Michigan Avenue - Niche Media - Michigan Avenue magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine centered around Chicago’s finest people, events, fashion, health & beauty, fine dining & more!
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/61757
T he Guide eat, drink, shop, and unwind exile on randolph street S eizing on the decadence of its namesake French chateau—the Villa Nellcôte—a new restaurant is bringing vintage rock 'n' roll swagger back to Chicago. The space is a tribute to the excess embodied by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards when they recorded the Rolling Stones's seminal album, Exile on Main St., at the villa in 1971, and Chicago's version is a ban- shee scream for the return of the gourmet dining experience. Nellcôte's regal crown molding, stately Italian marble, and robust herringbone flooring culminate in a lavish veneer that stands in stark contrast to the rustic décor typical among Chicago eateries. Executive chef Jared Van Camp has harmonized the space's bold opulence with the exquisite cuisine native to southern Europe: Basking in the luminescence of its crystal chande- liers, guests can feast on a delectable array of Mediterranean-inspired fare, comprised of converging medleys of French, Italian, and Spanish culinary heritages, including rich foie gras, frog leg raviolini, and luscious mojama. With the restaurant's exclusive, in-house flour mill, Van Camp churns out authentic pasta dishes from Illinois's prized wheat berry. His passion for local fare is on full display as he culls the finest grains and produce from the area's vast farms and markets to give locals the opportunity to, as he says, "taste what Chicago's like." Revelers are welcome to soak in the sumptuous sights, sounds, and most important, tastes provided by the newest addition to the Randolph Street Corridor. 833 W. Randolph St., 312-432-0500; nellcoterestaurant.com MA NELLCÔTE SWINGS INTO THE WEST LOOP WITH BRAVADO AND AN EYE FOR LUXURY. by jeff keleher the very month this best of devour: brunch museum shops relax: hair color rooftop bars acquire: imbibe: michiganavemag.com 135 photography by anthony tahlier