Keep your eye on newly appointed Executive Chef Ellison Park of Chicago’s critically acclaimed Income Tax (2018 Jean Banchet “Best Bar” award, Chicago Reader’s 2017 “Best Wine List”, finalist for 2018 TimeOut Chicago Bar Awards, featured in Bon Appetit’s Best Food City in America, Conde Nast Travelers Best Restaurants in Chicago), as he rolls out his first new menu to run alongside the neighborhood eatery’s extensive natural wine and award-winning bar programs. 
Behind the scenes as executive sous chef for Beverly Clark & Johnny Clark at Michelin-starred Parachute for the previous four years, Park is now stepping into the light at Edgewater’s Income Tax with dishes inspired by European traditions and the Neo-Bistro movement such as Lamb Belly with smoked apricots, Cecamariti pasta with shrimp and Calabrian Chili as well as desserts highlighting the best of summer including a Semifreddo made with local cherries two ways and more.
A RETURN TO SIMPLICITY: INCOME TAX NEW MENU HIGHLIGHTS
- Lamb Belly — Cured for two days then rested in a bed of herbs and lemon zest, the tender lamb belly is then sliced and slightly seared before being topped with smoked apricot chutney, fresh seared apricot and an herb salad composed of radicchio, purslane, mint and dill.
- Cecamariti — This traditional Italian hand-rolled yeasted pasta similar to a dumpling gets revamped with charred corn, preserved lemon, smoked shrimp crumble spiced with Calabrian chili and fennel. The pillowy pasta creates a great base for the chili and shrimp while the corn adds a little more snap to each bite.
- Roasted String Beans — One of Park’s favorite summer vegetables, these seasonal green beans are sautéed in aromatic brown butter, Chanterelle mushrooms, Tropea onions and a summer truffle aioli before being topped with purple basil and more shaved summer truffle.
- Poached Fluke — The wild caught Atlantic fluke is poached gently in neutral oil then emulsified with a dashi-style nage made with sake, yuzu, shiitake mushrooms, bonito, white soy and butter. Marinated and roasted summer squash finish the dish, adding color, richness and a touch of earth.
- Semifreddo — Hitting all areas of the palate, the semifreddo harnesses the salty and soft profile of Nettle Meadow Kunik Triple Crème Cheese and balances it with tart and sweet macerated Michigan cherries and whipped cherry juice. This decadent dessert is then finished with cocoa nibs, adding texture and a slight touch of bitterness.
ABOUT EXECUTIVE CHEF ELLISON PARK: An Oak Park, Illinois native and son of Korean immigrants, Ellison Park has spent the past 15 years immersing himself in hospitality through a variety of front and back of house positions, ultimately choosing to direct his efforts towards the kitchen as a chef. Most recently from 2014-2018, Park has held the position of executive sous chef at the Michelin-starred restaurant Parachute, an Avondale mainstay continuously recognized for its distinctive Korean-American offerings, and garnering multiple nominations by the James Beard Foundation for Outstanding Restaurant and Best Chef: Great Lakes. Before working under the direction of Parachute’s husband and wife chef team Johnny Clark and Beverly Kim, Park cooked alongside Chef Jason Hammel, as well as Chef Mike Simmons (Café Marie Jeanne) and Chef Sarah Rinkavage (Marisol) at the all-day Logan Square hot spot, Lula Cafe. Now in 2018, Park takes the helm as executive chef at the Edgewater wine bar and restaurant, Income Tax, crafting food offerings to complement the restaurant’s extensive list of natural wines, spirits and expertly crafted cocktails. Drawing inspiration from time spent in Paris as a stage at the acclaimed Clown Bar and Michelin-starred Le Chateaubriand, Park incorporates neo-bistro elements into Income Tax’s slant towards Old World regional fare. Park’s experience at Parachute is also evident as he lets the seasons drive the menu, using the highest quality ingredients available to produce clean, focused dishes on Chicago’s North Side.
ABOUT INCOME TAX: Income Tax is an intimate, 50-seat wine-focused restaurant with an emphasis on food-friendly wine and wine-friendly food in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. Backed by an impressive team of industry pros, the team consists of owner Nelson Fitch (Independent Spirits), general manager Collin Moody (Intelligentsia, Perman Wine Selections, Red & White) and Executive Chef Ellison Park—who has worked in the kitchens of Lula Café, and most recently spent four years as executive sous chef of Michelin-starred restaurant Parachutewith husband and wife chef team Johnny Clark and Beverly Kim. Neighbors and diners alike are invited to seek a quiet corner or gather round a spirited table filled with interesting wines, great cocktails and delicious plates of food. The team has hand-selected a food-friendly wine list that focuses on a variety of old-world regions and producers with an agricultural mindset to represent regions both classic (Bordeaux, Burgundy, Piedmont) and lesser known (Saar, Beaujolais, Jura, Chinon). Chef Ellison thoughtfully crafts food offerings to complement the restaurant’s extensive list of natural wines, spirits and expertly crafted cocktails. Drawing inspiration from time spent in Paris as a stage at the acclaimed Clown Bar and Michelin-starred Le Chateaubriand, Park incorporates neo-bistro elements into Income Tax’s slant towards Old World regional fare. Income Tax was named the winner of the 2018 Jean Banchet “Best Bar” award, Chicago Reader’s 2017 “Best Wine List”, finalist for 2018 TimeOut Chicago Bar Awards, and featured nationally for its excellence in food and beverage in Bon Appétit, Condé Nast Traveler, Liquor.comand more. Income Tax is located at 5959 North Broadway Street. Hours of operation are Tuesday – Saturday, 5pm – 11pm. For more information, please call 773-897-9165 or visit incometaxchicago.com.
