Publican Quality Meats

The retro butcher trend continues. Hopefully the crowds won't be too big !

http://chicago.eater.com/archives/2012/ ... urnout.php

tem wrote:The retro butcher trend continues.

This is one trend I'm thankful for. Looking forward to heading to PQM in the nex t couple of weeks.

Jeff

Tasting Table(February 7th) states:

"The bread and retail components of Paul Kahan's new project (across the street from The Publican) are now open. The butcher shop and sandwich counter are slated to launch next week."

I am a little confused, is the butcher shop open already or not?

Publican Quality Meats opened on Monday the 6th, although the dining in options will not start until next Monday. I stopped by on Tuesday and was surprised to find only three or four others in the store, as I thought it might be mobbed. I picked up some pickled tongue that was very luxurious to say the least, two sausages (black pepper and something called duja that was cured in fat) and some Benton's ham. Pricing is what one might expect for quality, "homemade" charcuterie. Everything I purchased was outstanding. I also brought home a very good loaf of olive bread that I am fairly certain is baked on the premises. There is also a very good selection of packaged foods, although I didn't spend a great deal of time looking at them. I do recall seeing canned Ortiz seafood products and drinkable vinegars from Pok Pok.

I'll be back in the next day or two for more.

Publican Quality Meats
825 W. Fulton Market
Chicago, IL 60661
312-445-8977
http://publicanqualitymeats.com/

Thanks for the report; I can't wait to go. Have heard very good things so far.

deesher wrote:I also brought home a very good loaf of olive bread that I am fairly certain is baked on the premises.

Yes, the press coming out before opening specfically metnioned they would have a specialty bakery on site that would produce bread for all the restaurants in the Blackbird empire, as well as for sale on site.

I checked out Publican Quality Meats today on my way home from work, and it seems exactly like a place I'll be a frequent customer. It's not necessarily a fair comparison, but I feel much more comfortable there than at a place like The Butcher & Larder. At B&L I often feel like an idiot. I don't really know what to ask for when it's not in the case (most things aren't), or how to cook something, etc. This is despite the fact that Rob and his staff are very friendly and perfectly willing to supply such information. PQM is more of a gourmet market in the typical sense, but one that does things right.

In addition to the deli case, they've got a small selection of dry and refrigerated goods, mostly organic, local and/or farm sourced. Products range from eggs, cheese, homemade stocks, breads, oils etc. The deli case has one area stocked with dried meats, many of which are the ones used at the Publican, and some items like pastrami . There were a half dozen types of sausage, some fresh chickens, including some pre-spiced/marinated, beef, veal, ham chops, ribs, pate, etc. It made me smile just to look at, and inspired me to think of meals.

I bought some pastrami, goat cheese, poultry stock, a veal sirloin steak, a marinated chicken as a sampling and I'll report back on the quality once I use them.

The staff was really friendly and knowledgeable also. They gave me a free beer sample while I was browsing.

All -

Made a stop in PQM yesterday and was thoroughly impressed. I have been extremely loyal to B&L since it opened, but it is going to be hard to not be drawn to PQM.

A lot has been said, but the merchandising of their meats is absolutely stunning. They have a HUGE variety of farms, cuts, and marbling of different types. Their in-house charcuterie is impressive and I am excited to work my way through it. One thing I did not dig into is if they do on the spot custom cutting like B&L. I have learned to enjoy some of the cuts B&L has introduced me to so i will need to explore this next visit.

I grabbed a Lamb Meatball sandwich to go and it was delicious. Putting this place squarely on the lunch map list.

I love this shop/concept.

The One Off Group bats another solid home run.

This could be dangerous as they are within walking distance of my work.

Yea, you are screwed.

Forgot to mention I snagged some Spicy Copa and the Summer Sausage. Copa was very nice and the summer sausage was not 100% my style, but good nonetheless.

How extensive is the lunch menu? Or is it more like Butcher & Larder, with just a few select items per day?

(Saw that Publican is in the early stages of maybe opening a burger place at O'Hare. Soon O'Hare will be a veritable food destination!)

Had a lunch of a few different types of cured meats ( coppa, lonza and bressaola)and a baguette. They were all great including the bread. Fulton Mkt is becoming one of my favorite food streets.

teatpuller wrote:This could be dangerous as they are within walking distance of my work.

If this place becomes a frequent grocery stop, Its the close distance to the Publican that actually worries me!

