Terrible news,
Blackbird was an amazing, intimate restaurant celebrating midwest farms with a French twist. I recall a goat cheese I had there, from a producer in southern Indiana, Capriole. It was a near-religious experience. On business trips To Chicago I made a point of getting to Blackbird even if it was on my own. One of the few places I indulged in a tasting menu as a single. The service was welcoming and knowledgeable, the food revelatory.
I guess the intimacy was it’s Achilles Heel.
