Giant
Another example of a restaurant where the Beli rating system would be more reflective of my appreciation for it. If you are offering me one dinner from Rose Mary, Maxwells Trading, or Giant - all of which are favorites of mine in Chicago - I am very likely choosing Giant. It is admittedly the least appealing vibe among the three, though.
For the most part, the food was fantastic. The jalapeno bread is incredible; it is soft, has the right hint of jalapeno, and it seemed to build an appetite for the entire meal. The morels - though obviously to only be seasonal - were my favorite dish. They were paired with a pork rillette, and it all sat in a sauce that I believed to be a nam jim jaew or nam prik variation. I am partial to southeast Asian flavors, but the sauce worked objectively well with the morels and pork.
The shrimp and pork "fried rice" was small but packed a punch. Tons of flavor with different parts dominating across different bites. The bucatini noodles tasted freshly made, the sauce was simple but additive, and the texture contrast with the bacon and "breadcrumb" worked well. Like with the bread, the jalapeno seemed to be dialed to the right degree.
The theme of the food that I enjoyed here was "balance," both in flavor and texture. When there was a soft element, like the sauteed morels, the tempura-like fry of the rillette on the same plate created a contrast. With every bite of that same "heavy" pork-filled rillette, you had a sharp Thai-related sauce that lightened the overall experience. The rice seemed to have almost exclusively strong, savory flavors without any single one dominating. The jalapeno - in the bread and the bucatini - was just beyond subtle enough to remind you it was there when you needed it.
About halfway through the meal, I was certain they were going to receive that illustrious half star that separates them from all of those I have given three stars here, but the tagliatelle fell a hair short and the onion rings seemed out of place and were just not all that great.
The tagliatelle was the most aesthetically appetizing dish we received but the least enjoyable. The crab dominated, and I can't say that the saffron or the chili butter countered its strength in the way its counterparts did in other dishes. A predominantly "crabby" dish overall, no pun intended.
The onion rings were onion rings. Should we have ordered them? Probably not. They're on the menu, though. We were more justified in ordering them here than similar examples I have shared on this blog, primarily because most of their dishes layer additional flavors to differentiate a dish enough to make it interesting. These felt like they belonged at a restaurant that often has children dining there that the restaurant needs to appease with a few menu items.
Everyone who has ever dined at Giant comments on the closeness of the tables inside, so much so that Giant has riffed on it on their Instagram page, so it is not particularly interesting commentary. The tables are really fucking close together, though.
On the whole, this is really good food. There are many more worlds where you can order 5-6 dishes and hit a homerun here than there are where you will leave feeling disappointed.