Conrad and I have been fans of the show Top Chef for quite some time now. I think the first season I watched was the 3rd, set in Miami, and I confess that it was in part because I was channel surfing, landed on it, and thought that Dale Levitski (the runner up that season) was cute. I wish I knew what he was up to these days - I'd be glad to try what he's cooking lately. Anyway, I got Conrad into watching with me quite a while back, and since then we've dined at multiple Top Chef contestant restaurants. On this past trip to Chicago, we managed two, in fact. One meal with friends, and I'll blog that soon enough, and one date night for the two of us at Rose Mary.
Season 15 of the series was set in Colorado, spending most of its time in Denver. Going in to the season, we were rooting for Bruce Kalman, who had a restaurant in Pasadena we'd dined at previously (and although he's long gone from Union, we were back there again recently). He went far, but not all the way. And that's fine - the show has been so good over the years at giving viewers a lot of cheftestants who make appealing food and who seem to be good personalities. Folks online will often point to the Colorado season as when Top Chef fully shifted into embracing decent people making good food instead of trying for some drama to liven things up. No matter when that trend started, it is something I also welcomed. I like when the focus is the food, and I like when seemingly good people succeed.
Joe Flamm was one such personality. Oh, his food was good, from what we saw. We'd even eaten at the restaurant he was at, Spiaggia (now closed), although a handful of years or more before we knew anything about Flamm. He was a regular kind of guy from the south side of Chicago, friendly with the cast, causing no drama, not being all "bro" about things. He got along, and he got through. Until he didn't. Out he went on a challenge - a quickfire, if I recall correctly - and it felt like a shock. Nonetheless, he battled back through the Last Chance Kitchen route and into the competition again. He won the finale, and it was a win warmly received by the viewership, I think. We certainly felt he was deserving.
He has shown up a few times in a guest/judge capacity on the show, his regular guy self and droll humour juxtaposed against a sharp knowledge of food and cookery and empathy for the contestants. Always welcome on the television. He left Spiaggia, or perhaps it closed first, and opened his own restaurant in Chicago, Rose Mary, an homage to his Italian and Croatian heritage. From what I read on Reddit, it was a great place, highly recommended. When Conrad and I decided to skip the Monday night gala at conference, I remembered Flamm and his restaurant and booked a dinner for two there.
We hopped the green line for the second of three days in a row up to the Morgan stop and strolled the block to the restaurant. Situated on a corner in Fulton Market, it is bright inside, open and airy. We asked if we could be seated at the bar instead of a table, and the hostess cheerily obliged. We found ourselves down at the window end of the bar, sitting where we could watch the whole bar and see the kitchen as well.
Conrad opted for a Last Word, and I had the Blind Rhubarber.
Excellent choice, and I might have wanted another, but we decided on wine with dinner. We asked the bartender for his advice, and he suggested a bottle of a Bulgarian red would be nice with our food.
He was right. He was a terrific bartender, taking good care of us both in terms of drinks and advice on food and chatting a moment when he was able to. And he had a treat or two for us to come.
First up: tuna crudo.
This was a smart variation on vitello tonnato, a classic Italian dish of veal and tuna. I know, sounds awful, that combo. This took slices of tuna and sat them on a veal aioli. Smart rethinking of the dish. Oh, and crispy capers? Yes, please!
Next out: zucchini fritters.
We saw these head to a lot of tables, and understandably so. The pesto aioli for dipping was an excellent complement, too.
For our main, the bone-in lamb saddle.
The lamb was terrific, and I liked the surprise of the roasted carrots being a puree (I'm stealing that idea). Conrad was surprised by and enjoyed the pistachios, which had been cooked (steamed? boiled?) to make them tender. At this point came the first surprise from the bartender: a complimentary serving of the grilled summer squash dish.
Isn't that gorgeous? The basil was such a good, fragrant touch. We were delighted.
We ordered the povitica for dessert,
and I asked for the bartender's choice of an amaro duo.
While we waited for those, the second surprise came out: Chef Flamm himself. I hope I wasn't too much of a fanboy. He talked with us for a few minutes, and it was easy conversation. Sometimes what you see on television is what you get: a good guy with a regular and relatable personality, making his guests feel welcome. He agreed to a photo with us,
wished us a good evening, and headed back to his kitchen. We were left a little giddy and starstruck.
Dessert came - I'm a sucker for flavours like rhubarb and cardamom - and we devoured it happily. I sipped the amari, savouring them both. It was a nice evening when we left, so we decided on taking the train back and then popping into the Marriott Marquis to have a last nightcap with ALA friends.
Rose Mary is one of those places where I want to try everything on the menu. Whenever I told locals that we were going there, they ooo-ed over it. I can see why. If I lived nearby, I'd want to be a regular at that bar, enjoying the different dishes and having excellent drinks. Meeting Joe Flamm was a huge bonus, but I was already very very persuaded that it is a great restaurant. I'll go back, and I'll recommend it to folks quite happily.
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