Chingon! - Pop Up Dinner at the Red Door Kitchen - Mon Oct 8

Hey LTHers!

My name's Graham and I'm a long time lurker here. I'm also a line cook who has worked at some of Chicago's best restaurants. My friend Steve and I are doing a pop up dinner in eleven days at the Red Door in Bucktown and we'd love it if some of you guys attended. Below is a bit about our idea, our food menu and our cocktail menu. Beyond being a chance to see some hardcore line cooks years before they have their own restaurants, this is just a good deal. This is 9 plates of food for $50, and it's going to be tasty. Tickets are available at http://chefsnightoff.eventbrite.com/ and more info is available at http://www.facebook.com/events/468461469841678/


¡Chingon!

Chef's Night Off is an ongoing series of "pop up" dinners at the Red Door when resident chef Troy Graves and crew are enjoying their day of rest. Concepted and executed by line cooks from Chicago's most respected restaurants, this is an opportunity to sample the food of the developing talents of Chicago's culinary scene. The people who put the flame to the pan are breaking loose for one night a month and bringing to life their cuisines, their way.

Each Chef's Night Off event will feature different cooks and different concepts, as well as an original a la carte cocktail menu by Red Door mixologist Jay Schroeder. The first Chef's Night Off event,¡Chingon!, is slated to occur on October 8. There will be four seatings throughout the evening and tickets will be available through the Red Door facebook page and RedDoorChicago.com
¡Chingon! is a vision of Mexican bar food through the Modern American culinary filter of cooks Steve Newman and Graham Stein. Unapologetically pork focused, inauthentic and soul satisfying, ¡Chingon! is food for sharing with friends over strong drinks and raucous conversations.

Meeting in the rural Midwestern kitchen of a 7 time James Beard nominated chef, Steve Newman and Graham Stein formed a fast friendship based around a love of pork and punk. After moving to Chicago, they've built their skills separately in Michelin-starred and JBA-winning kitchens, using each other to develop and refine ideas. This is the food they want to eat on their day off.
Service at ¡Chingon! will be a shared plates tasting menu. Two dishes will come out per course; this is to maintain a lively atmosphere and move away from the boredom that sets in an hour into a 13 course tasting menu. Seatings will be at 6, 7:30, 9 and 10:30.

¡Chingon!

Lime Tortilla Chips & Charred Salsa; Housemade Fritos & Queso; Chicharrones & Guacamole
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Baja Shrimp Ceviche, Chorizo Verde, Fried Shrimp Heads
Grilled Octopus Sopes, Chorizo Rojo, Sweet Potato
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Smoked Duck Enchiladas, Peanut Butter-Ancho-Chocolate Sauce, 62* Duck Egg
Carnitas Flautas, Pickled Habanero Relish, Mole Mayo
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Horchata Braised Pork Shoulder, Marcona Almonds, Coconut Wild Rice, Nopales, Tamarind Jus
Sea Scallops, Plantains, Smoked Fennel, Roast Cauliflower, Carrot Pipian
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Dark Chocolate Tamale, Avocado Sour Cream Ice Cream, Tangerine
Fried Poblano Ice Cream, Sweet Corn and Queso Fresco Cake, Rum Raisin Sauce
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This is a preliminary menu, changes will be inevitable. Due to the nature of this event there will be no substitutions, vegetarian or gluten free options.


A la Carte Cocktail Menu
Beverage Manager Jay Schroeder

Grapefruit Tarragon Paloma
Milagro Blanco Tequila, House-made Grapefruit Soda, Mineragua

A Gillion
Fidencio Joven Mezcal, Cinzano Rosso, Luxardo Amaro Abano, Lemon, Honey

Found Object
Fortaleza Reposado, Lapsang Souchong, Rothman and Winter Apricot, Absinthe, Lemon

Guapichosa Sketches
El Tessoro Blanco, Fresh Jalapeno, Smoked Paprika, Dolin Dry Vermouth, Cilantro, Lemon.

Presidents Redux
Chinaco Anejo, Benedictine, Galliano Ristretto, Elixir Vegetal