It’s had bars and restaurants but we’re tempted to say that the 1400 block of South Michigan probably hasn’t been a destination drinking and dining block in this town since the days of Mrs. O’Leary’s cow, or at least Colosimo’s; Chicago Firehouse kind of had the street to itself, foodwise. And within a month or so that changed; first with City Tavern (from the Chicago Firehouse team), and now with Square One right across from it at the corner. Of the three, Square One (which opened last night) might most live up to the idea of a simple, first-class neighborhood place, with an eclectically chic look (designed by owner Ron Vaisman), a beer, wine and cocktail program that stays away from big brands and prizes small, interesting producers, and a food menu that’s true bar food— there’s no kitchen, but instead the bar will make you up a plate of top quality cheeses, meats or other bar snacks, sliced to order or otherwise prepared on the spot. There’s also the cool factor of the bar’s self-service wine stations, which allow you to press a button and pour yourself your chosen amount of the wines on tap. Check out the menu (and note the theme in how the cocktails are named) below.
SMALL BITES
Cheese Plates
Choose 3 for $9 or have all 5 for $15
Cowda………………………. 3
Cubeddu……………………. 3
Illinois Triple Cream Brie…… 4
Le Petite Tomme…………… 5
Vermillion Blue……………… 3
Meat Plates
Choose 3 for $9 or have all 5 for $15
Creminelli Mortadella………… 3
Creminelli Milano……………. 3
Fermin Serrano Ham.……….. 5
Genoa Salami……….………. 4
Spanish Chorizo……..………. 3
Marcona Almonds………… 4
Olives……………..………… 5
Caprese Salad…………….. 7
buffalo mozzarella balls, cherry heirloom tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, Isola Cream of Balsamic, basil
Caesar Salad……………… 7
mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, Cubeddu “Pecorino” Cheese, tossed with our house made caesar vinaigrette, Spanish anchovies
SPECIALTY COCKTAILS $11
Mayday
N˚3 London dry gin, Todd Appel Grapefruit Cordial stirred with a little of this & that
Scaramanga
Casa Noble Blanco, El Corazón & blood orange Italian soda
Onatopp
Vodka, fresh watermelon juice & Maraschino liqueur
Q & M
Luxardo Marischino, Crème de Violette, Vermouth, topped off with sparkling wine
Sheriff Pepper
Bulleit Bourbon, tamarind puree, pineapple juice with ginger beer to top it off
Le Chiffre
SquareOne Botanical Vodka, yellow chartreuse, lavender all-natural syrup, topped off with sparkling rosé
Oddjob
Sombra Mezcal, passion fruit juice & lemongrass
Thumper
High West Double Rye shaken with Todd Appel Lemon Cordial
NickNack
Zaya Rum, vermouth with allspice dram stirred & served neat
Valenka
SquareOne Basil Vodka, Meyer lemon puree with blackberry & cherry liqueurs
BEER
Ace Pear Cider ~ cider……………………..… 6
Allagash White ~ Belgian-style wheat………. 6
Arcadia Whitsun ~ pale wheat ale…………… 6
Avery White Rascal ~ pilsner………………… 6
Bear’s Republic Racer 5 ~ IPA………………. 6
Flossmoor Station Pullman ~ brown ale…….. 7
Founders Centennial ~ IPA………………….. 7
Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald ~ porter…… 6
Hitachino White ~ pale ale…………………….. 8
Lagunitas Pilsner ~ pilsner……………………. 6
Left Hand Milk Stout ~ stout………………….. 6
Metropolitan Flywheel Lager ~ pilsner……… 6
Metropolitan Iron Works ~ altbier…………… 6
North Coast Old Rasputin ~ imperial stout… 7
Three Floyd’s ~ Alpha King…………………. 7
Three Floyd’s ~ Dreadnaught………….……..12
Tripel Karmeliet Beer ~ Belgium ……….…… 10
Two Brothers Dog Days ~ lager……………… 5
Unibrou La Fin du Monde ~ Belgian tripel…. 7
Wyder’s Raspberry Cider ~ cider………….… 6
BUBBLY
CHAMPAGNE
1200Charles De Fère, Réserve Blanc de Blancs Brut…. 27
ROSÉ
1300Ca’ Vittoria Brut Rosé, Italy……………….…………. 47
1301Domaine St. Vincent Rosé, New Mexico..…………. 27
1302JCB N˚69 Rosé, Burgundy, France ……………….. 37
SPARKLING WHITES
1400Babot Cava Brut, Spain………………………….….. 37
1401Zardetto Brut Private Cuvée, Italy………………..… 27
WINE
BURGUNDY
600Jacques Girardin, France ………. 41
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
700Cannonball, California…………… 31
701Josh Cellars, California………..… 37
MALBEC
800Molto, Argentina……………….…. 27
801Tomero, Argentina…………….…. 37
PINOT NOIR
900Angeline, California………………. 41
901Belle Glos Meiomi, California……. 41
902Jovino, Oregon……………………. 41
903Parducci, California………………. 31
RED BLENDS
1000Bois-Moisset, France………………………. 31
1001Cana’s Feast Bricco Red, Washington….. 27
1002Chateau d’Oupia Rouge, France………… 27
1003Alma Negra Misterio, Mendoza………….. 61
INTERESTING REDS
1100Abbazia di Novacella~Schiava, Italy…….. 41
1101Bodegas Castaño~Monastrell, Spain……. 27
1102Herencia Altes~Garnacha, Spain………… 27
1103Jacky Janodet~Beaujolais, France………. 31
CHARDONNAY
100Alexander Valley Vineyard, California………..… 31
101Domaine Bernier 2010, France……………….…. 27
INTERESTING WHITES
200Claude Val Blanc~Limoux, France………..……. 27
201Domaine Skouras 2011~Moschofilero, Greece.. 37
202Firelands~Gewurtzraminer, Ohio………………….. 31
203Höpler~Gruner Veltliner, Austria………………… 37
204Jean-Marc Brocard~Chablis, France…………… 37
205Leth~Gruner Veltliner, Austria…………………… 41
206Novellum~White Burgundy, France…………….. 27
207Primal Roots~White Blend, California………….. 27
208Protos~Verdejo, Spain……………………………. 31
209Sitios de Bodega~Verdejo, Spain……………….. 31
210Telmo Rodríguez Basa~Rueda Blanco, Spain… 27
PINOT GRIS/GRIGIO
300Adelsheim, Oregon………………… 37
301Boomtown, Washington………..….. 31
303Elena Walch, Italy…………………… 31
304Scarpetta, Italy…………………..…. 41
RIESLING
400Loredona, California……………….. 27
401Max Ferd Richter, Germany………. 37
SAUVIGNON BLANC
500Girls in the Vineyard, California…… 31
501Mahi, New Zealand………………… 37
502Man O’ War, New Zealand…….….. 41
503Mohua, New Zealand………….…… 31
504The Crossings, New Zealand….…. 31
Square One, 1400 S. Michigan Ave., (312) 786-1750.
