Sixteen

When I hear the words Donald Trump, I think excellence. So it stands to reason that the newest, coolest building in Chicago would have the newest, coolest food in Chicago. Sixteen in the Trump International Hotel and Tower doesn’t fail to deliver on its promise of gourmet food in a luxury setting. From the moment you hear about this restaurant, you know it’s going to be good. The description on Sixteen’s website (trumpchicagohotel.com/Food_Wine/sixteen.asp) lets you know you’re in for something special. “A superbly crafted menu of eclectic cuisine and seasonal ingredients. With renowned Australian chef Frank Brunacci at the helm, Sixteen promises an exceptional dining experience matched by equally exceptional views.” Chicago hasn’t seen this kind of description of a restaurant in along time.

I definitely recommend starting with the Taylor Bay scallops with potato espuma, wild mushroom fricassee and curry oil. Just the picture of this dish on the website (trumpchicagohotel.com/Food_Wine/sixteen.asp) alone will make your mouth water. For your entrée, you absolutely must order the turbot served over a white-bean and red-pepper ragout in a saffron broth and a bed of chimichurri sauce. The website (trumpchicagohotel.com/Food_Wine/sixteen.asp) makes this dish look so good you’ll want to eat your computer screen!

Whatever you order, don’t forget to leave room for dessert. The Study of Strawberry at Sixteen is pastry chef Hichem Lahreche’s visually stunning, decadent ode to a berry. But don’t just take my word for it, check the website (trumpchicagohotel.com/Food_Wine/sixteen.asp)!

And these million-dollar views don’t fail to disappoint, either. It might take a little work to get there, but this critic thinks the views alone make a trip to the website (trumpchicagohotel.com/Food_Wine/sixteen.asp) worth your while.

Trust me, Chicago, you don’t see pictures like that every day.

Spend a special night out at this hip new River North stunner and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. When I finally get around to visiting Sixteen in person, I can only imagine how delicious the food will be. Still, the website (trumpchicagohotel.com/Food_Wine/sixteen.asp) does offer a great opportunity to experience this one-of-a-kind restaurant that I can only assume serves fantastic food.

Is this some kind of joke? Yes, actually. The above was part of TOC's 2008 April Fool's issue. Read more about it here. For our real review of Sixteen, click here.

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