I was visiting Chicago on one of the coldest weekends of the year. I really did not want to venture out in that weather. Luckily for me there was a great restaurant inside the Marriott Marquis that I was able to get in to called Woven + Bound.
They had a lot of fresh farm to table dishes on the menu. I started with the bacon wrapped dates. These were a lot smaller on the plate than I expected. However, they still packed a flavor punch.
The dates were filled with creamy goat cheese. The bacon was crispy on the outside. It was the perfect bland of sweetness from the cheese and salty from the bacon. They drizzled a pear balsamic reduction on top that added a little kick in taste.
I ordered a cheese and meat board for the table. There was an assortment of cheeses but I enjoyed the blue cheese the most. It was not tangy like other blue cheeses I have had. There was also an assortment of meats that went great with the cheeses. They included capicola, rillettes, and prosciutto.
For my dinner I was looking forward to trying their version of chicken and dumplings. They served a quarter chicken still on the bone. The chicken was juicy and had a smoky taste that was wonderful with the savory gravy that was poured on top. They also had carrots, kale, and baby turnips on the plate. Those vegetables were also drenched in the gravy which helped them taste amazing. There were only two small dumplings on my plate. They were good, however I really wished I had a few more to enjoy.
For dessert we ordered two options to share. The pretzel doughnut came out warm on the plate. The doughnut was covered in cinnamon and sugar. Inside was a creamy bourbon mascarpone cheese filling. It was so creamy and was great with the pretzel dough that was slightly sour.
The other dessert was the chocolate mousse cake. This warm chocolate cake had a layer of chocolate ganache on top. It came with a glass of milk on the side. I was not sure what to do with the milk at first. After I took my first bite of the cake I realized how heavy and thick it was. I ended up pouring the milk over the cake. After a few minutes the cake absorbed all the milk and made it much easier to cut in to. The milk also make the cake moist. It was an interesting dessert.
For a hotel restaurant, Woven + Bound was good. They offered some unique takes on classic dishes. Check them out at the hotel website www.marriott.com
Enjoy!
T
