As a lover of all things food, the Chicago restaurant scene is a dream come true. On any given night you can find a new restaurant right around the corner that you never knew was there that has unbelievable food! We live in the West Loop which is riddled with fabulous restaurants and it is my mission to try them all!
Girl and the Goat
We decided to try the very popular Girl and the Goat, since we had heard so much about it. Stephanie Izard, the restaurant’s owner and head chef was the season 4 winner of top chef. She opened the doors to Girl and the Goat less than a year ago so the buzz has not worn off yet – hence the very long wait almost every night. We didn’t make a reservation so we opted out of the hour long wait and decided just to order at the small tables for waiting guests. The decor was very funky and down to earth however I thought it was way too loud and there was not enough seating for everyone who was waiting. We ordered the salmon and a side of green beans which were each fabulous but the portion sizes were way too small, we left still hungry!
It was a little overpriced in my opinion but had the sizes been bigger maybe it would have been worth it because the food really was fabulous. I think I would give it another try if I had the chance to actually sit at a table and order more than two things on the menu. All in all I would give Girl and the Goat a 3 out of 5 stars. While the food left my taste buds intrigued, the size, price and overall experience left a rather bad taste in my mouth.
Province
We have eaten here a few times since moving in and each time I have been very impressed. The service is always impeccable, the decor is unusual and fun to look at and the food is excellent, especially for the price! Their house red was also a cabernet, very rare, I give bonus points for that one. Check out the funky menus too…..
First, the server brings over a white bean dip to start. A few minutes later, he or she brings a complimentary tasting by the chef – ours was a slice of french baguette with goat cheese and a strawberry sauce on top.
I decided to have fish since I haven’t had it in over a month so I ordered the salmon with a side of leek gratin. Corey ordered the burger, go figure….
The leek gratin was not what I expected. I am all for taking a new approach to a traditional dish but at the very least I expected cheese. The leek “gratin” was completely dry and way too salty. The couple at the table next to us didn’t like it either, which makes me feel less nit-picky. The salmon was absolutely phenomenal, cooked to perfection and just the right size. I would give this place a 5 out of 5 stars. I loved the tasting, the service and the overall feel that they really went above and beyond to make sure we had a good experience, which is exactly why we keep going back!
Dishin' About Nutrition 
I hate when restaurants have wimpy portion sizes–esp. with lighter foods like veggies!! And it’s even worse when they’re pricey. Not cool!
I agree with Kelsey, I hate when the portion sizes are so small!! I’d rather have more food and then take some to go or eat less. That burschetta with the melted cheese + strawberries looks DELICIOUS.
Province sounds like it would be such a great spot of us to check out when we are in Chi-town later this year! Thanks for the review! I may be asking for more recommendations when it gets closer to time for us to plan our trip up there! 🙂