All good things must come to an end and the 2018 Wrigley Field Chef Series wraps up this homestand with a delectable selection of sandwiches and more from one of Chicago’s most creative chefs, and noted Cub fan, Graham Elliot.
Elliot has three sandwiches and a take on hummus in this menu, which can be found in the right field corner patio area just to the right of the gates at Sheffield and Addison.
I’ll confess I was initially a tiny bit disappointed that my all-time favorite chef series menu item didn’t make a reappearance this year. But it’s probably for the best that the lobster corn dog is off the menu because it meant I got to try new things, and I’d soon forgotten about any disappointment.
This year’s menu has three sandwiches that I’ll talk about in more detail below plus an avocado hummus that comes with vegetables and chips for dipping. All of the sandwiches are $14, the hummus is $11, and the food items are discounted 10% over an hour before game time.
- Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich with Sriracha mayo, kimchi slaw and cilantro leaves
- Grilled cheese with crispy bacon, butterkase and tomato jam
- Pub burger with whipped cheddar, onion rings and oven roasted tomatoes
- Gideon avocado hummus with summer veggies, olive oil and sunflower seeds
I ordered the grilled cheese and while I initially balked at the idea of a $14 grilled cheese, when I saw the skewer with basically two full sandwiches on it I knew I had a great deal for the money. Honestly, it was delicious and contains two of my favorite foods (bacon and cheese) and I still couldn’t finish the whole thing.
This might be the perfect grilled cheese. First of all, butterkase is an exceptional choice for a grilled cheese. I would have loved this if it was just a butterkase grilled cheese, but there was more. The bacon is delightfully smoky. The tomato jam mixes with the butterkase in a gooey way. Finally, the sandwich is served on a bed of potato chips that wind up getting caught up in the cheese every now and again. It turns out potato chips add a lot to a grilled cheese. As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t finish the whole sandwich so I wound up sharing it with my friends who agreed that it was a) incredible b) definitely enough food for two people.
Both of my friends ordered the pub burger. If you’re looking for some standard baseball fare just kicked up a notch by a chef who really understands flavors, you can’t go wrong with this burger. Onion rings on a burger is always already a good idea, inventing whipped cheddar and combining that with a well cooked burger and a classic bun is just brilliant.
The hummus is the most adventurous item on the menu and while I didn’t get a chance to try it, I did get a chance to chat with some people who did. It sounds good and if you’re looking for a healthier option in a sea of not great for you ballpark foods this is great. Still creative, still tasty, and not going to make you feel as guilty as onion rings on a burger or bacon grilled cheese.
I’m saving my sampling of the spicy chicken sandwich for another trip to Wrigley during this homestand.
One of the best parts of sampling these menus on their first day is that the chefs tend to make an appearance, which Graham Elliot did Thursday night (he also sang the seventh inning stretch).
If you haven’t experienced the chef series this year, this is your last chance. Elliot’s menu is available until August 29 and there are still tickets available for the games. If you do wind up sampling some of the menu, let us know what you thought of the food in the comments.