Aria in Chicago: Good Food, Mixed Thoughts on Decor (Chicago Area Restaurnt Review No. 74)

On a recent Sunday night we decided to check out one of the local downtown restaurants that Steve had heard good things about, Aria in the Fairmont Hotel. We were quite impressed with the food, although Steve thought the decor was a bit ragged (Lisa disagreed, and in fact liked the decor).

We started with wine by the glass. Lisa had a Melville Pinot Noir, which she liked but not overly so. Steve had a Grgich Hills Zinfandel. Steve likes everything from the Grgich Hills vinyard, and this was no exception.

We both enjoyed the basket of warm Nan bread that started the dining festivities. Steve could have eaten 3 or 4 of these baskets, but stopped at most of the first. We shared the smoked salmon and the rock shrimp appetizers. We both really liked them.

At Steve's suggestion, Lisa had the ribeye chop (which Steve also had). For those unfamiliar with this cut, which is seen infrequently even at steakhouses, it is basically a charred prime rib. This means you get the good cut of beef of prime rib but with the better taste of a ribeye steak. Steve just loves this cut, and liked this one alot, although he has had better. Lisa liked Steve's choice and found it cooked perfectly and a nice change from the usual steak options. We also thought the accompanying potatoes were good.

For dessert, Lisa ordered a chocolate cake, which she found suitably dark and quite good. Steve had some sort of weird strawberry dish with whipped cream that he thought didn't work at all. The orange jelly dessert amuse bouche was interesting, but not great.

Everything was relatively good at Aria but, unlike with Naha, where we rated the restaurant higher than the sum of its food parts, here, it is sort of the opposite. The food is all good, but it does lack a certain inspiration.

The bathrooms were clean, but nothing to write, or type, home about. They were average hotel bathroomns.

Dinner for 2 with wine by the glass was $150, which is about right for the food experience.

Our ratings for Aria, 200 N. Columbus, Chicago, Illinois:

7.5 of 10 Steak Knives; 2 of 3 Bathroom Brushes