Wood Chicago
Few places can do multiple meals well. I’m talking a great breakfast / brunch and lunch / dinner. Now I’m not saying that these places don’t exist; rather, it can be hard to find a place that meets standards across the various meals of the day. Luckily for those in the Lakeview and wider Chicagoland area, Wood might just be your next all-rounder.
I first went to Wood last fall pretty spontaneously one Thursday night, after landing at O’Hare. It was a light dinner shared among friends and I was able to sample a few dishes. As shown below (left to right), we tried the Brown butter butternut squash ravioli, the Seared scallop salad (with a puree that I cannot remember), and the Roasted duck with mushrooms. Now my favorite dish was hands down the duck, but the ravioli was also a strong contender! I won’t lie to you, the scallops were quite a disappointment…BUT I wasn’t overly mad about it. Click on the pictures below for more of a close up view. Apologies for my insta smatterings on the images.
Almost an entire year later, I made my way back to Wood. This time, I went for Sunday brunch. I ordered the French toast sticks and breakfast potatoes. Sticks were great; drizzled with chocolate and creme…what’s not to love?! The potatoes on the other hand were way too crispy and overdone for my personal liking. On the far right (below) you will see the Pork belly grits. A few of my roommates ordered this dish and let me tell you, it is a crowd pleaser. Their menu seems to change quite frequently, so if you are reading this in the fall / early winter of 2018 make sure you try to get your hands on the grits ASAP!!
Now I know you might be thinking: “Emi this does not sound like a shining review,” and you would be right. However, what I can tell you is that the dishes that are ‘on point’ will leave you greatly satisfied. Choose wisely and ask the staff for their recommendations. They are very helpful with the menu (when asked) and honest. The food, ambiance, and waitstaff at Wood come together to make for a unique dining experience. I recommend adding this spot to your city hit list.