"Big Flavors"

I dined at Girl and the Goat last night. I admit that my pen was salivating with bile, already hating over-hype and reality TV. My review was written on the drive to the West Loop.

It is with some bloggy chagrin that I found most of the food entrancing. (I could have wished a little less buzz and bustle - but that is the shame of popularity and reasonable prices). G&TG is a gastropub that is on par with Publican, and above Purple Pig. For me a 4:30 reservation would be ideal - or wait until the zombie masses move on to the next boite. Still the communal table at which I sat was congenial, and the servers were as well (perhaps overly so, but it is that kind of place for those kind of people).

What is so striking about Stephanie Izard's cuisine is how bold it is. There are no muted flavors on display - no taste baffles in evidence. It's all in.

I ordered a corny goat cheese bread - served a little late in the meal - but very tasty, if not designed for a solo diner. The roasted cauliflower with pickled peppers, pine nuts, and mint is a revelation. This is a combination that should have failed, but succeeded beautifully. It was the highpoint of the evening. Much has been said about the roasted pig face with egg and tamarind. It was creamy and fatty and tart and lovely. Finally the rabbit rillette with a crisp rice crepe, ginger giardinare, and sweet garlic was nice, if a little sweet for my taste.

I endorse the sweet-corn nougat with plum-apricot and bacon (and seemingly balsamic vinegar). It was heavy but delicious in its range of tastes. I was offered a taste of the goat cheese bavaroise with blueberry and brown sugar case, which I enjoyed and also the fried potato dumplings with candied eggplant, figs, and honey yogurt, which I didn't. The dumpling was the only failed dish of the evening.

For the record G&TG also makes a fruity and rich Sazerac.

I save my snarky insults to ruin another chef's evening.

Totally agree with you, Gary (well, except for the 4:30 reservation.....you know....as a NY'er, that's a late lunch). Went there the other night, also skeptical, and loved it. Yes, agree its a notch above Purple Pig (which I also love), but I could hang out at G&TG all night long, Orvals in hand.

in spite of all the hype (not because of it, i've never seen iron chef) and the news about the crowds, etc. i was looking forward to my first visit to GATG. but one visit will be enough for me. we went early, 4:30, and it was pretty empty until 6:30, but the noise level and the bustle after that were completely unappealing to me. the prices were also a lot higher than i was led to expect by other posters and reviewers. maybe $50-60 for a meal is reasonable to others, but i found it too high for me. the food i liked: chickpea fritters in fresh tomato sauce, pork liver mousseline with crumpets (but 2 fatty foods together was a really poor choice, the delicious liver would have been better served being paired with a crisp baguette), and the misnamed 'nougat' dessert. we had our helpful waiter conferring with the kitchen before we ordered this one, as we were pretty sure it was actually a semifreddo, and we were right. the annoying way it was served and the dreadful bacon bits that tasted like cardboard almost ruined the otherwise rich and tasty dessert. it was served in a taller-than-wide canning jar with a superb hot pink 'gastrique' sauce in the bottom. but one couldnt reach the sauce until half the contents had been eaten. i hold this against any chef who cares more about appearance than the ease with which the customer can consume the dish. the 2 dishes that didnt impress me were the unmemorable and pricey soft shelled crab and the pizza. the pizza came piled high with shredded radicchio, but there had been no mention of this ingredient on the menu. we scraped the uncooked radicchio off but the dish absolutely did not work. there was smoked goat, which i didnt find worked on a pizza- cant remember what else there was, but for me, none of the ingredients melded together- i didnt even finish my half of the pizza.
izard definitely has a talent for interesting combinations, but so many of the dishes were rich that by the time we left i had a stomach ache. i couldnt escape the 'scene' fast enough. i wish izard well, but i like my dining experiences to be relaxing, affordable, and i expect the menu to correctly identify what i am ordering. glad i went, probably won't go back any time soon. justjoan

We were there for dinner at 5:00 last week and two dishes really rang the bell for me.

The wood-fired oysters with a dollop of something on top--still having all the oysteriness of raw oysters yet even better for being slightly cooked--I really could have made a meal out of them, although it would have been an expensive one. (I recall the price for a plate of four oysters being $15. Living out my fantasies, I'd order ten of those plates all for myself and be a happy camper.)

My other favorite was the baby octopus and fava beans. The combination of ingredients was a classic "whole more than the sum of the parts" thing.

Coming in third, if you like tongue (and I do), the tongue plate was very tonguey.

All the other things we tried were varying degrees of "nice."

Our waiter was well-informed, charming, and genuinely witty.

