Though I’m sometimes cynical about the food scene, one
can’t help but think things have changed for the better when a stereotypical
sports bar - “a total bro place” as a friend described it – serves food that’s as
real as at Stout Barrelhouse. Stout has
more big screen TV’s than you can count, the servers are all young, cute and female,
and the tables are high tops.
It’s a sharp-looking place, but I wouldn’t be able to differentiate it from some Depaul-area sports bar.
Until I tasted the food.
On my first visit I ordered what you’re supposed to order at
a sports bar: the burger. Served on a
thoroughly buttered, well-toasted potato bun, this was a loose, juicy patty
with a nice exterior crust. It was served
with mustard aioli, some barely-melted sharp white cheddar and peppery arugula –
pungent, quality ingredients that told me someone in the kitchen is sourcing products
with care. On the side were some picture
perfect fries – crisp on the outside, potatoey in the center and
well-salted. I also ordered the house
pickles -a seasonal assortment of carrots, radishes and more stuff that tasted
as if it had come straight from the farmer’s market.
On visit two I ordered house made lamb sausage, a flavorful,
loosely formed link cut into thirds and served as 3 mini sandwiches inside New England style split, toasted bun thirds. Each mini
sandwich was topped with a couple of pieces of curried cauliflower, with crunch
and intense flavor that served as a delicious reminder that the chef is getting
his produce from a good source. If I had
to quibble, I’d note that though each component was delicious they were
constructed in a way that was tough to eat – I couldn’t really treat the
sandwich as a sandwich, needing instead to pull it apart and eat each delicious
component on its own. Perhaps the best
part of this dish was a refreshing chickpea salad with beans that had that
just-right, not-quite-crisp, and definitely not mushy, texture.
Both of my visits were on a Friday afternoon, the only weekday
that Stout is open for lunch. At that
time the dining room was pretty sparsely filled with what appeared mostly to be
neighborhood business people. The staff
was relaxed, friendly and efficient, though in food knowledge terms definitely more like the people you’d
expect to see working in a sports bar than those you might expect at a
chef-driven restaurant.
I will not suggest that Stout is a must-visit Chicago restaurant, but
if you find yourself in the mood for a sit-down, casual lunch in the
neighborhood I can’t think of anything better.
And on the list of places with a gazillion giant TV’s tuned into sports,
I’d have a hard time believing there’s one with better food than this.
Stout Barrel House and Galley
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