Chicago, USA, August 10, 2023

Brian chose the new-ish restaurant Porto for my birthday extravaganza this year. Porto boasts one Michelin star, and it’s super well deserved. I always feel like one-star Michelin places can be really hit or miss, but Porto is a massive hit.

The Vibe

Immediately upon arrival, you can’t help but notice how incredibly designed this restaurant is. Extraordinary care went into every tiny detail of this place, from the cool wallpaper, to the massive stretch of wine fridges that line almost an entire wall of the space, all the way down to the finishes around the bar. The tiles everywhere, including the bathroom, are exquisite. The seats are velvet and plush and ultra comfortable – thank goodness because you’ll be sitting here for a while.

The Service

Service here is perfect. Recommendations abound regarding wines, bites, and they definitely have a do whatever you want attitude. The tasting menu is exclusively pescatarian, but those beautiful Iberico Ham legs were so proudly displayed on the bar that we absolutely had to add that to the meal – no problem! They also bring complimentary tastes of Cava to start. Not sure if this was because we were there for a special occasion, or for everyone, but a nice way to start the evening!

This was my Birthday dinner, so, just like last year at Oriole, this will be an ode to one of the most beautiful and most delicious meals I’ve had in Chicago in a very long time.

The Food

As mentioned, we started with Black Label Jamon Iberico. This Jamon was amazing, and they actually suggested the best way to eat it, which I’ve never heard before – if you place it between your tongue and the roof of your mouth, you can really experience the nutty flavor of the ham. It totally worked! Yum! We also started with Sao Joao sparkling rose from Portugal – an affordable splash of sunlight in a glass which we loved, and I need to find where to buy this amazing bubbly delight.

Next we really started in on the tasting menu, where they brought a tray of snacks, ranging from briney to spicy, to creamy. A really nice mixture of tastes to warm up your palate.

Next were oysters, and since I don’t eat raw fish or shellfish, they cooked mine up special! No problem again!

After this, we were served, literally, anchovies stuffed with anchovies. So salty, briney, and almost sweet, it was a delightful burst of flavor in your mouth. This came along with cold smoked dry aged Atlantic Trout, which is about as close as I can get to eating sushi without eating sushi. The cold smoking process is really neat, preserving the flavor of the fish without making it too smoky or changing the flavor profile too much.

Next was kind of like a ceviche with tomatoes, cucumbers and fish. This was so fresh, it was almost like a palate cleanser!

The next plate was my favorite of the night. It was a confit cod brandade served with mushrooms, an heirloom tomato conserva and a little tiny bit of fennel and roe. This cod brandade was encased in a dumpling, and it was incredible. I absolutely love cod brandade and mushrooms and the flavor combo of the two along with the tomato conserva was ridiculous. I absolutely loved this dish.

Finally, we got to the two more meatier fish dishes of the night as our main dishes. First were smoked skate cheeks with fava beans and summer squash, and finally was crab with charred corn and tarragon. These dishes were extremely rich in flavor, and I was glad at this point we had finished our bottle of white wine and were able to order a glass of a more hefty red wine to go with these ultra-rich and flavor-dense foods.

Did I mention that Porto has an epic selection of Ports, Madeiras, Sherries, and other deliciousness to either have as your dessert, or accompany it? This is the best and most extensive list I’ve seen of these types of fortified wines in the city, with The Gage Restaurant coming in a distant second (and their list is pretty epic too!). It was tough to pick one to try!

The Recommendation

We sat here for what seemed like a very quick three hours and enjoyed every second. As I explored the back area near the bathrooms, I discovered that they had an absolutely gorgeous party room called the Atrium, where I am absolutely dying to throw a party at.

We will absolutely be back to Porto, and this restaurant has definitely taken my top spot for best one-star Michelin restaurant in Chicago! Absolutely make a reservation here as soon as you possibly can, you do not want to overlook this tiny gem in West Town!