Do This: SmallBar Division's Sunday Gravy

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Jan 21, 2013 9:30PM

Photo credit: Chicagoist/Chuck Sudo

The food coming out of SmallBar Division’s kitchen doesn’t get near the publicity and kudos regularly showered on the Wicker Park bar’s beer menu: To call it underrated would itself be underrated. But chef Justin White has been cranking out some amazing dishes using locally sourced ingredients for some time now, and now that he and principal manager Phil McFarland aren’t splitting their attention between two locations, White is able to work on some simple and inexpensive promotions that shine a well-deserved light on the venue’s food.

Now that we’re feeling a tingle on our cheeks from the cold, SmallBar’s “Sunday Gravy” promotion might become required eating the remainder of winter. This four-course dinner features homemade pasta sauce on a low simmer. Throughout the day they toss housemade sausage, homemade meatballs, hard-boiled eggs and other surprises, resulting in a rich, thick, savory sauce to top over al dente, buttered and herbed pasta, a side (last night’s was roasted cauliflower), house made ricotta cheese and toast, and a dessert.

All this is paired with a bottle of Pipeworks beer. Last night’s selection was Poivre Rose, a saison spiced with pink peppercorns where the spicing becomes more pronounced as the beer warms and paired perfectly with every course on the menu. The Sunday Gravy special gets you enough food and beer for two people, all for the low price of $30. As a bonus, we were able to enjoy the dinner without fighting the noise of a bunch of football fans, although every television in the bar was tuned to the AFC Championship game. If you’re looking for a quiet, understated dinner that won’t cost you a fortune, jump on this deal while it lasts.

SmallBar Division is located at 2049 W. Division Street. The Sunday Gravy special runs Sundays through March 17rom 6 p.m. until the kitchen runs out of sauce.