A spotlight has been cast on two budding restaurants in Chicago now listed among the best newcomers to the nation's buzzing culinary scene.
As a new year looms, Esquire took a look back at 2022, highlighting fresh eateries that "represent what it means to dine well in the U.S. right now." The magazine's editorial staff curated the list, ranking 40 establishments where "there is soul and a story to go with delicious, inventive dishes."
Kasama locked in a spot at No. 7 for being "Chicago's most talked-about dinner." Located at 1001 N. Winchester Ave., the eatery serves traditional Filipino food with modern iterations crafted from the minds of chefs Genie Kwon and Timothy Flores.
The restaurant initially opened in 2020 as a bakery with world-class pastries, which it still operates as in the mornings. Now, when the evening arrives, Kasama turns into a fine-dining establishment.
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"The dinner service it’s rolled out since then feels like an entirely different venture: Filipino food served with impeccable precision and finesse in a tasting-menu format," Esquire's Joshua David Stein said.
Kasama is no stranger to attention. The eatery became the first Michelin-starred Filipino restaurant in the world in April and landed on The New York Times' restaurant list in 2021. NBC 5's Food Guy Steve Dolinsky lauded the establishment as one of the city's best restaurants, too.
Esquire also recognized Indienne, a progressive Indian fine-dining restaurant perched at 217 W. Huron St. The spot launched late September and has already found its footing.
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The magazine placed Indienne at No. 36, with Esquire's Kevin Sintumuang praising the eatery: "The service is delightful, informative, proper, the room is vast and luxurious, the wine pairings are illuminating. You might be wondering, what’s the catch? As far as I can tell, there is none."
"While French-techniques applied to Indian cuisine (or any cuisine) is nothing new, that combination here is from chef Sujan Sarkar, is potent and unexpected," Sintumuang added. "The galouti, an Indian kebab traditionally made with lamb is transformed into an eclair with foie gras and chicken liver and an inviting spice."
The full list of restaurants that made Esquire's cut can be found here.
