Maple & Ash is the type of place that makes you feel like a celebrity the moment you walk in. That is after you're whisked through the casual downstairs bar and seating area to the elevator. After a short elevator ride, you arrive in the handsome dining room, fit with luxurious furnishings and sweeping windows with a prime view of the "Viagra triangle". Each dining room has a separate menu. Want something casual? Belly up to the downstairs bar. Looking for something more? Head on upstairs.
While we may have no shortage of steakhouses in Chicago, Maple & Ash offers something different, successfully blending traditional and modern experiences. The BF and I stopped in with our friends on a Monday night. You know, the typically slow night for restaurants. It could have been Friday based on how busy the place was. What's up with the name? Maple & ash are the two types of wood the restaurant uses in their wood-burning grill.
Once seated, you're treated to what Maple & Ash calls an "amuse booze," a complimentary mini martini, olives, radishes, and cheese. Just in case you get hungry while perusing the menu. We thought it was a nice touch.
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| Amuse Booze |
From seafood towers and salads, to a variety of steaks, chops and sides, you're bound to find something you like, prepared traditionally or not. If you can't decide what to order, go with the "I Don't Give A F*@k" option, essentially a chef's choice menu complete with a post-dinner visit from the chef, all for $145 per person (the whole table must oblige).
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| IDGAF Menu Option |
After browsing the menu and selecting a bottle of wine (the wine list is crazy huge, but they have a team of sommeliers ready to assist, including former Trotter's somm, Belinda Chang), we started with two appetizers, the wedge salad, and steak tartare. The salad was chopped up for us to easily share and was topped with generous amounts of crispy glazed bacon, blue cheese, marinated cherry tomatoes, ranch dressing, and onion rings. Oh yea. It's a lot to handle, but you're not coming here if you're on a diet are you?
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| Maple & Ash Wedge Salad |
The steak tartare was fantastic as well. It was blended with smoked egg yolk and white soy and came with a side of grilled sourdough. They make a mean sourdough that gives
Bavette's a run for its money.
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| Tenderloin Steak Tartare |
If you have a group of four or more and everyone eats steak, I can't recommend the Eisenhower steak enough. What is it? A 44 ounce porterhouse cooked with ample amounts of garlic and rosemary. It's named after President Dwight D. Eisenhower who apparently liked to grill huge steaks over a wood-buring fire. I like his style. The steak arrives sliced for sharing with filet on one side, and strip steak on the other. It was so huge we couldn't even finish it. The meat was so rich and perfectly cooked to order that I don't have a single bad thing to say.
They also offer traditional cuts including steak frites, two types of ribeyes, filet and bone-in filet, rack of lamb, New York strip, and a surf and turf option. If you're not into steak, there are many options including grilled whole branzino, housemade ricotta agnolotti, and a coal roasted half chicken.
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| The Eisenhower |
All steaks are served a la carte so we tacked on two sides, the Brussels sprouts with bacon and lemon, and the gratin potatoes loaded with layers of gooey cheese. While not huge portions, there was plenty to go around.
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| Brussels Sprouts and Potatoes Gratin |
We really enjoyed ourselves at Maple & Ash and it's been scientifically proven it's the best way to spend a Monday night (or any night really). From the decadent wedge salad, to the tender steaks with a perfect crust, no dish was overlooked. Service for the most part was flawless as well. A meal here is not cheap, but when it comes to the quality of the food and the ambience, you get what you pay for.
I'm giving Maple & Ash 4.5 ghosts out of 5!
Maple & Ash
8 W. Maple Street
Chicago, IL 60610
312.944.8888
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