Girl and The Goat - Chicago

Bread ($4 each): small round loaves served warm

Fat - liver butter, pomegranate marmalade

Ruby Rye - mustard butter, thousand island dressing

Vegetables

Sauteed green beans - fish sauce, cashews ($9) - group favorite and disappeared within minutes

Chickpea fritters - romesco, hazelnut hummus, goat feta ($11) - yummy little square donuts of chickpeas

Butternut Squash ravioli - mushroom raisin ragout, shroom creme fraiche ($13) - more like leaflets of pasta
Sweet potato gratin - rogue river smokey blue ($12)

Fish

Lamb sausage stuffed calamari - sweet garlic, sweetbread crisp, currant ($15) - very large calamari stuffed with lamb, it would have been easy to finish off a second order

Sauteed cod cheeks - mushrooms, garlic crunch ($16) - generous and tender cheeks

Escargot ravioli - tamarind sauce ($15) - didn't have much flavor

Meat

Braised Beef Tongue - Salsa Verded ($14) - very tender

Grilled Pork Ribs - scallion vinagrette - excellent and tender, the meat fell of the bone and the flavor was slightly sweet, and this was the group's favorite

Grilled Goat T-bones - salsify, sausage sauce ($17) - very mild flavor and tender, tasted like lamb

Grilled Bison Butt - veal sausage, black trumpets ($22) - also very tender and mild, great alternative to beef

Dessert ($8 each):
Bourbon apples - cranberry, miso marcona almond, maple fat gelato - layered in a jar

Bittersweet chocolate - shitake gelato, toffee creme fraiche - typical chocolate cake

Sesame semifreddo - pork fat donuts, sambal pineapple - excellent little fried pillows with a hint of pork flavor

Blood orange sorbet - parsnip pot de creme, pistachio cake, three sisters cornmeal crust - nice flavor

The overall decor was warm although it was a cavernous, industrious space.

Trattoria Trullo - Chicago

...is located in the Lincoln Square area of Chicago at 4767 N. Lincoln Avenue.

"C", "I", "T", "W" and I stared with two appetizers: the daily special of buratta and mortadella (so rich and delicious) and grilled seafood (love the calamari).

"C", "W" and I all had different pasta dishes. "T" had the mushroom risotto while "I" had the special of rack of lamb with mushroom risotto.

Then we shared chocolate gelato, raspberry gelato and tiramisu.

Very good, basic Italian fare.

Mista Chicago

...has two locations in Chicago. We visited the one at 2931 N. Broadway.

They offer extremely thin crust pizzas.

"C", "I", "T", "W" and I shared the following pizzas:

Margherita - sauce, roasted organic plum tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, sea salt and extra virgin olive oil ($12.75/lg)

Napolitano - sauce, roasted organic plum tomoatoes, roasted organic garlic, organic arugula, fresh mozzerella, fresh oregano, sea salt, extra virgin olive oil ($12.75/lg)

Florentine - sauce, organic baby spinach, seasoned ricotta, organic mushrooms, roasted organic garlic, fresh mozzerella and extra virgin olive oil ($12.75/lg)

Chicken Potle - spicy sauce, natural roasted chicken, provolone, fresh cilantro, extra virgin olive oil ($13.75/lg)

The crust was very thin and crisp and the toppings were all delicious.

And the owner was generous enough to give us each a complimentary cannoli - coated with chocolate chips and crushed pistachios. Yum. What a great way to end a meal.

Lou Mitchell's Chicago

...is an institution in downtown Chicago located at 565 W. Jackson Boulevard.

Upon entering the hostess offers a basket of freshly made donut holes (yum). And once you are seated at your table she offers mini boxes of Milk Duds.

"I", "C" and I shared an order of coffee cake. After the delight of the donut holes we were disappointed that the coffee cake was just mediocre.

I had freshly squeezed orange juice and two eggs over easy (one must have been a twin because I received 3 yokes) with hash browns and whole wheat toast.

Gaztro-Wagon Chicago

...is a food truck that has a brick & mortar home at 5973 N. Clark in Chicago.

"C" had the Duck Confit with melted leeks, brie and apple chutney ($8)

"I" had the Corn Beef Reuben with provolone, warm cabbage slaw and tomato remoulade ($8).

"T" had the Warm Lobster Club with pancetta, tomato onion salad and arugula pesto ($12).

"W" had the Chicken "cordon bleu" thighs with pancetta, manchego and honey mustard ($7)

And I had the Wild Boar Belly with dates, blue cheese, romesoc sauce and onions ($8).

And we shared 2 bags of home made plaintain chips ($2/bag) - crispy and delicious.

All of the sandwiches are made with their signature "naan" - warm and fluffy.