Restaurant Review: West Loop’s Elske gives a lot of love-Danish-style
Centering on “simplistic fare, seasonal ingredients, and energetic hospitality,” Elske is the Danish creation of two decorated husband and wife chefs. With Elske, David and Anna Posey earned a Michelin Star from 2018-2022, and a James Beard Award for Best Chefs of the Year in 2020.
Scandinavian cuisine is tough to get right. One highly recognizable characteristic of Scandinavian food, according to Kamikoto.com is their preference for cooking methods such as preserving, drying, smoking, salting and pickling. In Denmark, the emphasis is on open-faced sandwiches, with an array of toppings such as smoked fish, cheese, fresh salad items, boiled potatoes and cured meats.
Elske, which means “to love,” in Danish, kicks it up a notch, serving a $125 set menu featuring a smorgasbord of fresh and smoked flavors, including:
- Skordalia with currants and cipollini onions on rugbrø
- Tempura Shrimp with sesame leaf
- Cured fluke with kohlrabi, summer apples, and mustard
- Smoked fjord trout with cabbage, sourdough, and dill
- Duck liver tart with salted ramp and toasted buckwheat
- Grilled lamb loin and sausage with dried fruits and fennel
- Frozen anise jelly with mint
- Æbleskiver with roasted cherries, marcona almond, and cherry pit
Or, you can try ala carte selections such as Frikadeller with cornbread porridge, pickled green tomato, and nasturtium, or a Grilled Pork Collar with carrots, chopped pickles, and coriander, a Koji Marinated Chicken with summer squash, ‘salsa macha’, and basil.
Desserts should be savored, as Anna, the 2018 Jean Banchet Award winner for Pastry Chef of the Year, is bound to create a subtle mix of flavors in desserts such as Lemon Verbena Tapioca with watermelon, Strawberry and Buttermilk Panna Cotta with nasturtium and spices, or her Sunflower Seed Parfait with sour honey, licorice, and bee pollen (from their own rooftop bee hive.)
Reviews were mostly spectacular.
One Google reviewer wrote, “Such a good experience overall, loved everything about it. They made the tasting menu vegetarian for my wife and I didn’t expect that and it was great. I’ll say I’m not a fan of the fish dishes but maybe that’s just me.”
Open Table was even more impressed. “Elske is perfection. From the moment we arrived, until the one we, sadly, had to leave, everything just clicked. The outdoor fireplace is such a beautiful touch, and it’s great to relax before, or after, (or both) dinner and enjoy the space. We didn’t mention we were celebrating a special occasion, but, the staff picked up on it, and helped us celebrate. The food, ambiance and staff are all exceptional.”
Elske is located at 1350 W. Randolph Street. Their hours are Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 5:30pm–9pm, and Friday and Saturday 5:30pm–9:45pm. They are closed Mondays and Tuesdays. For more information and reservations, click here.
Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago
