Riding Chicago’s Green Line, preceding my daughter Tara’s college graduation reception (double major, 5 years, leadership award, etc etc!) a billboard spanning a trestle bridge announced “EPIC”, it’s original intended message obscured by my imagination, while coincidentally foretelling our impending dining experience. Chicago’s West Randolph St., and the surrounding neighborhood, boasts one incredible restaurant after another If there is another place in the World that boasts such a concentration of culinary excellence, I am unaware of its existence. Blackbird, Avec, Au Cheval, Publican, Maude’s and on this night—The Little Goat, just across the street from The Girl and the Goat—two restaurants owned by Stephanie Izard, the smallest, most un assuming white-hot chef in a city full of flame throwers.
It was there that we indeed experienced “Epic” dining–a term reserved for only the very most memorable of flawless dining experiences!
As we entered the kitchen-dining room-deck space designed to look as though she was cooking for a few friends, harkening back to her cooking roots, pre TV and commercial stardom, an early winner of America’s Top Chef—there Chef Izard was—hand-tearing herbs, welcoming us to her “home” with a smile and “congratulations”, setting the stage for 5 hours of incredible dining, service and hospitality as perfect as I can ever remember enjoying, anywhere. “Yes” and “Of course” being the staff mantra all night long, as the trickle- down effect of the owner’s passion and hospitality could not be more evident.
We argued the next day over which dish was “most” phenomenal! The pre dinner fried oysters on egg salad, with capers? The goat empenadas? The curried aioli and won ton chips? Or dinner; The cold onion soup with poached shrimp? (“How the hell did they do that?”) The Ahi Tuna with “those cocoa krispy things”? The Chick Pea fritter, the beef cheeks, the pork shank with house made kimchee dipping sauce and fresh baked naan?!
To quote one of my daughters many friends in attendance–who also happens to be my bar manager– “It felt privileged” to enjoy such perfection. We bow to you, Stephanie Izard and staff. Epic.
(Read the next Merrimack Valley Magazine for more on “Epic” dining opportunities!)
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