A loaf of wonderfully crusty walnut raisin bread, some sweet coppa, and house chorizo--a better dinner I cannot imagine. I'd have grabbed some cheese, too, but things were a bit slow-moving and I had to get to work.



Everything was wonderful. I might opt for the hot coppa next time, but this was nice. It had an almost floral, or maybe Brettanomyces-like quality, lingering long on the palate. The chorizo had a beautiful smokiness, married well to the silky bubbles of porcine lipid. The chorizo was about 8 bucks a pound, the loaf of bread a few dollars, and the coppa around 27 per pound, as I recall. I got enough for a couple lighter dinners or lunches, and felt the money very well spent.

I intended to get a sandwich to go, but they're not being offered to go just yet--dine-in only for now. There were a number of lunch options, more extensive than B&L. Two beer options, coffee/espresso, an assortment of breads, and the meat cases, oh! A thing to behold. This will likely become a frequent stop for me, especially if/when to-go sandwiches come about. With Graziano's, B&L, Bari, and now PQM, the Near West Side suffers from an embarrassment of (sand)wiches indeed. And a whole mess of other things.

mtgl wrote:A loaf of wonderfully crusty walnut raisin bread, some sweet coppa, and house chorizo--a better dinner I cannot imagine. I'd have grabbed some cheese, too, but things were a bit slow-moving and I had to get to work.

That picture is making me really hungry. I attempted to bring some miche bread, lonza and coppa (spicy) for lunch on tuesday, but nothing made it past 10 am. Everything was delicious!!
There is something special about the selection of bread and cured meats, and also talking to the people responsible for making and curing them who are not only happy to answer any questions but are also genuinely interested in what you think about all the samples they will make you try.

Does anyone know if PQM sells the head cheese that comes on The Publican's charcuterie plate? And, if so, the price?

I recall seeing the head cheese but I do not recall the price. I'd give them a call to see if they still had it.

Chorizo looks like a winner in a town lacking in the Iberian version. Is it smoked?

As mentioned, there's not a lot of the Spanish sort of chorizo around here, and I am accordingly ignorant. I imagined the smokiness was mostly/solely from paprika, but if so, it was an impressive degree of smoke. It was not unlike good barbecue, filling a room with its scent. I just can't be sure, though I'd guess the folks behind the counter would be glad to talk about it. There was another, imported type in the case, too, that was long, straight, about 2-3 inches across. Eager to expand my knowledge of this stuff--my co-worker nearly danced when he tried it.

mtgl wrote:As mentioned, there's not a lot of the Spanish sort of chorizo around here, and I am accordingly ignorant. I imagined the smokiness was mostly/solely from paprika, but if so, it was an impressive degree of smoke. It was not unlike good barbecue, filling a room with its scent. I just can't be sure, though I'd guess the folks behind the counter would be glad to talk about it. There was another, imported type in the case, too, that was long, straight, about 2-3 inches across. Eager to expand my knowledge of this stuff--my co-worker nearly danced when he tried it.

My understanding -- which could be entirely wrong -- is that the smoke element in Spanish chorizo is most often imparted solely by the pimenton, not from the smoking of the sausage itself. In any event, I look forward to trying PQM's version. Even other respectable shops around town tend to stumble on this one.

=R=

kl1191 wrote:Does anyone know if PQM sells the head cheese that comes on The Publican's charcuterie plate? And, if so, the price?

I believe head cheese (as served at the Publican) is $7.99 per pound.

How are the prices in comparison to places like Whole Foods, Paulina Meat Market, Olympia (Olympic?) Meat Market, Butcher and Larder?

ronnie_suburban wrote:

mtgl wrote:As mentioned, there's not a lot of the Spanish sort of chorizo around here, and I am accordingly ignorant. I imagined the smokiness was mostly/solely from paprika, but if so, it was an impressive degree of smoke. It was not unlike good barbecue, filling a room with its scent. I just can't be sure, though I'd guess the folks behind the counter would be glad to talk about it. There was another, imported type in the case, too, that was long, straight, about 2-3 inches across. Eager to expand my knowledge of this stuff--my co-worker nearly danced when he tried it.

My understanding -- which could be entirely wrong -- is that the smoke element in Spanish chorizo is most often imparted solely by the pimenton, not from the smoking of the sausage itself. In any event, I look forward to trying PQM's version. Even other respectable shops around town tend to stumble on this one.

