540 West Madison

Claudia fine dining restaurant is opening soon in the West Loop | Eater Chicago

"Opening for its first service on October 25 at 540 W. Madison Avenue in the West Loop, this fine-dining project grew out of a highly regarded pop-up dinner series and will present an intimate, 10-course tasting menu to just eight tables. Chef Trevor Teich, who returned from Las Vegas after a stint at the Mandarin Oriental, aims to refine the pop-up’s strengths and storytelling—keeping signature elements such as a bento-box service that comes with canapés—while shifting from communal seating to a more individualized model in which guests are served all at once, taking inspiration from Philip Foss’s service style at EL Ideas. The restaurant will start as a BYO with a three-bottle limit and suggested pairings (there is a $35 corkage fee) while building an in-house beverage program led by newly hired general manager/sommelier Alexander Carlin; longtime collaborator Katie Wilson joins as sous chef. Reservations are live on Tock, meals are priced at $185 per person, staff will begin by serving three days a week before adding a fourth, and the space was secured and is operated in partnership with Art Mendoza. Although the format could draw Michelin attention, the team says their priority is executing the food and service rather than pursuing awards." - Ashok Selvam