The people behind Farmhouse Chicago ( 228 W. Chicago Ave.; FarmhouseChicago.com ) certainly believe in truth behind advertising.
As if the decorwhich ranges from a pitchfork on the door to a tiny tractor on the bar on the place's second floordoesn't tell patrons, Farmhouse ( which has a capacity of 120 standing, or 99 seated people ) specializes in the concept of farm-to-tavern dining. Of course, said concept isn't newbut it's done quite well.
The Farmhouse makes condiments, burgers and even sodas from scratch, and the care shows. However, another reason people may like this spot is that it offers almost 30 varieties of craft beer ( and, if there's one thing I've learned, it's that Chicago is a drinking city ). And, with me being a big fan of cider, I certainly enjoyed what Farmhouse offers.
As for the food, there's one thing the reader must know: This is that time of the year when chefs gradually replace summer items with autumnal offeringsso some of the dishes I review here may not be at Farmhouse next week, even ( so don't necessarily trust the menu you see onlinebut give it a couple weeks ).
That being said ( or typed ), Farmhouse Executive Chef Emily Kraszyk ( who I mistook for a server, partially because she looks so young ) knows her way around a kitchen. I could've just eaten the shortrib dumplings ( with creme fraiche and beef jus ) for days, but there's much more to try. The bucatini ( with brown butter, olive oil, aged cheddar, toasted walnuts, marjoram and red onion ) is another must-tryand if loving the mac 'n' cheese is wrong, I don't want to be right.
The entrees lived up to expectationsmostly. The Slagel Farms half-chicken ( which is on its way out, if it's not gone already ) is one of the most popular dishes at Farmhouseand with good reason, as it's expertly cooked. The double-cut pork chop is monstrous, although my friend and I had to get through what seemed like a substantial amount of fat to get to the well-seasoned meat.
If, by some miracle, you get through all that, please try the desserts. We sampled the apple streusel as well as the ice-cream sandwich. You can't go wrong either wayor with the rest of the menu, for that matter.