What could possibly convince a Los Angeles native to uproot from his beachy paradise for the Windy City? “I honestly just fell in love with Chicago and the people, so I moved here on a whim,” says Christopher Suzuki, chef de cuisine at SX Sky Bar. But Suzuki, who came up in the storied kitchens of Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Nobu Matsuhisa, infused a little of that California sunshine into his rooftop bites served at the new lounge adjacent to Hotel Essex. “It’s the food I was raised on, just done in a more modern way,” says Suzuki. That translates into verdant dishes perfect for summer, like a cucumber and heirloom tomato salad ($14), with cucumbers compressed in their own juices, jalapeño and lime zest. Asparagus lovers will delight in the Asparagus Experience ($14), in which the emerald stalks are pureed, blanched and tempura-battered for a three-in-one taste of what one little vegetable—and a talented coastal transplant—can do. 808 S. Michigan Ave., 773.633.0214
Photography by: kailley lindman
