CheekyChicago

There wasn’t one bite of food I took at Tavern at the Park that I did not thoroughly, utterly, completely enjoy. In fact, one of my dining companions explained the experience as a “foodgasm” and she couldn’t have said it better. Okay, before we get ahead of ourselves people, let’s back up and start with ambience. After all, that’s what sets the mood for just about anything, anywhere at anytime…

Tavern is cavernous and comfy, with gleaming wood floors, cozy leather booths, dim lighting and some of the most charming staff around. It’s classic Chicago in every sense of the word. And the fact that it’s directly across the street from Millenium Park only – well – seals the deal.

But forget the perfect locale or awesome people watching opps (via the floor to ceiling windows facing that amazing park), let’s get back to that foodgasm. Starting with the duck confit and mushroom cake with port wine reduction and, ahem, truffle oil - we were already on our way to gastronomical pleasure. So why stop there? We moved on to the blackened ahi tuna appetizer with cucumber relish which was lick-the-plate until-it’s-gone good. Being with four fabulous girls, I was in the mood to be a girly girl, so I ordered myself a salad. (I know, I know.) But truly, the Peanut Ginger Shrimp Salad (pictured) with marinated shrimp, pea pods, sesame seeds, fried shallots and a ginger sesame dressing was the best substitute for a typical entrée I’ve had in a while. It was colorful, flavorful, complex, textured and best of all – filling. Yes, I am talking about a salad. One of my lovely dining companions ordered the beautiful prosciutto wrapped scallops (just those words put together in a sentence make my mouth water) but the side of baked whipped mashed potatoes could have been the real show stopper… but we have yet to get to dessert.

A table of four girls calls for one thing and one thing only: four desserts. (I thought I told you already, cheeky girls don’t mess around.) Key lime crème brulee, white chocolate-oreo fondue, flourless chocolate cake and blueberry bread pudding, oh my!! It was that cornucopia of sugar that left us all speechless. I could have stayed there all night and eaten my way through the rest of the dessert menu however, that much pleasure can literally leave one a bit comatose. We had reached our peak. Yet, we were not complaining. After our four-way culinary excursion into the “world of delicious,” one thing was abundantly clear: Tavern at the Park is just what every cheeky girl needs.