Michigan Avenue - Niche Media - Michigan Avenue magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine centered around Chicago’s finest people, events, fashion, health & beauty, fine dining & more!
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/422226
photography by anjali pinto prime seats Underneath a glowing display of spirits bottles, the curving banquette of table 406 is tucked into the back corner of the room and offers bird's-eye views of the entire dining room, not to mention vistas of Michigan Avenue and Millennium Park through the restaurant's east wall of windows. clockwise from far left: Executive Chef Chris Gawronski with Acanto owner Billy Lawless; chunks of rich pork sugo and rapini make duck egg spaghetti a popular dish; the refreshing, fortified wine-spiked Aperitivi #1. Along with the change of concept, Lawless worked with architect Mark K nauer to soften the formerly austere room, jettisoning white tablecloths in favor of butcher-block tables, antique mirrors, comfort- able tufted leather banquettes, and a vermilion mohair accent wall. It's been a striking transformation—and even Lawless is impressed by the immediate effect. "It's been phenomenal," attests Lawless. "Our cover count has more than doubled for lunch and dinner every day." With good reason: The menu is leagues more approach- able, yet still boasts Gawronski's artful, highly sophisticated touch, with a dining philosophy that is incredibly of-the-moment. Skillfully crafted food—rib- bons of tender octopus with Fresno chili, fig, and radish; perfectly al dente duck egg spaghetti with meltingly tender creamy pork sugo; and crispy artichoke hearts with fried caperberries (a Lawless favorite)—all served with absolutely no fuss. "This is a more jovial experience," says Gawronski, explaining Acanto's strong start. "It shows in the clientele and in the way things come out of the kitchen. Everything we put out there, we're putting every ounce of heart and soul into it, and we're having fun." For winter, Gawronski is looking forward to game meats—and, per Lawless, "truff les, truff les, truff les," Gawronski laughs. "That's definitely something I'm excited about." Apart from his ability to spot talent like Gawronski (and Dirk Flanigan, the well-respected chef who helmed Lawless's restaurants until 2013) and to set the stage for a consistently well-executed dining experience, Lawless's greatest skill as a restaura- teur may be his ability to make every table feel like they've been welcomed home. Whether it's The Gage or Acanto or The Dawson (Lawless's year-old small- plates hit in River West), the broad-shouldered 44 -year- old is a regular presence, moving easily through the crowd, warmly greeting regulars, welcoming first-timers, laughing, telling jokes—in short, serving as the consummate host. And that's exactly what Lawless is aiming for. "There's so much choice out there," says Lawless, "that to give people a connection to the restaurant that's more than just a reservation is very powerful. Be genuine about welcoming people. We're in the service business; you have to let your guests know that you appreciate them." 8 S. Michigan Ave., 312-578- 0763; acantochicago.com ma "To give people a connecTion To The resTauranT ThaT's more Than jusT a reservaTion is very powerful." —billy lawless pizza please Chris Gawronski's secret to making Acanto's stand- out pizzas is a 65-year-old starter acquired by Executive Pastry Chef Mitsu Nozaki. "She said that I can't tell any body [where she got it], but that she had permission to use it," he laughs. What ever its origins, the result is a puffy, chewy crust that makes for a perfect margherita ( pictured). 92 michiganavemag.com taste