Taking advantage of the Chicago food scene is something we all wish we could do more. Between weekend club meetings and cramming for exams, it’s hard to find time to make it into the city to explore new restaurants and cuisines. So when us Spoonies finally had a free Saturday night, we knew we had to make the most of it. We instantly made a reservation at one of Chicago’s greatest: Girl & the Goat.
Providing diners with an extensive menu that has something for everyone, Executive Chef Stephanie Izard lives up to her Top Chef winner claim to fame. Stepping through the doors located on 809 W. Randolph Street, guests are met with a fun, dimly lit yet lively atmosphere. The restaurant is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and continues to be at the heart of the Chicago food scene seven days a week.
Appetizers
With such a wide range of small plates to choose from, it is best to visit Girl & the Goat with a group of adventurous eaters. Luckily, there were six of us, and while our table’s allergies ranged from gluten-free, to nut-free, to salmon-free, we were able to find shareable dishes that everyone could enjoy.
Our first course included roasted cauliflower garnished with pickled peppers, pine nuts and mint; sautéed green beans with fish sauce vinaigrette and cashews; roasted beets topped with more green beans, white anchovy, avocado creme fraiche and bread crumb; wood grilled broccoli flavored by rogue smokey blue cheese and spiced crispies. The later is a definite must try and our personal favorite.
All of these shared plates were crowd pleasers and great to pass around the table. Everything was served family style! These simple veggie sides are anything but ordinary with their unique garnishing and toppings,
Entrees
While the shared veggies would have been enough for an entire meal, we decided to continue into entrees. Between fish, meat, breads, oysters and goats, you’re probably going to want to go family style on this course, too.
Between just us two, we split the milk braised pork pasta and scallops. The pipette-shaped pasta, complimented with kale, pickled persimmon and bread crumbs, was the dream food baby of a carb and meat lover.
The scallops also certainly do not disappoint. Lightly covered with brown butter miso and presented alongside blood oranges, smoked beets and topped with pistachio crunch, Izard’s scallops take on a unique personal flare, creating an extremely flavorful meal. The brown butter miso makes for the perfect dipping sauce and the beets and oranges are a sweet compliment.
If you're planning to go to Girl & The Goat , make sure you book a reservation as early as possible. It can often be difficult to get a table. However, with its open kitchen, comfortable but sophisticated atmosphere and globally influenced dishes, the Girl & the Goat experience is definitely worth advanced planning. Setting a pathway for Izard’s success in the Chicago food scene with her newer restaurants like the Little Goat Diner, Duck Duck Goat and Cabra, Girl & the Goat deserves all of the praise it receives.