Chicago Secret Menus

Are there any restaurants in Chicago that offer secret menus?

Its a secret

revster18 wrote:Are there any restaurants in Chicago that offer secret menus?

I could tell you but then, well...you know...

All I can add is "I hope not." That's a marketing concept that should stock to the coasts.

Secret menus . . . they are everywhere.

=R=

Is it fair to assert that the idea of "The Secret Menu," that bill of fare that's reserved for the native-types and subsequently discovered, translated and celebrated by food enthusiasts, first got its traction in Chicago? I've heard and seen the phrase way more often here than anywhere else.

My pressure cooker came with secret recipes.

Get In The Know With 28 Secret Menu Items at Chicago Restaurants (Eater.com)

Got a million things to do, but suddenly got a bit winsome for this.

I think it helps answer why "it's a Chicago thing." I will say that when I got the idea to use the phrase, I was really copying from Calvin Trillin who had written several times about his desire to learn Chinese characters and eat from the wall menus.

The assumption would be that these are little treasures waiting to be discovered but the reality is that if these were dishes that would sell they wouldn't be a "secret." Much like my local Italian place that pulled a puttanesca dish off the menu because nobody was ordering it but they'll make it with a bit of cajoling (and preferably a little notice).

I don't think it's always that simple. Plenty of places keep making things for regulars or those in the know long after they are off-menu for whatever reason (often the chef's latest vision for the menu, her prerogative). A favorite example - chopped liver at Gibson's. Maybe the best version anywhere, huge, fresh portion, always there, not something one just has laying around, plenty of orders, no confusion or a second glance from the servers, but not on the menu. Secret fast food menus are similar. Asian menus are a different phenomenon. Some largely-justified xenophobia/defensiveness about what "Americans" actually want to eat at a Thai or Cantonese or Mexican restaurant. Erik M and RST did more for secret menus, here and (Erik) in LA, particularly the Thai ones (most esoteric with the best payoffs), than anybody.

I don't really think of Asian menus as "secret" just selective (and appropriately so - as the lone Caucasian diner in a Japanese restaurant in Hawaii I was a little put off by the still-wriggling lobster at the table next to me). While there are undoubtedly plenty of adventurous eaters out there, a detailed menu for all might be a bit much.

Some years back, a Chinese couple who worked with my ex-wife invited us to dine with them at their favorite restaurant in Chinatown, which is now closed and whose name escapes me. They asked if they could order for the table (hell, yes) and I noticed I couldn't find more than half of the items they requested on the English menu. It was one of the best dinners I've had in Chinatown.

The husband informed me that, indeed, the Chinese-language menu was significantly more extensive and adventurous. I don't think that's news to anyone here. Though I don't think I'd call it a "secret" menu in the sense of clandestine or restricted, it was just less selective than the English menu. Many of these restaurants are pretty attuned to their audiences. For every LTHer seeking something exotic and delicious there are likely far more Chicago diners seeking something that doesn't stray terribly far from their previous experiences with the cuisine. An attenuated menu for the domestic crowd probably limits the number of complaints and dishes returned to the kitchen.

Why not just have section on the menu called "For the Adventurous Eater"?

Katie wrote:Why not just have section on the menu called "For the Adventurous Eater"?

Sorry but I don't think that would help either side. The folks who are interested in the "native" dishes (v. Americanized) are, frankly, an enthusiastic few. The issues around putting these dishes on the menu are mainly around language--non-native speakers have difficulty describing them, on the menu or verbally. And they, often rightly, think that the patrons may be confused by the descriptions and will get frustrated if what they order isn't what was described (or what they tried to) or just don't understand the dish they are served. Just think about how often you read comments about that, even here. I don't blame them a bit for not publicizing. For those "adventurous" enough to want these dishes, they'll find out about them. Whether that's by reading here, becoming a regular or just making the extra effort to engage the proprietors on the topic, they'll get there. But it will avoid unnecessary problems and confusion by trying to take those items to a wider, likely less interested, and certainly less knowledgeable public.

We are going through this discussion a bit with the Rainbow expansion. The authentic dishes can be more complicated and, consequently, time consuming to make. There is also the challenge of training serving staff to describe them, getting spice levels right, managing expectations, etc. One idea has been to create a weekly "family" meal that would be billed as a selection of house specialties. It would carry the disclaimers that these dishes are different from the typical local Thai menus, native to specific areas in Thailand, warn about spice levels, etc. The idea here is that it might give people a chance to try the more "authentic" dishes, get a taste of something they can't get elsewhere, etc. for those looking to experiment or who know the cuisine. It's sure to be interesting--so stay tuned!!

Thank you for all the comments. Although, this is a question I might have to answer for myself. I may just have to be ballsier when I go to restaurants and ask for the menu native to that cuisine. I have been to one Thai restaurant in the city, called tac quick, where I ordered off the "authentic" menu and hoping this post would direct me to more of those kind of establishments.

I've seen this discussed to death on Chowhound, and I don't expect we're any likelier to come to a consensus on it here on LTH if we discuss it to death too, so I'm not encouraging that. My own personal impression is that, regardless of what all the logical arguments for secret menus may be, Americans tend to feel insulted when they learn that there is a segment of a restaurant's repertoire that they are not welcome to order from --- or at least, whether they truly are unwelcome or not, that's how they tend to feel about if/when they find out about it --- and that restaurant owners who maintain dual menus in this manner either don't realize or don't care that some of their patrons feel insulted by the practice. But far be it from me to tell anyone how to run their restaurant business. If dual menus work for them, so be it. There are a lot of fish in the sea.

revster18 wrote:Thank you for all the comments. Although, this is a question I might have to answer for myself. I may just have to be ballsier when I go to restaurants and ask for the menu native to that cuisine. I have been to one Thai restaurant in the city, called tac quick, where I ordered off the "authentic" menu and hoping this post would direct me to more of those kind of establishments.

Several other Thai restaurants used to have separate menus with dishes more commonly ordered by Thais, but there is a trend towards combining these dishes with the regular menu. This is the case at ATK (run by TAC Quick's former chef), Aroy, Sticky Rice, Spoon Thai, Rainbow and Rosded. You'll still find that these restaurants don't list or volunteer all such dishes to non-Thais -- they just don't believe they'd be interested in them -- but it's a start.

Also, check out these older threads which may help:

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=86283

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=79289

BR-Thank you for the additional links! I will have to check those places out!

http://www.clickhole.com/article/5-secr ... -order-888

http://www.clickhole.com/article/7-hack ... order-1823