SCYLLA
www.scyllarestaurant.com
1952 N. Damen Ave., Chicago
773.227.2995
ITLC’s Overall Rating: A
Cuisine: A Ambiance: A+ Service: A

In less than a year since she opened Scylla (pronounced sil-la), her Mediterranean-inspired seafood-themed eatery in a warmly renovated 1890’s Bucktown brownstone, 29-year-old chef Stephanie Izard has put her delicious stamp on a bounty of flavorful, pristinely fresh dishes that make for an unforgettable gustatory experience. Izard, who graduated from the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, honed her artistry back in her native Chicago at Vong’s Thai Kitchen, Spring and La Tache before opening Scylla, which she named after a sea monster in Greek mythology.

The two-story restaurant’s mellow ambiance is reinforced with exposed brick, sea green and burnt orange colored walls. A mahogany bar on the first floor offers boutique global wines and beers, along with martinis.

Soft, focused lighting illuminates the food and not the diners. And all courses are served on gracefully shaped white dishware, putting the emphasis, again, on the beautifully plated seasonal food. When we asked about the specials, our attentive and knowledgeable server explained that everything on the menu was indeed a “special.” We had a tough time choosing from the eight first-course listings, settling on the apple and celeriac soup with duck confit garni – a luscious, creamy – but not heavy – course with beautifully balanced flavors that left a mellow afterglow in our mouths ($7); a perfectly dressed mixed greens salad with poached pears, spiced nuts and a delectable Roquefort biscotti ($7); grilled baby octopus – meaty and fresh as could be – with four-bean salad, shaved red onion, fresh mint and pecorino cheese ($10); and lobster and quince profiteroles with endive, watercress and fresh mozzarella salad – kind of like tiny elegant lobster sandwiches ($11).

On to the main courses, where five of the eight entrees were seafood – although the way our server described the taste of the free-range Amish chicken breast, we might come back another time just for that. We chose two kinds of fish we’d never tasted before: the grilled Hawaiian walu – with green-lip mussels, French horn mushrooms and tomato, olive tapenade ($24); and pan roasted monchong, a meaty, moist and delicately browned chunk served with oh-so-slightly crisped veal sweetbreads with haricots verts, pinenuts, and a sublime brown-butter raisin sauce ($25). In both cases the fish was as moist and fresh as could be with the accompaniments beautifully complementing and not competing with the flavors.

For dessert, we chose the first two of the seven listed: brown butter caramel banana cake with caramelized bananas and Frangelico granita ($9); and the pumpkin maple crème brûlée tart with cognac raisin sauce, and a small scoop of chai ice cream on the side ($8). As with the previous courses, the artistically plated desserts left their own afterglow on our palates, and with portion sizes designed to mercifully satisfy and not stuff; we couldn’t have been happier.