Oddly, dining there at 5:00 doesn't feel especially "early" since the place is already crowded and lively with other people who could only get in then. You could easily fool yourself into thinking it was 7:30. So if you're curious to try the place, I wouldn't let the ridiculousness of a 5:00 reservation be the dealbreaker.

DH and I took a trip there last night...had a 4:30 reservation, and by 5 it was packed! We loved everything....that's a first for us. DH really likes whiskey sours, and he said they made the best that he's had in a long time. We had the savory bread for starters, then the shrimp dish, skirt steak and short ribs. The sauces were so yummy. The only thing about the whole experience is I'm personally tired of the whole "small plate" fad. Can't we move beyond this concept?


AJ

What turns you off about small plates? I like them because it makes it easier to try a lot of things.

Darren72 wrote:What turns you off about small plates? I like them because it makes it easier to try a lot of things.

I was thinking the same thing...but, then again, I'd rather have 2 bites of 6 things (and share) and my BF likes to order one entree and looks pained when he sees my fork straying in his direction

I know someone who doesn't like small plates - the main thing is that unless she specifically wants to share, it's annoying when things come out whenever they are ready, so her stuff isn't there and yours is.

You can always ask for something to be brought out at a certain time. Certainly "small plates" are ideal if you want your own big plate of food. But saying you wish they didn't exist is sort of like saying you wish appetizers didn't exist.

The myth with small plates is that they're ideal for sharing. Far more often than not, I find that to not be true because even with a group of 4, small plates usually don't provide enough food for everyone to get a reasonable taste. It's large plates that are actually good for sharing. As Darren said, small plates are great for when you want to try a lot of things...and you're solo or with one other person.

=R=

Does G&TG serve small plates? I got the impression that served what I call "tapas, sort of," which is indeed an ill-conceived trend that should die. In that way-too-popular format, you never have any idea how much food you're getting. In the same section of the menu, there will be a $7 dish that's enough for 6 people to share and a $16 dish that gives 2 people barely a bite each. A half chicken will share menu real estate with a single half-ounce skewer of goat part, or some such thing. I do hate that.

Ha. Just saw this at an otherwise OK place in Seattle called Zoe. One at our table asked for guidance on combining so-called small plates into a main course. The widely heralded gnudi were a tiny pile of gumballs and the "side" of risotto was a large, steaming bowl. The gnudi cost more. Sure, the pasta was handmade and all, but risotto ain't cheap or light on the labor. So, yeah, it makes no sense sometimes.

Darren72 wrote:You can always ask for something to be brought out at a certain time.

Not everywhere

Remember, portion size can always be adjusted upwards, as long as you don't mind paying for it. I can't think of how many times I've ordered a double portion of an appetizer to be served as an entree, and I've never been turned down.

Another approach is the one taken by Chef Des Rosiers at his consistently-outstanding Inovasi in Lake Bluff. All the items on their menu are roughly the same size - a bit larger than a typical appetizer, and about two-thirds the size of what is a typical entree elsewhere. You can construct your meal any way you like, with however many items in whatever order you prefer. (I've found that two savory items plus dessert is plenty.)

nsxtasy wrote:(I've found that two savory items plus dessert is plenty.)

Revolutionary! I kid.

I don't really have a problem with a menu that's exclusively small plates, but the situation that Kenny describes really ticks me off. I'm a huge fan of the food at Province, but the way they have their menu categorized (small, medium, and large plates...many of which are available in small or large portions, get it?) is really frustrating and just leads to me having a long and annoying conversation with our server.

jesteinf wrote:

nsxtasy wrote:(I've found that two savory items plus dessert is plenty.)

Revolutionary! I kid.

I don't really have a problem with a menu that's exclusively small plates, but the situation that Kenny describes really ticks me off. I'm a huge fan of the food at Province, but the way they have their menu categorized (small, medium, and large plates...many of which are available in small or large portions, get it?) is really frustrating and just leads to me having a long and annoying conversation with our server.

Having a nosh at the bar at Province a little while ago, I ordered something off of its "bites" menu -- a Cuban sandwich. I received exactly one-half of a dinner-roll sized sandwich. I kid you not. (I wondered what happened to the other half? Snack for the chef?)

aschie30 wrote:

jesteinf wrote:

nsxtasy wrote:(I've found that two savory items plus dessert is plenty.)

Revolutionary! I kid.

I don't really have a problem with a menu that's exclusively small plates, but the situation that Kenny describes really ticks me off. I'm a huge fan of the food at Province, but the way they have their menu categorized (small, medium, and large plates...many of which are available in small or large portions, get it?) is really frustrating and just leads to me having a long and annoying conversation with our server.

