Michelin-Starred Senza Will Close In January
By Melissa McEwen in Food on Dec 11, 2014 10:00PM
Senza (2873 N Broadway) will join L2O and Takashi on the growing list of shuttered 2014 Michelin star recipients. It's sad news to lose such a unique restaurant, which served beautifully crafted tasting menus that just happened to be gluten-free. It was a fine dining experience that anyone could enjoy no matter what dietary restrictions they did or didn't have.
GM Cara Marie Sandoval and Chef Noah Sandoval (yes, they are married) will move on and Cara told Eater that they "are looking for the right opportunity." The space will become Wheat's End Artisan Foods and Cafe, a gluten-free bakery, of which Lakeview already has plenty. When the restaurant first opened they served more of the Wheat's End gluten-free baked goods, which I found only OK and the tasting menus shifted away from that over time.
Which was great since Senza showed gluten-free food could be based on the hundreds of thousands of foods that already don't contain gluten (meat, vegetables, fish, fruit etc. etc.) instead of substitutes for bread and pasta, which will never be as good as regular gluten-filled bread and pasta. It's sad that Chicago will lose not only a great restaurant, but one that was gluten-free without being based on facsimiles. You have until Jan. 17 to try it out.