Blackbird

WEST LOOP. Blackbird created quite a stir in its first year and has maintained its appeal ever since. Reservations can be difficult to obtain, but once you secure them, you'll revel in creative, simply-prepared food with complex flavors. Starters may include smoked trout with caviar and crème frâiche or scallops dressed with cornmeal, fennel, and orange wedges. Main courses feature rack of lamb, venison loin, Alaskan halibut, and breast of squab. With room to seat only 58, the intimate place can feel crowded at times, but such coziness is a small concession to make for such a superb meal.