A new restaurant is hitting Chicago's streets. Adalina Prime, the sister restaurant of Adalina in the Gold Coast, made its official debut on Tuesday, September 2. The restaurant spans 10,500 square feet of space, and as we transition into the fall season, I can already tell this spot will not only be the perfect place to cozy up, but also the best place to soak in the last few bits of warm weather. Adalina Prime’s indoor space is chic and moody, with lush greenery, sculptural wooden arches, and rich velvet accents creating an inviting yet sensual ambiance, while the exterior space entices me to imagine what summering in the Hamptons might feel like.
On the Thursday prior to Adalina Prime’s opening, the restaurant hosted a stunning preview party. Upon entering the restaurant, I was greeted with a glass of champagne, which a woman plucked out of her sculptural dress as she smiled and waved me in.
Immediately I was pleasantly surprised by the interior design. The restaurant features an expansive dining room, with an exhibition kitchen on the far side, an ascending two-story wine cellar, and mural-covered walls. The creative design genius behind Adalina Prime is Dunne Kozlowski, a Chicago design firm that also designed Adalina.
As I ventured into the restaurant, I made my way through the interior, stopping at the two-story tall ice sculpture, which had “Adalina Prime” carved into it, and plucking a few shrimps and an oyster onto a plate. Both were delectable. I haven’t tried an oyster since I was 16—the texture has put me off since—but I was extremely impressed with how fresh and flavorful this one tasted.
After my stop, I settled onto one of the couches outside, enjoying the cool breeze in the air. I was handed a gorgeous drink, which is apparently the Golden Hour cocktail, a beautiful, deep orange color with a slice of pineapple wedged within the glass. It was a concoction of coconut-infused Maestro Dobel, pineapple, passionfruit, cinnamon syrup, and Aperol. It was delicately sweet, but not overpowering, thriving on its own but not taking away from the food.
As I sipped on my cocktail, dishes were passed around. A total of seven bites were passed. I tried one of the bite-sized peppadew peppers, which were stuffed with quinoa, stracciatella, and petit sorrel, and was instantly reaching for seconds. It's one thing when a restaurant does something you enjoy well, but when it makes something that you don’t traditionally reach for, such as peppers for me, into something you’re going back for, that’s an excellent marker of talent, in my opinion.
Another sample I tried was the hamachi crudo, made up of yuzu vinaigrette, cucumber, fresno chili, finger lime, and chive blossom. It was incredibly fresh, and something I knew I would appreciate and did. Another expected hit for me, given how much I love avocado, was the avocado mousse, which was atop a paper-thin cracker mixed with charred poblano, hibiscus, parmesan, and veggie chicharrón. On the other hand, something I was a little more apprehensive to try, given that whether I enjoy cauliflower or not is highly dependent on how it’s cooked, was the shaved cauliflower salad, which was a cold dish that had thinly sliced cauliflower mixed with govhujhan vinaigrette, pickled raisins, and cucumber.
The only food item that did not impress me as much as I expected was the twice-baked marble potatoes, which were mini potatoes stuffed with Adalina’s mashed potatoes mixed with cheddar, crème fraîche, and chives. This was a surprise for me as I am a lover of mashed potatoes, but I felt like this item was missing something. I was expecting a tang, something a little spicy perhaps or extra savory, to eventually hit my tastebuds and found myself a bit disappointed that it did not. However, although the marble potatoes were not for me, the concept is there and I would definitely not count it out if you plan on visiting Adalina Prime.
There were a couple of dishes that were passed around that I unfortunately did not get to sample, such as the braised and fried pork belly, which was covered with a spicy tamarind glaze and cashew crunch, as well as the soy-ginger chicken, which was layered with sesame and pickled fresno chili.
Ultimately, Adaline Prime put on a stirring, stunning event. The service was quick, efficient, and aligned with the evident effort that went into bringing the vision to life. Adalina Prime is located at 360 N Green St. It is open for dining Monday through Thursday from 4pm to 10pm; Fridays from 4pm to 11pm; Saturdays from 3pm to 11pm; and Sundays from 3pm to 9pm.
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Third Coast Review writers and editors are permitted to accept invitations to restaurant openings, press previews, media reservations and other events or products that expand their understanding of Chicago's vast food world. Their opinions remain their own.
