Located in Chicago’s vibrant food scene, Moloko take its name from Anthony Burgess’ “A Clockwork Orange”, a sci-fi novel in which the youth of the time drink at a late night bar with the upper echelons of society before going out. This is the basis of Moloko’s constitution, a late night desserts bar, specializing in sumptuous pastries and cakes, served alongside artisanal drinks for a discerning, diverse crowd.
Moloko features various seating and dining options for the patron’s preference in social interaction. Each custom piece is a study in soft geometry, balanced with luxurious, honest materiality, such as the Tesoro Blue marble tables set upon smoked glass blown pedestals in the front of the dining room. A bespoke 16 seat bar height dining table constructed from Bianco Lasa Vena Oro Marble runs the length of the dining room, detailed with delicate rounded edges and brass details. Flanking the end of the dining room is an impactful banquette, finished with a brass surround, Hermes wallpaper, and a mirrored back to offer expanding views of the space. All of the seating is upholstered in luxurious Holland and Sherry Velvets in deep colorways, adding a youthful, refined ambiance to the space. Operable glass doors create opportunities for patrons to eat outdoors on the travertine floored dining area lined in lush boxwoods.
Designed with the creative, cooking process in mind, the kitchen reflects a residential atmosphere, as if watching a friend cook. The darker color palette of the kitchen, with its painted cabinetry and custom oil-rubbed bronze hood create an intimate stage for patrons to view their food’s creation. The front of house and display case is grounded in quarter-sewn oak and a tiled backsplash created from stones in the same colors as the seating.