Mercat a la Planxa

Under the helm of Jose Garces, D.C.'s famed Spanish chef, this colorful spot in the Blackstone Hotel offers a prime view of Michigan Avenue, but the cooks focus is on the grill. We're not talking burgers and barbecue; this cooking is elevated Catalan-style. Flavorful charred octopus is tossed with green olives and confit potato while grilled flat-iron steak is marinated in a rich sauce of nora chiles, roasted garlic and honey. Signatures like garrotxa-stuffed cipollini onions and spicy housemade pork sausage make enough of an impact that you’ll believe Garces’s claim that his Chicago outpost is something very different from a “run-of-the-mill tapas bar.”