Today Dishing: Fig and Olive, Chicago

If you're wondering where the beautiful people brunch on Sunday mornings, the answer is Fig and Olive. This two-story restaurant  recently opened at 104 E. Oak Street and is the latest addition to other locations in New York City and California.

Photo courtesy of Google.

                                             
Our Sunday brunch experience began with the valet directing us to allow 30 minutes to have our car retrieved after brunch. That seemed a bit extreme but we thought it  little inconvenience for the wonder we were about to experience.

A gal waiting with us for the elevator turned out to be the "elevator girl" who didn't greet us or acknowledge us, and as it turned out pressed the wrong elevator button, depositing us at the wrong floor. There are only two buttons on the elevator so this seemed a curious error.

However when the elevator doors opened on the wrong floor, a beautiful, bright, modern, open-air room faced us. We were quickly ushered upstairs to the correct dining room which also shared the same feel as the floor below.

We waited several minutes in a herd of people in an area used by wait staff directly outside the elevator. It felt like we were part of a cattle call. Next we were seated at what was in our estimation the worst seat in the house because of the constant traffic behind us from people exiting the elevator.

These few missteps were not going to detract from what we knew would be a stellar experience.

The cocktail menu is filled with inventive choices. We opted for the Fig and Walnut Julep, which is delicious and I highly recommend it.

The menu boasts of eleven crostini's, one sounding more delicious than the next. The six we ordered were plated well, were inventive and fresh. We did feel that some herb was overused resulting in a "one-note" taste.

The oysters were good but lacked in presentation.

The Crab Cake Eggs Benedict was disappointing in almost every aspect except the egg (yes, one egg) which  although cool, was cooked perfectly.  The crab cake was devoid of lump crab consisting of only white meat and was it deep fried??? The hollandaise, barely visible on the plate, topped a piece of crostone bread, that was simply impossible to cut.

The South of France Poached Eggs with Salmon served with cool eggs also did not please.

In a restaurant the caliber of which Fig and Olive presents itself, a stellar burger must be available, not the one currently offered. The presentation is weak but still better that the burger itself.

In all fairness, this was only the second Sunday brunch was  offered, leaving hope that the many kinks will be worked out.

Perhaps the clueless "elevator girl" is more envisioned that we thought. Letting people off on the second floor to wait for a table would be much more civilized than waiting in no-mans-land outside an elevator on the third floor.

Hopefully, the beautiful people will demand more than a lovely space to see and be seen. It will be a long time, if ever, before we return, which was also the sentiment  two ladies leaving expressed rather loudly.