Girl and the Goat

Three months: the length of time in a financial quarter, the length of time for your favorite NBA team to gradually dissolve into a team that may lose in the first round of playoffs, or the length of time it takes to get a reservation for a reasonable dinner time at Girl and the Goat? The answer? All three are true. 

Some hope remains. I was able to get reservations the day before by sacrificing my typical weekday schedule and settling for a Tuesday night dinner at 10:30 pm. As for the Pacers? Hopefully Game 3 was a wake up call....

But enough about my broken Hoosier heart. 

I have been wanting to visit Girl and the Goat for a very long time. It's a trendy, posh restaurant that everyone raves about. How could a food critic living in Chicago not have experienced the culinary extravaganza known by many as a forward and delicious hot spot on West Hubbard. The location itself is predominately associated with fine dining and revolutionary cusine. Across the street is Au Cheval, one of my favorite restaurants so far. I was also already dazzled with the mouth-watering food served at Little Goat Diner, the more casual, diner-ish relative of Girl and the Goat. When my friend invited me for dinner on Tuesday, I immediately said yes despite the obscure time and an early practice the next morning. I couldn't wait to try the fantastic small plates that I had been reading all about for months. 

I'm happy to report that Girl and the Goat is indeed delicious. But sadly, I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed. I felt that the restaurant itself was a little overhyped and that although some dishes were superb, I was underwhelmed by the dessert selection. I spent months imagining just how great that dinner would be and although some dishes were very well done, it would've been more satisfying without the comparison to the idealized version that had been ruminating in my head since I was first told of this magical place. Perhaps this is why many of the top Chicago restaurants are shifting to a no-reservation policy (ie. Au Cheval, DMK, Ada Street after 6 pm). I definitely recommend coming here at least once though. It's a fantastic experience and the food is very exotic and different. Where else can you have octopus, goat, scallops & pig face all in one sitting?  The waitstaff were very friendly and attentive to our needs, especially refilling our water glasses, which was great. Our waiter even offered to help cure me of my hiccups although I didn't have any. Still unclear whether that was some interesting and unique attempt at a pickup line.. Ha. 

Below are the plates that we shared and my general thoughts on them. They rotate fairly regularly but if you go visit soon, I definitely recommend the grilled baby octopus, the goat empanadas, the wood oven roasted pig face and the roasted cauliflower. Enjoy!

Mary

Grilled baby octopus

This dish featured fresh, baby octopus grilled to perfection, mixed with exotic ingredients including guanciale and pistachios. An assortment of beans added a lovely green color to the dish. The mixture was lightly flavored with lemon vinaigrette which provided a citrus compliment to the fresh seafood taste of the octupi. An adventurous, colorful twist on octopus and overall, the grilling brought out the best in the flavoring of the baby octupi. 

Ghums n' roses

Our bread selection was served with rosemary honey butter and apple sauce, an unusual pairing that introduced an excellent pairing of sweet and savory.  The hearty bread was a nice way to start off the meal, especially since we were both hungry from such a late reservation. 

Fried naked cowboy

The Fried Naked Cowboy features fried oysters, egg salad and capers. Beyond being aesthetically pleasing, the plate is the ultimate bite-sized oyster dish. It literally is "bite-sized," served on four different spoons- great for sharing.

Fried pickles

An interesting take on a fairly common dish, the fried pickles at Girl and the Goat were served with shallot aioli and yuzu harissa. The dish was lightly breaded and featured crisp, succulent pickles. The shallot aioli was savory and creamy while the yuzu Harissa was spicy and exotic. Good but not particularly special. 

Goat empanadas

Quite possibly my favorite dish here, the goat empanadas were topped with marinated sheep feta and pickled golden beets. The dish was drizzled with tzatziki sauce. I love feta cheese and the marination added an unique twist on an otherwise simple ingredient. 

Wood oven roasted pig face

This dish combined the rich, smoky flavors of pig with the traditional rendition of a sunny side egg. Seasoned with tamarind and cilantro, the pork and egg combination was drizzled in red-wine maple and decorated with potato stix. Definitely one of my favorite plates of the meal. Remember to ask your server for how they obtain the pig face if you are interested (and can stomach it). Our waiter gave us a fairly detailed description that soothed my worries about accidentally finding a snout hidden under the egg...haha. 

Roasted cauliflower

My favorite vegetarian option here, the roasted cauliflower, is amazing. The mix included the fresh, natural flavors of cauliflower with the strong flavors of pickled peppers and the crunchiness of pine nuts. The dish is seasoned with mint, provided a sharp contrast to the spice of the peppers.  Definitely has a nice kick to it, especially if you like jalapeño peppers. Topped with Parmesan cheese, this plate is perfect for dinner the following day as leftovers. Trust me.  

"Coffeecake" semifreddo

This dessert is the ultimate combination of my favorite things about breakfast: coffee and fresh grapefruit. The scoop of coffee ice cream is served with biscuit-like cookies and ruby red grapefruit. Cacao nib beans adorn the dish and provide a necessary crunch. The bitterness of the coffee meshes well with the sweetness of the cookies and the tartness of the grapefruit. Dessert well done but nothing out of the ordinary. 

