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Dining room at North Pond, Chicago, IL

North Pond Restaurant Review

: Gear up for a fine ride with French-meets-seasonal American cuisine from chef Bruce Sherman. The menu is always changing, but here’s an idea of what’s in store: a soft-boiled farm egg with golden sweetbreads, roasted dates, shaved fennel and cinnamon-maple glace; and grilled venison-winter fruit bratwurst with savoy cabbage and ginger-glazed cranberry. The tasting menu, though, is where the real excitement can be found, be it a dish of beet-infused scallop “sashimi” with stone crab claw, arugula and Meyer lemon or sautéed halibut cheek with beets, mango, fennel and colorful asparagus. The room housing nine-foot French doors affords diners a bird's-eye view of the pond and the park with the city skyline looming above the treetops. Granted, there’s not a bad seat in the house. Service is informed and efficient without being intrusive. The American wine list --- which emphasizes environmentally conscious, hand-crafted vintages --- is not at all overpriced, which is good to know when you’re stuck in the small bar waiting for a table.

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