Let us now sing the praises of grazing. To a lot of people, the practice evokes images of indifferent munching along a buffet of made-ahead appetizers. But true grazing — sampling a progression of small-scale, carefully constructed dishes — is a serious diner’s dream.
Consider: After the first few bites of a dish — say, a prime steak — you’ve tasted all there is to taste. Now there’s nothing wrong with polishing off a 16-ounce steak, but why not sample a three-ounce version and move on? That’s grazing, whether it involves a series of nibbles at a tapas bar or an elaborate, 12-course “collection” at Tru.
Grazing is close to being an art form at Echo. Everything on this newcomer’s menu is a “small plate,” somewhere between an appetizer and entree in size, priced from $6 to $12. Diners select from the list — divided simply between hot and cold dishes — in whatever number and order that strike their fancy. Think of it as a do-it-yourself degustation, and you’ve got a pretty good grasp of the concept.
Echo was fashioned by owner Sean Herron, who closed Starfish — itself a pretty sharp performer — to give Echo its Bucktown location. Assisting him are partner Jonathon Harootunian, who is executive chef over Echo and nearby Meritage, which Herron also owns; and chef de cuisine Dirk Flanigan, last seen as executive chef of the late Madam B.
The only thing that Team Echo has done wrong is in being slightly overgenerous with portions, a flaw that will outrage very few customers. Three dishes, including dessert, will constitute a fairly substantial meal for most diners. Assembling a five-course tasting — which will set you back, on average, about $45 — requires a voracious appetite or a preparatory fast.
Cold dishes worth considering include the lobster ceviche, lightly cured in an orange-grapefruit marinade with whole vanilla bean and presented appealingly atop a long piece of fried wonton over a blood-orange puree. Another picturesque dish is the seared beef salad, in which a bandshell shaped of sesame-seed-inlaid rice cracker is stuffed with strips of beef tossed in a mango-horseradish dressing (less spicy than it sounds), cellophane noodles, green papaya and red onions.
For a jolt of spice, turn to the chilled war-mein noodles, which are tossed in a peanut sauce with jalapeno, cilantro and shredded cucumber.
The duck prosciutto isn’t bad; I liked the citrus-dressed frisee salad, the full-flavored Ligurian black olives and the cute curry wafer in the dish. Lost in the mix, however, is the prosciutto itself, lacking the flavor and size to make its presence felt.
The one sharable dish is the tuna trio for two, a dish with culinary and alliterative merit. Served in an undulating, stainless-steel trough, the composition includes a tuna maki roll (with traditional sushi accompaniments), a bit of ahi poki (a sort of Hawaiian tuna tartar dressed with sesame, ginger and chile flakes) and a few strips of seared tuna with bits of pickled daikon, crunchy vegetables and crispy rice noodles.
My favorite dishes are found in the Hot section of the menu, beginning with a fabulous concoction of seared sea scallops over a smidgen of endive-asparagus-truffle salad and a luscious, almost decadent, foie-gras broth. There’s also a lovely bleu cheese and caramelized onion tart, its sweet and salty flavors playing together nicely, served with a small salad and a smoked-tomato coulis. Full-flavored Mediterranean mussels, enormously plump and creamy in texture, work well in a broth of tomatoes, cumin and garlic, garnished with saffron threads.
Roasted quail, stuffed with bacon and spinach and served over saffron risotto, boasts crispy skin and moist meat that has a lightly smoky undercurrent. It’s wonderful, as is the grilled ostrich and zinfandel sauce, placed over a hearty melange of black-eyed peas, sliced Brussels sprouts, bacon and brie cheese; and venison loin with a terrine of truffle-scented potatoes and leeks, sauced with a port-wine reduction.
Desserts include a clever roasted-banana and cardamom brulee, a free-standing custard with a caramelized-sugar top crust. Hardly a traditional brulee, but pleasant enough. The huckleberry pie is good, and the pear-hazelnut tart would be, too, if it weren’t so cold (there were ice crystals in my sample).
Chocolate lovers will gravitate to the Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate cake, a dense confection tricked up with chocolate sauces, spikes of pure chocolate and an intriguing curry creme fraiche that works surprisingly well. Enjoy the chocolate mousse tower’s vertical presence while you can; it topples at the first attack of the fork, quickly resembling a milk-chocolate yule log.
Echo’s industrial decor is dominated by metallic colors, including silver and pewter curtains and chair fabric, an aluminum bar and a little pewter inlay within the cast-concrete tables. A narrow rectangular placemat (a bit of a trend lately; Vong and Watusi use this design feature as well) of black rubber softens the look somewhat and spares diners the sound of china-meeting-concrete when dishes arrive.
Service seems capable enough, though I have not had the privilege of seeing Echo operating under full-dining-room pressure. Certainly the waiters seem well informed, and routine questions are met with thoughtful and helpful answers.
Herron’s restaurants are characterized by knowing wine lists, and Echo’s multipage list is no exception, full of not-the-usual-suspect vintners and very fair prices. There are nearly three dozen wines by the glass at $8 or less.
Echo is a worthwhile late-night destination, when a “small plate” and glass of wine might be just the thing. The restaurant is open until midnight daily, and 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
In all, Echo is a restaurant whose name bears repeating.
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Echo
(3 forks)
1856 W. North Ave.
773-395-3474
Open: Dinner Mon.-Sun.
Entree prices $6-$12
Credit cards: M, V
Reservations: Recommended
Noise: Conversation-friendly
Other: Valet parking available Wed.-Sat.
Rating system
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Reviews are based on no fewer than two visits. The reviewer makes every effort to remain anonymous. Meals are paid for by the Tribune.
