The interior of the main floor at Premise doesn’t look that much different from In Fine Spirits, its predecessor in the same space— spiffed and sharpened up with black walls and white chairs, but not a radical change. When you see Chef Brain Runge’s fluke tartare with uni sabayon, sea beans and dashi gel, however, you know you’ve come a long way from In Fine Spirits’ Italian comfort food. Strongly reliant on seafood, Runge’s menu brings something of the Asian-influenced lightness and playfulness of his previous kitchen— Graham Elliott— to an Andersonville strip which seems to be growing more ambitious by the minute. The upstairs, with much more of a thrift store-luxe lounge feel, is trendier yet and really feels more like West Town or Randolph Street than north Clark. Premise opened last night; here’s what’s on the bill.
Tasting of five marked * for 70
PRELUDE
Fluke tartare*, uni sabayon, toasted nori, sea beans, wild rice, lotus root, dashi gel 16
Compressed melon*, warm buttermilk, baby cucumber, petite arugula, candied peanuts, chive oil 11
Spot prawns, tapioca pearls, lime zest, coconut powder, thai basil, red curry, frothed ginger, micro cilantro, toasted coconut 18
Fava agnolotti, country ham, morel mushroom, wood sorrel, ramp ragout 16
Tempura sweetbreads, black beans, miso shiso, bok choy, chow chow, xo sauce 17
Spanish mackerel, quail egg, manzanilla tampenade, haricot vert, confit fingerling, citrus vinaigrette 15
BODY
Smoked salmon*, cauliflower puree, pickled onion, fried caper, poppy seed, blis roe 26
Alaskan cod, jackknife clam, leek fondu, fiddlehead fern, potato confit 24
Striped bass, grilled guanciale, wilted rapini, Sardinian fregola, black currant, oregano blossoms 28
Jadori chicken, white asparagus, milk puree, baby turnip, crisp skin, malted barley 24
Wagyu beef*, trumpet royal, charred carrot, mizuna greens, cippolini soubise 29
Spring lamb, fried chickpea, minors lettuce, baby zucchini, sesame seed, greek yogurt 27
CONCLUSION
Walnut financier, banana meringue, rum anglaise, lemon balm, maple sorbet 10
Carrot cake, honey comb, fromage blanc, pea gelato, freeze-dried pea 10
Chocolate torte*, ancho crumble, horchata custard, chorizo espuma, cinnamon ice cream 10
Premise, 5420 N. Clark.
