A spectacular meal shared with friends during a recent trip to Chicago inspired me to resume blogging about food. "Kitchenette" captures my mindless musings on food, from the most mundane preparations at home to the tastiest dining experiences on the road.
Christening Kitchenette's foray into the blogosphere is this recounting of an inspired dinner enjoyed at The Publican, a lively eatery in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood. From the brilliant minds behind critical darlings avec and Blackbird, The Publican has become renowned for its adventuresome menu and frenetic energy. It holds its post at 845 W. Fulton Market, amidst the Windy City's gentrifying meat packing district, and serves up a magnificent selection of the most indulgent ingredients: carefully-sourced seafood, certified organic pork, artisanal cheeses, and a vast menu of domestic and international beers highlight the menu.
The evening of my virgin experience at The Publican, I dined with six mostly-adventurous foodie friends, seated communally at a long table in the center of the restaurant. The idea of communal dining typically tends to turn me off, but this time, it totally enhanced the experience. Neighbors unabashedly chimed in with recommendations, queried over others' selections, and sometimes stopped just short of asking for a taste. Over a robust glass of Old #38 stout from California's North Coast Brewing Company, I pored through the menu with my co-diners, deliberating which selections would offer a well-rounded representation of what The Publican had to offer. We, of course, started with a round of Crispy Pork Rinds, which arrived in brown paper cones, warm from the fryer and seasoned lightly with salt and spice. To accompany the pork rinds, we shared a charcuterie plate of a terrined country pate, pork pie, head cheese, and boudin noir (blood sausage), along with cornichons, caperberries, and mustards. Then, we were treated on-the-house to a couple of cones of freshly-made fries, accompanied by creamy, garlicky aioli. We knew we were in for a fantastic evening.
A few among our group had dined at The Publican several times before, and offered their recommendations. However, most of us had never been and were looking forward to what was to come. I was disappointed to learn that my selection, the Monterey Bay sardines, were gone for the evening. So, I settled on the "Little Gem Salad" of Michigan greens, fennel, radish, and muscatel-buttermilk vinaigrette, topped with crisped pig's ear, as well as a pot of pork rillettes served with kumquat marmalade and crunchy crostini. Around the table, my co-diners indulged in unctuous Quebecois sweetbreads with bacon and mustard greens; country pork ribs with a sweet-sour Asian-inspired glaze; seared, glazed pork belly; a Basque stew of mussels, shrimp, salt cod, and scallops, served with chunky bread and red pepper rouille; and lastly, a potee--a slow braise of pork shoulder, loin, and chorizo. Our seventh, who had filled himself up on appetizers, opted for the only vegetable among our bunch: simply roasted asparagus topped with crushed peanuts.
Each dish made a round robin amongst our group, and we feasted on nibbles of each others' selections. It was a wonderful way to share the experience, and prompted tireless conversation about food and cooking. We ogled the orders of our neighbors, especially the order of jewel-like roasted beets with burrata cheese, and the trio of Serrano, La Quercia, and Prosciutto hams ordered by the diners seated beside me. The only thing about The Publican that slightly disappointed was the minimal dessert selection: aside from a variety of artisanal cheeses, the dessert menu was comprised of a dark chocolate budino (bread pudding), a waffle with pear and honey butter, and panna cotta with roasted beets. Although I would have gladly tried the latter option, none of my co-diners opted for dessert, so we all settled on coffees to finish our meal. No worries, though--this minor shortfall in the menu was more than offset by the stupendous meal we had just enjoyed. Once the bill arrived, we were pleased to find it came to only $40 per person--a bargain, as far as any of us were concerned, for such a fantastic meal.
Overall, The Publican deserves all of the accolades it has received in recent months, as do chefs Paul Kahan and Brian Huston for their deliciously indulgent menu and commitment to well-sourced ingredients. In this light and airy space, with its wooded decor, globe chandeliers, and pig-themed murals by local artists, the team has succeeded in adding another gem to the crown of Chicago's food scene.
For more information about The Publican, visit their website at http://www.thepublicanrestaurant.com/
