New Dishes Emphasize Seasonal Warmth and Cross-Border Inspiration Kindling, the Chicago restaurant from award-winning Chef Jonathon Sawyer, has introduced a refreshed fall menu pairing earthy, warming flavors with unexpected global influences. Seafood offerings on the new lineup include Saku Gold Tuna with crispy sushi rice, black truffle and truffle aioli; Hamachi with avocado, aji amarillo mayo and Peruvian causa; and Miso-Glazed Bay Scallop with Okinawa sweet potato purée and hollandaise. Heartier mains feature Curried Squash Pasta, which pairs roasted kabocha squash and yellow Thai curry with chewy Korean rice cake noodles, toasted pepitas, brown butter and sage. The Brine + Herb-Marinated Amish Farm Chicken comes from Kindling's Parisian rotisserie with butternut squash, grilled grapes and rosemary chicken jus. An Oven-Roasted Turkey Sandwich rounds out the fall offerings with cinnamon-honey brie and cabbage slaw on the restaurant's 1979 Pullman loaf.
Cocktail Program Expands With Seasonal Options The bar has added fall-themed cocktails including The Ogden with vodka, spiced liqueur and sparkling cranberry; Plum & Peril with mezcal, chili-infused plum and Sfumato; and Shadow Play featuring banana-infused dark rum, Meletti and lemon. New non-alcoholic offerings are also available. Reservations can be made through OpenTable.
Why It Matters
As operators plan their seasonal pivots, Kindling's approach—layering global ingredients and techniques within a fall comfort-food framework—demonstrates how restaurants can balance trend-driven menu development with guest expectations for warming, familiar dishes during cooler months.
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Written by FBM Publications Editors
