The Blackstone Hotel's Mercat a la Planxa is frequented by hotel guests and locals alike. With a superb location on the Lake, the tapas-style restaurant features delectable Spanish fare and an innovative cocktail menu. The beautiful restaurant in The Blackstone, a Renaissance Hotel, is a true gem in the Windy City. Here are some of our favorite dishes prepared by chef de cuisine Cory Morris.

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Confit Fall Vegatables

The vegetarian confit dish consists of a medley of fall vegetables and fruits including lima beans, crisp apples, and squash served warm and perfectly seasoned with fresh herbs. The dish offers a hearty option for vegetarians and displays fall produce at its best.

Blackstone Benedict

The second course on the brunch tasting menu, the Blackstone Benedict, is a true treat to any lover of the classic dish. Served with truffle hollandaise sauce and chorizo over a porous brioche, it was one of the highlights of the meal.

Cured meats

In keeping centuries of Spanish tradition, Mercat also offers a fine selection of cured meats, from chorizo to jamón. Upon entering the restaurant, guests are greeted by what most carnivores would consider a very tasty-looking pig’s leg.

Gambas Al Ajillo

Mercat’s shrimp dish was served in a bubbling garlic and butter sauce with crispy toast on the side. Bathed in that much butter, it’s hard to go wrong. They make an ideal pre-paella appetizer – especially since the brunch paella is not a seafood dish.

Paella Desayuno

The Brunch paella differs greatly from Mercat’s traditional seafood paella served at dinner time. It comes baked in a metal pan with eggs on the top to give the dinner time favorite a bit of a breakfast spin. The dish includes toast with saffron mayo aioli and a cute pile of arugula.

Pimientos de Pedron

The Piemientos de Pedron were spicy without being overwhelming and prepared simply: flash fried and sprinkled with sea salt. Fresh, spicy, and delicious.

Croquetas de Xocolata

Mercat’s Croquetas de Xocolata are aesthetically understated, not betraying their flavor til the moment they erupt in your mouth. Each croquette has a crisp outside that dissolves into a rich chocolate center, and comes with a toasted banana marshmallow on the side. The explosion of molten goodness in each bite makes this dish simply irresistible.

The kitchen at Mercat a la Planxa at The Blackstone, a Renaissance Hotel

Mercat a la Planxa at The Blackstone, a Renaissance Hotel