Weeks after sharing plans for Prairie School, a West Loop collaboration with NYC cocktail big-wig Jim Meehan (PDT), the prolific crew at Heisler Hospitality (Bad Hunter) is hard at work on another project in the same building.
Jared Wentworth (Longman & Eagle) will anchor the kitchens at both concepts—but the similarities end there. The Frank Lloyd Wright–inspired Prairie School will focus on cocktails and serve what Wentworth deems “quality-driven nibbles,” while Regards to Edith (326 N. Morgan St., West Loop) will showcase the Michelin-starred chef’s riffs on old Chicago classics.
Per Wentworth, “Edith” is the fictitious grandmother who would cook Sunday dinner for the neighborhood. The menu will play off what Wentworth imagines Edith would have served, paying homage to Maxwell Street’s delicious and diverse past. The 6,200-square-foot space will have 100 seats, including a large communal table and a bar. Wentworth promises a “very boisterous, fun restaurant.”
He teases dishes such as shrimp de jonghe and matzoh ball soup: At Edith, the former will feature a persillade crust and head-on prawns, while the latter will include black truffle and foie gras schmatlz.
Brisket will come with a side of chicken-fat-fried potatoes with porcini gravy. Octopus will sub in for chicken in a Vesuvio-style preparation. “That’s kind of where I’m going with all this; reinventing these flavors for a more modern palate and plating style,” Wentworth says.
Other Chicago classics? Steak will come in the guise of a Chicago-style hot dog; Italian beef will feature on the bar menu. But deep-dish pizza? “Absolutely not,” says Wentworth.