Just in time for the first bloom of spring, Funkenhausen, a popular Chicago West Town neighborhood restaurant known for its funky food and wine varietals, is introducing new menu and design elements focusing on lighter touches and a trendy aesthetic to create a truly intuitive dining experience. Chef Mark Steuer has created over ten new dishes heading into the warmer weather highlighting local produce and ingredients in a fresh way, while still always maintaining the funk. The new menu will launch on Thursday, May 12.
“I love any and all market fruit we can get our hands on this spring,” says Chef and co-owner Mark Steuer. “I am particularly excited to incorporate seasonal fruits that are known for their distinct flavors such as peaches, nectarines, blackberries and raspberries, and am excited for diners to experience interesting ways these fruits are incorporated throughout the menu.”
When creating the new menu, Chef Mark focused on utilizing the entire product in new and unique ways to prevent waste in the kitchen. Standout new dishes include the Riesling Steamed Mussels appetizer made with bacon, peas, celery, garlic, rouille and toast and a Spaetzle “Cacio e Pepe” made with pecorino, parmesan and lots of pepper. Chef Mark is also introducing a Whole Grilled Fish to his menu, served with a crunchy spring salad, hot sauce vinaigrette and a garlic scape relish.
“The dishes I am most excited about guests tasting this spring is the Burrata with charred knob onion and a minty salsa verde, and our new Escolar Crudo made with pistachio and orange,” says Steuer. “I am excited to work with a whole fish again and thought spring was the perfect time to introduce it to our menu.”
Since inception, co-owners Mark Steuer and Daniel Boyd have created a neighborhood hangout with a bright and airy modern dining room, an expansive bar and a chef’s table next to the open kitchen providing another arena for Steuer to express his story through food and let his funk flag fly. This spring, Funkenhausen is updating their interiors with a spring refresh to elevate the space into a warm and cozy atmosphere, no matter where in the restaurant you dine.
“We are looking forward to new wall coverings, tweaking some existing materials we already have throughout the restaurant and softening up the room in a few ways that diners might not expect,” says Steuer.
Funkenhausen has transitioned from a modern beer hall to an under-the-radar wine destination in Chicago perfect for those looking to expand their palate and support underappreciated winemakers. With a focus on natural and biodynamics wines, Chef Mark remains consistent in regularly introducing new bottles to the menu, offering a unique experience to all guests at every visit. On April 16, Funkenhausen debuted a to-wine shop offering diners the opportunity to take home a bottle of the wine they loved during their meal.
In addition to the wine shop’s debut, Funkenhausen’s Sunday brunch has returned every Sunday from 10am to 3pm. With the return officially launched on Mother’s Day, Funkenhausen welcomes all guests looking for a perfect breakfast meal with unique dishes and cocktails available every weekend.
