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Ramp Watch: Chicago Chefs Break Out the Spring Produce

The signs of spring are showing up all over plates

Claudia

Spring has sprung and chefs are showing their enthusiasm by putting ramps, fiddleheads, morels, and more on their plates. From ramp pizza at Coalfire to morel risotto at Dusek's, chefs and restaurants turn to Instagram to show off their spoils.

Andrew Zimmerman is all about the fiddlehead ferns at Sepia.

Ora King salmon, asparagus, fava beans, fiddlehead fern, burnt scallion relish, sweet lemon

A photo posted by Andrew Zimmerman (@chefazimmerman) on

At Ruxbin, ramps take center stage alongside pumpkin seed romesco and shaved nebrodini.

English pea puree and pea tendrils make for one very spring salad at Avec.

At Two, spring is served in a bowl of cavatelli with peas, ramps, sausage, and ricotta.

Spring has arrived! Cavatelli (Peas, Ramps, Sausage, Ricotta) photo c/o: @dannythecook

A photo posted by TWO (@two_chicago) on

Ramps have taken over the menu at Coalfire on Southport, from ramp pesto to ramps and ricotta on coal-fired pizza.

Lee Wolen certainly knows his way around seasonal vegetables. In this case, it's ramps and peas with short ribs and grilled beef tongue at Boka.

Roasted short rib and grilled tongue with ramps, peas and yogurt starting tonight @bokachicago

A photo posted by Lee Wolen (@leewolen) on

The spring trifecta is being served up at pop-up restaurant Claudia, with ramps, fiddlehead ferns, and morels alongside salmon.

Tripe, Peruvian lima beans, and ramps are now on the menu at The Bristol.

Charred ramps sneak onto the menu at Rural Society as a special. A similar version of this dish features fava beans, avocado, salsacriolla, and micro-arugula.

Thirty-day dry aged short rib gets the spring treatment with  ramp salsa verde, pickled ramps, radish, asparagus and bitter orange at Mercat a la Planxa.

Ocean trout puts on its spring finest at GreenRiver with English peas, morels, and citrus beurre blanc.

Ramps have found their way into Fat Rice's Macau steamed pork shank.

Macau Steamed Pork Shank with the first ramps of the season on this flurry Friday.

A photo posted by Fat Rice (@eatfatrice) on

Keep an eye out for this special at Frontier — charred ramps, beet emulsion, leeks, oranges, pancetta butter.

Charred ramps, beet emulsion, leeks, oranges, pancetta butter #spring #vegetables #ramps @frontierchicago

A photo posted by Chef Brian Jupiter (@chefjup) on

Holy risotto, Batman. The one at Dusek's is loaded with fiddlehead ferns and morel mushrooms.

NEW Spring Risotto with fiddlehead ferns and morel mushrooms. Spring is here!!

A photo posted by John Dusek's (@dusekschicago) on

Springtime's must-have condiment — ramp ranch — is back at Trenchermen with buckwheat fried artichokes and mandarinquats.

Dusek's

1227 W 18th Street, Chicago, IL

Coalfire

1321 West Grand Avenue, , IL 60642 (312) 226-2625 Visit Website

Mercat a la Planxa

638 South Michigan Avenue, , IL 60605 (312) 765-0524 Visit Website

Rural Society

455 N. Park Dr., Chicago, IL 60611 Visit Website

Boka

1729 North Halsted Street, , IL 60614 (312) 337-6070 Visit Website

Sepia

123 North Jefferson Street, , IL 60661 (312) 441-1920 Visit Website

Fat Rice

2957 West Diversey Avenue, , IL 60647 (773) 661-9170 Visit Website

Avec

615 West Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60661 (312) 377-2002 Visit Website

Two

1132 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60642 (312) 624-8363 Visit Website

GreenRiver

259 E Erie St Fl 18, Chicago, IL 60611

Ruxbin Kitchen

851 North Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60642

Trench

2039 W North Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622 Visit Website

Frontier

1072 North Milwaukee Avenue, , IL 60642 (773) 772-4322 Visit Website

The Bristol

2152 North Damen Avenue, , IL 60647 (773) 862-5555 Visit Website

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