=R=

Well, smoked paprika is mostly used and is what makes chorizo taste like chorizo, but many times Spanish chorizos are themselves smoked, too. From the site of Palacios, a very good and relatively widely available Riojano brand:

"Spanish chorizo is made from coarsely chopped pork and pork fat, seasoned with smoked pimentón (paprika) and salt. It is generally classed as either picante (spicy) or dulce (sweet), depending upon the type of smoked paprika used. There are hundreds of regional varieties of Spanish chorizo, both smoked and unsmoked, which may contain garlic, herbs and other ingredients...."

http://www.palacioschorizo.com/

JeffB wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:

mtgl wrote:As mentioned, there's not a lot of the Spanish sort of chorizo around here, and I am accordingly ignorant. I imagined the smokiness was mostly/solely from paprika, but if so, it was an impressive degree of smoke. It was not unlike good barbecue, filling a room with its scent. I just can't be sure, though I'd guess the folks behind the counter would be glad to talk about it. There was another, imported type in the case, too, that was long, straight, about 2-3 inches across. Eager to expand my knowledge of this stuff--my co-worker nearly danced when he tried it.

My understanding -- which could be entirely wrong -- is that the smoke element in Spanish chorizo is most often imparted solely by the pimenton, not from the smoking of the sausage itself. In any event, I look forward to trying PQM's version. Even other respectable shops around town tend to stumble on this one.

=R=

Well, smoked paprika is mostly used and is what makes chorizo taste like chorizo, but many times Spanish chorizos are themselves smoked, too. From the site of Palacios, a very good and relatively widely available Riojano brand:

"Spanish chorizo is made from coarsely chopped pork and pork fat, seasoned with smoked pimentón (paprika) and salt. It is generally classed as either picante (spicy) or dulce (sweet), depending upon the type of smoked paprika used. There are hundreds of regional varieties of Spanish chorizo, both smoked and unsmoked, which may contain garlic, herbs and other ingredients...."

http://www.palacioschorizo.com/

Thanks, Jeff, for the intel.

=R=

Sure. I like all kinds of choizo, but the super-smokey stuff isn't really seen here and makes a unique contribution to stews and beans. I have seen some of the smoked chubs canned, packed in lard, but it's been ages. Folks shouldn't overlook the lard-packed varieties if seen on store shelves. The pimenton-tinged Spanish lard is more valuable than the sausages themselves (to me). From what I've seen, Portuguese chourico is usually smoked, which I don't think can be said for Spanish (though Spain's a big place and is better considered by region).

This team can't lose. PQM seems more like a longtime neighborhood anchor than a new concept - closer in feel to Russ & Daughters, Paulina Market or Conte di Savoia than to a just hatched hipster grocer. Mortadella sandwich was a really great fried baloney and ribollita was a swell meaty version today. It was hard to pass up the massive 2-person cocido de garbanzos stuffed with house cured meats, given my particular love of that dish. Place makes Boccalone in SF, a spot I really like, seem like a Disney production in a mall.

Maybe can't lose, but I'd love a few tweaks. Namely in the system for getting food. When I visited the other day I did a lot of eyeball shopping, then sat down to lunch with a friend. I planned on picking up stuff, especially bread after we ate. Well, needless to say, it was a zoo by then and I just left, breadless and other PQM stuff-less. Now, I found the store not that dissimilar to City Provisions Deli (my companion disagreed), and I think they should look at the flow of that store a bit. Like I say, as good as it appears to be so far, a tweak or two couldn't hurt.

Stopped by yesterday at about 2:30 to pick up a few items for dinner. The place was packed with lunch customers. As they were coming in the door a greeter was telling folks at least 40 minutes for lunch seating. All the seats were filled and some folks were waiting in the store and near the coolers in the dining area but it didn't seem like the wait time should be as long as they were telling folks. Even though I love the charcuterie and bread it looks like I won't be lunching there anytime soon.

Tourists. I was there Friday at 2 and was seated after a very short wait, before the food was ready. The whole event was no more than 40 mins. I do think it will get busier; only 1/2 the patrons had cameras and we were surrounded by the sounds of visitors from non-Chicago lands far and near. But I'd bet midweek, off hours you can continue to do OK.

JeffB wrote:Tourists.

Saturday afternoon's crowd had more of a River North hipster/Self-Entitled Gold Coast Condo dweller feel