It’s exciting to see one of Chicago’s best chefs start small (well, he came right out of Charlie Trotter’s kitchen, so maybe not that small), and work up to this fabulous new locale.
First, there was Urban Belly fors upremely delicious (and reasonably priced) noodles, rice dishes and dumplings. Then, Belly Shack came along full of Asian meatballs, Belly “dog” and even Vegan toastones. Now, it’s Belly Q, carry out counter and all, where you can cook meat yourself on tabletop grills. Many of the recipes making up Belly Q’s menu come from Mr. Kim’s mother, including short ribs, the pancake, and other traditional dishes.
The room couldn’t be more different from its old occupant, One Sixty Blue. Gone is the vast, stark contemporary American feeling . Instead, Belly Q pulses with good energy and atmospheric music. Wines on tap make sipping not only fresh and tasty, but also extremely reasonable. Two whites and two reds are on tap at any given time, rotating frequently.
What have you tasted?
Here are a few shots of the dishes we tried:
