Nov. 18--Duck bacon truffled poutine: The most unexpected poutine on Chicago's West Side can be found in Lawndale, in a restaurant with a bulletproof takeout carousel. Here, at the nearly 3-month-old Crazy Bird Chicken, I was served a heaping mound of french fries with truffle gravy, white cheddar and duck bacon (on the menu as Crazy Bird Crazy Good Fries for $7.29). Wait ... what?! Truffle fries poutine on the West Side? Let's applaud Larry Tucker, who in the '90s made a name in Chicago's barbecue game at N.N. Smokehouse, for bringing haute ingredients to the neighborhood. Tucker's fried chicken shop leaves him with plenty of spare bones, which he turns into chicken broth that's the basis for his peppered country gravy. Like all poutines, its shelf life is short and ordering for takeout is not recommended. Fortunately, there are tables and counters to enjoy the poutine. Which you should. In Lawndale. Eating an impressive, mammoth plate of truffled fries with country gravy and duck bacon.
1138 S. California Ave., 773-801-0451, crazybirdchicken.com Closed Monday.
