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I ordered up the Bloody Mary with Tito's vodka featuring
publican mix, house-made celery bitters & a choice of a beer.
Wendy ordered the Brouwerij Hof Ten Cormaal (Tildonk, Belgium)
Winter II...Sorry about the lighting bouncing off that delicious Mary |
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| I loved the lighting..... |
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Our waitress recommended that we order the Publican Bacon $7
that is maple syrup-braised....it was so stinking good, and
yes, I did try it, just a piece. It was worth the $7.... |
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Wendy wanted to get the Pecan Sticky Buns $4....they were
moist and crunchy in the middle...the girls (and us big girls)
totally loved them...nuts and all |
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| Very modest on the outside and super neat on the inside! |
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Wendy was super pumped about taking me to this restaurant for brunch near downtown Chicago. We took Maytal and Ayelet with us and they did wonderfully, especially since we had a booth with a little door on it. We were first served coffee, water and juice. Our waitress got us started with Wendy's order of Pecan Sticky Buns $4 and a Waffle $7 to split for Maytal and Ayelet, with no green tomato jam but syrup on the side. It was out of the kitchen in a hurry, which was nice with our young patrons. They ate that waffle up in a flash. It had a unique, airy lightness to it that would have been great with the green tomato jam but the warm maple syrup was a great sweet addition.
For our entrees, Wendy ordered the Soft-Scrambled Eggs and Bone Marrow served with shallots, capers, parsley and toast $12. I knew she'd order something crazy like that....she did have to send it back because she couldn't get bone marrow out of the bone because it was overcooked. She got a second try at her order and it was cooked perfectly. I ordered the Pork Belly Bibimbap fried egg, jasmine rice, garlic, ginger and kimchi $13. Our waitress recommended it because the chef was Korean. Kimchi is Korean inspired pickled vegetables usually cabbage, radish, onions, carrots, ginger and garlic. It added a unique element with the pork belly and rice. I didn't care for the pork as much, mainly because I had a bite of that gigantic Publican Bacon.
The girls did wonderfully at the restaurant. Our coffee and waters were refilled constantly during our meal. Overall, we were both impressed with the Publican. Oh and they have the most unique joining restrooms. One sink for boys and girls and low lit stalls mixing boys and girls. Very unique. You'll like the service at the Publican and the organic choices on the menu. I thought it was interesting that their menus were printed on the back of old menus hence, saving paper. Here's an excerpt from their website:
From the team that created Blackbird and avec restaurants, The Publican is a new beer-focused restaurant located at 845 W. Fulton in Chicago. Executive Chef Paul Kahan and Chef de Cuisine Brian Huston crafted an eclectic menu inspired by simple farmhouse fare in a space evocative of a European beer hall. Designed by James Beard Award-Winner Thomas Schlesser, The Publican features the same simple lines and strong design elements that made the architect’s long-time partnership with Design Project Manager/Partner Donnie Madia so successful. A partnership between Executive Chef Paul Kahan, Donnie Madia, Terry Alexander and Eduard Seitan, The Publican anchors the burgeoning Fulton Market District.
Featuring pork and fish/seafood preparations, the menu is best described by Kahan and Huston as “pristine product, simply prepared,” an approach to food Kahan has long espoused in all of his kitchens. The Publican boasts the simplest cuisine of all three properties, each dish stripped of adornment and containing only essential ingredients. The menu is presented in sections: Fish, Meat and Vegetables, each laid out from lightest to heaviest fare.
Pristinely fresh oysters, hand-selected for the restaurant from purveyors with whom the culinary team has formed partnerships over the past year, anchor the fish portion of the menu. From classic Belgian-style mussels to seafood stew to wood-roasted whole fish, the seafood is simple and straightforward yet eclectic in presentation.
Meat dishes center upon pork, all certified organic and sourced from Dyersville, Iowa. Anchored by a wide selection of housemade terrines and charcuteries, the menu changes daily to reflect the seasonal availability of products. Other hearty dishes, again, presented simply and stripped of adornment, include such seasonal items as black and white sausage, steak tartare, pork shoulder and pot-au-feu. Kahan and Huston plan to make the wood-roasted chicken a signature, “… with the best frites in town,” boasts Kahan.
The Publican, 837 W. Fulton, Chicago, IL60607, 312-733-9555 Check out this wonderful website: www.thepublicanrestaurant.com
