"Valhalla’s $198 tasting menu kicks off when you cut through a wax-sealed menu with a letter opener, revealing a page of scattered dish descriptions with no clear order. But the suspense of not knowing which of the 13 delicious courses is first, last, or next makes this dimly lit Wicker Park restaurant from the SKY team so thrilling. At the 14-seat, spotlighted chef’s counter, you scoop spicy ceviche, drag scotch egg-inspired lamb through tikka masala sauce, and watch chefs shave dinosaur egg-shaped Filipino seasalt onto juicy arrachera with apple kosho. By the time the final dessert shows up in nesting dolls, you’ll be itching to run the perfectly paced two-and-a-half-hour meal back again." - John Ringor
