By "hot dog stand" I meant places like Wiener and Still Champion, Poochies, etc. Poor choice of words.

Khaopaat wrote:My guess is awesome eggs.

Seriously, we noticed the same thing in both Ireland and Spain, and to a lesser extent with some eggs from Green City Market: small, deep yellow (almost orange) yolks and intense, almost concentrated eggy flavor. Both the smell and the taste screams "FARM!!!" in a way that extra-super-jumbo eggs from Jewel (with their golf-ball-sized, pale-yellow yolks) never could.

My mother was raised on a dairy farm in Ireland and never had a store bought egg she liked in this country. She was very happy when Green City Market started carrying eggs and she too used to point out the yolks to me for color and height.

I was at Publican a couple of weeks ago for a first visit and could not have enjoyed my food more. We had the bouchot mussels and after moping up the last of the sauce with the wonderful bread spent a minute or two deciding if it would be bad form to lick the bowl. We then went on to the veal heart with pickled cherries and farro, wonderful beefy goodness. My dinner partner had never eaten heart before and approached with some trepidation, but absolutely loved it. We also had the suckling pig and again we were blown away by the flavor and the sensitive cooking, it was moist and tender with a great crispy skin, this is the best pig I've had in this country. My Irish relatives sometimes still butcher their own pig and I have to say this compares and possibly even surpasses that. We also had the frites with egg and a salad with crispy pieces of pigs ear, fennel, and basil and both were everything promised on the. The frites with egg were sublime with eggy richness coating the crispy frites, the salad was made with Kinnikinnick greens complimented by the peppery fennel and crispy pieces of pigs ear.

Now to my only off note, the spicy pork rinds. We both love pork rinds ordered these first to munch on while we perused the menu and enjoyed our Weller bourbon manhattans. They arrived and we bit in only to taste very good pork rinds coated what tasted and looked like Cheeto powder. After trying two or three we called out server over and asked what it was, she said a combination of malt vinegar powder, cheese and spices. Neither of us could detect any spice and told her we thought it tasted like Cheeto's, but she assured us that's the way they prepared them. We didn't eat them and the rest of the meal was amazing, so did we just get a badly prepared order or are we the only ones who think the pork rinds would be great without the icky coating? Any thoughts, I'm going again tomorrow evening and don't want to order them if they'll taste the same or maybe I could ask that they keep the powder off and have them bring some hot sauce on the side.

mbh wrote:They arrived and we bit in only to taste very good pork rinds coated what tasted and looked like Cheeto powder...Any thoughts, I'm going again tomorrow evening and don't want to order them if they'll taste the same or maybe I could ask that they keep the powder off and have them bring some hot sauce on the side.

My opinion? They taste like Cheetos and are not particularly good. I once again don't know, but want some of, what Phil Vettel is smoking. I am gradually warming to the Publican in general, though.

Santander wrote:

mbh wrote:They arrived and we bit in only to taste very good pork rinds coated what tasted and looked like Cheeto powder...Any thoughts, I'm going again tomorrow evening and don't want to order them if they'll taste the same or maybe I could ask that they keep the powder off and have them bring some hot sauce on the side.

My opinion? They taste like Cheetos and are not particularly good. I once again don't know, but want some of, what Phil Vettel is smoking. I am gradually warming to the Publican in general, though.

I have not had the flaming hot Cheeto preparation, but did have the sea salt and vinegar pork rinds that were on the menu when they first opened. I thought those were fantastic, and they changed the way I think about pork rinds. Unfortunately, they haven't been on the menu (at least that I've seen) in a while.

Flaming hot would have been fine these tasted like bland Kraft cheese powder with no spice or heat. Sea salt and vinegar also sound great, I'll try asking for them plain with just sea salt and see if they'll do it.

I'm glad Santander spoke up. I am on record as a big fan of the Publican, but I'm not gaga over the pork rinds.

Maybe it's because I'm a frequent consumer of pork rinds. I'm partial to those from Thai grocery stores, compact and crispy. The Publican version, puffy and light, is similar to what one might find at a Mexican carniceria any given day. Which isn't to say they are not great. Just not that remarkable.

