We proudly use only whole animals for all of our pork, poultry, and game. All charcuterie, sausage, bacon, and ham made in house. Our fresh dairy is by Kilgus Farmstead and non-homogenized. All eggs are by Moore Family Farm from Watseka, IL or Ellis Family Farm, Benton Harbor, MI. All preserves and pickles made in house from local or organic vegetables and fruits during peak season. All pork, chicken, duck, and rabbit by Gunthorp Farm or Slagel Family Farm. Beef and lamb by Mint Creek Farm, Q7 Ranch, or Slagel. Field corn (hominy and cornmeal) by Three Sisters Garden in Kankakee, IL and Spence Farm in Fairbury, IL. Corn grits and a dozen+ heritage grains by Anson Mills in Columbia, SC (certified organic.) Carolina Gold Rice and rice flour by Carolina Plantation in Darlington, SC. Aromatic rice by Southern Brown Rice in Weiner, AR (certified organic.) Fruits and vegetables from more than two dozen local farms in season. Crab by Ponachartrain Blue Crab, sustainably wild caught American blue crab. We are a Shedd Aquarium Rite Bite Sustainable Seafood parter and only serve sustainable seafood. Please ask us about individual products or farms, our suppliers are so much of our story.

BUTCHER'S BLOCK

Authentic Cajun charcuterie made in-house following traditional recipes made with local pastured pork

Andouille

Slow-smoked over pecan wood in natural beef casings. Served with home baked Abruzzi rye bread, chow-chow, and garlic aioli   5

Tasso Ham

Heavily spiced, dry cured and smoked for two days, with pimiento cheese, piccalilli and house benne crackers   7

Tête de Cochon

or hog's head pâté, made with brandy and peppercorns, with bourbon-brown sugar mustard and homemade rye bread   5

Potted Guinea Hen

Local guinea fowl preserved in its own aspic with Madeira and herbs, served with sweet quince pickle, bourbon-brown sugar mustard, and toast   10

Boucherie Plate

A taste of each of our traditional charcuterie and bakery above   22

STARTERS and SNACKS

Pickle Tasting

A sampling of home made pickles with sweet cream butter and home baked Sally Lunn bread   8

Soup du Jour

Made fresh daily with local, artisan, and heirloom ingredients  6

Gumbo Ya-Ya

Traditional Cajun chicken & sausage gumbo in dark, smoky roux, with buttered aromatic rice from Arkansas  7

Potato and Goat Cheese Croquettes

Crispy breaded potato balls filled with goat cheese and herbs, served on baby lettuce with creamy anchovy dressing   7

Creole Fried Clams, ca 1885

Heirloom rice and corn flour battered clams fried crisp, served with white remoulade and a petite salad of pea greens, frisee, and shallot  6

Cajun Liver Boudin Fritters

A Cajun country must - homemade pork liver and rice sausage breaded and deep fried, served with sriracha mayonnaise, frisee, and piccalilli  8

BIG & LITTLE SALADS

Roasted and Pickled Beets

Roasted red and pickled chiogghia beets with buttermilk, rye croutons, absinthe gems, pea shoots, and frisee  8

Creole Salad

Local hoophouse baby lettuces with crispy potted duck cakes, shallot, crisp house-cured bacon, sage croutons, cider vinaigrette, and poached egg  12

Smoked Turkey Salad

Delicate butter lettuce with local pastured turkey cured and smoked in-house, with tasso, shallot, and buttermilk-herb dressing  12

A Little Lunch Salad

Local baby lettuce with satsuma mandarins, Three Sisters Garden pecans, scallions, and cider vinaigrette  7

LUNCH PLATTERS

Shrimp and Grits

Gulf Coast white "gumbo" shrimp, creamy antebellum heirloom grits, mushroom & tasso gravy with house-made Worcestershire, scallions   14

Gumbo Ya-Ya

It begins with the roux, made in the traditional Cajun style, with our andouille sausage, chicken, and aromatic rice from Arkansas   12

