Another stunning meal at Schwa last night. For those curious as to current menus, this is what we were served. Sorry for lack of pictures, but it's so dark in there nothing came out in a way that does the food justice.

Amuse was the chocolate-cherry/Redhook shot "Manhattan", followed by a small glass of house made apple soda.

Tom Kha Gai Schwa's take on this thai soup was a warm, gelled version served in a petri dish with basil seeds and tiny mushrooms dotted across the top and pieces of microcilantro sticking straight up "to look like it's growing something." The warm gel was redolent of coconut, jalapeno, and lemongrass flavors and was a worthy approximation of the traditional soup when paired with the other components. However, there was just too much of the gel which had a more pudding texture. Kind of offputting so early in the meal, and slightly filling for a first course.

Quail Egg Raviolo Now we're back on track...

Tomato-Cinnamon Tortellini A single, ricotta-filled tortellini plated with two small, white preserved cherry tomatoes, each adorned with parmesan atop a smear of smoked tomato puree. A small amount of cinnamon syrup was drizzled throughout. A stunning combination of flavors, Carlson is a wizard with the technical creation of pasta and the conceptual side of using it as a delivery for seemingly clashing tastes. The smoked tomato and hint of cinnamon sweetness worked in a way that was altogether craveable. My companion and I licked up every last bit of syrup and puree on the plate.

"Fruit Loops" Had this three times now and still love it. Salmon roe in passion fruit gelee, pickled papaya with notes of jalapeno, and a perfectly fried key-lime fritter, all topped off with lavendar foam. Hits every possible flavor note and texture in the most concise way imaginable.

Fluke with olive oil cake Two pieces of perfectly seared fluke topped with pickled sunchokes and bitter orange segments. They sat atop sunchoke and bitter orange purees and the entire plate was sprinkled with candied olives. In the middle was a delicate olive oil cake that matched perfectly with all the components. This is a dish to dream about, particularly the candied olives whose taste and texture closely matched that first sensation of biting into a gumball.

Candied sweetbreads and ice wine sorbet I'd read about Schwa's sweetbread desert years ago but have never tried it. This is a new savory take (though still very sweet) that the kitchen is working on. Plate was swiped in a quince puree, on top was a substantial pile of candied sweetbreads and shitaake mushrooms, hidden underneath a fig/brioche crumble. This was accompanied by a side spoon of ice wine sorbet.

Chestnut gnocchi Given this kitchens wizardy with pasta, we were very lucky to be served three different pasta plates tonight. I'm not aware if Schwa has featured a gnocchi on their menu before, but this is absolutely incredible. Perfectly cooked and formed chestnut gnocchi (with very subtle chestnut flavor and impeccable texture), bathed in brown butter with tender brussel sprout leaves and (the shocker), persimmons. The gnocchi, brown butter, and brussel sprouts would be a showstopping dish in any fine Italian restaurant, but the dottings of persimmon took things to a whole new level.

Pheasant with bourbon notes Moist, sous-vide pheasant breast paired with bourbon flavors. There's a popcorn powder, a roasted corn/rye sautee, bourbon foam and reduction, and their take on sour mash. Had this back in May and didn't care for it. Texturally and taste wise it was much improved. Really liked it.

Rice Krispy Rice krispy treat made from dehydrated parsnip flakes, served next to a shot of parsnip horchata. After the meal, I watched them working with the marshmallows they use for this tiny bite. They make the marshmallow from scratch using parsnips they juice, which apparently is not a big yield. Incredible the details these guys put into the tiniest bites.

Dr. Pepper dessert It does taste like Dr. Pepper and it's an inoffensive end to the meal but it may be time to retire this one. Regardless, my mind is typically already blown by the prior courses and its a good comedown.

French Onion "Soup" Onion/cheese stuffed cracker drizzled in melty gruyere and served on a stick.

Chamomille sorbet One last plated dessert, chamomille sorbet with lots of honey and a honeycomb/bee-pollen crumble. A lovely couple bites to end the meal and get one ready for a nap.

This place operates on a creative tier of its own. The taste combinations and overall skill are just unparalleled. I always leave eagerly awaiting my next visit.

xlrbnc wrote:Another stunning meal at Schwa last night. For those curious as to current menus, this is what we were served. Sorry for lack of pictures, but it's so dark in there nothing came out in a way that does the food justice.

Amuse was the chocolate-cherry/Redhook shot "Manhattan", followed by a small glass of house made apple soda.

