Chicago: Where to Eat: Big Night Out: NoMI

NoMI

Walking into NoMI, on the seventh floor of the Park Hyatt hotel, you are immediately immersed in a sexy, vibrant scene. A young, hip crowd sips martinis and nibbles on sushi in the lounge area. The festive dining room, decorated with wacky, octopus-like Dale Chihuly glass chandeliers, has a wall of windows that tilt out over historic Water Tower Place, which looks almost like a castle when lit at night. Executive chef Christophe David prepares seasonal contemporary French cuisine with a twist: take his cheeky Burgundy truffle appetizer with “Foie Blond” crème brûlée. Dinner may include langoustine risotto with braised hearts of palm and sweet-corn foam; rib eye with smoked cherries and chanterelles; or Hawaiian opah with chorizo-piquillo coulis and glazed summer vegetables.