Plantain cake

The second dessert was definitely underwhelming. The plantain cake featured cream cheese-chocolate chip gelato that was overpowered by the bland taste of the overly moist cake. I was unable to taste the supposed flavors of passion fruit and left hand milk stout in the dish. Overall, the dessert was a disappointment. Save yourself the time and money and grab dessert elsewhere. 

4 P's: Pizza Pot Pie Perfection

Nicknamed "Chicago’s most exciting restaurant concept in many years," the Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co. was recommended to me by my grandfather.  He discovered the "Home of the Pizza Pot Pie" while watching the food channel and immediately emailed me with the recommendation.  Needless to say, I was excited to try this new spin on pizza in the beautiful neighborhood of Lincoln Park.  

My friend and I biked to dinner (all the way from Hyde Park) and therefore were very hungry and excited by the time we arrived at the restaurant.  The forty minute wait for a table for two went by fairly quickly and the weather was nice enough to wait outside.  To get a table, you don't need to give a name to the man at the hostess stand.  He remembers every customer's face which was quite impressive because the restaurant was extremely busy.

Pizza as a pot pie is a revolutionary way of looking at pizza.  

A good pizza can essentially be broken into two categories: crust and sauce/toppings.  Great pizza crust begins with great dough.  The pizza pot pies at Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co. are handmade with triple-raised Sicilian bread-type dough, ensuring the crust is soft and doughy.  Customers may select either white or wheat upon ordering. The crust to sauce/toppings ratio is superb and the dough does not overpower the other ingredients of the pizza.  The sauce  is a secret combination of olive oil, fresh garlic, onions, green peppers, whole plum tomatoes and sausage pieces.  Inside the pie are multiple whole, fresh mushrooms. SO GOOD. And to top it off (quite literally), a delicious cheese blend blankets the pot pie.

Overall, one of my favorite pizza restaurants in Chicago.  Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder's Co. features a revolutionary pizza dish that I intend to attempt in my own kitchen soon. 

Until next time meal,

Mary

Pizza Pot Pie at Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder's Co.

Winning Wieners

Nick Codispoti: "Benjamin Franklin once said, a wiener turns a frown upside down." *

Few people are able to master the art of the grill, let alone the grilling of an all-beef* hot dog. 

I am happy to report that the University of Chicago's men's athletic association, the Order of the C, has mastered both these skills.

I was walking home after a rough day of classes in the frigid Chicago wind when I stumbled upon a wonderful sight.  Male athletes grilling in the Bartlett quad. Whether it was the enticing aroma of the hot dogs or the jaw-dropping calf muscles of the male soccer players, I was intrigued. 

After trying a hot dog, I am thrilled to report that the wieners are both edible and satisfactory. The toasted bun was definitely a nice touch (kudos Kevin). Perhaps one of the finest dining experiences in my entire life. 

Mary

* Warning: may include false or inaccurate information

Flavors of Indianapolis

Twice in three days. (And no I'm not referring to how often LeBron flops..) I'm referring to how often I visited my favorite pizza restaurant in Indiana over break. Everyone has their hometown favorite restaurants. Because I live in Chicago now, from time to time I find myself craving the distinctive flavors of my go-to places in Indianapolis. These cravings usually consist of Puccini's Smiling Teeth Pizza. A trip home means a trip to Puccini's. It's where my family ate after rec soccer games growing up and has now become the "Mary's home!" restaurant.  A great choice to dine with family or impress a first date. 

I've always been a huge fan of pizza. Growing up, I was reluctant to branch out from cheese but since have become more adventurous in my topping selection. I was introduced to my absolute favorite pizza topping combination by a good friend of mine that loves Puccini's almost as much as I do. The Campfire. Typing those two words makes my stomach growl as I sit in a Chicago coffee shop, waiting for an acceptable time to show up for class.  I'm surprised I haven't had to wipe any drool off of my iPad yet as I sit here looking at the scrumptious, jaw-dropping photos of the oozy Gorgonzola cheese blend and pink, succulent smoked sausage pieces. The pizza features a sweet onion marmalade and is adorned with pieces of fresh rosemary.  It's my absolute favorite pizza ever and one of the restaurant's signature pies. Afterwards, I always relapse into a pizza-induced comma and am perfectly content with doing so.     

But make sure you leave room for dessert! Indianapolis is home to a fantastic cupcake shop that is almost next door to Puccini's if you visit the 82nd street location. The Flying Cupcake is a local Indianapolis cupcake shop that features fabulous flavors, including my personal favorite "The Hungry Lumberjack!" which features a French toast cupcake with maple-syrup infused cream cheese frosting, syrup drizzle and bacon.  It's like breakfast for dessert! So many different flavors to choose from and their icing is fantastic. 

Indianapolis is home to many hidden gems and I hope that one day you experience what makes the Crossroads of America so tasty! Because what's better than great pizza, followed by breakfast for dessert? Plus, you'll be hanging out in one of the best cities in America. Home of the Colts, Pacers and my man Lance Stephenson. 

Forever an inDINEapolis girl,

Mary

Campfire pizza

The Hungry Lumberjack!