Tom Kha Gai Schwa's take on this thai soup was a warm, gelled version served in a petri dish with basil seeds and tiny mushrooms dotted across the top and pieces of microcilantro sticking straight up "to look like it's growing something." The warm gel was redolent of coconut, jalapeno, and lemongrass flavors and was a worthy approximation of the traditional soup when paired with the other components. However, there was just too much of the gel which had a more pudding texture. Kind of offputting so early in the meal, and slightly filling for a first course.

Quail Egg Raviolo Now we're back on track...

Tomato-Cinnamon Tortellini A single, ricotta-filled tortellini plated with two small, white preserved cherry tomatoes, each adorned with parmesan atop a smear of smoked tomato puree. A small amount of cinnamon syrup was drizzled throughout. A stunning combination of flavors, Carlson is a wizard with the technical creation of pasta and the conceptual side of using it as a delivery for seemingly clashing tastes. The smoked tomato and hint of cinnamon sweetness worked in a way that was altogether craveable. My companion and I licked up every last bit of syrup and puree on the plate.

"Fruit Loops" Had this three times now and still love it. Salmon roe in passion fruit gelee, pickled papaya with notes of jalapeno, and a perfectly fried key-lime fritter, all topped off with lavendar foam. Hits every possible flavor note and texture in the most concise way imaginable.

Fluke with olive oil cake Two pieces of perfectly seared fluke topped with pickled sunchokes and bitter orange segments. They sat atop sunchoke and bitter orange purees and the entire plate was sprinkled with candied olives. In the middle was a delicate olive oil cake that matched perfectly with all the components. This is a dish to dream about, particularly the candied olives whose taste and texture closely matched that first sensation of biting into a gumball.

Candied sweetbreads and ice wine sorbet I'd read about Schwa's sweetbread desert years ago but have never tried it. This is a new savory take (though still very sweet) that the kitchen is working on. Plate was swiped in a quince puree, on top was a substantial pile of candied sweetbreads and shitaake mushrooms, hidden underneath a fig/brioche crumble. This was accompanied by a side spoon of ice wine sorbet.

Chestnut gnocchi Given this kitchens wizardy with pasta, we were very lucky to be served three different pasta plates tonight. I'm not aware if Schwa has featured a gnocchi on their menu before, but this is absolutely incredible. Perfectly cooked and formed chestnut gnocchi (with very subtle chestnut flavor and impeccable texture), bathed in brown butter with tender brussel sprout leaves and (the shocker), persimmons. The gnocchi, brown butter, and brussel sprouts would be a showstopping dish in any fine Italian restaurant, but the dottings of persimmon took things to a whole new level.

Pheasant with bourbon notes Moist, sous-vide pheasant breast paired with bourbon flavors. There's a popcorn powder, a roasted corn/rye sautee, bourbon foam and reduction, and their take on sour mash. Had this back in May and didn't care for it. Texturally and taste wise it was much improved. Really liked it.

Rice Krispy Rice krispy treat made from dehydrated parsnip flakes, served next to a shot of parsnip horchata. After the meal, I watched them working with the marshmallows they use for this tiny bite. They make the marshmallow from scratch using parsnips they juice, which apparently is not a big yield. Incredible the details these guys put into the tiniest bites.

Dr. Pepper dessert It does taste like Dr. Pepper and it's an inoffensive end to the meal but it may be time to retire this one. Regardless, my mind is typically already blown by the prior courses and its a good comedown.

French Onion "Soup" Onion/cheese stuffed cracker drizzled in melty gruyere and served on a stick.

Chamomille sorbet One last plated dessert, chamomille sorbet with lots of honey and a honeycomb/bee-pollen crumble. A lovely couple bites to end the meal and get one ready for a nap.

This place operates on a creative tier of its own. The taste combinations and overall skill are just unparalleled. I always leave eagerly awaiting my next visit.

Sounds great! Plus, I see 4 new dishes I have yet to try.

Schwa ruined every single outstanding food experience I’ve had. Every aspect of the meal, from the progression, creativity, service and quality of ingredients, makes other prix fixe restaurants look silly and pretentious. They make it seem so effortless and random.

The only disappointment I have is that Chef Carlson wasn’t in the kitchen that night. Obviously I got deprived of a photo op, my well-toned arms wrapped tightly around him. I would’ve posted that pic on Facebook so hard alongside my other expertly composed food pics. Didn’t matter, my experience that night couldn’t have been better.

My meal was very similar to xlrbnc’s:


Templeton Rye Manhattan with Chocolate Cherry. Apple soda and Oxalis shots in the background.

The photos are heavily edited from a phone, by the way. Not trying to be artsy or anything. It just turned out that way when I applied the I-would-like-to-see-something-anything setting. I’d rather do naked jumping jacks in dining rooms than use flash.


