Wave

I have dinner at the Wave restaurant, serving Meditteranean cuisine, on my fourth evening in Chicago, after being quite exhausted from a series of job interviews yesterday and today.

The entrance looks a bit like a cheesy nightclub, but the inside is a very sleek lounge bar and dining room. (Upstairs is W Hotel.)

The menu is a tapas style: various small plates to share. I have a "grilled octopus salad" for a starter. The vinaigrette is Arabic-flavoured, reminding me of foods I had in Damascus. Together with radicchio, it is slightly bitter. But the bitterness adds depth to the whole taste of the salad. I'm very impressed.

Then I have a "sugar & salt pork tenderloin" for the main and a mushroom risotto as a side dish. The pork is okay, but the risotto is marvelous. It's not that easy to serve an excellent risotto.

With an excellent service and a cool interior, I have an enjoyable dinner.