Giant
A compact Logan Square spot that dares to dream a little bigger.
GO HERE: for chefs Jason Vincent and Ben Lustbader’s fun house of wacky flavors. The small plates of unexpected pairs—including waffle fries and Jonah crab salad—are like something you’d dream up after a night out drinking, yet have the finesse and integrity worthy of a Michelin-starred restaurant.
ORDER THE: super uni shooters (molten uni butter encrusted in crispy panko); onion rings with a snowlike scattering of Parmesan; and pastas like “pici with chew” (plus bacon and jalapeño). Rotating cocktails and a mostly natural wine list balance out the food’s strong flavors.
THE VIBE IS: not giant. The cozy 44-seat restaurant will get you closer to strangers than your date, with butcher block tables, multicolored booths, and wooden chairs Tetrised together. The fare is approachable enough for fussy parents, yet head-scratchingly-interesting enough to impress friends.
GETTING IN: is only easy if you plan ahead. Reservations are booked for prime dining hours at least a month in advance, but they book online three months out. Walk-ins are available, but there isn’t a bar to wait at; instead, they send you to neighborhood spots to drink.
THE SOUNDTRACK: could be ’90s R&B one day, Vampire Weekend the next. Staffers play their favorite music just loud enough to time your pasta-twirling to the beat of The Strokes’ “Hard to Explain,” yet not so intensely it’ll drown out your conversation.
—Alyse Whitney