Tom Kha Gai
Ooh warm gelatin. After my first bite, the gel by itself, I got a bit worried because it was almost unpalatably salty and had an overwhelming lemongrass flavor. Having every spoonful with at least one of the garnishes makes it balanced. My favorite bite had a mushroom pickled with lime. The gel needs something acidic (pickled mushrooms), herbal (cilantro shoots) or just plain bland but texturally interesting (basil seeds, coconut noodle). Luckily, they are all available for you to play with.


Quail Egg Raviolo
Sex.


Cinnamon Tortelloni
There were small splashes of cinnamon-infused water that makes everything on the plate smell and taste subtly of cinnamon. The puree and pasta filling seemed heavy this early in the meal but the little orb on the right lifts everything back up. It was filled with a slightly acidic liquid and pops when bitten/poked with a fork.


Dark Chocolate / White Chocolate Beets
We were told to have the dark chocolate first. It was actually a hollowed out beet filled with chocolate, cooked firm and still juicy. The “white chocolate” was indeed white chocolate, although I expected it to be something else entirely, such as iguana eyeball or something along those lines. It was much chewier and contrasted against the almost crunchy dark version. Visual, textural, and flavor contrasts, presented in two innocuous bites. They are screwing with me.


Fluke, Grand Marnier Cake, Sunchokes
At some point this dish almost overwhelmed, as if I’d eaten a fistful of orange peel but the sunchoke puree and sweet crunchy bits, which turned out to be candied olives after asking the server, toned that down. Fluke was perfectly seared.


Figs and Sweetbreads
The fig puree on the sides of the bowl was thick and sweet like jam, but intense spicing kept it securely in savory territory. The sweetbread nuggets were deep fried simply like popcorn chicken. Very memorable and wish I could identify the other elements and aromatics in the bowl.


Chestnut Gnochetti, Brussel Sprouts, Persimmons
Thanks to xlrbnc’s notes, I now know that these were made with chestnut. The earthy flavor was really subtle and I had guessed that buckwheat flour was used. That delicious persimmon puree is the key to this dish. At this point I was overly giddy and making my dining companion uncomfortable. My favorite dish of the night.


Venison, Cardamom Marshmallow, Gingerbread
There were two seemingly incongruous sides to this dish. On the left, seared venison loin, and on the right, torched cardamom marshmallow and toasted gingerbread crumbs. It almost seemed like it had to be eaten left to right as a transition to dessert, but a small portion from each side in equal amounts works exceptionally well.


Parsnip Horchata / Parsnip Krispy Treats
The horchata by itself was bland. The crisps by itself was cloying. You have to eat the two together. YOU HAVE TO.

Palate cleanser was ice wine and vinegar sorbet. I wanted to discuss the origin and production methods of the vinegar with the server but he walked away.


French onion soup on a stick
A soup on a stick was served as the cheese course. Again they are screwing with my head.


Chamomile Sorbet, Honeycomb crumble
A light and a perfect ending. Every spoonful seemed to just disappear in my mouth.

I went to Schwa a week ago. Schwa, hands down, is my favorite restaurant in Chicago. Every meal that I've had there has been memorable and awesome...until a week ago. I had the menu described in the last posting. Chef Carlson wasn't there, so perhaps that's why things were a little off. The only dish that I thought was stellar was the Tom Kha Gai. I also loved the Quail Egg Raviolo, but that's old news, so to speak. The best way that I can describe the experience is that it was like Schwa on steroids. The most prominent flavor from almost every dish was SWEET!!!!! It overwhelmed the other elements of most dishes. The best example of this was scene in Venison, Cardamom Marshmallow, Gingerbread. None of us could even taste the venison. I suppose this is an example of a time when you can have too much of a good thing.

We had fun, but my friends weren't nearly as impressed as I had been in the past. Will I go back? But of course!! If the experience was the same as I had last week, I might not go again, though.

Strange, Carlson was not there at my December visit and also in the last two reports they say he wasn't present. Hope everything is well with the only cook I feel comfortable describing as an auteur.

xlrbnc wrote:Strange, Carlson was not there at my December visit and also in the last two reports they say he wasn't present. Hope everything is well with the only cook I feel comfortable describing as an auteur.

I went back in November and asked Vinnie, whom seems to have taken Carlson's place as the head chef in Carlson's absence, and his response was that Carlson was taking more time off to be with his family / do other things. I think on that particular night, Vinnie said Carlson was out in the burbs doing a private event.

That said, I've loved every single meal I've had at Schwa when it comes to the food. However, with the food also comes the experience that is Schwa. Namely the interactions with Carlson, the music blasting/smell of weed, the other chefs and (until about one year or so ago) interacting with Seth. For me, interacting with Carlson and his brother somehow elevated the experience and, quite frankly, was one of the main reasons I kept going back.

