Michael Carlson turns out brilliant contemporary food at the most unlikely BYO in town. The kitchen team double as waiters and serve some stunners: ravioli filled with liquid quail egg yolk, truffle, and buffalo; sous vide antelope loin on butternut squash with antelope ragù and macadamia purée. Don't be surprised if candied sweetbreads and parsnip custard show up in your dessert. Three courses $55; nine courses $110. Contacting Schwa to make a reservation requires the patience of Job, and Carlson has been known to indulge in last-minute closures and cancellations.
Additional Information
Rating: 3½ stars
Price: $50-plus
Cuisine: Contemporary
Neighborhood: Bucktown/Wicker Park
Noteworthy: BYO (up to $5 corkage) high noise level telephone reservations
Dishes We Liked:
(All dishes listed are part of a prix-fixe meal.) Beer cheese soup, Arctic char roe, wuail egg ravioli, Kona kampachi, antelope