Having a nosh at the bar at Province a little while ago, I ordered something off of its "bites" menu -- a Cuban sandwich. I received exactly one-half of a dinner-roll sized sandwich. I kid you not. (I wondered what happened to the other half? Snack for the chef?)

Well, was it 1 bite? That might be the only category on their menu that makes any sense.

jesteinf wrote:

aschie30 wrote:Having a nosh at the bar at Province a little while ago, I ordered something off of its "bites" menu -- a Cuban sandwich. I received exactly one-half of a dinner-roll sized sandwich. I kid you not. (I wondered what happened to the other half? Snack for the chef?)

Well, was it 1 bite? That might be the only category on their menu that makes any sense.

It was 1 bite. But it's categorized in the "Bites" section, so I expected 2 or more.

Kennyz wrote:Does G&TG serve small plates? I got the impression that served what I call "tapas, sort of," which is indeed an ill-conceived trend that should die. In that way-too-popular format, you never have any idea how much food you're getting. In the same section of the menu, there will be a $7 dish that's enough for 6 people to share and a $16 dish that gives 2 people barely a bite each. A half chicken will share menu real estate with a single half-ounce skewer of goat part, or some such thing. I do hate that.

I think GaTG is guilty of this, somewhat. In addition to dishes that I could find at least one dinnermate to share with me, there were a couple that I was going to have to "go it alone" on if I wanted to try them. And so I did. And in the case of one of these dishes (the tongue), the portion turned out to be way too much food for one person who has already had a sampling of other dishes. About half the size of that portion would have been perfect, and more like I was expecting. I did enjoy it, but felt somewhat under the "burden" of finishing it. (No one put a gun to my head to finish it, but it didn't feel right to send half of it back uneaten. More consistency in portion size from plate to plate, so one would know what one was letting oneself in for, wouldn't be a bad thing.)

Darren72 wrote:What turns you off about small plates? I like them because it makes it easier to try a lot of things.

No, I really like the concept, don't get me wrong....it's just that sometimes it annoys me a little. I don't always want to share. I was hungry last night and i wanted more of all the dishes....lol!!!!

looking for our 1st wedding anniv. dinner - would love to try this place that night, but even this far ahead, no tables for 10/17 - or any weekend night until the end of the month Unless I want to dine close to midnight on 10/17

Chitown B wrote:looking for our 1st wedding anniv. dinner - would love to try this place that night, but even this far ahead, no tables for 10/17 - or any weekend night until the end of the month Unless I want to dine close to midnight on 10/17

As mentioned many times in the thread, they hold a good fraction of their tables back. Call 72 hours or less in advance direct to the restaurant, or just show up near opening time. Particularly in the latter case, you'll likely have a calmer, quieter, better dining experience than going at primetime.

thanks for the tips

Also, I've had luck calling (or better yet, stopping in) and telling my "story" to a manager--often they're only to happy to help you figure it out. I've not done this at GATG but from what I've heard from friends who have been, they've been nothing if not accommodating, especially considering their tremendous early success.

Mike Nagrant has a HighLarryUs review of Girl and the Goat on Hungry Mag

G Wiv wrote:Mike Nagrant has a HighLarryUs review of Girl and the Goat on Hungry Mag

That's some awesome writing by Mr. Nagrant there.

Just ate here the other night after making reservations a month ago to get in on a weeknight…

The hits:
-The pig face with the fried egg on top. Awesome. Super rich though, and came at the end of the meal. A bit late in the game for such a decadent dish, but I still devoured it because it was so great.
-All The V we ordered. We had the green beans which were awesome, the chick pea fritters - unbelievable, and the cauliflower. All of those were home runs. The four of us at dinner couldn't decide with was the best because they were all so great. We all agreed those and the pig face were the best of the night.

The good:
-I really liked the beef tongue and everything it was served with. Some people in my party weren't as in love with it as I was, but we all agreed it was a successful dish with everything combined.
-The liver mousseline was also successful. Obviously very rich, but it could have been better served with some baguette or something rather than the crumpets to balance it out more. Also - could have come with more of the apple/mustard stuff that was so good with it. The house made pickles and cauliflower with it were also really good.
-My non-allergic dining companions got the scallops and said they were fine - good. Nothing to write home about, but good.
-The ham frittes were...frittes. They were really greasy and salty (in a good way), and the dipping sauces were good. Couldn't taste the ham flavor so much on the plain frittes. But I'm glad we got them because they were tasty and I have a soft spot for frittes.