I'll go back to Schwa for sure but not as often as I used to. I'm headed to El Ideas at the end of the month and hopefully that will bring back some pleasant Schwa-related memories.

Ate at Schwa last night (Saturday the 16th) and had a great meal and a great time -- even though I was unable to get the throwing star to stick in the kitchen wall.

Vinny was the boss last night - no Carlson in sight. At the end of the evening Vinny said that they were opening another place and that's what Carlson has been busy with. Now, I don't know if this is true or a game they play or what, but he would not elaborate despite our pleading.

He did however go in for hugs goodbye.

Dinner @ Schwa on 9-MAY and happy to say Carlson was in house, leading the crew, and welcoming us to his home away from home.
Very similar menu as xlrbnc. Another grand slam and an entry into best dining experiences I have every had.

So satisfied to go with all the obstacles and yes, I have been cancelled upon and upset...but I have also been comp'ed after a wonderful meal for my father's birthday. Little did we know that on that special occasion the CC was denied for security reasons. We assume Carlson comp'ed the meal without telling us to avoid embarrassing us.

The man cares with class and generosity.

Just home from first ever dinner at Schwa - now I know why folks say best meal ever because it was. Just amazing on every level. Gracious hospitality, genuine service and food that's out of this world.


stunned and so very happy ... wow.

Edited 48 hours later to say that I'm almost be over my hangover but definitely not over the joy of this meal. Our meal was similar to above but with some variations - antelope rather than venison which I've never had before and which was definitely up to the flavors served with it - cardamon marshmallow is my new favorite treat. The Cinnamon Tortelloni was stunning - I'm a big cinnamon fan but felt like I had never really tasted it before ... certainly had not appreciated the layers of flavor there. We had a wonderful lobster dish and white asparagus noodles and clams and sardines and a taste of a possible new course featuring the tastiest macarons I've had hands down. Each dish was interesting and tasty and I scraped up every last bit of most items ... but what keeps me smiling is how heart felt the food and hospitality is ... what a very special home to be invited into.

Wow, the menu has changed enough to make me want to go back ASAP

I'm going to Schwa for the first time on Tuesday. I don't know if I've ever been more excited for a meal, ever!

Have a great time Epic! I can't wait to go back ... I keep smiling every time I think of that dinner.

this may be a silly question...

is there any sort of dress code here? i know they're not pretentious and like to party and whatever, but i also don't want to show up looking like a scrub.

No dress code - be comfortable and enjoy!

epicFades wrote:this may be a silly question...

is there any sort of dress code here? i know they're not pretentious and like to party and whatever, but i also don't want to show up looking like a scrub.

My advice (which is not Schwa-specific, but applies everywhere): If you are asking the question, you are already aware of what level of "scrub" might make you feel self-conscious, so dress at a level that won't make you feel self-conscious, and remove one thing to worry about.

epicFades wrote:this may be a silly question...

is there any sort of dress code here? i know they're not pretentious and like to party and whatever, but i also don't want to show up looking like a scrub.

The only real requirement is to follow your mother's advice and wear clean underwear, you know, just in case you get in an accident.

Thanks all. Probably gonna wear a blood-stained Descendants shirt and red Chuck Taylors. No pants. I think that will work.

epicFades wrote:Thanks all. Probably gonna wear a blood-stained Descendants shirt and red Chuck Taylors. No pants. I think that will work.

DESCENDENTS

Unless you're talking about the book and/or movie.

riddlemay wrote:

epicFades wrote:this may be a silly question...

is there any sort of dress code here? i know they're not pretentious and like to party and whatever, but i also don't want to show up looking like a scrub.

My advice (which is not Schwa-specific, but applies everywhere): If you are asking the question, you are already aware of what level of "scrub" might make you feel self-conscious, so dress at a level that won't make you feel self-conscious, and remove one thing to worry about.

Bad advice. I know there is a old, long thread about dress codes, but real quick. I'm never self-conscious in shorts and a tee shirt, but I know there are places that won't let me in like that.

Ok, dropping it now.

SSDD

headcase wrote:

riddlemay wrote:

epicFades wrote:this may be a silly question...

is there any sort of dress code here? i know they're not pretentious and like to party and whatever, but i also don't want to show up looking like a scrub.

My advice (which is not Schwa-specific, but applies everywhere): If you are asking the question, you are already aware of what level of "scrub" might make you feel self-conscious, so dress at a level that won't make you feel self-conscious, and remove one thing to worry about.

