Best Fall Dishes at Mercat a la Planxa at The Blackstone, a Renaissance Hotel
The Blackstone Hotel's Mercat a la Planxa is frequented by hotel guests and locals alike. With a superb location on the Lake, the tapas-style restaurant features delectable Spanish fare and an innovative cocktail menu. The beautiful restaurant in The Blackstone, a Renaissance Hotel, is a true gem in the Windy City. Here are some of our favorite dishes prepared by chef de cuisine Cory Morris.
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Confit fall vegatables
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Blackstone Benedict
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Cured meats
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Gambas Al Ajillo
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Paella Desayuno
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Pimientos de Pedron
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Croquetas de Xocolata
The vegetarian confit dish consists of a medley of fall vegetables and fruits including lima beans, crisp apples, and squash served warm and perfectly seasoned with fresh herbs. The dish offers a hearty option for vegetarians and displays fall produce at its best.
The second course on the brunch tasting menu, the Blackstone Benedict, is a true treat to any lover of the classic dish. Served with truffle hollandaise sauce and chorizo over a porous brioche, it was one of the highlights of the meal.
In keeping centuries of Spanish tradition, Mercat also offers a fine selection of cured meats, from chorizo to jamón. Upon entering the restaurant, guests are greeted by what most carnivores would consider a very tasty-looking pig’s leg.
Mercat’s shrimp dish was served in a bubbling garlic and butter sauce with crispy toast on the side. Bathed in that much butter, it’s hard to go wrong. They make an ideal pre-paella appetizer – especially since the brunch paella is not a seafood dish.
The Brunch paella differs greatly from Mercat’s traditional seafood paella served at dinner time. It comes baked in a metal pan with eggs on the top to give the dinner time favorite a bit of a breakfast spin. The dish includes toast with saffron mayo aioli and a cute pile of arugula.
The Piemientos de Pedron were spicy without being overwhelming and prepared simply: flash fried and sprinkled with sea salt. Fresh, spicy, and delicious.
Mercat’s Croquetas de Xocolata are aesthetically understated, not betraying their flavor til the moment they erupt in your mouth. Each croquette has a crisp outside that dissolves into a rich chocolate center, and comes with a toasted banana marshmallow on the side. The explosion of molten goodness in each bite makes this dish simply irresistible.