The misses:
-The sausage stuffed calamari was uninspiring to say the least. We left a large amount because no one wanted to waste room on this...it really didn't go together. the currants were the best part of the dish.
- The pizza. Eh, it was mediocre pizza. If I was somewhere else it would have been better by comparison. It wasn't...gross. That's the best I can really say. I ate a little piece and was like...hey, isn't there supposed to be goat on this? I looked at the rest of the pizza on the board and found a little piece of goat on one piece and ate just that. It was very salty. I would definitely skip the pizza when I go back.
-The squish squash bread actually was a miss...it was less like bread and more like a pastry it was so buttery. The jam and butter than came with were both excellent, but would have been better on something else.

Service/atmosphere notes:
-Great water service, I came post workout (not immediately) and was thirsty. I loved how they kept replacing the bottles of water on the table as fast as we went through them without me even noticing.
-when we walked in I was thinking...wow, this place is cool, BUT we're probably going to have to shout to hear each other at our table. I was wrong, it wasn't as loud as I'd imagined a room like that to be. I felt very comfortable and intimate at our four-top.

Overall good experience. We tried a lot of dishes and drank a fair amount and with tip and everything it only came to around 70/person. So I found that very reasonable for what we got. Overall I left feeling like I'd consumed about a week's worth of sodium. I am the kind of person who loves salty food, but I felt a little over-salted after eating there. That could have been due to what we ordered though as nothing tasted overly salty except the goat from the pizza when tasted alone. I wouldn't say the frittes were over-salted, but I'm sure the delicious saltiness added to that feeling. The cocktails we got before dinner were awesome - I started with a best of 3 or whatever it was called. It was good and refreshing.


Menu descriptions of items we ordered:
chickpeas fritters . heirloom tomatoes . fresh mozzarella
sauteed green beans . fish sauce vinaigrette
roasted cauliflower . pickled peppers . pine nuts . mint
seared scallops. pumpkin brandade . pecans . fried brussels sprouts . tarragon . pomegranate
lamb sausage stuffed calamari . sweet garlic . sweetbread crisp . currant saor
ham frittes. smoked tomato aioli . smoked swiss
pork liver mousseline. ham hock jus. apple mustarda . crumpets
smoked goat pizza . apple soffritto . black kale . ricotta . cipollini
wood oven roasted pig face . sunny side egg . tamarind . cilantro . potato stix
braised beef tongue . masa . beef vinaigrette . salsa verde
Squish Squash bread

really? weeknights are constantly open (early, at least). weekends are a nightmare apparently. Will now read you review


I did email GaTG about 10/16-17, so we'll see.

I'm on the train! Mellonhubby and I finally got a reservation (at 5pm on a Wednesday.)

Is it bad that we liked the Pig Face so much that we ordered another plate of it for dessert?

I had a good to very good meal here tonight.

The things I will be thinking about for a long time to come?

- The broccoli bread with not-Campbells creamy mushroom dip and tomato oil. The bread had great texture and crust even with the included ground broccoli. The vegetable lent a slight sweetness and green flavor. The creamy mushroom dip tasted like a warm, condensed version of cream of mushroom soup. The tomato oil was just flat out delicious. Together, it was like the best experience of cream of broccoli, cream of mushroom, and tomato soups - with a crust. On my two visits, between this dish and the biscuits with smoked fatback and pickled onions, I find I am completely over the outrage of the $4 bread service. If it's this good, charge for it.

- The goat, pork, and veal sugo. papardelle. rosemary. cape gooseberries. I had to look up what sugo was. So this schooled me and then it really schooled me. The pasta was cooked well and the sauce had a deep, meaty, and tomato flavor, even though rosemary was notably absent. This was rich and very satisfying flavor and texturewise.

I also really liked the shisito peppers and would happily order these again.

The hiramasa crudo was served a little warm, but the aji aioli was really delicious.

We also tried the pizza which was my least favorite dish of the night. I had longed for this as the final dish over the testa on my first visit (mostly because of how full I was), but we did not order it. It would have been fitting to end with it, because it's basically a dessert. This dish looks beautiful, but heed me LTH, this dish is not good. It just wasn't balanced at all. I love kale but there was very little of it. Between the apple sofrito and the roasted cippolini onions this thing was too sweet by half. Not even the shaved raddichio could save it. The ricotta is piled way too high and there is not enough smoke flavor or goat. Maybe there's a better dish in here somewhere, but it was a bit of a mess in my mind.

They forgot our ham frites at this point, but I was way full so I didn't mind.

Service was friendly. We were seated for nearly 2 hours and never felt rushed despite the teeming hordes just over the bar. It is loud, it is busy, and reservations must be made well in advance. But I will be back because the good is good enough to beckon. And the right season is coming on for this type of food.