I know, I know…it’s been ages since I’ve blogged. Just wanted to share a quick post about a fantastic meal I had last night at The Girl and the Goat restaurant in Chicago–owned by Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard. She worked hard all evening to manage the execution of every dish, and even posed with fans on her brief breaks. Situated in the West Loop, the space is loud and friendly, with dark wood floors and an open kitchen expanding the entire back of the restaurant. The waiters all wore black t-shirts with hilarious riffs on the back, such as Goats Gone Wild, Goat You and Don’t Feed the Goats But Beer is Okay. The place was packed–no surprises since we made reservations in January for this meal! It was worth it, though. The goat belly crudo with lobster was superb (although the goat empanada didn’t impress), but hands down, my favorite was the seared scallops with goat sausage. The flavor profile was divine–a Latin/Asian sauce that included thai basil and ají, a South American pepper. Below is a photo of the goat belly crudo. It really doesn’t do the dish justice, but the camera on my iPhone isn’t the best. We topped off the meal with rhubarb shortbread with lemon sorbet (I have to admit, my mom’s rhubarb cobbler is better) and an awesome chocolate cake with shiitake gelato. Trying that concoction, I felt like I was on Iron Chef. It might sound like an odd combo, but the shiitake and chocolate paired really well together. All in all, a great way to start the weekend.