Fried Chicken from West Town Tavern

Some word combinations just have that magic touch for me, conjuring images, smells and textures in an instant: “Italian Beef,” “daikon kimchi” and “fried chicken” are a few of my favorites. Obviously, there are varying degrees of quality within each category. For instance, while many local rave about Harold’s (meh) and Evanston’s Chicken Shack  (much better), I’ve recently been turned on to the surprisingly crisp and succulent version at Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab (seriously) and have been a fan of Crisp’s Korean-style since they opened their doors on Broadway.

But for sheer consistency and down-home charm, you have to hand it to Susan Goss, the Chef and Co-owner of West Town Tavern. For several years, her Zinfandel was a beacon of American regional cooking in River North; when she and her husband, Drew, moved to West Town to open their very personal restaurant, some items made the move with them, chiefly, her Zinfandel-braised short rib with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and Pennsylvania Dutch black vinegar sauce, as well as her fried chicken. That chicken has proven to be so popular, they decided to have a “Fried Chicken Night” every Monday, and focus on brining, dredging and frying for one day a week. Arriving with garlicky mashed potatoes, sauteed Swiss chard and Susan’s great-grandmother’s buttermilk biscuits with wild mushroom gravy, it’s just $16.95, and one hell of a deal. Sorry to share this news with you on a Tuesday; you’ll have to wait another week to go try it for yourself.