Smyth in Chicago is one of the most interesting places to eat in the USA.
I visited in 2019 and they showcased a strong farm to table ethos and were starting to really hum in regards to their fermentation program . 6 years later they have been bestowed with Three Michelin stars and have a unique style with slight nods of Japanese and Scandinavian influence , but focusing on acidity and lactic fermentation.

The menu starts with raw sugar snap peas paired with pumpkin seed milk and miso spheres , the peas really popped with sweetness while the pumpkin seed and miso worked for balance.
Lobster and raspberry was a wild ride for a very small dish , lobster knuckle and a lobster tamale custard worked very differently with the raspberry , I don’t love the combination with the lobster meat , but the pairing with the tamale custard was intense and incredible .
Smyth has an ever changing menu but almonds and caviar is more or less the signature dish . Pickled green almonds , walnut oil , almond milk and Nocino are served with caviar . We are asked not to mix the elements too vigorously instead you taste them individually in whichever progression you desire . It was creamy , buttery , sharp , salty . Astonishing.
California avocado is served chilled as a palate cleanser , paired with peanut milk , spruce and guava , it is another unique combination of flavours , I particularly enjoyed the spruce.
Asparagus and sesame was a miss for me, the gently warmed asparagus tips were a little shy in flavour.
Coho salmon and papaya was next, the salmon was delicate and flaked beautifully .
However regardless of quality I don’t think Salmon really has a place on fine dining menus .
Meat courses were excellent Vermont quail breast was cooked on the hearth and served with puffed grains and morels, the quail leg was cooked tempura style with citrus zest, accompanying the bird was a luscious milk bread topped with toffeed veal glaze.
Elysian farm lamb rack was encrusted by a maitake also glazed with veal jus , while the lamb sweetbread was grilled over binchotan with an apple juice marinade.
Desserts continued in the comments …