In a city full of steak houses, it is often hard to find one that stands out from the crowd. For the month of September, however, Fulton’s on the River is stepping up with a special entree option that elevates their normally excellent menu just another notch higher.
Fulton’s on the River is introducing a new menu item called “The Butcher’s Trio” which also includes a wine flight pairing. Executive Chef Kevin Schulz is selecting a trio of meats that will change throughout the month. The Butcher’s Trio will always contain one four-legged, one two-legged and one legless (seafood) animal. He then selects perfect wine accompaniments for each course, one 2 oz. pour for each meat.Recently, I was invited to bring a guest to try out this fantastic new menu option. We were lucky to pick a night in which the weather was perfect so we were seated on Fulton’s beautiful outdoor, riverside patio. As the meal progressed, the sun set and the lights reflected on the river provided a stunning view to accompany an excellent meal. Weather permitting, you must ask to be seated on this outdoor patio. It is well worth a short wait if the restaurant is busy. You can fill that time by ordering something from their extensive and intriguing cocktail menu at the bar.
We started the evening with a sample of oysters – both east coast and west coast varieties. The cocktail sauce with a dollop of horseradish was just hot enough without being overwhelming and the sauce mignonette was flavorful and a perfect addition to the oysters. For a second course, we opted for the densely flavorful lobster bisque. Drizzled with basil oil, this was one of the best lobster bisques I have tasted since leaving my former home on the coast of Maine.
The highlight of the evening, of course, was the Butcher’s Trio. For our experience, Chef Kevin Schulz prepared the following three meats:
Seared scallop with corn anglaise, fresh herbs, pickled beet, milk-braised greens. Of the three meats, this was my favorite.
Seared scallop with corn anglaise, fresh herbs, pickled beet, milk-braised greens. Of the three meats, this was my favorite. The scallop was perfectly-prepared and the wine pairing, an excellent off-dry Gewürztraminer (Villa Wolf, Germany), provided a subtle sweetness that worked well with the native sweetness of the scallop.
- Buttermilk fried Cornish game hen with Robuchon potatoes, dried corn, and truffle gravy. The classic Robuchon mashed potatoes, as served at the L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, uses a ratio of potatoes:butter = 2:1. Creamy and decadent – a perfect combination with the crunchy hen and the flavorful truffle gravy.
This serving was paired with a chilled Rosé of Malbec (Crios, Mendoza, Argentina).
Buttermilk fried Cornish game hen with Robuchon potatoes, dried corn, and truffle gravy. The classic Robuchon mashed potatoes, as served at the L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, uses a ratio of potatoes:butter = 2:1. Creamy and decadent – a perfect combination with the crunchy hen and the flavorful truffle gravy.
- The final choice was a braised short rib with horseradish demi glaze and brûlée red grapes over polenta cake.
The short rib was paired with a Pinot Noir (Josephine DuBois, Burgundy, France).
The final choice was a braised short rib with horseradish demi glaze and brûlée red grapes over polenta cake.
To end this feast, we opted to share a dessert. Although most of the dessert options sounded amazing, we opted for an intriguing preparation of Bread Pudding Croquettes. This is not a “traditional” bread pudding by any means. Rather, it’s a series of French-toast-like sticks, dusted with cinnamon, then served with a trio of sauces: chocolate cherry, Bailey’s Irish Cream, and hot buttered rum. We would certainly order this one again, and it’s well worth a try if you happen to save enough room for dessert.
For more information, visit www.fultonsontheriver.com or call 312.822.0100. Fulton’s on the River is open Monday-Thursday from 11 A.M-10 P.M., Friday from 11 A.M.-11 P.M., Saturday from 5 P.M.-11 P.M. and Sunday from 5 P.M.-9 P.M. Fulton’s is located at 315 North LaSalle in downtown Chicago.
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