Ty's Tasty Tips

One of celebrity Chef Stephanie Izard’s “goat” named restaurants in Chicago. With each offering their own unique menus, Duck Duck Goat boasts creative Chinese-inspired cuisine. Unique to Chicago, this is another of my favorite spots to take friends and family when they’re in town visiting. You will easily find this lovely establishment in the heart of Chicago’s “food district” by the building’s green front and vibrant yellow awning. The outdoor seating is limited, but each table offers plenty of space for plates and drinks as well as an umbrella for shade. If you happen to land one of these premium patio tables, you’ll want to make sure you order something refreshing!

What better way to beat the summer heat than with a frozen cocktail? Bring in the Grass Skirt! This drink is made with El Dorado 3-year rum, montenegro, passion fruit, orange blossom, and ginger. While the passion fruit puts it on the sweeter side, the montenegro and orange blossom level it out with a tart and slightly herbal flavor. The rum and ginger blend perfectly to add a delicious spiced-barrel aftertaste. 

With drinks in hand, we rarely have to wait long before our appetizers begin arriving. I am typically not the biggest fan of spring rolls. That said, the duck and goat spring rolls here… just wow! They come as an order of three and are quite a bit longer and thinner than normal veggie spring rolls. That just means you will be able to savor the perfectly crispy wrapping longer than the standard short-and-stout spring rolls you’ll find at most other restaurants. The shredded veggies inside are wonderful and without being overly oily. The real highlight here is obviously the duck and goat meat. Each bite has a warm, rich, creamy taste at first, followed by the savory duck and earthy vegetables. If you want to add a little bit of heat for your sinuses, the hot mustard hits up front without lingering to overpower the rest of the flavors. If you’re like me, I almost always opt for the sweeter option. Bring in that charred pineapple sweet and sour. I find that this adds a sharp tang in the middle of the bite to balance out the richness, while sweetening the final notes.

Jiaozi, which are potstickers made with beef short rib & bone marrow, are sensational and such a refreshing take on dumplings. The jiaozi can also be made vegan by using mushrooms and leeks instead. I imagine those are just as good, but I can truly only speak to the nonvegan option, so let’s get into it! Coming as an order of 4, the jiaozi is garnished with fresh cut green onions and sliced chilies. Resting in the house-made sauce, grab one, give it a swirl to sauce it up, then get ready for the flavor train. The first thing you might notice is that the meat doesn’t have that firm bite of processed or overcooked meat. Instead, the beef short ribs and bone marrow as so tender, you might not realize you’ve made it through the delicate potsticker wrap. Have no fear, though. The amazing umami, spices, richness, and savory flavors roll across your tongue in waves, spurred on by each consecutive bite. My one warning is that you may end up locked in a dual of chopsticks as you wrestle for the final one!

The duck fried rice is our favorite way to enjoy the duck without having to order an entire Peking Duck itself, which serves 6-8. Made with jasmine rice and peking duck meat, seasonal veggies, and a soft-boiled duck egg, this is an absolute “must” when visiting. I am a huge fan of eggs, so I can say with great confidence that the tea-stained duck egg is flawlessly soft-boiled. I would highly recommend mixing the runny, creamy yolk into the rice for optimal enjoyment. The veggies in this dish have a nice char to them with the mushrooms being excellently sauteed. The duck meat is so tender and juicy as well. Be sure to grab a spoonful once it hits the table to get the full wok hay flavor experience!

Xi’an Goat Slap Noodles are made with cumin, sichuan peppercorn, finger hot chili, and goat shoulder. This is an experience unto itself. For me, the goat meat, combined with the cumin, has a somewhat smokey flavor to it, similar to lamb, but with a richer flavor like a beef. The fresh chunks of finger– hot chilies and crushed sichuan peppercorns really bring the heat! Without being overly saucy, the sweet-heat teriyaki, or perhaps more of an XO-like sauce, does help to temper the heat of the Xi’an goat slap noodles by soothing the mouth on the after taste. This will give you enough time to prepare the next bite without overwhelming your tastebuds by the spice.

It is pretty obvious to me why this has become such a prime locale for Chicagoans. You will be hard pressed to find a dish or cocktail you don’t thoroughly enjoy. The atmosphere is very conducive to fun and lively conversations with your party.