Kitsch’n on Roscoe
Bottomless Coffee from Intelligentsia
Fried Chicken and Waffles – Two Pieces of Belgian Waffle, Golden Chicken Thighs, Mixed Fruit, Jalapeno Butter, Fried Egg
Coconut Crusted French Toast – Shredded Coconut Crusted Brioche, Fresh Pineapple and Strawberries, Raspberry Sauce
Kitsch’n Twinkie Tiramisu
Forever a member of my ‘places to visit’ during several trips to the Windy City it was finally on Friday that I decided to stop by Kitsch’n on Roscoe, my sister and her fiancé opting to sleep in on the day before their wedding while I went for an early morning run followed by a two-mile walk to a restaurant that more than lived up to its name. Truly a space that is best seen to be understood with a menu of items both standard and unique it was just after the 8:30am opening that I approached the deceptively sizable space and entering through unlocked doors I immediately became confused, the quirky décor with bedazzled album covers and Tony the Tiger smiling back as The Four Tops played overhead, but not a human to be seen behind the counter or in the kitchen beyond. Deciding to investigate further only after shouting “hello” it was onward to the back room that I progressed and again finding the space empty I was admittedly startled when a small woman emerged from the storeroom, the look on her face likely similar to mine as we both laughed at the circumstances – the cooks arriving a bit later than usual and thus requiring her to start the stoves and gather items to begin service. At this point more than a bit amused it would be mere moments before I found a seat and with the first of several cups of Intelligentsia’s House Blend poured into a bottomless cup a three-part order was placed – the opening duo arriving in expedited fashion from a kitchen who needlessly apologized more than once. Admittedly a bit more expensive than one would expect for food that could best be described as ‘fun’ it was with the restaurant’s signature chicken and waffles that I began and although the bird itself was a bit underwhelming the waffle and butter did an admirable job of steering the ship, though a mere half of the crunchy, golden disc seemed chintzy at best. Improving with subsequent plates my attention soon turned to buttery brioche tossed in shreds of soft coconut and while pineapple could have stood to be sweeter the raspberry syrup helped, an overall lightness to the dish proving a stark contrast to dessert – a pair of America’s favorite snack cakes infused with coffee and cocoa amidst a sea of whipped ricotta that tastes far more refined than the concept would seem.
RECOMMENDED: Twinkie Tiramisu, copious amounts of coffee.
AVOID: Chicken and Waffles are woefully overpriced, undersized, and underwhelming.
TIP: With seating divided between front and back rooms take time to explore the décor, most of it far more interesting than the food itself, including a collection of vintage board games free for anyone to play should they wish to linger over coffee and the restaurant’s funky tunes.
http://www.kitschn.com/
