Dinner at the Blackbird in Chicago

Dinner at the Blackbird. Found this restaurant in the Best New Chef issue of Food and Wine. Chef Mike Sheerin is a graduate of GRCC's Culinary School. I had heard of Blackbird and its sister location, Avec, in previous issues of Food and Wine. Awesome meal is all I can say. The decor was simple lines with the color white splashed on everything. We chose the 11 course meal. Below are the pics and the description the chef provided. I cannot say enough good things about this place.

Course 1. Freshwater Shrimp with pickled watermelon, shisito peppers and coffee. Nice start.
Peanut gazpacho with cured hiramasa, rhubarb, pine, brittle peanut and green peppercorn. Incredible.
Seared ahi with green garbanzos, picholine olives, smoked butermilk and candied wild rice.
Hudson valley foie gras torchon with black garlic, green strawberries and shrimp salt. Tasted like butter. Literally. My least favorite.
Slow-cooked halibut and brandade with chinese broccoli, lavender and picked cherries. From here on out, everything was great. Great makes it sound less than what it was.
Sauteed skate wing with peach molasses, eggplant confit and chamomile.
Roasted berkshire pork loin with beets, caramelized white chocolate, plums and sea beans.
Grilled wagyu tri tip with artichoke, figs, sprouting granola and cassia bud. After the granola, this guy could make bark taste like a million bucks.
Cherry sorbet with candied pecans, blis maple syrup and cilantro. Where's the sorbet? Inside the completely enclosed cherry made entirely of sugar.
Brown butter cake with red raspberries, borage and goat's milk caramel ice cream.
Criollo chocolate with cupuacu, milk meringue and tonka bean ice cream. The best statement of the night came when this was delivered. In a spanish accent: "Youz needz to breaks the ballz."

The meal tasted as good if not better than the plates looked. Reservations are expected since the place is busy. Have fun and go with an open mind. You cannot go wrong with whatever you order.