Tower Room at Sixteen

Concept: Sixteen
Location: Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago
Opened: February 2008 (dinner service)
Chef: Frank Brunacci
Footprint: 7,500 square feet
Average Check: $117
Seats: 75 in the Tower Room, 25 each in the River and Bridges rooms
Staff: 40
Key Design Elements: Hardly understated, with a 14-foot, 19,000-crystal Swarovski chandelier in the middle of the restaurant’s Tower Room, Sixteen nonetheless doesn’t go for the over-the-top gilded glitz that some might have envisioned in a property bearing the Trump name. The restaurant highlights its expansive city views through sleek design and a refined but not-overbearing color scheme of gold, earth tones and maroon. Two glass-enclosed wine rooms near the entrance are stacked floor to ceiling with 800 bottles.

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ON THE MENU
APPETIZERS
Kumamoto oyster beignet, fresh harissa, curry sabayon $15
Quail breast, “complimentary sautéed foie gras,” potato confit, beet drizzle $22
ENTRÉES
Baby barramundi, red-cabbage confit, daikon radish and plum salad $39
Braised veal cheek, roasted sweetbread, almond-cilantro couscous, beurre blanc$38
DESSERT
Study of strawberry with parfait, sorbet and tuile, with vanilla oil $14
BREAKFAST
Lobster tostada with poached eggs and béarnaise $31

BROAD SHOULDERS, BIG FLAVORS: Executive Chef Frank Brunacci has discovered this much about Chicago diners in three months: “I think Chicagoans like to spice it up a little bit,” he says. “I really think they’re dying for a little heat.” Brunacci’s response to this affinity for a bit of fire comes in the form of dishes such as lamb loin crusted with parsley, fresh harissa and salsify, and a lunch option of a grilled deli ciabatta with serrano chile, sopressata and garlic-basil oil. Another sought-after element in some Chicago dining circles? Foie gras—still illegal to sell within city limits—which Brunacci has menued as a “complimentary” accompaniment to a quail-breast appetizer.

THE WHOLE PACKAGE: With prime views of the Chicago River, the elegant Wrigley Building and Lake Michigan, Sixteen was destined for “room with a view” status on Chicago restaurant lists. But Brunacci strove to ensure that the restaurant’s dining and service experience would be as memorable as its sight lines. “I think what stands out more than anything is the compiling of the three things,” he says. “Most restaurants with a view like this, you go in there just for the view or [because] their service is good. People can’t believe they get this sort of view with this sort of food with this sort of service all wrapped up in one, which is fantastic.”