Roister

Roister Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant & décor: Chef Grant Achatz (Alinea, Next Restaurant) and Nick Kokonas installed Roister in the hip Fulton Market neighborhood, home to Chicago's Google headquarters. Enjoy "rustic though refined" food in an open space where diners can view their meals being prepared by the culinary team. The industrial chic theme in masculine colors (slates and browns punctuated by amber light plus dark wood tables) abounds, with the focal point a large kitchen where chefs quietly tend to their creations. A central hearth and oversized prep area draw diners' eyes to the show. Walk-ins are accepted, but guests can avoid wait times by booking via Tock.

Likes: Urbane and confident, on brand for the Alinea Group.
Dislikes: No dedicated waiting area, so if your table isn't ready, expect to line up by the hostess stand or near the entrance.

Food & Drinks: A warning to newcomers: This is no hotbed for molecular gastronomy, as Achatz is known for. Tastes will be more hearty and familiar. Richness dots the menu, starting with the aged cheddar rillettes to the foie gras toast. Smoked oysters get more heat from chipotle butter and French curry, while a Cobb salad is both crisp and creamy with its green goddess, bleu cheese and soft-boiled egg. For entrées, the meats stand out. Don't miss the tender pork butt or the braised, poached and fried whole chicken. On the brunch side, sweet meets salt in the chicken and waffles, enhanced by a whiskey syrup. A foie gras candy bar is fun-sized for all the decadence in the foie. If cocktails are a priority, opt for dinner (versus brunch), when the wine by the glass and bottle options are more substantial, covering a wide swath of Californian and European selections. At brunch, choose from five different wines and a minimal menu of handcrafted cocktails and beer.