Longman & Eagle

"Never play cards with any man named Doc. Never eat at any place called Mom's. And never, ever, no matter what else you do in your whole life, never sleep with anyone whose troubles are worse than your own."

My visit to Longman & Eagle had been a long time coming; out of all the Michelin-starred restaurants in Chicago, it is by far the most affordable. I had high hopes for this place due to its high culinary standing.

The first thing I noticed is the poster above. What on earth is that quote even talking about?

The next thing I noticed was, of course, the menu. Longman & Eagle offers standard "New American" food with a gastropub twist, and I had a really difficult time deciding among the many options.

While I was ruminating, the waiter brought me a single raw scallop with a drop of soy sauce and hint of wasabi on a spoon. It was extremely random and quite delicious.

I eventually decided on an appetizer and affordable meal instead of just ordering a pricey entree because of two reasons. One, I was quite hungry and didn't want to deal with the pitiful portions that some restaurants dish out. Two, this way I can try two things in one visit. Win win. For my appetizer I ordered steak tartare with foie gras.

This steak tartare was essentially a pate, and it was served with slices of challah bread on which you could spread the meat. It also came with two tiny chunks of foie gras and sprouts (which I despise). While I wish it came with more foie gras, the steak tartare itself was perfect. It was so perfect that I offered everyone at the table a bite but most of them refused.

Tell me, why are people so loath to try new things? I mean, what is the worst that could happen? It is literally the most frustrating thing in the world.

Anyway...for my entree I decided to go with wild boar sloppy joe. It was good, and while I had nothing bad to say about it, it wasn't particularly mind-blowing either. The fries were a bit on the salty side and many of them were burnt and inedible.

The sun was setting at this point.

I feel as though I got my money's worth at this place, but will I be returning? Probably not - there are places in the city that I vastly prefer at the same price point or lower. The final verdict is: "content but not impressed."

Longman & Eagle

2657 N Kedzie Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 276-7110
longmanandeagle.com