Whole roasted foie gras topped with caramelized apricots

When a chef announces that his restaurant wants to get diners to come in “more than once a year for an anniversary,” it’s usually shorthand for: This chichi thing doesn’t pay. Whether or not that’s the case at NoMI, the Park Hyatt’s seventh-floor stunner has spent the past six months lightening up its menu and décor. Instead of tiny portions of fussy French food, Ryan LaRoche, the executive chef, promises shareable table pleasers like crudo, handmade tagliatelle, and an entire lobe of roasted foie gras. “It’s not going to be like before, when everything was upscale and rigid,” says LaRoche. “You can loosen your tie when you come in.” Tie? Who said anything about a tie? Park Hyatt Chicago, 800 N. Michigan Ave.; 312-239-4030.

Photograph: Anna Knott