Inside Chicago’s Anelya, Award-Winning Chef Johnny Clark’s New Ode to Ukrainian Cuisine
Ukraine has long had rich culinary traditions, but many Americans are unfamiliar with the Eastern European country’s foodways. One of the United States’ best chefs is hoping to change that, though.
Johnny Clark, the chef behind Chicago’s Parachute (alongside Beverly Kim), opened on Tuesday the Ukrainian spot Anelya. Named for his grandmother, the restaurant is an homage to both her and the country she inhabited. That’s evident in the menu as well as the design, with Anelya’s tile pattern coming from the floor of Clark’s grandmother’s childhood home in the city of Kharkiv.
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“I have such a strong desire to share a unique culture that I feel has been underrepresented throughout the world,” Clark said in a statement. “I’ll be cooking traditionally inspired Ukrainian dishes with a modern approach. I want to tap into all the new and exciting things happening in the Ukrainian culinary scene.”
To start, diners will be presented with a custom Zakusky tower rolled straight to their table, featuring small plates like sunflower-seed hummus, trout-roe tart, and biber dolmas with beef and Cahokia rice. Main dishes follow, with classics such as varenyky (similar to pierogis or ravioli) receiving a twist via fillings like saffron, potato, and jowl bacon. Holubtsi (stuffed cabbage) contain preserved tomato, spaghetti squash, and blank lentils, while Anelya’s borscht pairs duck, smoked pears, and cultured cream with the beet broth.
Larger fish and meat options include barbecued chicken thighs with kefir and green ajika, as well as sturgeon steak with caramelized onions, honey, and fish sauce. To round out the evening, Anelya offers simple desserts like plums with spiced wine, walnuts, sweet cream, and ganache, as well as Ukrainian Kyiv cake, featuring merengue, gianduja, and hazelnuts.
As far as drinks are concerned, the wine list will spotlight bottles from only Eastern European states. Cocktails, meanwhile, are inspired by Ukrainian folk heroes: A shaken horseradish Martini, for example, is named after Taras Shevchenko, a 19th-century poet, writer, and political figure.
Last year, to bring attention to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, Clark hosted pop-up dinners spotlighting Ukrainian cuisine at his and Kim’s since-closed Wherewithall. Anelya is making that project permanent, and bringing a new home for Ukrainian culture to the Windy City.
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