I do give Kahan serious credit for getting the hip and well heeled to pay for and scarf stuff they'd supposedly find repulsive in other contexts. See also fat-back tacos.

As an aside, as much as I love Publican, a recent meal at Avec has me agreeing with many reasonable people that it is Kahan's best and one of the most satisfying dining experiences in Chicago. Sea bass with fennel and candied blood oranges was one of my top 3 fishes this year -- and I went nuts on whole fish preps in Mexico and along the coasts in '09. Blackbird, by contrast, seemed kind of boring and neglected a few months back. I honestly can't remember details about any one of the very subtle dishes I ate.

More gastro-fun at The Publican earlier this week . . .


House Bread & Butter
Great, rustic bread with nuttiness and tanginess.



Charcuterie Plate with House Pickles & Mustards
Pork Pie, head cheese, country terrine, coppa, morteau sausage and (maybe) sopressatta. This was sent out to us by the house, which was very nice of them. It was hard to pick a favorite on this plate, and the mustards and pickles resonated almost as much as the charcuterie itself. I could eat those pickled caper berries all day long.



Oysters
4x2 assortment chosen by our server, Tim. I don't recall all the varieties but my faves were the ones at 11:00, which I'm pretty sure were the Kuschi from BC, Canada. They were all pristine and I didn't use any sauce or lemon with them at all. Also, the shucking at The Publican is flat-out masterful. All the oysters still held some liquor, as they always do, and I didn't encounter 1 bit of grit, shell or any other extraneous matter.



Brandade
This was one of the best renditions I've had. The texture was super creamy and cod was clearly upfront in the flavor. The crispy potatoes on top were a very nice touch. Also, the charred bread added a fantastic complexity to the brandade and to the next course . . .



Jamon Iberico
Even though they are interesting, artisanal and exemplary, I normally don't order the hams at The Publican because I opt for the item that are prepared in-house. However, with Iberico (which I hadn't had in a while) available, I made an exception. This was scrumptious with a muted sweetness and complex finish.



Bouchot Mussels
It's hard not to order this dish, especially when you're with someone who's never been to The Publican before. As always, the mussels were tender and plump, and the pot liquor was an intoxicating brew. The baguette served with this (not pictured) -- from Fox & Obel -- was different than on previous visits. It was a bit less flaky on the exterior. Still, it was light and delicious with an uneven crumb and a complexity of flavor throughout the chew.



Calf's Brain with giardeniera, aioli and arugula
Here, the mild heat from the giardeniera and the bitterness of the arugula paired very well with the rich, creamy and delicate brain.



Bollito Misto - Cotechino sausage, pork shoulder and smoked turkey
Great combination. The main reason I ordered this was for the cotechino, which was meaty, moist and aromatic. It was crisped up on the outside in a way I'd never experienced before. This added a great texture but also another flavor facet. The pork shoulder was tender with a sticky-fatty texture. The turkey had a sweet smokiness that really worked well. This was a meat-eaters delight. Glorious, decadent and a bit excessive without being completely ridiculous.



Almond Macaron with lemon curd, white chocolate and rosemary
These macarons were very satisfying both texturally and flavor-wise. The rosemary -- infused into the white chocolate sauce -- was way too strong for me but my dining companion was entirely delighted by it. Pretty sure those are blood orange supremes at the bottom of the plate.



Waffle with blueberry jelly and honey butter
The Publican's trump card dessert. Great flavor, ethereal texture and the blueberry and honey butter accompanied it wonderfully.

Again, I was pissed because I got so full and there were so many other items on the menu that I wanted to try. Such is the downside of going to The Publican as a 2-top. I guess that's how they'll keep me coming back. But in all seriousness, our meal and our service were both right on the money. Also, even though I am not a beer person -- I've never ordered one in all my trips to The Publican (though I've tasted several) -- I've never felt left out. Again, this time around, the whiskey offerings, while limited, were extremely well-chosen. I had some Black Maple Hill (guessing the 11-year) and some High West Rendezvous Rye, which was recommended by Seth, the man who first introduced me to Hirsch 16-year bourbon. The grassy, slighly spicy finish of this rye was very food-friendly. A good call.

