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Cold Storage Review - Fulton Market - Chicago - The Infatuation

"Cold Storage is the seafood counterpart to the meat-heavy steakhouse it’s attached to, Swift & Sons. The two are meant to function independently, but in reality you can’t understand one without understanding the dynamic of the two. It’s like the restaurant version of the movie Inception, a restaurant within a restaurant. Walk in the front door and you’re hit with two layers: to the right, Swift & Sons, a large, lively, and all around great steakhouse that blends in nicely with Fulton Market. To the left, Cold Storage, a bar area that’s been carved out of the same space, but specializes in seafood instead. Make no mistake, Swift & Sons is the DiCaprio of the two, but Cold Storage is more than just a supporting actor. It's an entire supporting cast of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, and Ellen Page, a group that can carry a night on their own. The space is meant to feel like one of the old refrigeration and ice storage rooms that once filled this neighborhood, and overall that point gets across. But instead of factory workers, Cold Storage serves a more high-end and tech advanced crowd, especially with the Google offices right next door. Seating is highlighted by a large half-moon bar in the center of the room, and that's definitely where you want to be. And while the space feels like a bar, the seafood is great, from oysters, to clams with chorizo, to extremely affordable sandwiches that make for an easy meal. All of these things combined make Cold Storage Perfect for a First/Early In The Game Date, or any meal in general where sitting at a bar or high top table is ideal. We're convinced Leo's character at the end of Inception wasn't in the real world, but we're also convinced we live in The Matrix ourselves. If you don't believe us, Cold Storage is the kind of place to throw back a few oysters and talk about these kinds of things. Food Rundown Homemade Chips Homemade, complimentary chips, and they’re very addicting. They come in handy as a dipping utensil for a lot of dishes. Oysters Start with a few. Smoked Whitefish Dip We love a good smoked whitefish dip, and this is a good smoked whitefish dip. Spread it on the chips, spread it on the crackers, or feel free to use a spoon. A good appetizer for sharing. Smoked Lakefish Chowder Like clam chowder, but with a smoked fish instead. Thick, hearty, and creamy. Sardines Word of advice: order the sardines. They’re marinated in a salsa verde of sorts, and they are excellent. It’s a little on the fishier side, but not as strong as you might think. Sprinkle with lemon, place on a saltine cracker, and take a bite. Steamed Clams In Chorizo Broth Go for these steamed clams over the mussels. They’re smaller and light, but the chorizo broth has a lot of flavor. Shrimp Bahn Mi A great take on a shrimp bahn mi sandwich. Lightly fried shrimp are served on a fresh roll. The kicker is a type of shrimp cake, almost like a flattened crab cake, that sits on the bread as a base. Good meal for yourself. Crispy Clam Roll With Tzatziki Sauce Another strong sandwich choice. A whole mess of crispy clams with tomato, onion, coleslaw, and tzatziki sauce on a roll. Crab Salad On Brioche Basically an open-face crab salad sandwich on a thick piece of brioche. The crab salad is good, but the brioche bread is too heavy duty for the sandwich itself. Skip it. Simply Prepared Fish There are a number of available fish options every day that you can get prepared very simply with olive oil and lemon. It's a great light and healthy move for any meal. Ice Cream Great homemade ice creams. Consider ordering any one of the sundaes before you head out." - Sam Faye