Aug. 19--Just hours before opening his first restaurant in Chicago, Zack Sklar wasn't feigning any modesty.
"My burger rocks," said Sklar, one of two chefs behind Bernie's Lunch Supper (660 N. Orleans St., 312-624-9892), on Monday. "I hate to say it, because I don't want to be a chef known just for a burger. But it's a game changer."
Sklar, who runs several restaurants in Michigan under an umbrella called Peas Carrots Hospitality, worked with chef and Illinois native Ryan Sand on the house-ground short-rib patty, cooked in clarified butter and topped with melted cheddar and a healthy dose of pickles. "I've had a couple hundred people eat here already [before opening], and they've all said it's better than Au Cheval's burger," Sklar said.
That's a debate we won't get into (yet). But burger aside, Sklar wants guests to dive into all of the dishes he developed with Sand. Most of the menu at the River North restaurant, he said, is Mediterranean-inspired: "The lamb hummus is insane. It's spiced, warm lamb on top of hummus, served with pita bread."
Other dishes he's excited about: "The pork confit for two comes with crispy pork and harissa and raita and herb salad and limes all on a big wooden board, and you get to make your own mini sandwiches," he said. "And our mussels are pickled and served in tomato water broth with charred toast. They were a last-minute addition and they're spectacular."
Designed by 555 International, the Chicago group behind stunning restaurants including Girl the Goat and GT Fish Oyster, the 100-seat dining room at Bernie's is pretty but not precious, with comfortable turquoise banquettes, dark wooden tables and geometric gold chandeliers. An open kitchen lines the back wall, bright lights radiating like a halo.
Coming as early as Monday: an 80-seat rooftop decked out with cushioned patio furniture and lit by large lanterns.
"I love the energy of Chicago," Sklar said of his decision to open in the city. "I've been coming here my whole life."
mconrad@tribune.com
Twitter @marissa_conrad
