Conscious Choice: Lockwood: Savory Dishes, Sophisticated Setting

December 2007 | Conscious Dining

Lockwood: Savory Dishes, Sophisticated Setting

By Tanya Fritz

Lockwood Restaurant and Bar has just opened in the Palmer House Hilton, offering conscious diners a sophisticated setting for a holiday meal or simply a hot toddy to warm up after a holiday shopping afternoon. The restaurant and swanky bar are in the lobby of the hotel, which formerly housed Windsor’s Bar.

In the splendid, historic hotel, diners will not only find a first-class warming hut on a cold afternoon, but also will be met by a menu designed to appreciate the ingredients that comprise Chef Fossel’s strict adherence to organic, fairly-traded and humanely-raised foods. “I love my work, and I believe that love is apparent in my dishes,” the chef emphatically explained to me. “I want to know that the ingredients I’m using come from farmers and purveyors that love their work and their products as much as I love mine. Only if that full equation is met can we deliver a fantastic dish to our guests.” He is so emphatic about quality organic ingredients from farmers, in fact, that he insisted on using only Phil’s Farm eggs in the restaurant and successfully campaigned that they be used throughout the hotel. He also appreciates discerning guests who want to know the origin of ingredients they’re enjoying. “The more our guests care about the foods we [restaurants] offer, the more we can support our local and organic farmers,” he says. “I’m thrilled when I find a guest asking about my ingredients.”

This is also an oenophile’s haven with an extraordinary wine list. Special bottles are offered from a wine room with a generous display. The dinner menu includes spectacular savory dishes such as Osso Bucco prepared in a ravioli with Jerusalem artichoke puree and a Parmesan-Reggiano foam; Pan Roasted Georges Bank Codfish served with wild mushroom risotto, brussel sprouts, quince and prosciutto jus; Ashley Farms Quail Saltimbocca with Gnocchi Romana and Treviso; Grilled Lock Duart Salmon with Pinot Noir Sauce and Roasted Rouge Fermier Natural Chicken and Poached Egg Lyonnaise Style. One of the nights we visited, the hors d’oeuvres included a beautiful display of scrambled eggs and truffle oil served in a delicate egg shell with the top delicately removed.

Diners will find Lockwood to be a welcoming venue this winter for a warming drink or holiday meal in a historic, festive and elegant environment.

Lockwood, 17 E. Monroe St., Chicago; lockwoodrestaurant.com, 312-917-3404.

Tanya Fritz is a professionally trained chef, oenophile, slow-food fanatic and yoga enthusiast.

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