Restaurant Review: Osteria & Publican Restaurant Swap

Hey all, I know it's been a while since we talked, but much like old friends who haven't seen each other for a while, I know we can pick up right where we left off, inside jokes and all.

I had a couple photos lounging on my phone from October 2015, and they were too delicious, I couldn't keep them from the blog. So cast your memory back to days when the leaves were changing colors, the heat of summer was subsiding, and we all were counting down the hours until the Trump campaign would self-destruct (who knew - right?).

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Thank goodness for food bloggers. More often than not, they know about some truly awesome food events. It was almost buy chance that I heard about this awesome phenomenon, where the staff at Osteria would swap kitchens with the staff at the Chicago based Publican, for one night only.  I was lucky enough to grab a table for this event and taste a wonderful selection of dishes with a good looking guy to boot.

Check out the food we tasted below!

Gotta start with a cocktail.

I'll be the first to admit that it's getting a bit intimidating with the alcohol selection out there. Every establishment is pulling together craft cocktails, craft beers, brewing their own spirits in house - it can be a bit intense. But I challenge you to you all dear wine-nerds, that if you choose to imbibe, choose something adventurous or from another country. 

And when I saw calvados as a main ingredient in the Healer's Choice, I knew I had a winner. Calvados may sound Spanish, but it's actually French! It is an apple brand distilled in the French region of Normandy. It's deep apple flavor is great for an apertif on its own, or is a great addition to mixed drinks!

Healer's Choice: Ternheim theater whiskey, calvados, mint honey syrup, lemon, and angostura bitters.

When it came to the food for the evening, I will let the pictures speak for themselves. (May seem like a cop out) But really! The food was seemingly simple but layered with interesting details. We opted to order a few (sturdy) small plates and share, and it all was delicious.

Check it out below!

Publican oysters + hama hama. 

Charcuterie plate with whole grain mustard perfection.

Blood sausage, squid, green chili dressing served over veggies with parmesan and macron almonds.

Butterscotch pudding, vanilla ice cream and homemade oatmeal cookie.

The moral of the (photobook) story here is... if you have the opportunity to visit Publican while in Chicago, it is definitely worth it. While most of the plates weren't particularly veggie-friendly (and I can't speak for the full restaurant), it's a place your carnivore friends would love!

Cheers!