Asador Bastian

This Spanish spot is in a 19th-century River North townhouse, with an intimate dining room on the second floor. Asador Bastian's menu doesn’t have the standard cuts of beef, here there are six varieties served per pound, and a server who must have a PhD in Boeuf-ology will walk you through everything—like how long the Galincia was aged on the hoof, why, and its hopes and dreams before ending up on your plate. There are certainly potatoes on the menu, but as a bone marrow puree, or in a fluffy tortilla Espanola. This place is elegantly low-key (but not at all stuffy) and very expensive—expect to spend at least $100 on the beef alone. But next time you want an impressive dinner featuring a perfectly seasoned ribeye cooked over coals, make a reservation.