Big Kids - Chicago
Chef Ryan Pfeiffer, formerly of the legendary and now shuttered Blackbird, is reaching back to the comfort foods of his childhood: sandwiches. Heads up: some of these sandwiches are rather unusual.
Having gained fame at Blackbird, Pfeiffer teamed up with Mason Hereford, owner of Turkey and the Wolf in New Orleans, Bon Appetit’s 2017 “The Best New Restaurant of the Year.” Together, these two big kids turn out sandwiches that are supposed to recall childhood but that are frequently unlikely to have been on any of our kitchen tables when we were growing up.
So, what kind of sandwiches can you expect at Big Kids? Well, suffice to say that what you’ll be served at this new sandwich shop is unlikely to be anything you could have possibly expected.
The Amy n’ Nettie is a beef Milanesa, burnt tomato, pepper rings and provolone, inspired, the menu tells us, by Ryan and Hereford’s moms.
Collard Melt is braised collard greens, cherry peppers, Russian dressing and Swiss on seeded rye, a fistful of tasty.
Sketti Pocket is fried spaghetti, mozzarella, parmesan, and sauce served, of course, in a pocket. Crazy fun.
Drinks include local root beer and a few other kid-friendly options, as well as “adult” offerings like the Tang-a-Rita (mezcal, tang, and lime), Ecto-Cooler (rum, honey, orange and, um, “green stuff”). All these cocktails are bottled for easy take-away.
Designed specifically for the Covid 19 environment, Big Kids is a fun place, and for now, it’s pickup only: you place orders online in advance. After you pick up your chow, and if the weather is not too forbidding, you might consider crossing the street and eating your unusual sandwiches in the park.