, which lay there to be discovered by inquisitive minds. A city like no other, that’s for sure. I experienced it all – the stunning view, exquisite food, the overall trepidation of the night – recently, when I was invited to celebrate the newly revamped menu at ROOF on theWit in downtown Chicago.
A glamorous escape set 27 stories above the vibrant city streets, ROOF on theWit has been rated one of the top 3 rooftop bars in the world by Travel+Leisure magazine, earning international praise for its stunning design, private event spaces and entertainment options. A hot nightlife destination needs a menu which keeps up with culinary trends and satisfies a demanding clientele – and the new menu at ROOF on theWit is right on point in both respects. It is a menu which provides the opportunity to escape to renowned foodie destinations and to undertake an unforgettable journey through flavors. No time to travel to Spain? Now you can bring Spain closer to you – at ROOF on theWit 🙂
The new menu was developed by executive chef Nathan Sears, who drew inspiration from Moorish Spain and the surrounding spice-bearing regions. It is a menu which embraces and celebrates classic Mediterranean dishes, some of which have spicy “twists” – clear indicators of the creativity behind the new menu concept.
Chef Nathan Sears was available for questions and comments. I had the chance to talk to him a little bit as he was getting ready to serve his paella. After all, what can be more Mediterranean than paella?
To me, Chef Sears’ chicken and chorizo paella with piquillo peppers was undoubtedly the star of the night. Not only did it look very enticing, but it also delivered heaps of flavors and textures. What a great classic to choose for reinterpretation!
Warm and uplifting, the rice in the paella had a pleasant bite and shone through the protein elements beautifully. It reminded me of the rice my mom used to make when I was little, which had the same comforting quality and caressing simplicity. I absolutely loved the piquillo peppers – but then again, you know me: I am a big pepper aficionada 🙂
I also enjoyed sampling the grilled beef tenderloin kebab in a pomegranate marinade, with cinnamon, cardamom, sumac and black pepper. The beef was tender and was served on a bed of red rice and pistachio tabbouleh, which brought back memories of summers past spent in Europe.
Confit beet baba ghanoush with hazelnut dukkah and mint was another favorite of mine. The crispiness of the pita provided just the right bite to the dish, allowing the otherwise texturally unassuming baba ghanoush to shine.
Here’s the pork loin escabeche I sampled from the new menu, which was served with a mushroom confit and had preserved lemon as garnish…
…and here’s a pic of the tomato fig soup, which was smooth and velvety like a summer night’s dream. Such small cups, such pack-a-punch flavors!
I wish I could have stayed a lot longer, but family commitments had me leave the party as it was getting started. Special kudos to the DJ for the awesome music he was playing!
The new menu will be available at ROOF on theWit starting April 13, just in time for spring. While you’re there, make sure to also check out the large outdoor projection screen and the on-site telescope which can see for miles, while sipping handcrafted cocktails and enjoying the inspired dishes created by Chef Sears. That’s spring, celebrated in style 🙂
*Disclaimer: I was not financially compensated by ROOF on theWit for this post. All opinions expressed here are my own.
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