Nomi is an elegant restaurant with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the water tower and Michigan Avenue in the Park Hyatt. Whenever I hear about hotel restaurants, I get a little skeptical. Sometimes they are cold, sterile, and lack personality. Nomi is different. It is full of light, beautifully decorated, and formal without being stuffy.
On a chilly Chicago afternoon, I met several friends for lunch at Nomi. I think everyone in Chicago is getting a little stir crazy these days. Sunlight is limited, and it is too cold to spend much time outside. Nomi's large windows fill the space with bright sunlight. It's the perfect place to soak in the sunlight without actually going outside.
Nomi's lunch menu has a nice mix of soups, salads, and larger entrees. Nomi has partnered with Green City Market and a variety of other local purveyors to source it's menu's ingredients. There is a focus on letting each ingredient shine, and not over complicating things and the chefs excel at creating well composed dishes.
Several of my friends ordered the Japanese Eggplant and Quinoa Salad with fresh mozzarella, avocado, and a cumin walnut vinaigrette. It looked absolutely delicious, but I was really hungry, and a salad just wasn't going to do it for me that day.
I ordered the Handcut Tagliatelle with hen of the woods mushrooms, roasted fall squash, and a sage brown butter sauce. I ate every single bite. I loved the big tender chunks of hen of the wood mushrooms. The roasted squash contrasted nicely with the earthy flavor of the mushrooms. The rich brown butter sauce, flavored with sage, pulled everything together.
My friends and I had a wonderful time. Nomi is exactly the perfect place for a leisurely lunch with friends. It's calm and quiet, and the food and service are remarkable.
If you are looking for Valentine's Day plans, Nomi is serving a special four course menu. In the warmer months, Nomi has one of the most beautiful patios in Chicago. It has an outdoor garden and is a perfect place for an after work cocktail.
Nomi is located at 800 North Michigan Avenue, they do accept reservations.
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