Schwa is an upscale restaurant run by chef-owner Michael Carlson and chef de cuisine Papi Chulo. It is located on Ashland Avenue in Wicker Park, Chicago, and is known for its unconventional approach to foodservice. Simple table settings match the building's drab exterior and its tiny 26-seat interior. The restaurant employs no support staff of any kind. Chefs interact directly with customers and are encouraged to act as silly as they wish, as long as they produce top quality food.
Opening in 2005, Schwa quickly drew local and national attention resulting in a large backlog of reservations. In 2007, Schwa was chosen to host the opening night of Charlie Trotter's 20th anniversary celebration. The evening was considered a success, but placed a great deal of stress on Carlson, causing him to close Schwa the following day for a four-month hiatus.
Schwa's menu is known for unusual ingredients and innovative food combinations, such as Carlson's version of pad Thai made with jellyfish tentacles instead of noodles. The quail egg ravioli is considered the restaurant's signature dish.
Schwa has received positive reviews from both local and national critics. It has received three star to three-and-a-half star ratings from the Chicago Tribune, Chicago magazine, and the Mobil Travel Guide. BlackBook Magazine says Schwa features "some of the best food you will ever consume", while famed chef Grant Achatz lists it among his personal favorite places to eat. Several critics have stated that below-average service prevents the restaurant from getting a higher rating. Schwa made Citysearch's Top 10 New Restaurants of 2006 and New York magazine's Grub Street blog ranked it among the five hardest reservations to score in the country. In 2009, Schwa made Frommer's international list of 500 exceptional restaurants.
Description
Schwa is a tiny, restaurant located in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Seating 26, it features what chef Michael Carlson describes as a "pared-down" approach to food and has been described as being on the forefront of a new "molecular gastronomy" style of cooking. The menu is short and constantly changing. Writing for the Chicago Sun Times, Allecia Vemillion calls dinner at Schwa "a window into Carlson's own brain – laser-focused on food with little time for anything else." Unlike typical upscale restaurants, Schwa does not have a wine list, a liquor license, or even stemware.
The pared-down approach can also be seen in the way the business is run. Carlson maintains a staff of only four people to run his restaurant – himself and three other chefs. Schwa has no receptionist, waiters, or other support staff. Schwa's chefs do every job in the restaurant ranging from taking orders to busing tables. Tables are small, simple, and have none of the usual restaurant amenities – no flowers, candles, salt, or pepper. The decor is minimalist, and the kitchen is viewable by patrons in the dining room.
Even the building itself is minimalistic. One observer described it as "so understated that [it] is easy to miss even when one is looking for it", while another said "pass by and you might think it's the home of a batty husband and wife who rarely go outside". The building has a dirty awning and cheap blinds that give the impression the business is closed for remodeling. Schwa is surrounded by dingy buildings and a tire store featuring plastic palm trees.
In line with its minimalistic tendencies, Schwa serves a maximum of 32 customers a night (often leaving the dining room half empty), with staggered seating so that only one table is ordering at any time. Arriving guests are typically greeted with Carlson's trademark salutation: "How you cats doing tonight?" He enjoys casual interaction with his customers, such as calling his dishes "awesome" and "badass". Instead of the soft background music typical of an upscale restaurant, guests are treated to loud hip-hop or heavy metal music. One customer called Schwa "a nice change from all the corporate restaurants".