When a restaurant hits its 10th year, a special change occurs—its décor deepens, it develops ingredients in new places, and it's legally allowed to drive. NAHA is celebrating that milestone, and today's Groupon is your invite to the party (must provide own party hat or "funbonnet"). For $40, you get $80 worth of new American food and drinks at the River North restaurant. Since it opened, Chef Carrie Nahabedian has won a 2008 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes and entered the Chicago Culinary Museum's Hall of Fame in 2009.
Ten years ago, before recorded history, Carrie and her cousin Michael Nahabedian established a restaurant where Carrie could fuse the cooking of her Armenian roots with the California lifestyle she enjoyed as executive chef of the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills. The menu still rocks this unusual fusion with appetizers such as the Yukon potato gnocchi, braised oxtails, and shaved montelerraina cheese with caramelized broccoli, Tuscan kale, and Marcona almonds ($17). Likewise, an entree such as whole roasted squab, duck liver, and braised red cabbage is scented with Armenian tea rose-petal marmalade, preserved walnuts, licorice root, breakfast radish, Satsuma tangerines, and pink peppercorns ($41). The meatier-minded might prefer a roast loin of ranch venison adorned with maitake mushrooms, Door County cherries, and Italian faro ($40). NAHA's menu, and its voluminous vino variety, changes seasonally in accordance with the druids' lunar-based dining calendar, so don't be surprised if these delicious delights have been replaced by examples of equally epicurean ecstasy.
If the dinner does not provide enough gourmet ingredients you'd never heard of but now want in every meal, a dessert of house-made ice cream ($12) or Florida Honeybell oranges parfait with pearl tapioca and Spanish cava sorbet ($12) will ease your tongue's come-down from its haute cuisine high. Despite its clean lines and contemporary décor (courtesy of Tom Nahabedian), NAHA maintains a local feel with artwork commissioned by local artist Lora Fosberg and ingredients proudly bought from local organic farmers and Chicago's Green City Market. Reservations are required, so call ahead or shout really loudly.
Reviews
Zagat praises NAHA, Time Out Chicago likes the atmosphere, and Chicago magazine adores the innovative fare:
- We love it when the food stimulates and the ambiance soothes, as is the case in this chic dining room, the perfect backdrop for Carrie Nahabedian’s preparations. Seasonal ingredients shine in dishes both simple and haute. Pops of flavor—an innocent-looking little flavor bomb of sweet garlic flan in yellow corn soup, black-currant marmalade glaze on roasted squab—keep things interesting – Chicago
- Chef Carrie Nahabedian delivers an upscale experience minus the pomp, courtesy of a snazzy room, great service and a seasonal menu that reads like a who's who in regional, sustainable foods. – Time Out Chicago
- Carrie Nahabedian’s "innovative fusion" of American cuisine with Mediterranean flair finds favor with "foodies" for its "clean flavors" and "locally sourced ingredients"… – Zagat
Citysearchers give the Esquire-named Best New Restaurant in 2001 3.5 stars, more than 125 Yelpers give it four stars, and 85% of 103 Urbanspooners like it.
Groupon Says
The Gourmet Experience
More and more Americans are breaking out of their Lean Pocket shackles to embrace the gourmet experience. Newbie foodies often marvel at small gourmet touches that can be added to familiar favorites, such as french fries drizzled with luxurious truffle oil or macaroni and cheese that cuts the cheddar with a little chèvre. What are some other gourmet twists can you add to your comfort-food favorites?
- Take cereal out of box before eating it.
- Ordinary salt and pepper shakers can also be used to house ground rubies and Chanel.
- Add an extra layer of decadence to osturducken by working in a peacock somewhere.
- Class up a cookout by sizzling your turkey burgers on the roof of a hot limousine.
- Remember, everything tastes classier out of a bag with a dollar sign on it.
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