Mortar & Pestle
House Horchata
Silver Dollars – Vanilla Bean Pancakes, Halva, Balsamic Pickled Blueberries, Local Honey
Biscuit – House Strawberry Jam, Honey Butter
French Toast – Challah Custard Royale, Foie Gras Torchon, Bacon Powdered Sugar, 100% Pure Maple Syrup
Taking the Breakfast advice of a Chef back west for the second time in as many days it was by way of Uber that Mortar & Pestle was accessed out in Lakeview, an area that has grown tremendously in the past five years now packed with upscale dining options and Stephen Ross’ little shop on Broadway said to be worth the trek.
Apparently built from the inside out by Ross, his fondness for the area as well as local ingredients developed early while working at North Pond, it is immediately upon entry that guests are surrounded by homey aesthetics and pleasant service, the single sheet menu offering some two-dozen choices including Brunch, A La Carte and “Something Light.”
Playing light music from a standard mix overhead, this particular Friday fairly quiet, it was declining Coffee that house Horchata was instead selected, the option to have it spiked best saved for others though the Cinnamon-Sugar rim was a nice touch.
Walk-in only and thus occasionally generating a wait on weekends, a summer patio increasing capacity for those willing to brave the elements, it was after debating several global concepts that sweet won out over savory, Chef’s housemade Biscuit fluffy but fairly flavorless before adding Butter and Jam while Silver Dollar Pancakes read better than they tasted thanks to the overwhelmingly sour Blueberries that needed at least twice as much Honey to achieve balance, though the crumbled Candy and fluffy rounds were quite nice.
Over-ordering as usual, both the bill and portion sizes at Mortar & Pestle running larger than many similar places, it was finally with the small Torchon of Foie Gras already part melted that the rest was spread liberally atop baked Egg Bread fully saturated with Custard, the “Bacon” not really notable beyond its salinity amidst Powdered Sugar while the Pure Maple Syrup played beautifully off the Duck Liver’s unctuousness.
www.mortarandpestlechicago.com
