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Can't Miss Dish Tête's longanisa spices up the menu with Filipino flair. "When you stay true to the heritage of a dish, there is no manipulation necessary," explains Tête partner and co-executive chef Thomas Rice of the street-food origins of the restaurant's popular longanisa. The garlicky, chorizo-like Filipino sausage is composed of ground pork, soy, rice wine vinegar, and paprika and sits atop a bed of green garlic and dried shrimp fried rice. Finished with a delectably runny slow-poached egg, Fresno chili marmalade, and fresh lettuce and mint, it's a dish as bold and spicy as it is colorful. Cat a lonia -inspired k ind of ter r ine," says Rice. Global inf luences abound at Tête — composed dishes include f resh Filipino longanisa sausage paired with green garlic and dried shrimp fried rice, Fresno chili marmalade, and a custard- like coddled egg—but t he sea sona l, sust a inable of fer ings a re a ll loca lly sourced from Slagel Family Farm, Swan Creek, and Green City Market. Lighter fare pops up on the menu as well, w it h dishes ra ng ing f rom w ild halibut and ricotta agnolotti to purple asparagus salad. "We are much more than a meatcentric restaurant," says R ice. "It can't be all meat, all the time." To round out the meal, Tête offers a tempting sticky date sundae as well as a carefully curated list of approachable wines, local beers, and seasonal cocktails, includ- ing the tequila-fueled Three Amigos, whose name refers to Guzowski, R ice, and Goodman. Tête's Eu ropea n inspirat ion ca r r ies over into t he Joh n Kelly Architects – designed space, which seamlessly blends the history of the Randolph Street corridor's meatpacking industry with that of French charcuteries and boucheries. "We wanted something representative of where we were," R ice explains, adding that the red subway-tiled, glass- enclosed "charcuterie room" is a modern take on the "storefronts we saw throughout Paris, the south of France, and Germany." The polished mix of exposed brick walls, glazed concrete f loors, and timber-lofted ceilings lends the airy space an industrial-chic vibe. Glass cases filled with hanging cured meats show off the final product, and the open f loor plan provides the clientele—a mix of young families, professionals, and fashionable foodies—a voyeuristic peek into the kitchen, making them feel like part of the action. "We wanted everyone to hear the camarade- rie in the kitchen—the expediting, the conversation between chefs and cooks," says R ice. In a city as passionate about meat as Chicago, it's no surprise that Tête has found an enthusiastic audience for its creative, carnivore-friendly menu. Ref lecting on the project's success, Rice insists that the restaurant is just getting started. "We're very happy with the direction we're moving in," he says, "and Tête is only going to get better." Tête Charcuterie, 1114 W. Randolph St., 312-733-1178; tetechicago.com MA above: Exposed brick walls and timber-lofted ceilings give Tête an industrial-chic vibe. left: Partner and co-executive chef Thomas Rice. continued from page 80 signature sip Balance your meal with the crisp, gingery Tête-à-Tête. Tête's cocktails rotate seasonally, but one libation that's always available is the house specialty Tête-à-Tête. "The team loves it because its simple, clean flavors complement the menu," says partner and general manager Daniel Goodman. Served tall, the heady blend of vodka, pâté spice, and ginger beer provides a refreshing, effervescent counterpoint to the restaurant's signature savory meat dishes. TÊTE-À-TÊTE 1 1 ⁄2 oz. vodka ¾ oz. lime ¾ oz. pâté spice simple (includes ginger, clove, nutmeg, and white pepper) Ginger beer Angostura bitters Lime wheel Fill tall glass with ice. Add vodka, lime, and spice, then roll drink from glass to shaker and back. Top with ginger beer, float with bitters, and garnish with lime. phoTography By galdones phoTography 82 michiganavemag.com SO MANY DINNERS