Raised – Shareable Bar Food with Scenic Chicago View
By Zev Gold
On a blustery weekend afternoon I arrived at Raised and gazed out at the Chicago skyline from the rooftop patio. Raised is a modern take on the classic bar concept that serves delicious food with a great view. Due to some rain, we didn’t have a break taking view to enhance our meal, but the food inside was more than enough to satisfy our stomachs.
Executive Chef Daniel Perez crafted a menu of delectable and eclectic dishes that quelled our hunger and challenged our taste buds. We started on the ‘taste buds’ part: Raised’s signature cocktails. We drank the sweet and frothy Watered Flowers Cocktail. It was creamy, bright and full of strawberry with the perfect amount of sweetness. The other drink we all partook in was the Monk’s Garden. It was a concoction of Tanqueray No. 10, St. Germaine, green chartreuse, cucumber, fresh basil, simple syrup, fresh limes, and bitters. This brilliant beverage was a beautiful mix of taste and presentation. It was hard to not order more and I will certainly be back to have another.
On to the ‘hunger’ portion! Our meal began with Truffle Frites and Mushroom Truffle Aioli. Perfectly crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, with just a touch of truffle aioli, the frites hit the spot with aplomb. Once the frites were gone, we moved on to two delicious sandwiches: the Lobster Rolls and the Beef Tenderloin Sliders.
The lobster rolls were light and delicious. A touch of tarragon harmonized well with the citrus and made for heavenly bites. The beef tenderloin sliders were cooked to a perfect medium rare and were perhaps the best item on the menu. The beef is flanked by both Mushrooms and a delectable Truffle Cheese. Our main course was rounded out with Pinchos. Made of Skewered Skirt Steak covered in Chimichurri and Chili Oil, the pinchos melted in our mouths.
Their unique takes on bar cuisine and imaginative cocktails, combined with their dedication to serving only the freshest food and herbs, makes Raised a can’t miss. Whether you are going out for drinks or looking for a culinary expedition, you would be doing yourself a disservice by passing up this gem in downtown Chicago.
Raised is open Monday through Thursday, from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m., and Friday through Saturday from 2 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with Brunch being served from 11 a.m.to 2 p.m.