The Publican remains a personal favorite and I know my companion -- the first-timer -- also enjoyed it a great deal. What's not to like?

=R=

Is it folly to walk in here on a Friday night without reservations? I'm going to the symphony tonight (show starts at and would like to get dinner beforehand. I think dinner starts at 530, if my party of 2 walked at or around then, would we be in for a long wait?

Stephen wrote:Is it folly to walk in here on a Friday night without reservations? I'm going to the symphony tonight (show starts at and would like to get dinner beforehand. I think dinner starts at 530, if my party of 2 walked at or around then, would we be in for a long wait?

I think that might be just early enough to walk in but on a Friday, that may not be the case. It's probably best to call and ask:

312 733-9555

=R=

Stephen wrote:Is it folly to walk in here on a Friday night without reservations? I'm going to the symphony tonight (show starts at and would like to get dinner beforehand. I think dinner starts at 530, if my party of 2 walked at or around then, would we be in for a long wait?

No, if you get there at 5:30, you shouldn't have a problem. We often stop in unannounced for oysters and beer between work and events at the United Center and have been offered a table every time (though we generally choose to stand at the bar tables for convenience sake). You may get stuck at the communal tables, but I wouldn't expect much of a wait if any at all.

So we finally made it to The Publican tonight to celebrate my birthday. My wife and I had reservations for my b-day last year, but I got super sick the night before and we had to cancel, and then with the economy and an uncertain job situation last winter we never ended up rescheduling. So when my b-day rolled around this year, we booked it again.

We started with the pork rinds. Not something I eat regularly, although something I came to appreciate while living down south. I know some here don't care for them there, but I really enjoyed them. The malt and cheese reminded me of the Cheddar Beer Kettle Chips that I love and but that have been retired. After those, we had the scallops with meyer lemon and artichokes. Light, flavorful and well balanced. Next, we had the seafood stew which was somewhat similar to the scallop broth, but richer (veal stock perhaps?) with tender clams, shrimp and fish. On to the pork, we had the suckling pig with apple and turnips and the country ribs, which are now my wife's favorite ribs anywhere. We asked the waiter and he said the marinade was lime, cilantro and garlic but they didn't have a strong latin flavor -- very subtly flavored, nice grill char. There was also some caraway seed on them, which was an interesting note. For desert, we had the banana tart with an oreo-type crust, banana creme and carmelize bananas topped with chocolate malt ice cream. I was also impressed by the extensive beer list. Since I wasn't familiar with most of the beers listed, I gave the waiter some beers I'd liked elsewhere (Hopleaf) and some other beer characteristics and he made an excellent recommendation.

An amazing meal and well worth the wait. In fact, my wife and I enjoyed it so much we booked for Valentine's Day on the way out.

Going tonight! Any recommendations or things to stay away from? Also, I have a friend who I feel will be wary of sweetbreads/oxtail/etc. Any recs for her? Thanks.

oxtail is just like shredded pot roast if served off the bone. nothing to fear from it, really.

There are plenty of non-offal options. I was there last week and had the suckling pig and bollito misto, both of which were excellent. At a previous visit in December I had the boudin blanc and another dish that isn't on the menu anymore.

And there's of course all the shellfish.

I think if your friend is weary of these things, the Publican may be just the place to give them a try.

has anyone ever tried the grand seafood collection?


Grand Seafood Collection

120 Grand seafood collection
a three-tiered tower featuring a variety of fresh seafood for 4-6 guests. Please reserve at least 48hours in advance.

I dined with my permanent roommate last night at the Publican after a long internal fight with my better sensibilities. But a noble quest to consume the fair city’s finest drinking vittles should once in a while supersede routines and sleeping schedules. Few would raise an eyebrow towards a 9:30 dinner reservation on Thursday night is Chicago. But the sacrifice wears greater when your workday starts on the early side of 6:00. Still, I thought, I must push through.

