First Taste: mEAT

A restaurant audacious enough to pretty much model its entire being off a sexual euphemism deserves points. mEAT is obviously a Boystown original (though they did curiously just open a second location in Streeterville), a skewer-centric eatery cashing in on the phallic-happy 'hood with juicy dangling kebabs, treacly drinks, and a bubbly waitstaff. 


mEAT
(Manhattan glamor at mEAT)


The Ambience

Or rather, "amboyance"? Located on Halsted Street at the bullseye of Boystown, mEAT is ideally situated and designed to capture and personify everything about gay dining and drinking in Chicago. From the name, a not-so-subtle nod to the gayborhood, to the kebab-shaped meaty entrees, mEAT covers all the boisterous bases. The restaurant is a sister project to adjacent minibar, a longstanding Boystown staple for drinks and dancing. As the name suggests, mEAT is more about eating than any of that. Though cocktails are a huge component here too. Thusly, the space is designed more like a full-fledged restaurant than any of the other clubby outlets along the strip. During warmer weather, look for the coolest patio on the street, a small series of tables bedecked with literal swingseats. Aka al fresco dining here can be enjoyed on swings. Obsessed. Inside, the atmosphere is lively but subdued. It's relatively small but not cramped, making for a comfortable setting in which to enjoy a tongue-in-cheek meal. Service is swift and friendly, albeit a tad forgetful at times. 


The Meat (And Other Food)

The crux of the meaty menu here is the skewer section. Each entree is brought out on long skewers and literally dangled at the table off some weird torture-like contraption. It's a little unruly to maneuver and pull meat off the skewer that way, so I'd recommend ignoring the device and just using silverware to pry morsels onto plates. Across the board, meats arrive succulent, hot, and juicy. As one would expect at such a place. The beef tenderloin tips, cooked to a luscious rare, are the stuff of cookout dreams, while the rosemary- and mint-infused pork is as tender and succulent as one would hope for swine. There's also meatballs, veggies, bacon-wrapped dates, salmon, and more. But I find the more classic the kebab, the more adept the kitchen is at handling it. My only comeuppance is that adjoining sauces and chutneys are scant and not nearly substantial enough for sharing, as many diners attempt to do here. Damn the season and make sure to augment any meal with mEAT's impeccable Brussels sprouts, studded with bacon, honey, and balsamic. Other sides are a tad risky, like the baby food-esque cauliflower puree and the puzzling quinoa casserole. But points for effort. 


The Drinks

When in Boystown, do as the Boystowners do. As in, drink bedazzled Manhattans. Cocktails are de rigeur at mEAT, with a lengthy selection of classic and contemporary libations. But even the classics feature a novel update, like the (not so old) Old Fashioned made with tequila. It's quite sweet, but delicious in a punch-y sort of way. I also love the Maple Foam Manhattan, despite the uptick in sweetness over the norm, because I'm a New Hampshire native with maple syrup pulsing through my veins. The Cucumber Gimlet and Negroni are both pretty balanced and refreshing, though sometimes mEAT pushes the envelope a little too far, such as with the Magic Margarita that alters flavors and becomes sweeter as the ice melts. Oh and in case you're blinded by bling, much of the drinks come garnished with a bedazzled swizzle stick. Nice touch. There's also a concise selection of craft beer and wines. 


All in all, barring any aversion to double entendres, quasi-phallic-shaped entrees, and cloying cocktails, mEAT is a fun and thoughtful dining addition to the club-focused nexus of Boystown.


- Matt Kirouac

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