Restaurant Review: Logan Square’s Giant towers over competition with ‘cheffiness’
“Chef Jason Vincent cooks the kind of craveable, slightly cheffy food that’s easy to fall for — with unexpected spins.”
Take a look at some of the reviews of Michelin-listed gastropub Giant in Logan Square, and the word that’s most often associated with the eight year old institution is ‘cheffiness.’
Merriam-Webster defines cheffiness as “characteristic of or befitting a professional chef (as in showiness, complexity, or exoticness.)”
Giant owner/chef Jason Vincent fits the description to a ‘T,’ elevating the ingredients and flavors associated with gastropub fare and providing the kind of ambience befitting a Food & Wine Best Chef.
“We’re going to make delicious food and you’re going to like it,” Vincent told Eater.com in 2016.
‘Giant’ also seems to refers to the flavors, not the size, of the restaurant, which seats under 50 people, even with the small outdoor patio.
The best view of the food, however, is at the Chef’s Table at the back. There, you can find Vincent and his team preparing unique, farm-to-table offerings of locally produced meats and vegetables.
Giant’s menu is best described as “small by mighty. “ Winning combinations on the menu include the Jonah Crab Salad, served with waffle fries and cocktail sauce. Honey Butter Pears are a tangy-tart-sweet mix of Tallegio cheese, bacon, and pecan. Japanese Eggplant is festooned with cashews and panceetta. Saffron Tagliatelle is made with Dungeness crab and chili butter. Sortalini is a combination of smoked tomato, guanciale (salt-cured pork) and pine nuts. Cappelli di Mago has rabbit, foie gras, polenta, and a tangy-sweet zest of orange. Sizzling Flank Steak has jalapeño and lime.
As we always say when appropriate, “Save room for dessert!” At Giant, try the Cajeta Ice Cream with pecans and strawberries. Or their Toffee Apple Pie with a sweet Dutch crumble on top. And their Cookies and Cream Microwave Cake has cookies and cream icecreamand cookies.
Google reviews have waxed eloquent about Giant’s outsized tastes.
“This charming spot in Chicago is a must-visit,” opined one. “We opted for the chef’s counter, and it was an unforgettable experience. But what really set it apart were two standout elements: the exceptional customer service and the incredible food. If you’re gluten-free, you’ll be thrilled to know they went above and beyond by clearly marking the gluten-free options on the menu. The dishes were simply outstanding, deserving of a Michelin Bib Gourmand.”
“We had such a great dining experience with our local friends!” said another. “Food and service were excellent: from cornbread, summer flounder, onion rings were phenomenal, Morelle mushrooms, flank steak, Gnudi dish & cocktails were excellent as well.”
Giant is located at 3209 W. Armitage Avenue. Their hours are Sunday-Thursday, 5pm-10pm, and Friday and Saturday, 5pm-11pm. Reservations are needed, and can be made by clicking here.
Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago
