Chicagoans tend get their summer ice cream fix by heading to old-fashioned ice cream parlors and new-wave gelaterias, but some of the best ice cream in the city is being made in upscale restaurants and hotels. The idea of going to a posh spot just for dessert may sound intimidating, but with a little attention to timing, it’s seldom a problem–and some restaurants are encouraging it. Here are a handful of possibilities, starting with a couple that are brand-new.
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An intense chocolate sorbet (70 pecent dark) was my favorite, followed by a bright mango-buttermilk ice cream. The other flavors are mostly standards (vanilla, chocolate, caramel), but inquire if there’s anything special in the kitchen. Rows of tiny ice cream cones (sugar and cake) wait to be filled next to stands of lollipops, chocolate-dipped strawberries, chocolate chip cookies, and chocolate-covered almonds. Sundaes are assembled in martini glasses using little scoops, so it’s easy to eat several.
The Fairmont Chicago (200 N. Columbus, 312-565-8000) and the chefs at Aria have come up with a novel ice cream promotion: invent your own flavor and a pint ($12) is ready 48 hours later. Unfortunately, the program isn’t well publicized within the hotel, so when I called (anonymously) to try it out, no one seemed to know what I was talking about. I finally got the kitchen and, after a consultation, ordered two flavors: a mango-coconut with macadamia-nut-butter swirl and candied pineapple and papaya and a mocha with espresso swirl and chocolate-coated truffles. Both were well balanced and creamy, but the swirl disappeared into the mocha and turned into tasty bits of toasted macadamia brittle in the mango-coconut. Lisa Wilson, the pastry chef responsible for the ice cream, uses a Pacojet, which works like the reverse of a traditional ice cream maker. The ice cream base (or fruit for sorbet) is frozen, then the machine’s high-speed blade whirs down through it and back up, transforming the mixture into ice cream. Wilson says the only flavor of 30-some so far that’s been hard for her to stomach was avocado with a side of salsa. To order, call executive chef Noah Bekofsky at 312-565-6612; for pickup, bring your own cooler.
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): photo by Rob Warner (center and right).
