This post is a bit delayed as I have put off writing about my experience at Girl and the Goat, one of the most talked about new restaurants in Chicago. Started by Stephanie Izard, winner of Top Chef, the restaurant was nominated for the 2011 James Beard best new restaurant award. Despite its three-month waiting list, the unassuming restaurant welcomes walk-ins at its communal tables. Naturally, the night we had planned to go was the night of a massive blizzard in Chicago. As a reward for making our way through the blizzard, there was no wait for a table once we arrived. Seated at one of the long tables in the dimly lit, cavernous restaurant that somehow maintained a cozy feel, we immediately felt part of a communal dining experience. The menu featured a variety of small plates, all for sharing. Unsurprisingly, from the name of the restaurant, the vegetarian options were not abundant. While I don usually mention the bread at a restaurant, the bread was a part of the culinary experience. The beet bread accompanied by a spread of goat cheese spiked our excitement of the meal to come.
For our first course, we settled on the roasted cauliflower with pickled peppers, pine nuts and mint. The combination of textures and subtle and spicy tastes made for an complex but fresh taste.
However, the
pinnacle of the meal without question was the chocolate cake combined with
pomegranate seeds, left milk compote and chocolate ice cream. It was one of
those dessert experiences that you just don’t want to end. This dessert is on
my top ten desserts in all of Chicago, of which I have tried quite a few. Overall,
the meal was surprisingly affordable for a restaurant which has generated such
hype and such a long waiting list. Each of the dishes ranges from $10 to around
$20 and it is suggested that each person gets around two. Although if splitting the dishes, that can even be too much food.
While the meal at Girl and the Goat
can be classified as a culinary experience necessary to try at least once, it
is not a place that I will become a regular. The tastes were delicious but left a
heavy feeling due to the richness of the ingredients.
Even
if I do not make it back to Girl and the Goat, I definitely plan on trying Little
Goat, Izard’s new restaurant that is planned to open this summer. Little Goat
will be a spin-off on the traditional diner replete with a bar, shuffleboard
table, photo booth and of course delicious food.
Girl and the Goat: 809 W. Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 492-6262
http://www.girlandthegoat.com/
Sun.-Thurs.: 4:30 p.m.-11 p.m., Fri.-Sat.: 4:30 p.m.-12 a.m.