El ideas*
- Kira Jabri
- Oct 30
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 2
Every once in a while, we visit a restaurant that completely rewires the way we think about fine dining. EL Ideas is one of those places.
From the very first course, one you literally lick off the plate, you know you’re in for something unexpected. There’s no separation between guest and kitchen here. You’re encouraged to wander, chat with the chefs, and watch each dish come to life. There are no servers; instead, the chef who created each dish personally introduces it to you. Oh, and did we mention it’s BYOB? And yes—EL Ideas proudly holds a Michelin star.
Even though EL Ideas leans heavily into its quirky, unconventional atmosphere, the food itself should not be overlooked. Chef Phillip Foss has built something that’s as much an experience as it is a meal but at its core, it’s still about flavor, precision, and creativity. One highlight we’re still talking about is the playful “French Fries & Frosty,” inspired by the childhood joy of dipping fries into a Wendy’s Frosty. Here, it transforms into crunchy potatoes into a hot potato-leek soup topped with nitro-poached ice cream all assembled right in front of guests in the open kitchen. Pure playfulness, plated, and the source of so many family laughs and memories. Overall, the food was elevated, delicious, and surprisingly refined beneath all the whimsy.
There’s even an emotional support mannequin presiding over the room, something that we have and I am confident will never see in another Michelin star kitchen. Chef Foss encourages guests to treat the dining room as a community table: turn to your neighbors, share a laugh, and talk about the food. By the end of the night, we were swapping stories with complete strangers reminding us of the wine dinners at Oak & Reel back home in Detroit, proof once again that food brings people together in the most genuine way.
In full transparency, it was a lot to take in for us, at first; unfiltered, unpolished, and undeniably bold. But that’s what made it unforgettable. We wrapped up a weekend in Chicago that included two other one-Michelin-star experiences, each so distinct that it reinforced exactly why we love our Jabri Fine Dining journey. Every restaurant has its own story, its own soul, and EL Ideas is one we won’t soon forget.
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