Longman and Eagle

I'm definitely not a food blogger. For restaurant reviews written by someone who knows her stuff, visit my friend Jennifer's blog: Chicago Culinary Docent. But when I try a new restaurant that I think is worth checking out, I do like to spread the word!

Last night, Jason and I met Lindsay, Robbie, and Carrie at Longman and Eagle right on Kedzie next to the Logan Square blue line stop. It's a little off the beaten path (no offense to my Logan Square friends!), but well worth the journey west.

By 6:15, the restaurant was already packed, so we had about a 30-minute wait to get a table for 5. No big deal. Longman and Eagle has an enormous beer and whiskey menu, so we grabbed a few barstools and enjoyed a couple of drinks before sitting down. So far so good.

A little before 7, we sat down at a charming table set with vintage silver and mismatched chairs and began perusing the menu. Everything looked good, so we ordered a random assortment of appetizers and small plates to start. The first course was fantastic. Pear salad with Stilton cheese, shrimp and grits, meatballs, roast lamb. Every bite seemed better than the last.

Our entrees were a bit hit or miss. The soft shell crab was deep fried in a sweet batter and it tasted a little too much like funnel cake for my liking. Don't get me wrong, I love funnel cake...just not for dinner! But the roasted chicken, pork shoulder, and wild boar sloppy joe were all well prepared, thoughtful dishes.

Clockwise from the top: soft shell crap, wild boar sloppy joe, pork shoulder, roasted chicken. Yum. The chicken and the sloppy joe were the winners in my opinion!

The meal was very rich, so I'm glad we split 4 dishes for 5 people. And of course we had to order dessert. The cheese donuts with maple syrup were a big hit with the guys; the girls were all obsessed with the pineapple upside down cake. Yum.

The restaurant has a comfortable, laid back vibe, with nice little touches, like warm plates and expensive soap in the bathrooms. Our server was great -- friendly and knowledgeable, but totally unobtrusive. Overall, it was a really nice night out with friends. I would definitely go back. Anyone want to join me? :)