![]() The must-order dish at the dinner-only restaurant might be the TCD, or tuna chirashi don, which literally translates to “scattered tuna bowl.” But there’s nothing scattered about it. Southport Ave., 77, ItokoĬhef Gene Kato, best known for Momotaro in the West Loop, named Itoko for the Japanese word for cousin, but it feels like a more distant relation, who lives across some choppy seas. There was no age limit on the meal (now 10 and under), so I wished the drink choices weren’t just apple juice or chocolate milk - maybe something a little more grown-up off the menu to toast the fantastic GG’s instead.ģ325 N. Nor is the kid’s meal, with big crispy chicken tenders, cloaked in the signature fried crust, plus wonderful waffle fries seasoned with spice rub. The chocolate dirt pudding is seriously delightful, topped by gummy worms, with chocolate cookie crumbs over a deep, dark custard. They’re generous florets, but so surprisingly soggy, losing the point of the lovely crust.Īn oatmeal cream pie is an excellent excuse to eat two chewy cookies sandwiching a sweet creamy filling. That crispy fried chicken sandwich can substitute cauliflower instead, but don’t do it. A mixed green salad set no such bar, and sadly none were met without unsightly wilted leaves, my pet peeve with greens. The chicken drippings smashed potatoes on the other hand, sound like all my favorite food groups put together, so expectations were high. Even a broccoli slaw with almonds, raisins and lemon poppy seed dressing transcends what could be a fancy deli salad with too many ingredients by striking a refreshing balance. Sweet corn elote captures summer with cotija and chipotle. Crispy Brussels sprouts are beautifully seasoned with chile and lime. ![]() GG’s mac and cheese holds an incredibly intense concentration of golden sauce. Then there are the sides, quite frankly my favorite part of just about any meal. ![]() The sauces are stunning as well - barbecue, chimichurri, garlic ranch and honey mustard - each made with the care of an Escoffier saucier. Get the whole chicken meal to best appreciate the impeccably roasted skin, especially across the back hiding the prized nuggets known as chicken oysters. It’s a Michelin-starred chef’s take on peak Popeyes mania.īut GG’s was always meant to be a rotisserie chicken restaurant. Or at least try to, if the crackling crust isn’t too loud, giving in to juicy flesh, touched with spicy mayo and hot honey, shrouded by a cool cabbage slaw, on a bed of housemade bread and butter pickles, all held on a toasted brioche bun. If you’re thinking, “Not another fried chicken sandwich (with breast meat at that!),” hear me out. The crispy fried chicken sandwich has become a fan favorite for good reason at the counter-service lunch and dinner shop. GG’s Chicken Shop, Itoko and Little Goat Diner could be an extension of the multimillion-dollar houses around the block. It’s a strange stretch, with $3 million homes in what feels like a faux city neighborhood set in the suburbs. They’ve changed the atmosphere on their corner of the Southport Corridor to an all-day dining destination. They’ve transformed more than the former Southport Lanes with their partners at the Boka Restaurant Group. I wouldn’t normally do mini reviews of three restaurants with two that really just moved, but these aren’t normal restaurants - or chefs for that matter. Then there’s Itoko, which means cousin in Japanese, and actually a new concept that could be considered a junior sibling to the well-established Momotaro. Next door, GG’s Chicken Shop found a permanent home in the front corner space, after starting as a virtual pandemic restaurant out of a Michelin-starred kitchen in Lincoln Park. Little Goat Diner moved from its prominent place in the West Loop to a side street in Lakeview. Then again, the concepts are not quite new. Stephanie Izard may be the best-known chef of the three who just opened a trio of new restaurants in a historic building in Chicago.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |