In Key Ingredient Edward Kim of Ruxbin, challenged by Aria’s Beverly Kim with turtle, decided to put it back in a shell, making a potpie with the reptile, braising it for several hours to soften it up, then shredding and frying it to overcome the dryness. “It’s meat but it doesn’t have meat flavor to it,” he said. “It’s like zombie meat.” Next up is Kristine Subido of Wave, working with the infamous Filipino delicacy balut, fertilized duck egg.
Mike Sula reviews the Pump Room, the storied celebrity haunt in the former Ambassador East, which has been remodeled and “democratized” by Ian Schrager, the New Yorker behind the hotel’s revamp as Public Chicago. Schrager brought in fellow New Yorker Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who in turn brought much of the menu over from his ABC Kitchen, keeping just a few dishes of yore.