As you probably know from my Instagram, I have been on a mission to find the best burgers in Chicago with my friend Darian. We’re calling it the “Burgers for my Buns” tour, and we were totally stoked to try the burger at Owen & Engine during Chicago Restaurant Week.
Ambiance
This place took me right back to my study abroad days in London. It seriously made me feel like I was in a British pub and I absolutely loved it. The restaurant gets very dark at night, but I was into it.
Restaurant Week Menu ($36 Per Person)
First
Scotch Egg, House Stout Mustard
-or-
Winter Citrus Salad, Werp Farm Lettuces, Toasted Macadamia Nuts, Whipped Teleggio, Preserved Loquat Vinaigrette
Second
Stagel Farms Burger, Caramelised Onion, House Potato Bap, Chips, Malt Vinegar, Mayonnaise
-or-
Haddock Fish and Chips, English Pea puree, Malt Vinegar Mayonnaise, Sauce Gribiche
-or-
Housemade Gnudi, Triple Chicken Broth, Winter Squash Puree, Lardo, Crispy Sage
Dessert
Sticky Toffee Pudding, Steamed Date Cake, Candied Walnuts, White Chocolate, Rosemary Crémeux, Poached Cranberries
-or-
Cookie Plate, Triple Chocolate Chip Cookie, Maldon Sea Salt, Biscochito Cookies, Mexican Hot Chocolate with Guajillo Peppers
What I ordered
FIRST…
I chose the Winter Citrus Salad because it sounded unique, and I am not a huge fan of Scotch Eggs (although I heard Owen & Engine makes a fantastic Scotch Egg).
I loved the salad and would totally order it again if it were on the regular menu. It was a perfect, refreshing start to the Restaurant Week meal.
SECOND…
The Burger was the initial draw to dining at Owen & Engine during Restaurant Week, and it was the star of the show. Seriously, this burger is out of this world. It is on almost if not every news outlet’s “Best Burger in Chicago” list, and I fully support it.
As you can see from the picture, the burger is not your typical “food porn” with melty cheese and an egg yolk oozing out. Our server asked if we wanted to add cheese and an egg, and I was very close to saying yes. Darian asked the server what he recommended, and he suggested we order the burger as is (just caramelised onions) if we had never tried this particular burger before. I would be lying if I said I was not skeptical of ordering a burger with minimal toppings. With that said, I was blown away by the caliber of IMPECCABLE this burger reached with the “less is more” approach. I never thought I would be sitting here trying to explain to people that ordering this burger with cheese would most likely throw a wrench the entire experience, yet here we are. Take my word and ORDER THE BURGER AS IS.
DESSERT…
One may think it would be stiff competition between the dessert selection to win me over, but ordering the Sticky Toffee Pudding was actually a no brainer. I love Sticky Toffee Pudding from just about anywhere, and Owen & Engine’s STP was no exception.
What I wore
I wore black jeans, a nude tank and a black leather jacket with leather boots. I probably should have just worn leggings and a sweater, but I just felt like wearing what I wore. Oh well!
Future Trips to Owen & Engine...
I don’t think I would ever go to Owen & Engine without ordering the burger, but I would definitely want to return for brunch (the burger is on the menu). I was perusing the Owen & Engine Instagram account and the brunch pastries look incredible. I need to try them!
