Chicago had it’s first snow fall Saturday-officially pushing our glorious fall weather onto a slippery patch of ice and out the door.  As the nights become darker earlier, we find ourselves seeking toasty dishes to fulfill our need for warmth and comfort.  Seasons 52 follows the same seasonal rhythms for their menu.  We were first introduced to Seasons 52 OVER 2 YEARS AGO (we just tweeked when we noticed the date) on their opening in October 2013.  For throwback hair, younger versions of us and a review of the overall restaurant, peek here.  Their platform of providing seasonally inspired items with consideration of special diets (gluten free, vegetarian, meaty lovin’, low sodium) still remains the same.

For winter, the menu takes old favorites and rearranges them for the modern palate.  For example, a cranberry & sage cocktail mixes gin, white cranberry juice, fresh cranberry and candied sage, perfect for encouraging a mistletoe kiss.

Kate and her guest sampled multiple dishes from the winter menu to shake off the cold at the recent winter menu unveiling.  Seasonal foods like short ribs, golden beets, arugula, mushrooms, and squash were weaved through many menu options in honor of the need for grounding in this chilly season.

Starters:

• Butternut Squash Soup (v) –hearty butternut and cream make this a sweet, savory and satisfying soup with a sprinkling of chives and shiitake mushrooms on top.
• Warm Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad (v) – this dish puts a twist on the normal caprese salad with a lightly breaded, ample chunk of melty mozzarella mingling with the basil pesto and fresh tomato.

Entrees:

• Garlic Pesto Chicken Flatbread -fresh mozzarella cheese, balsamic onions, roasted red peppers, and arugula are balanced with a robust pesto sauce and cracker like crust.

• Caramelized Brussels Sprouts -always steal our stomachs with their crispy layers, and the sweetness that naturally emerges through the roasting process.  This version includes bacon, garlic and a Parmesan dusting to stave off winter hunger.
• Maple-glazed all natural roasted half chicken – roasted winter root veggies (think rutabaga, carrot and other tasty ground dwelling veggies) snuggle up to Yukon mashed potatoes, all underneath a juicy sweet n’spicy half chicken, skin on.

Dessert:

• Belgian Chocolate S’More – one of the defining treats of cold weather, redesigned with chocolate mousse layered over chocolate cake, and garnished with a choco dipped graham cracker and fire roasted marshmallow.

Do any of these warm winter eats make you hungry enough to leave the couch?  Scurry past the snow and make your way to Seasons 52.  Their new winter menu is live from now to when we re-emerge from the ice caves.