Bad advice. I know there is a old, long thread about dress codes, but real quick. I'm never self-conscious in shorts and a tee shirt, but I know there are places that won't let me in like that.

Ok, dropping it now.

SSDD

It's bad advice for you, because, by your own assessment, nothing makes you self-conscious. (More power to you.) But epicFades isn't you; he's concerned about dress codes, which you wouldn't be. The advice was for him.

DescendEnts, of course, my bad. Been a minute since I've listened to them...maybe Riot Fest I'll check them out.

Ok, last question - my buddy and I enjoy drinking quite a bit. I figured on bringing 3 bottles of wine and maybe a couple nice bombers along tonight. Does that seem like the right amount? It's a 4 hour meal, right? I pretty much need to have a drink in front of me the whole time, I think....also, what's customary to bring to the staff? A bottle of whiskey?

Drink - hmmm ... I'm lightweight on drinking, my daughter is not. We went through two bottles plus one course came with an ale. I was smashed ... but happy.

They kept our glasses full but at one point paced us a little which was good of them since we needed adult supervision ...

We brought a minikeg from Plum Market of Bell's Oberon chilled since the A/C was acting up and we thought the crew would like cold ones at end of service. Since to me Schwa feels like visiting friends for dinner, bringing a bottle of some sort just feels like the good guest thing to do. They definitely like the brew.

Seriously, approach the whole experience as some really amazing friends asked you over for dinner ... you'll love it!

Three bottles sounds about right. If there's extra, they'll find someone to help you finish it.

On the dress code. I wore jeans and a black tshirt and felt right at home.

Someone on Yelp said it perfectly:
"Go here if you are: Cool, Open Minded, Chill, Fun, Laid Back, Alcoholic.
Do NOT go here if you are: Picky, Prissy, Snobby, Old, Boring, Not Hungry."

The customary gift for the staff is a bottle of Jameson. The last time we were there the first 6 tables each brought in a bottle, Chef Carlson emerged from the kitchen with all six bottles and declared "You guys are f'ed!" Then this happened Michael Carlson Arrested for Fireworks Disturbance

Oops.

Still one of the best meals I've ever had.

Enjoy!

Just my two cents, but I imagine Michael has a closet stacked with Jamison by now. In my visits to Schwa I've tried to bring something I think is unique and different. Some items I brought in the past range from Build a Bears for Michael's daughter to family meal from Publican Quality Meats. I'm sure its much appreciated though whatever you choose to bring.

Enjoy!

Excellent, thanks for the input all. I've never been more excited for a meal. I'm going to bring them something unique, for sure...maybe something illegal even.

Somewhere buried in this thread is the recommendation to open the meal with a bottle of blanc de blancs champagne. I followed this advice many years ago and would do so again.

Have a great meal, epicFades - looking forward to hearing about it!

I've been to Schwa twice last year and always have a great time.

Michael, Vinnie and Brian are great hosts and make the night a fun one.

I was reading this thread today and decided I would give them a call to pay them a visit. They picked up on my first call and I was able to score a 2-top for Friday, August 23 at 8:30 pm!

Let me know how your meal goes, epicFades. At least I have dinner at Goosefoot this Friday to hold me over until I get the pleasure of dining at Schwa again.

epicFades wrote:Excellent, thanks for the input all. I've never been more excited for a meal. I'm going to bring them something unique, for sure...maybe something illegal even.

Just saw this, but I already grabbed a bottle of Prosecco. That will suffice. I also have bottles of Chianti and Cotes du Rhone. Gonna grab some beers as well, and I give the staff a bottle of mezcal.

ndgbucktown wrote:Somewhere buried in this thread is the recommendation to open the meal with a bottle of blanc de blancs champagne. I followed this advice many years ago and would do so again.

Have a great meal, epicFades - looking forward to hearing about it!

Just saw this, but I already grabbed a bottle of Prosecco. That will suffice. I also have bottles of Chianti and Cotes du Rhone. Gonna grab some beers as well, and I give the staff a bottle of mezcal.

epicFades wrote:DescendEnts, of course, my bad. Been a minute since I've listened to them...maybe Riot Fest I'll check them out.

Ok, last question - my buddy and I enjoy drinking quite a bit. I figured on bringing 3 bottles of wine and maybe a couple nice bombers along tonight. Does that seem like the right amount? It's a 4 hour meal, right? I pretty much need to have a drink in front of me the whole time, I think....also, what's customary to bring to the staff? A bottle of whiskey?

THE DESCENDENTS aren't even playing this year :facepalm:, it's the Replacements.

Details on meal to follow within next few days. Short answer = it was very good.