After Grace
IT FEELS LIKE I’M CHEATING on Curtis,” announces my dining companion midway through our meal at Yugen. There’s a lot to unpack in those seven words, considering the companion is my wife, so I just say this: “Me too, honey.”
The specter of Curtis Duffy—who won three Michelin stars at 652 West Randolph Street as chef of Grace before his tenure ended in a walkout, a noncompete clause, and multiple lawsuits—haunts everything in this West Loop space. The restaurant was unforgettable, and so was Duffy’s intense presence. At various points I catch
