Blackbird

Mike Sheerin is out as chef de cuisine of Blackbird; David Posey is in. What this means for the iconic West Loop restaurant is a change in style but with no fluctuation in excellence—in other words, this kitchen, overseen by chef Paul Kahan, is still one of Chicago's best. The beautiful, seasonal plates Posey puts out are full of surprising elements—caramelized egg yolk at the bottom of a garbanzo bean soup; tiny piles of caviar tucked under an octopus's tentacle—which makes for exciting, surprising and, sometimes, challenging eating. Patrick Fahy's pastry courses are much the same way (when's the last time you had parsnips for dessert?). But as nice as his desserts are, you'll nevertheless regret the moment when a meal here ends.