Aviary Chicago

For a long time now I have wanted to visit Aviary in Chicago and tonight I finally got the opportunity.

I first heard of them through a project on Kickstarter to support the production of the Portholes they serve some of their drinks in. Sadly my Porthole is still boxed up and waiting for me to get a chance to use it but soon I’ll have fun with it.

There were 4 of us who made it tonight and we all opted for the fixed price  menu (just $50 for 3 drinks) which seemed a good choice as the drinks were designed to follow one another and lead us through 3 complementary courses.

The fixed price menu

First up most of us chose a Yuzu (dandelion, white pepper, camomile and gin) which was spritzed with a fragrant spray as it was served. It was the perfect choice right from the first smell. The intense scent of spring transported us all to another weather zone and immediately the world seemed brighter and full of hope. Fortunately the taste backed up the smell and I relaxed knowing a visit here had been worth the wait.

Yuzu cocktail

My second drink was a Dusty Loafer – For Henry (angostura, Kola, Tequila) and was sold to me as being ‘spirit forward’ (which is my new favourite phrase and serves as short hand for ‘boozy’). It didn’t disappoint. Right from its serving in a smoke filled casket whose scent evoked leather, old libraries and cigar smoke, to its taste which captured all of those and was definitely spirit forward- in a good way.

The casket the Dusty Loafer came in

 

The Dusty Loafer

My last drink of the night was an Argentinian Soda Jerk (lime, Port, Fernet, Coke) which came in a cola bottle and was a tasty end to the night.

Argentinian Soda Jerk

Partway through the evening we ordered food and, as as you would expect, it was delicious and full of flavour but our one criticism of the night was that it was so little- especially when serving drinks that are ‘spirit forward’. We only indulged in the 3 cocktail menu and we all needed more food to soak up the alcohol- any more drinks would not have been a good idea. But it wasn’t enough of a complaint to impact the evening- we all just agreed that next time we’d go for dinner first instead.

Egg Drop soup- made with a raw quail egg and served with a miniature spoon

 

Pork Rind- served in a vase and as big as a head!

All in all would I go back? In a second! Not only are the drinks fabulous but the whole evening with an event with the serving and serving of the drinks adding to the experience- I heartily recommend it

Some of the drinks were flamed before serving