As of Oct 8, 2007 Schwa is "closed indefinitely."

Menu from Spring 2007

Peas & Carrots
What kind of restaurant offers peas & carrots? Well they are not the kind your mom made. Small pieces of crunchy, Thai-style pickled carrot were served in a small bowl along with a paper thin sheet of pea-wasabi 'nori.' I quickly gave up on the chopsticks and simply picked it up with fingers.

Oysters
This dish combined lightly-breaded and flash-fried oysters with, of all things, oatmeal with maple syrup, studded with plump, warm raisins. Also served with this was a raw oyster shooter in a tiny shotglass at the top corner of the plate. This seemingly wacked-out combination really worked. The oatmeal and oysters complemented each other very well and the sweet accents provided by the maple and the raisins rounded out the dish nicely. Who knew?

Fava
This course was a salad of fresh favas, ramps (kind of like mushrooms) and morels served with a demitasse of warm fava soup that had been laced with black truffle. The fava bean soup was unbelievably rich.

Quail Egg Ravioli
The ravioli arrived swimming in ricotta, parmigiano reggiano, brown butter and black truffle. A quail egg is inside the ravioli, so there’s no choice but to pop the entire thing into your mouth. Good thing, too…the rich and silky combination of the egg plays well with the ravioli, and the sharpness of the cheese gives some contrast as well.

Steelhead Roe
Sake-cured steelhead roe was combined with a pine nut puree and topped with yuzu foam and barnacles. While not a huge roe/caviar fan (I’d rather have my fish a bit more grown up), it was a nice contrast with the ravioli, and served as a good stepping stone into the "heavier" part of the menu.

Halibut Cheeks
The cheeks were cooked en sous vide, served with dual sauces of meyer lemon and basil, over artichoke confit. Outstanding.

Sweetbreads
In this dish, the sweetbreads were paired with plums (prepared in different ways). The lightly-coated, sauteed sweetbreads were very good by themselves. They took on a sweeter taste when paired with ultra-thin plum slices, or with the smoked plum puree.

Lamb
Two types of lamb were presented: strips of lamb loin, and a square of braised, crispy lamb belly. The lamb strips rested on a bed of green curry sauce and beans. Of all things, a house-made shot glass of root beer accompanied the dish. Of course by this time we knew it would pair well, and it did.

Dessert
Two different plates of desserts were served. Warm, soft pretzels served with honey mustard dipping sauce, dates, and tumeric ice cream was very good. A chocolate lover’s plate had two different desserts: a pyramid of chocolate cake was accompanied by a block of the most delicate chocolate caramel mousse I have ever had. What a meal.

As of Oct 8 2007 Schwa is "closed indefinitely."

Schwa has been up and running for a couple of years now, and it is still one of the most interesting "foodie" places in Chicago. It does not have valet parking, or a bar, or a maitre’d, or a waitstaff. There are only 14 tables in the storefront restaurant. Chef Michael Carlson works with Nathan, Blake, and Aaron (although I have heard Nathan has left), and that is the entire staff! Michael and crew prepare the food, serve it, and clear the tables. They also answer the phones. Reservations are a must, given the small dining room and popularity of the restaurant. Call well before 5:30pm, as once they start serving, no one will answer the phone. If no one answers, leave a message. They will call you back.

They are only open from Monday to Friday.

There are two menus offered at Schwa. The four course menu is $55, while the nine course menu is $105 (see my next journal for a run down on the nine course menu). Given the focus on the food, they do not have a wine list or a liquor license. However, their corkage fee is only $2.50 per person (you can bring your own wine glasses or simply use their bistro glasses). The menu is friendlier towards sparkling wine or food-friendly whites. If you must drink red, anything more than a Pinot Noir would be too overwhelming.

We were a bit apprehensive when we arrived a little before our 5:30pm reservation, to find we were the only two people in the restaurant. On the other hand, we had our choice of seating. The tables and decor are quite simple and comfortable. We took a small table in the corner, near the front window…we thought the four votive candles burning there would be nice touch for our dinner.

The apprehension we felt at first was washed away by the enthusiasm these guys have for their cooking, and for their genuine interest in your evening. We brought a split of champagne for the first courses (we took Aaron up on his offer of keeping it in their cooler). After finishing our champagne, we expected our Vouvray. Instead, Aaron suggested a glass of sake (the next dish was prepared using sake). We accepted that offer and were pleased with the match. The next course again saw a suggestion of "something one of our friends brought for us." Again, being the gracious guests, we couldn’t say no, and again we were pleased with the pairing. It was this kind of unexpected offers, along with their patient explanations of the dish, that really swept us into fully enjoying the evening. The dinner did last about 2 ½ hours, but we probably stretched it a bit by talking with the chefs as they cleared the tables.

Their website is www.schwarestaurant.com. While their hours are 5:30pm to 10:30pm, you need to call earlier in the day to speak with someone.