After dining at Restaurant Michael, Chicago Reader writer David Hammond described a savory spread of pate and gherkin pickles as “surpassingly pleasing,” and noted that his dessert (a warm blueberry-almond financier pastry with a ginger-almond ice-cream sandwich) was still haunting his dreams. At his eponymous Winnetka restaurant, Chef Michael Lachowicz crafts traditional French cuisine inspired by his training at the Culinary Institute of America and years spent sharing spatulas with world-renowned chefs. Like Tchaikovsky's musical interpretations of the calendar year, Michael's menus change with the season to showcase the freshest ingredients and flavors. Whole-roasted squab or sautéed fillets of flounder drizzled in champagne sauce showcase his creative ambition as well as his classical training. Desserts include indulgences such as housemade gelato or artisanal cheese served from a cart. Restaurant Michael's elegant dining room is wrapped in warm earth tones and awash in the glow of hanging lamps and domesticated moonbeams. White cloths mark intimate tables that support glass stemware and the occasional roving wine decanters.