I cannot cook.  Well, I’m sure I could if I tried – but frankly, I feel like it takes up way too much time to prepare a meal.  I like to opt for take-out for better yet, Mr. Cook for the food.  I mean, it is his last name…right?

What I do love to do is watch people cook.  And there’s nothing better for me then mixing my first love of television with watching people cook.  I’ve been a fan of Top Chef Season 2.  (I wouldn’t watch season one because I was boycotting Katie Lee Joel.  Another story for another time.)

Chicago is home to so many wonderful restaurants – and of course, Top Chef contestants.  I really would like to plan a trip based around Top Chef restaurants – and then judge them and pick a winner. Hey Bravo – that sounds like a new show – CALL ME!

So I got a bug up my butt to hit the Girl and the Goat – aka – the place everyone in Chicago is talking about.

I tired to make a reservation last time I was here. No luck.

So I went home and made one two-and-a-half-months in advance.  And let me tell you, it was worth the wait.

The plates are “tapas” style.  So small plates, you order a lot and try a bunch of different things.

Here’s a look at what we ordered.

This is the Pretzel Bread with honey mustard butter and 1000 island dressing.  The bread was TO DIE FOR – and I thought I would like the 1000 island better.  But in fact, the honey mustard butter was just perfect.

This is the chickpea fritters.  I’m not going to lie – I had no idea the chickpea was this diverse.  I’ve had it in hummus.  But this – was amazing.  It was like a mozzarella stick but not. Enjoyable!

The royal red shrimp ceviche.  The shrimp was so cold and crisp and the combination with the white asparagus and little sunflower seeds was really enjoyable.

The goat cheese tortellini is hidden under the big leaves.  I really enjoyed goat cheese.  I’m not sure I have had it before.  I’m not a huge pasta fan – but the noodles themselves were delicious!

This is a look at the ham frites and smoked tomato aioli instead of ketchup and the cheddar beer sauce.  These may be the best french fries that I’ve ever had.  The sauces were a perfect pairing. And frankly, the aioli was better then ketchup.

I was most looking forward to this dish, the diver scallops.  They did not disappoint.  I was also surprised how good the sauce was around the scallops.  The sauce also had a braised duck, marcona almond butter and some other stuff.  But the duck – I’ve never had duck because for some reason it seems wrong of me to eat.  But it was so good – and just melted in my mouth.

This was another dish that I really insisted on trying.  I’m really into sauteed green beans.  This had a fish sauce vinaigrette and cashews.  I LOVE cashews.  The beans were great.  I loved them and the nuts, but it was probably the only dish at the table that people didn’t go back for more.  The sauce was a little too overpowering.  It didn’t taste bad, just not something you want to eat a lot of.

The last dish to arrive at the table was the much talked about and debated wood oven roasted Pig Face. It comes with a sunny side egg, tamarind, cilantro, red wine-maple, potato stix.  There’s really no way to describe it other then some sort of pork patty covered with amazing goodness. The server basically said attack it and mix it all up to eat it.

Aly goes in for the Pig Face attack.  It was so good all mixed together – almost a smoky bbq flavor with some sweet and crunchy flavors.  I would definitely order it again and again and again.

My only real complaint about the dessert menu, too many options mixed with fruit.  Not everyone likes fruit people!

But we managed to find something that didn’t offend me, the red tea brulee.  It was good.  Not amazing – but good.  The whip cream on top, now that was amazing!

So excited to cross this list off the places I must attend…but I cannot wait to go back!