I know it’s a little ‘bit’ out of the way for some, but if you’re ever in any of these cities – Chicago, New York or Connecticut – a place to definitely visit for dinner is the Michael Jordan Steakhouse.

I took a great friend to his restaurant when she recently visited me in Chicago. Yes, it’s classed as fine dining so I expected the prices to reflect that. But, Michael Jordan is a Chicago icon so I would be remiss in my hosting duties not to take her there! Besides, it was fun to torture our friends back in Australia with our Facebook check-in updates!

Photo source: Grub Street Chicago

Located near the top of downtown Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse (the basketball great’s second foray in the restaurant business) is housed in the Hotel Intercontinental. It took over its spacious second-floor dining space and downstairs lobby/bar space.

It is to this downstairs area we are first taken to as we were a tad early (and eager!). But we were promptly taken upstairs at our reservation time and as we ascended upstairs, I realized that all my expectations of it being like a showcase for Jordan’s achievements, were way off the mark. The classy, modern setting held not one iota of sports memorabilia or even a TV! Tables and booths, seating 2 people to 20, dotted the floor.

Photo source: Michael Jordan Steakhouse Chicago

We had looked at the menu before coming and there were so many things we wanted to try! So we had both decided that instead of buying a big main meal each, we were going to order a few smaller items and share them. Well, that was the plan until our very helpful, and very cute, waiter, Mike (I know!!) told us that the filet mignon that night was to be cooked with black truffle oil and garnished with sea salt! How can we resist that?! So, we decided to share one.

First to arrive was the garlic bread, cooked to crunchy perfection and dribbled with Wisconsin Roth Käse buttermilk blue cheese fondue – I will never look at garlic bread the same way again.

Photo source: nwi.com

Next was the Colossal Crab Cake with Meyer lemon aïoli. Unlike others I’ve tasted, which were usually a mixture of crab meat with some kind of bread crumb filling, this crab cake was pure, succulent, chunky pieces of crab meat! The meat tasted so fresh and the aioli was the perfect companion for it.

Photo source: Michael Jordan Steakhouse Chicago

There was a pause after this and we were glad for it!  Just two meals but the sizes were generous and were easily shared between me and my friend.  Then our last four orders arrived.  The filet mignon was first.  We were surprised at its size!  Usually it’s a smaller cut of meat, but this was thick as well as a little larger than normal!  When Mike cut it in half, I could see that it was cooked perfectly – medium rare with the lovely seared outside – and it was absolutely melt-in-your-mouth delicious! Accompanying it were Roasted Potatoes fried in duck fat with caramelized onions and thyme; Hand cut French Fries rubbed with a BBQ spice and Roasted Mushrooms cooked with black garlic in a white soy-mushroom jus.  The mushrooms just made me sign in content.  The flavor was wonderful!  I could hardly stop going back for more!  The French fries were also very yummy.  The rub was not too spicy and it just gave them a nice kick.  My only disappointment for the night was the duck fat roasted potatoes.  I was excited to try this one because I had tasted the same kind of thing before in a French bistro in Melbourne and absolutely loved it, but this time I was left wanting.  The flavor was ok but it was the type of potato, I think, that was the problem.  Cooked using Kipfler potatoes, it was just too floury and doughy for my taste.

Other than that, everything else was amazing! It was definitely the right decision to go there and while I have to save up for my next visit, I know it will be worth it.

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