2 Sparrows
What would you get if you combined the elegant and inventive gastronomy that you find at the famed Charlie Trotter's with the cozy warmth of brunch? You'd get a meal at 2 Sparrows, a brand-new Lincoln Park brunch spot owned by two Trotter's veterans.
Gregory Ellis, who used to work in Trotter's kitchen, and his childhood friend Steven Fladung, who logged time in the front of the house at Trotter's, have teamed up and are serving elevated comfort food seven days a week.
Look for breakfast classics with a dash of haute cuisine flair. The corned beef hash, for example, comes with a couple of homemade bangers, flavorful sausages with fresh herbs. The belly sandwich is like a gourmet version of an Egg McMuffin. Instead of a stale biscuit and odd circular ham, you'll get a juicy slice of pork belly tucked inside a warm, doughy biscuit and topped with a fresh sunny-side up egg and picked onions—definitely my top pick among the savory offerings. The quiche is also a reliable option. On my visit, it was prepared with leeks, mushrooms and Gouda, and cooked in a buttery and flaky crust.
The elegant plate presentation Ellis probably perfected at Trotter's is in full swing at 2 Sparrows, which I think adds a nice touch to a morning meal. The tater tots, for instance, are oversized and served upright on plates in batches of four. The mimosas come with a little carafe of fresh-squeezed orange juice so you can mix to your own taste. If bubbly isn't your thing, you'll also find plenty of craft cocktails, several wines and a handful of local brews. Cocktails are $10 and up, so they can run your breakfast bill up very quickly.
Sweet menu items are also given the gourmet treatment. The buttermilk pancakes are elevated with Asian pears and fresh whipped cream. If you want just a small sweet treat to end your savory meal ( as I always do at brunch ) , try the maple and bacon doughnut. It's served soft and warm, with a fresh, gooey glaze and chunks of candied bacon. Also, check out the pop tart. That's right—that pre-packaged on-the-go breakfast from your childhood has grown up. Ellis' version is made with delicate layers of flaky pastry wrapped around sweet apricots and topped with lemon thyme icing. This pop tart is not to be missed. There's also a pop tart with foie gras and cherry compote, which I'm sure is divine, but I just can't eat goose liver before noon.
I love that Ellis and Fladung are adding some fine dining touches to brunch—and apparently, so does everybody else—so be prepared to wait an hour or more for a table on weekends. Maybe you can't afford dinner at Trotter's, but you can probably spare an hour ( and about $40 for two ) to have brunch at 2 Sparrows.
2 Sparrows is located at 553 W. Diversey Pkwy.; call 773-234-2320 or visit www.2sparrowschicago.com .
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Dining news:
Girl and the Goat chef and Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard debuted her cookbook, Girl in the Kitchen, earlier this month. Izard launched the cookbook with a celebrity chef-studded party at Salvage One Oct. 5.
Chefs from Chicago restaurants including Lillie's Q, avec, Chalkboard and GT Fish & Oyster were at cooking stations preparing interpretations of Izard's recipes for guests to sample.
Girl in the Kitchen is packed with recipes for gourmet nibbles like grilled lamb-stuffed calamari with shallots and fennel potato soup with lobster and blood oranges, as well as simple classics like shrimp, corn and green tomato salad and four-cheese macaroni with apples and bacon. So now, if you can't get a table at Izard's always-bustling West Loop eatery, you can stage your own episode of Top Chef at home by whipping up a few of her award-winning dishes. To purchase a copy of Girl in the Kitchen or to learn more about Izard's book tour, visit www.goat-tour.com .
