Sean Henderson Dot Com

Last night, Chris Ohara and I went to the Red Light pan Asian cuisine in Chicago.  Bon Appetit magazine labels it, "one of the ten best Asian restaurants in the country."  Both the atmosphere and service were superb.  Upon approaching the restaurant, we were greeted by trees covered with red Christmas lights, which illuminated the sidewalk in ambient red.  We entered through one of those swivel doors.  We made reservations, but arrived nearly a half hour early, yet they had us seated immediately.  The main entrance had a large statue of a Buddha.  The ceiling was dimly lit by a series of what looked to be upside down red isosceles pyramids.  Red Light had waiters who did nothing but make sure that everyone’s glasses were always full of water and that the tables were always clear of unused plates.  I asked our waiter
about the restrooms, but instead he directed me to "water closets," a series of doors with a unique old school style bathrooms no larger than a closet.  Did I already mention something about some of the best chefs in the world here?

Grand Entrance

That swivel door I mentioned.

Tables & Chairs

Each table came with a candle-lit lamp, chop sticks, and silverware for clumsy people like me who can’t maneuver chop sticks.

Big Buddha

I’m not actually sure what that is, I’m guessing that its a Buddha head.  In back of the head you can see the kitchen area where the chefs work their magic.

Red Lights

These unique upside down isosceles pyramids dimly lit the entire room in red.

Green Lantern

This drink, served shaken not stirred in a martini glass, is made from Midori, Raspberry Vodka, a splash of Sweet & Sour, and garnished with a spiral-cut of lemon peel.

Chinese Egg Roll

This is one of the best egg rolls I have ever eaten, seriously.

Teriyaki Ribeye

Extremely tender, thinly cut, medium well Ribeye steak smothered in Teriyaki Sesame Sauce, coupled with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes.  This steak had no fat on it whatsoever, and the potatoes really had a hint of wasabi in them.

"Mee Gha Ti"

Stir Fry Chicken, Rice Noodle, Madras Curry Coconut Sauce, and Chili pepper.  The tiny chili peppers (located near the top in dark green) were extremely hot and spicy.  My understanding is that you eat one to cleanse your palate.  In other words, if you want to go from tasting one item to another, you would eat a pepper in between to clear your taste buds before eating the next item.

Lemon Mascarpone Berry Tart

Lavender Ice Cream, Ginger Anglaise, topped with neatly arranged slices of strawberries with blackberries on top… (or is it raspberries? not sure)

Jackie’s Chocolate Bag

Imagine a miniature grocery bag made out of thin chocolate, filled with Belgian White Chocolate Mousse, Raspberry Sauce, fresh berries, and whip cream with a leaf to garnish.

The Bill

Leaving a 20% tip brought our meal total to $125.  Our waiter, Nathan was so incredibly helpful, enthusiastic, and informative that I feel bad for not leaving him a 30% tip.  Though this probably isn’t comparable to dining at the Lumière, I feel the price was right.  The dinner was fabulous and service was outstanding.  I will definitely dine here again sometime.  And with that, I recommend Red Light to any of my friends in Chicago looking for somewhere fine to dine.

Red Light
820 W Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 733-8880
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