A few weeks I was in Chicago for work and decided to stay for the weekend. I love Chicago, it’s such a fun and cool city, especially for foodies.
Every time I have visited Chicago, I have tried to get a reservation at the Girl & the Goat, which is hysterically impossible. This time I was going to make it happen. Everyone I spoke to said just do a walk-in and sit at the bar, it is highly likely you will get a seat. So, on Sunday evening, my last night in town, I walked into the restaurant at 6pm and secured a solo seat at the bar. It was really happening, I was finally dining at the Girl & the Goat. Would it be worth the hype?
The place is open and spacious with a huge bar area perfect for walk-ins. A fun menu focuses on small smaller plate tastings of exciting and inventive dishes. I want to go back and write a full review but for now I want to focus on one dish… The Soft-Shell Crab-Cake.
I have lived in Boston for 20+ years so when there is seafood on a menu in a city in the middle of the country, I approach it with a little New England skepticism. I still order seafood everywhere I go but I just don’t expect it to be as amazing as it is here. Boy have I become a New England snob.
Back to the Girl & the Goat. I started my evening off with sharp and enticingly risky cheesy pan-fried shishtio peppers (I got one burner) and super good Kohlrabi salad. I needed a little something more so asked my fellow diners what they really liked. Resoundingly everyone around the communal dining end of the bar was “you must have the soft-shell crab-cake.” I had to try it.
It didn’t resemble crab or crab cake. It was a gorgeously presented plate of color. The batter was perfection soft and crispy with a mild citrus and salty flavor from gliding the forkfull bites across the plate before a momentous taste. The sweetness of blackberries and crunch of snap peas accompanied it with brilliance. This dish is worthy of pause and reflection and definitely one for the Fab Dish Friday archives.
Soft shell “crab cake” – tangy mayo. soy glaze. blackberry. snap pea
As soft-shell crab is seasonal, get there quick and order it before it disappears from the menu. That said, everything I ordered was great so the next time I am in Chicago I am going back to order and taste my way through more dishes.