Overall, the feast was sumptuous but not legendary. A chef’s selection of 9 plump oysters arrived with a muddled direction from the expediter. The raucous cacophony distorted our succinct interchange. Still, all were very fresh exemplary, plump specimens and arrived promptly after we ordered. Now, I’m Despite not being the most experienced oyster consumer, all that I tried possessed a steely finish that never gave way to the brininess I prefer. Their austerity was pleasant enough and fulfilled both of our cravings, but their piquancy fell flat.

To be fair, I often have this dilemma with oysters. I’m a cheap bastard to some degree. The anticipation of the oysters’ quality pervaded even after I finish my allotted four. The mini-Stanley cup littered with empty shells stares at us for twenty good minutes until the waiter asks if I’d like another beer. I request the Rauchbier which plucks every sensory expectation, while another ten minutes dissolve until the charcuterie immortalized in Ronnie’s foodporn eventually surfaces.

Headcheese, pig’s tongue, finniochini (sp?), pork pie, pork liver terrine, grainy mustard, cornchicons, and another grade of offal I cannot recall. Particular of note was the headcheese’s prickly pepperiness mellowed by the gelatinous conglomerate of pork and fat. A full throttle of flavors overwhelmed the mouth in a single bite. At last the fervor I had hoped for in the oysters revealed itself in pork gelatin and terrine. The tongue’s brine snapped well with it and the beer’s smokiness. Our finniochini (read: salami) was fine and lush, but the pie crust’s lard fought a heavy-handed battle its fatty filling. Pig lard is not something I consume regularly and I was not prepared to accept such an unctuous bounty.

We waited. And waited. And ran out of things to talk about. And gracefully tip-toed around pushing each other’s buttons. The kind hostess solemnly informed us of a communication mix-up regarding the lost sweetbreads. Her remorse was indeed sincere as the portion was taken fully off of the bill. Our anticipation squelched further for an additional 20 minutes. A golden lobe of almost revolutionary texture arrived on the table. Paradoxically soft yet firm and assembled with equal parts bitter, salty, and sweet on a bed of morels. Next to its imperious running-mate, the flawless morels couldn’t hold their own.

Last night, the Publican was like going to see a band your friends have been raving about. Maybe you’ve heard one or two songs before. On stage, flashes of brilliance and moments were revealed and left us pleasant. Innovative restaurants like The Publican wish to evoke new sensations onto their patrons. But when they’re not running on all cylinders, they produce awkward technical collaboration instead of pure harmony.

Holy thesaurus, Batman!

Your meritorious, nigh paradigmatic treatise, while thoroughly jocular, exhausted my encephalon (which had already been rendered lassitudinous by an interminable week of prosaic travail).

Pls provide link to teh post-generator.

But is he qualified ?

What qualifications are you looking for? A former English major with sloppy proofreading skills?

vinyl endive wrote:What qualifications are you looking for? A former English major with sloppy proofreading skills?

It was merely a joke. See this thread

Nice post, btw.

=R=

We went to The Publican last night to celebrate my birthday and had a really fantastic meal. I was a little nervous about how many things there would be for my non-pork obsessed wife to eat, but The Publican's menu has really become a lot more diverse since my first meal there (which was shortly after the restaurant opened).

The ham plate, pork rinds, pickles, and frites (with egg) were all as good as you would expect them to be. Two dishes that really stood out to me though were the tuna "speck" and the wagyu sirloin.

The tuna was cured and had a light pepper crust, giving the fish some "ham-like" qualities. Very interesting in terms of both taste and texture. What really made this dish though was the pistachios that were scattered over the plate. The combination of the tuna and the pistachios made for a unique, complex taste that is really hard to describe, but it was wonderful.

The sirloin was sliced thin (but not too thin) and cooked to a perfect rare/medium rare. The meat was served with a bit of yogurt sauce, sliced jalapenos, and preserved eggplant. This was out last savory dish of the night and I was worried that I would be too full to deal with it. But the meat and everything that was served with just worked so well together that I had no trouble eating a few more slices than I intended.

