NoMI kitchen

having a beautiful, not-so-cold day in the midst of the winter season in chicago is very rare. and the best way to celebrate it is by finding a great brunch place to enjoy the lovely day. xy and i narrowed it down to NoMI which had been my place of interest since i found it on this year's restaurant week list.

located in park hyatt hotel, smacked right in the middle of michigan avenue just across from the famous chicago water tower, we made our way to the 7th floor of the hotel. at first, we were seated at the restaurant dining area and soon realized it was only for the buffet breakfast priced at $60 per person but with good reason - the selection of food was pretty much huge ranging from sushi to the classic american breakfast as well as made to order dishes from the menu.

even so, we were not THAT hungry for the buffet breakfast and just wanted to try out the dishes from their lunch menu. hence, they moved us out to a stylish yet comfortable lounge. the ambience of their lounge area is definitely one of my favorites - minimalist and modern contemporary with a touch of elegance in a casual way, revealing its own personality.  i loved the natural light streaming in, while we peeked at the view of the magnifient mile.

we agreed on sharing three dishes - all from different country of origin..

roll :: tiger roll | shrimp tempura, snow crab, spicy big eye tuna, avocado ($21)

our first course was a japanese fusion sushi roll. if i compared it with the other sushi rolls i've had in chicago, while this maki was pretty good, i can't help feeling disappointed that it was nowhere close to being outstanding. the seafood was fresh but the flavors did not stand out that i don't even remember how it tasted. when i had my first bite, i just remember feeling "meh".  this dish was alright but isn't something i would come back to NoMI for.

large plates :: steak frites | horseradish creme fraiche, natural jus ($22)

i'm a girl who loves her meat and potatoes and what better way to experience food love than with a seared piece of deliciousness and crispy, satisfying fries. the beef was seared beautifully, seasoned well and cooked to the right doneness. it was yummy! the fries was crispy as it was soft in the middle. sadly, that wasn't the consistent story throughout the whole bowl of frites - some were not very crispy but overall a tasty dish! :)

small plates :: veal meatballs  | pecorino cheese and stewed tomato sauce ($14)

this was possibly my favorite dish that we ordered that day. i loved the sauce that it was cooked in - comfortingly savory coupled with the sweetness and light tartness of the tomato sauce. several layers of lovely flavors coating the moist veal meatballs which i might add, was seasoned well. perfectly paired with grilled buttered slices of bread. yum! :)

there was one thing that i would really love to try which is their grilled cheese sandwich which boasts two favorite ingredients of mine - truffle butter and melted gooey cheese. i'd really like to return to try that. if not for the food, NoMI would be one place i will keep in mind as a rendezvous with friends for the relaxing yet elegant ambience, smacked right in the middle of michigan avenue :)

disclaimer this is written based on my personal experience and opinion. experiences and taste buds may vary for others