Tama - Chicago
Tama represents a conjunction of Japanese, Mediterranean and other culinary traditions that yields some tastes you just won't find anywhere else. Chefs Avgeria Stapaki and Adalberto Olaez are pushing the boundaries of Asian and Western cuisine to surprise and delight the diner with a constantly changing menu.
At Tama, Chicago Eater reports, "Avgeria Stapaki and co-owner Adalberto Olaez (Lao Peng You, Boeufhaus) have created an ambitious menu that stands apart from Chicago’s crowded and competitive Mediterranean dining scene. They view the regional genre as more of a guideline than a rule and apply an international lens to singular creations like avgolemono ramen, a Greek-Japanese mashup featuring ramen noodles made in-house, swiss chard “nori,” and crispy chicken; dolma with tabbouleh and beurre blanc; and unctuous short rib orzo. In keeping with the theme of freedom, patrons can expect menu changes multiple times per year, leaving room for seasonal switches and sparks of inspiration."
Well, that actually sounds exciting.
Some of the dishes that have been receiving much local attention are beef loin skewers (beef loin marinated in black truffle vinaigrette, grilled, with shaved black truffle), tumeric and herb pita (pita with turmeric and herbs and three dipping sauces: spicy feta, tzatziki, lentil hummus) and clam linguini (clams and pasta tossed in a white wine, garlic, and chicken broth).
Many dishes are designed to appeal to vegetable-forward palates, such as the grilled maitake (maitake mushrooms grilled with thyme and garlic, tossed in clarified butter and white wine) and the empanadas (savory pastries filled with spinach, feta, and herbs) -- and as you can see in the latter dish here, South American dishes also find a place on the Tama menu.
There are no boundaries on the foods served at Tama, and as the restaurant explains on its site: "The menu will remain ingredient-curious; it will change often, according to components best sourced by seasonality, local markets, and our own imaginations." You can't really know what to expect at Tama, but you know it will be good.