Roasted Mushrooms

Roasted king trumpet, maitake, and shiitake mushrooms with fresh garlic and thyme, served with creamy grits, sawmill gravy, and piccalilli   12

Red Beans and Rice, ca. 1885

Authentic Nola Creole - pickled pork shank, smoked jowl, voodoo greens, and aromatic rice from Arkansas  8

Farmhouse Chicken and Dumplings, ca. 1920

An old family recipe, simply simmered chicken with hearty egg dumplings, lima beans, carrots, and thyme, garnished with onion tops  12

SANDWICHES

Pimiento Cheese Burger

Griddled onion and double cheeseburger with home made pimiento cheese on a steamed bun, sloppy and worth it, with choice of side    12

Smoked and Smothered Pork Shoulder

Served in Dutch Fork, South Carolina-style tart mustard sauce, topped with vinegar slaw on an egg bun, with choice of side   12

Po' Mi

Our tribute to the Vietnamese immigrants in South Louisiana putting their mark on Creole cooking - head cheese, liver boudin, red onion, heirloom radish, cilantro, Red Boat fish sauce, and sriracha mayonnaise, with choice of side    11

Shrimp Po' Boy

Crispy fried Laughing Bird shrimp with spicy remoulade, butter lettuce, and piccalilli, with choice of side   15

Chicken Liver Po' Boy

Deep fried chicken livers with red onion, frisee, and sriracha mayonnaise, with choice of side   9

Toasted Pimiento Cheese

Honmemade pimiento cheese on toasted rye bread with chowchow, with choice of side   8

A BOARDING HOUSE LUNCH ca. 1933

available 11am - 3pm, Monday - Friday • $16 per person, children under 12 $1 per year • Family style, total table participation requested

Chef Paul says: "For lunch, I tapped the grand tradition of boarding house hospitality and wedded it with our acclaimed fried chicken. The rest of our lunch menu has been streamlined for quick, efficient service, but I wanted one stand aside element for those who wanted a hearty, leisurely lunch. Fried chicken, biscuits, cornbread, hoppin' john, mashed potatoes, greens, pie, and ice cream. Traditionally, boarding house food was homey and comforting, as tenants were traveling or between homes, and it was invariably served family-style, or often just food left out in the dining room people could munch on as time permitted. I wanted a meal that would invoke this kind of simple hospitality and I wanted it to be affordable. It's yours for sixteen dollars a person, and while you can take as much time as you like, it's been set up so you can be in and out within an hour, probably with enough food for dinner!"

Biscuits and Cornbread

Timeless recipes served with homemade preserves and whipped sweet cream butter

Fried Chicken

Cooked according to Edna Lewis's recipe in fresh leaf lard with butter and a ham hock, in a cast iron kettle

Served with our signature sides:

Mashed Potatoes and Gumbo Gravy

Voodoo Greens

Red Beans & Rice

Banana Pudding

Featured on ABC 7 News Hungry Hound with Steve Dolinsky!

SIDES

German-style Home Fries  4

Voodoo Greens

Greens with smoked mushrooms, onions, vinegar, chiles, and black pepper  4

Creamy Cheese Grits  3

Buttered Popcorn Rice  2

Petite Green Salad  5

Peas and Rice  4

Mashed Potatoes and Gumbo Gravy  4

DESSERTS

Warm Coriander Oat Cake

Blueberry compote, blueberry-ginger almond granola, Cherokee sweetmint ice cream   7

Peanut Gooey Butter Cake

Vanilla bean ice cream, coffee crunch, sorghum molasses, banana anglaise   7

Chocolate and Black Walnut Tart

Smoked buttermilk ice cream, puffed sorghum marshmallow treats, and salted caramel   8

Buttermilk Pie, ca. 1928

Served chilled - muddled raspberries, spearmint ice, cracked pepper candy   7

Sour Cherry Bavarian Cream Tart

Cherry conserves, chocolate-rye crumbles, home made marshmallows   7

Selection of 3 Home Made Ice Creams

With selected accompaniments   7

Our menu is seasonal and items change from time to time. List and prices are subject to change; web site may not be up-to-date. Last updated July 8, 2012.