The Chicago Traveler

As we watch the hundreds of countries compete in the Summer Olympics this week, I’m reminded of all the different cultures and cuisines we have right here in Chicago. French, Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Thai, German… the list goes on and on. Another cuisine that has steadily become more popular is that of Brazil, as exemplified by Zed 451.

This “contemporary steakhouse” (just a few doors south of Le Lan) is furnished with wood floors, black steel, and stone, giving the restaurant a rustic, natural feel. A double-sided fireplace surrounded by leather seating graces the lounge area, and stairwells lead from the main dining area to the stunning and spacious rooftop. Be sure to get a seat up top if you can. You can enjoy a great view, both of the city skyline and of the main lounge below thanks to a glass partition.

Menus? We don’t need no stinking menus! The prix-fixe meals here include a wide selection of meats, fish, and poultry that the chefs (no waiters!) will bring directly to your table. Options include buttermilk-marinated bottom sirloin, slow-roasted short ribs, goat cheese-crusted rack of lamb, Mediterranean chicken breast, citrus salmon, and much more. You can choose three out of the thirty pairing sauces for each entrée. The enormous Harvest Tables in the center of the dining room offer soups, cheeses, salads, and side dishes like bread pudding and strawberry rhubarb spinach salad.

Finally, the name of the restaurant comes from 451°F, the temperature at which combustion occurs, and Zed, the last letter of the British alphabet. Zed (which is much more fun to say than “zee”) represents the end, the culmination of fine dining.

Photo credit: Zed 451 Media Center

Zed 451 ($$$$): 739 N Clark St; 312-266-6691
Brunch
Sat – Sun: 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Dinner
Daily: 4:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
(Bar stays open until 2 a.m.)
Street parking difficult; valet available
Public trans: Bus # 22, 36, 66, 156 or Red Line train (Chicago)
http://www.zed451.com/

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