One Sister

"I came up with this dish because I thought this is what a gnome would serve me if I was invited over to his house" is how Chef Iliana Regan of One Sister Inc. described the first of 25 courses served at her home.

And so the progression of whimsical genius and curiosity begins to show through each of Iliana's dishes.  Rarely has a tasting menu felt so cohesive.  25 courses, each seamlessly blending avant-garde/modernist techniques with mostly midwest/seasonal ingredients, many of which were foraged or grown by Iliana herself. Each ingredient on the plate serves a purpose while pops of flavor come through when you least expect it.  Even the crowd pleaser course (whipped bacon fat, anyone?!!!) was so well rounded I was left craving a second beet marshmallow.

It is amazing how many of the dishes have been stuck in my head like a great song.  Many of the flavor combinations were unusual -- combinations that proved impossible to "taste" in my mind.  Iliana's skill in flavor pairing and creativity shine through each dish, such as pairing chicken liver with chocolate or creating a capsule of chamomile and cocoa nib that dissolves in mushroom tea. The vessels are also part of the fun -- hanging glass orbs, owl mugs, licking the bottom of shot glasses and sucking the smoke out from underneath, and using your hand to impart the salt of a dish.

I am humbled and honored to have had the opportunity to join One Sister in its penultimate service, and I wait with bated breath for the opening of Iliana's new restaurant, Elizabeth, slated to open end of this summer. I'm excited to say that Elizabeth restaurant is going to be a new extension of her home, described as a "dreamy log cabin". I know she is currently growing, foraging, pickling, and prepping for her guests and I can't wait to see what she serves us at her new "home".

Iliana Regan's One Sister is an underground dining venue where the food easily rivals that of a Michelin starred restaurant. Chef Regan has worked at some of Chicago's finest establishments such as Grant Achatz' Alinea, Michael Carlson's Schwa, L20 and Art Smith's Table 52. She is patiently waiting for the right opportunity to open her own restaurant, Elizabeth (to be named in honor of her deceased older sister). In the meantime she is serving elaborate gourmet meals out of her Andersonville apartment a few times a month to a handful of lucky guests; you can sign up for notices of availability via e-mailing her; information is on her website:  <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.onesisterinc.com%2FAbout%2520Me&s=9450b0a1df2066ad45e7a156f676d2b48c8d27fba61c56fc7b092d87791cb386" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.onesisterinc.…</a>.

Iliana features lengthy tasting menus that change with the seasons. She is serving up modern cuisine with an emphasis on farm-to-table and foraged goods. Dinner is served in the dining room of her apartment at a table for ten. It is truly amazing the complexity and scope of the cuisine she is able to whip up in her small kitchen. The spring menu (25 courses) kicked off tonight. The cost is a steal at $115 and it is BYOB. The meal is whimsical and elegant, but the ambiance fun and relaxed. Chef Regan has created a great playlist on her Ipod for background music.

Dining at One Sister is a real privilege. Each course is artistically presented, utilizes the freshest and finest ingredients, is extraordinarily creative, blends an assortment of discrepant flavors in a harmonious manner and tastes absolutely amazing. Course after course was consistently outstanding and it was hard to choose a favorite; a common theme throughout the night involved diners half jokingly asking the servers to bring duplicates of the just consumed course. There is such a fun progression of courses, starting with Beet & Licorice Bubble Tea and during the nearly five hour long food extravaganza you experience a salad served on an edible sponge, a hanging course (food inside hollow ornaments), a hands course (a course literally plated onto your hand), an Alice in Wonderland themed tea, curried rice krispie treats, chocolate covered chicken mousse, oatmeal ice cream and so much more. All of your senses are utilized during the course of the meal.

One Sister is one of Chicago's few venues where in addition to avant-garde cuisine, dinner is a whimsical experience. It was so much fun being seated at a communal table inside the chef's dining room and interacting with ten people all passionate about high quality, interesting food. Iliana has hired a couple of servers and Iliana herself presents each course, proffering a brief description of the highlights of the food you are about to devour. The servers do a great job keeping your wine glasses full; you are also provided with the option of sparkling or still water and complimentary coffee (that is quite good) is served with dessert. This is a really fun and energetic environment where guests form a nice camaraderie with one another, you can feel free to photograph your food and can even wander into the kitchen between courses to observe the action in the kitchen. Chef Regan is a great hostess and was surprisingly humble and reserved. Despite this being opening night of the Spring menu everything operated very smoothly.

I had been eagerly anticipating my meal at One Sister since scoring a reservation a couple of months back and my dinner tonight did not disappoint; it ranks as one of the top meals I have enjoyed in Chicago. About my only complaint was it would have been nice if there was a bit more meat on the menu and/or if a couple of the courses were heartier (despite there being 25 courses, so many of the courses were light and tiny that it was not a substantial quantity of food). I also was a tad disappointed the famed bacon ice cream inside a homemade sugar cone ended up not being on tonight's menu. Nevertheless the overall experience was top notch and I already cannot wait to return to One Sister; I will be signing up for the Summer Menu as soon as it is released.

When Iliana finally opens her restaurant I am quite confident it will be a raving success; she is a shoo-in to achieve at least one Michelin star and the potential to ascend to multiple stars. I highly recommend One Sister to anybody who appreciates high end cuisine; this is a must experience venue for foodies. Chef Regan is truly a rare talent. Thank you Iliana for such an amazing meal and wonderful dining experience.