BrownTrout

Crystal and I tried a place tonight that we had been meaning to try for the last year. The name of the place was Browntrout and it is located at Irving Park and Lincoln Ave. Browntrout is known for its fish dishes and a menu that changes frequently. In fact, some of the dishes we discussed getting based on the menu posted online only to see that none of them were on the actual menu tonight. However, the menu items we did find upon our arrival sounded delicious. Looks were not deceiving tonight, as the food matched our expectations and were excellent.

We started with the black truffle parpadelle, which had a nice broth layered on the fresh pasta coooked with sauteed oyster, shitake, and cremini mushrooms. My only regret is that I did not order a pinot noir to pair with this dish, it would have paired tremendously. It was such an earthy dish, that was light and savory at the same time.

For the next course, Crystal had the 1/2 chicken which was paired with roasted walnuts, sliced apples, pureed squash and brussel sprouts. It was like the perfect Thanksgiving meal, it was fall on a plate. The roasted walnuts and the brussel sprouts were truly perfect side dishes to the juicy chicken. The chicken was cooked to perfection, juicy meat and a crisp skin that was not oily but added the right amount of crunch and flavor to the dish. The kicker on this dish was the deep fried sage leaves that came with the chicken. A bite of the chicken, roast walnuts, sliced apple and fried sage was as perfect as chicken gets. Truly amazing.

I went vegetarian tonight with my meal and had the gnocchi. It was presented beautifully, with micro-greens, squash and a butternut squash puree. It was topped with wax beans and some other root vegetable that I could not place. The gnocchi was pillow soft, but with a crispy, pan-fried crust. Delicious. Again, this dish tasted of fall and certainly struck a chord with the season.

Overall, a seasonal experience that met expectations and then some. Crystal and I are excited to return to try the different dishes as the seasons change. You could tell that you were tasting dishes prepared by a talented chef and the atmosphere was nice, but accomodating and relaxing. I think we may have a new Friday night spot.