Kinmont | Chicago

"It's our patriotic duty to eat oysters!" – Barton Seaver.

We've never been so happy to see a quote on a menu. Even if we don't know why it's our patriotic duty, exactly, we whole-heartedly agree.

Kinmont, a new restaurant from the group behind Nellcôte and Old Town Social, embraces a spirit of seafood gluttony, with oyster-laden seafood towers and a raw bar that serves everything from lobster to cobia.

The name of the restaurant comes from a fly fishing lure common in Midwestern hunting and fishing clubs. It might seem contradictory, given seafood's coastal connotations, but the restaurant is as Midwestern in sensibility as it gets.

Interior details at Kinmont
Kinmont forgoes the typical nautical gewgaws of theme-y restaurants, sticking to a dark, copper-accented aesthetic. That, and the exterior wood paneling and gold letters declaring "distinctive dishes" on the windows, gives it the feel of a gentleman's hunting club.

If you're not in the mood for the raw stuff, go for the "catch of the day," a beautifully simple plate of trout, salmon or tilefish served with butter, lemon and parsley ($13-$18). It's the type of dish you'd want to make if you caught the fish yourself that day–although it probably wouldn't be as perfect.

Keeping with the Midwestern theme, there's also Door County whitefish chowder ($7), smoked fish dip ($8) and a creamy dish of scrambled eggs with Lake Superior whitefish ($9).

Landlubbers won't be disappointed, either: Steak tartare ($12), served with thick slices of charred bread, is a savory delight, as is the smoky dry-aged ribeye ($60).

That's fine: More oysters for the rest of us.