Girl & the Goat

Girl & the Goat at 809 W Randolph Street is chef Stephanie Izard's West Loop restaurant in Chicago, Illinois, and a leading name in the city's Restaurant Row dining district. Izard, who rose to national attention as a winner of the television competition Top Chef, built the menu around bold, shareable plates that combine global flavours with a heavy emphasis on vegetables, pork and, as the name suggests, goat. Dishes are designed to be shared across the table and the staff typically suggest ordering several plates at a time rather than individual entrees. Signature dishes include the wood-fired oven roasted pig face, a rich dish topped with a fried egg and tamarind-based flavours, the sauteed green beans, and goat empanadas. The room is high-energy and loud, with an open kitchen, a busy bar and a mix of locals and visitors; there is no strict dress code, and the noise level is high, which suits groups more than quiet conversation. Dinner is served Sunday to Thursday from 4:30PM to 10PM and Friday and Saturday from 4:30PM to 11PM, and a Sunday brunch runs from 10AM to 2PM. The beverage programme includes cocktails, a wine list oriented to the food and a selection of beers. Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made through OpenTable; prime evenings book out well in advance, so travellers should reserve as early as possible, while the bar offers limited walk-in seating. Prices are upper-moderate for Chicago, and ordering several plates per person adds up quickly. The restaurant is a short ride from the Loop and sits among other well-known West Loop restaurants, making it a good anchor for an evening of dining and drinks in the neighbourhood. Sunday brunch is a lower-demand alternative to dinner and gives a similar sense of the kitchen's flavours.