We were hooked on Pecking Order before it opened: The name, the concept, the chef, the menu…it all sounded irresistible from the get-go, and now we can confirm that it’s well worth a trek to the North Side.
Kristine Subido, the former chef of Wave restaurant at the W Lakeshore hotel, debuted her chicken-centric spot in Ravenswood last weekend, and we were among the first in line at the counter.
“Chicken Every Which Way” is Pecking Order’s tagline, and the restaurant’s signature overnight soak in soy, vinegar, sugar and garlic is a tradition handed down through generations of Subido’s Filipino family.
On a first visit it only seems logical to try the least-familiar preparation: the full-of-flavor roasted chicken ($11 for a half chicken) stuffed with lemongrass and ginger and basted with annatto-calamansi butter—it’s some of the tenderest, juiciest bird we’ve had. There’s also fried chicken, grilled chicken, chicken wings and more, all made from organic, antibiotic-free poultry from FreeBird.
The next time we’re serving a crowd, we’ll take home the two whole chicken dinner ($46), a spread that includes your choice of four sides (sweet plantains, spicy slaw, garlic fried rice and many others).
Look out, fellow hens: We’re going to be regulars in this house.
