The secret is out. Chicago magazine’s final event of their four-part Secret Supper series was held on November 9, 2015 at Swift & Sons, the newest steakhouse from the teams at Boka Restaurant Group and B. Hospitality.
Swift & Sons is located in the Fulton Market District within the trendy West Loop neighborhood. This massive, bi-level restaurant exudes luxury and swank with its plush booths, high ceilings, and marble floors. The attention to detail is impeccable. The menu is focused on classic steakhouse fare with a sophisticated flair.
The event was open to the public and tickets were available for purchase. The Secret Supper dinner location was not revealed until the morning of the event. Past 2015 Secret Supper locations included Momotaro, Salero, and Community Tavern.
Before dinner, Woodford Reserve hosted a welcome reception where guests enjoyed a specialty cocktail called the “Robber Baron”. This refreshing drink had a wonderful mix of Woodford Reserve Rye, cranberry, Demerara, and Bittered Sling Denman Bitters. We learned that Woodford Reserve isn’t manufactured…it is hand-crafted in small batches.
Woodford Reserve Cocktail at Swift & Sons // Chicago Magazine’s Secret Supper // Photo: @chelsias
The Executive Chef, Chris Pandel (The Bristol), created an exclusive four-course meal for the attending guests, which included a dessert course made by Executive Pastry Chef, Meg Galus (Boka).
First Course: Carpetbagger Tartare
The Carpetbagger Tartare was a fresh oyster topped with a generous portion of steak tartare. The different layers created contrasting textures and bold flavors. The dish finished enjoyably with a slight saltiness and sweetness.
Carpetbagger Tartare at Swift & Sons // Chicago Magazine’s Secret Supper // Photo: @fabsoopark
Second Course: Autumn Chopped Salad
The Autumn Chopped Salad was delightfully crispy and crunchy. A lot of times, salads tend to be heavily soaked in salad dressing, causing it to wilt, which was not the case at Swift & Sons. The market vegetables were fresh and lightly dressed with tarragon vinaigrette.
Autumn Chopped Salad at Swift & Sons // Chicago Magazine’s Secret Supper // Photo: @fabsoopark
Third Course: Sliced Strip Loin
We couldn’t get enough of the Sliced Strip Loin. The meat was perfectly cooked with a tender pink center. The strip loin was served on a bed of creamy whipped potatoes, crispy fried brussels sprouts, and a red wine sauce, which tied all the components together beautifully.
Sliced Strip Loin at Swift & Sons // Chicago Magazine’s Secret Supper // Photo: @fabsoopark
Guests also enjoyed wine from 90+ Cellars. The Lot 116 Cabernet Sauvignon had a nice aroma of fresh black currant with a smooth finish, which brought out the flavors of the juicy strip loin. 90+ Cellars offers great quality wine at affordable prices.
90+ Cellars Wine at Swift & Sons // Chicago Magazine’s Secret Supper // Photo: @fabsoopark
Fourth Course: Boston Cream Pie
The Executive Pastry Chef, Meg Galus, created a modern version of the Boston Cream Pie with vanilla bean cream, bittersweet chocolate, and yellow sponge cake. The cake was light and airy while the slight bitterness of the chocolate blended well with the sweet cream.
Boston Cream Pie at Swift & Sons // Chicago Magazine’s Secret Supper // Photo: @fabsoopark
Fab Food Chicago was honored to be part of such an amazing event. The secret was hard to keep, but it was well worth it at the end. The food was note-worthy and the service was top-notch.
Where will the next Secret Supper take place? Shhh…we can’t tell. #CMSecretSupper
Click here for more event pics.
Live the Fab Food Life,
Soo
Note: This meal was complimentary. However, the views and opinions expressed herein are those of the writer.
