| THE WALKTHROUGH 06.30.08 3:36 PM |
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| Another Eno Opens in the Fairmont Chicago |
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In May, the Fairmont Chicago opened the city's second Eno outpost, the sleek wine, cheese, and chocolate bar concept owned by Strategic Hotels & Resorts. The hotel management company, which owns the Fairmont and InterContinental properties in Chicago, launched the Eno brand at the InterContinental Chicago in December 2006 and has since opened seven additional locations throughout the country. (Other Eno locales include shops in New York, California, Washington, D.C., Mexico City, and Scottsdale.)
The 1,200-square-foot Fairmont location follows the Eno strategy—fine wines, artisanal cheeses, and gourmet chocolates served in an upscale yet casual tasting-room environment. An ideal spot for a teambuilding activity, Eno focuses on customer education, with staffers guiding guests through custom pairings based on individual moods, tastes, and preferences. Special one-hour "Eno-Versity" classes featuring appearances by winemakers, chocolatiers, and cheese makers take place monthly, and private wine-tasting events can be customized for as many as 10 guests. |
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PHOTO GALLERY |
 | Eno's slightly recessed space is cordoned off of the Fairmont's lobby with bronze sculptural pieces.
Photo: Courtesy of Eno |
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 | Eno offers seating at café or highboy tables.
Photo: Courtesy of Eno |
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 | Ten-foot-tall oak cabinets house Eno's extensive wine collection and frame the bar.
Photo: Courtesy of Eno |
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Eno's globally influenced wine list includes some 500 bottle options, with 60 wines available by the glass and 20 offered by flights. Handmade truffles and bars from local chocolatiers are served individually or by the flight, and cheeses from small producers from around the world (with a focus on Midwestern brands) are on hand, as well. Light bites, including flatbreads and salads, round out the menu.
The addition of Eno is part of the Fairmont Chicago's ongoing makeover, which is headed up by the New York-based Rockwell Group. Designed by San Francisco-based restaurant design firm Puccini Group, Eno is situated in the center of the hotel's redesigned lobby, which is enclosed by open-scroll bronze sculptural elements and a crystal wall. Ten-foot-tall temperature-controlled oak cabinets display wine bottles and frame the space. Custom carpeting designed to look like the slate floors of traditional wine cellars joins multi-textured furniture in sienna and eggplant hues. Seating for 52 guests is available at café and highboy tables.
—Wendy Wollenberg
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Strategic Hotels & Resorts
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