With its River North debut, Entente proves it can compete with the downtown crowd.
Scallops nestled in winter citrus and hearts of palm ($41)
Entente may have uprooted from Lakeview for fancier digs in River North, but it will still feel familiar to those already in love with the fine- dining destination. “We want everyone to know we’re really carrying on the whole mission of Entente,” says owner Ty Fujimura (Arami). “There’s a lot of familiarity—the same vibes, same service, same kitchen staff.” The Michelin-starred eatery continues to play the likes of Kendrick Lamar on the sound system. Some of its best dishes also return, but from a kitchen that has gotten a savvy upgrade, allowing executive chef Brian Fisher (Schwa) to bend even more rules in the dining room. Keep an eye out for the wedge salad ($16)—every component is elevated, from the generous hunks of cambozola to a sweet, sticky dressing perfectly complementing the cherry tomatoes studded throughout. As for new dishes, the sturgeon ($25) initially threw us, until our server circled back to explain the trickery of the dish: One side of the plate features succulent smoked sturgeon, while the other has a doppelgänger potato puree, molded into squares that look nearly identical to the fish. But the fun of being fooled by potato couldn’t compare to what the scallops ($41) had in store. Served alongside a reduction of citrus and vanilla that fizzes on the tongue before mellowing to the scallops’ natural saline whisper, it’s a memorable, go-back-for-it dish. Drinks keep pace with the food’s lightheartedness, as evidenced by the vodka-and-grapefruit Pink Cadillac ($16), which arrived in an antithetical shade of spring green and tasted like what a LaCroix hopes to be when it grows up. Entente’s transition to River North reflects its namesake, the French word for agreement. Here, flavor and function harmonize to create the ultimate accord, without compromise. 700 N. Sedgwick Ave., 312.285.2247, ententechicago.com
Photography by: DLM Photography & Design