The waffle is a great way to end a meal at The Publican. I also had a glass of their "after pork" digestif which was interesting if nothing else. A little bitter, a little floral, a little cough syrup-esque. Certainly not a drink that everyone would enjoy, but I managed to empty my glass.

Great meal, great service. I need to get to The Publican more often.

Made the 1st trip there on Saturday.
Everything was great, but the spinach salad with duck hearts was fantastic.

We were back in town over the weekend, and finally had a chance to go to the Publican on Saturday night.

- Pork rinds: Spicy. My wife wasn’t a fan of these
- Pickles of the day: Bread and butter pickles, picked cauliflower, pickled green tomatoes. All very good
- Radishes w/ butter and salt. I was expected these to be cooked, but they were raw. Very tasty. Some were round radishes cut up, others were long and cylindrical.
- Ham tasting. Plate of 3 kinds of shaved him. Good, but not worth the money. Came with bread and goat butter.
- Smoked Char. Smoked artic char with peaches (or was it mangos?), greens, and some white sauce. Our least favorite dish.
- Copper River salmon. This was our favorite. We love CR salmon to begin with, and this had a nice crispy exterior, medium rare interior. I forget what all it was served with, but had a drizzle of truffle oil.
- Waffle with honey butter and pickled cherries: Yum!

New menu item: rabbit saddle wrapped in bacon and served with a grilled green vegetable on a pool of romesco. I had it last night and it was absolutely fantastic.

We're headed tonight for a manly man's Lagunitas beer dinner at The Publican. House-cured king salmon, rabbit, and bbqd short ribs are on the menu, matched with Lagunitas brews. Thrilled with these plans!

Celebrated a friend's birthday at The Publican and had another fantastic meal. As much as I love Avec, I think that I like The Publican even more.

This was the first time I had oysters there and they were just about perfect. Fresh tasting and full of liquor, they barely needed a squirt of lemon. Pork rinds, pickles, and frites/egg were as good as they always are. Some standout dishes included:

Hamachi crudo with cucumber and some kind of fruit - great fish with the perfect amount of sea salt added for both flavor and texture
Suckling pig - tender and really "piggy"
Ham with walnuts, cabbage, and chocolate - apparently a great combination
Radishes with butter and salt - just raw radishes to be eaten Bugs Bunny style. So good with generous slathers of butter and dunks into salt.
Little gem salad with pig ear - salty and crispy, the ear wasn't tough at all.
Sweetbreads - breaded and perfect cooked

Finally, desserts were pretty fantastic last night. The wife had the waffle, which I always enjoy. I had a cornbread pudding which had bits of berries and apricots hidden throughout. A very tasty and unusual dessert.

Although I haven't been completely wowed by every single thing at The Publican (boudin blanc last night was just ok, far too bland) I've never really had a clunker of a dish and everything has at least been interesting.

We were there again on Sat. I wish they knew how often we went. Tonight it was the halibut crudo (great, citrus with some heat) a great spicy shrimp dish, and an interesting lamb sausage with apricots and onion. All good. I love the oysters and the ham plate, but that is more presentation rather than cooking. Tonight we wanted hot food off the line and we were not disappointed. I only wish they had one more sparking wine by the glass to offer.

tonirogerspark wrote:We were there again on Sat. I wish they knew how often we went.

Do you make reservations when you go? If so, do you make them under the same name? My wife always calls and makes reservations (not through Open Table), and their computer must track it as they know we are repeat customers (we have gone about once a month since they opened) -- they always say "Welcome back" when we arrive and the hostesses seem to know my wife by name. While I cannot vouch that being a quasi-regular in this vein has had any real effect, we have gotten same-day reservations at prime times on prime nights when the place was otherwise full and we have been beneficiaries of the odd comp here and there. Unfortunately, frequency of our visits has slipped as of late due to my wife's pregnancy -- her argument is that taking a pregnant woman to a beer and oyster emporium is like taking Tiger Woods to Hooters.

You're wife's comment is funny. And we usually make reservations thru Opentable, maybe we should make them directly, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks.