Foodie Friday: Proxi in West Loop offers globally inspired menu
CHICAGO (CBS) -- On this Foodie Friday, a West Loop restaurant with a focus on international cuisine.
Digital Journalist Jamaica Ponder speaks with the chef behind Proxi.
This week, I stopped by Proxi in the West Loop to chat with Michelin star-winning head chef Andrew Zimmerman and got a behind-the-scenes look at how he pulls his globally inspired menu together.
"The idea behind Proxy originally was my business partner, Emmanuel Ngoni, and I wanted to create like a more casual sister restaurant to our fine dining restaurant, sepia, which is right next door," Zimmerman said. "We wanted to build the menu in the food around primarily my interest in the food and cuisines of other cultures."
So, where does the inspiration behind the menu come from?
"The menu at Proxi pulls primarily from Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, a little bit of Japan and Korea. Mexico gets folded in occasionally, pretty much anywhere where the flavors are big and bold. Then there's a little bit of spice, a little bit of acid, lots of fresh herbs, those kinds of things."
He says that Chicago caters to a diverse palate. Most of what he's learned about cooking from other cultures has come from fellow chefs in the city.
That and reading plenty of books.
"Most of the menu development comes from research, and one of the things that's nice about living in Chicago is that you have an incredibly diverse city and there are people who've come here from all over the world and really cook their food. And because the city has such a great and diverse neighborhoods and people have come here from all over the world, their markets often allow me to pick up ingredients that we can't get through our standard purveyors."
"And so I'll go to Devon Avenue or Broadway in Argyle or, you know, hunt out ingredients all over the city. And hopefully, you know, like my little adventure around the city translates into our guests having a little adventure on their plate later, you know?"
Naturally, Chef Zimmerman and I had to sit down and try a couple of his picks from the Proxi menu.
First, is a sweet potato chaat with Chef based on a traditional Indian street food. It's fresh and tangy— and while Proxi doesn't officially have appetizers, this one would make for a great starter.
Next is a grilled prawn with green mango salad and laksa broth, something I'd never had before. Now the broth derives its flavors from a Malaysian coconut milk-based curry called Laksa.
And finally, we had a cold smoked lamb that was grilled over charcoal with the mood, a gyro, a caramelized onion, lentil, and rice dish along with a nice sauce made from caramelized onions and green olives.
"That kind of shows the scope and range of flavors that you're going to get if you come and eat it."
In culinary, having a unique menu is what many chefs strive for and, with the menu at Proxi, there's something for everyone who visits.
"I think what I'd like people to know is that, you know, we spent a lot of time trying to make the best food that we possibly can and create something that's interesting and unique, and that draws on a lot of the really cool diversity of the city and that there's a lot more available to you here if you look for it than you might think."
You can find Proxi at 565 West Randolph Street and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
They have a special social hour with discounted drinks and some of the chef's favorite picks from the menu.