Second Generation - New American - Logan Square

On Saturday, myself and a couple of friends stopped into Second Generation close to 8pm. Fortunately, they were able to accommodate a party of three inside immediately, but the quotes for patio seating given over the phone to prospective guests were in the 40-45 minute range.
The interior of Second Generation seems more sophisticated than it's previous iteration as Mini Mott but there are also a plethora of family photos hung in the front of the restaurant as a nod that this is a more personal experience.
As a table, we shared the following dishes: the everything wings, which were dressed with ginger, soy, chili, fish sauce and everything bagel seasoning. A hamachi crudo daily special which was delicate and delicious. Sea scallops which were perfectly cooked. The star of the shared items was the eggplant misoyaki tartine. Perfectly cooked Chinese eggplant on sourdough soaked in miso butter with oyster mushroom, hoisin and a perfect onsen slow poached egg. Each of us chose one of the larger menu item as a main: the midnight pasta resembled a classic scallion noodle dish, the Mott burger no bun and I got the kalbi steak frites which amazingly tender from the marinade but full of flavor with some of the best crisp frites I have had in years.
For dessert, we split the Grasshopper sundae which was soft serve, mint, fresh gooey chocolate brownie and macha twists which offered an excellent cap to the meal.
All in all with drinks it ran to around $80 per person with tax and tips. I will definitely be returning here in the future, although I suspect it will be harder to walk in as word gets out further.

Second Generation
3057 W Logan Blvd
Chicago IL 60647
773.904.7620
https://www.eatsecondgen.com/

Thanks, for the detailed report. It's very nice (and encouraging) to see the re-emergence of people posting here about restaurants, and I hope it continues.

That tartine sounds amazing and it seems like with the wings and the frites (and the burger), there are some carry-over items from when it was Mini Mott. I presume from the name, it's still the same ownership/management. Do you know?

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:I presume from the name, it's still the same ownership/management. Do you know?

I can field this one. Yes, it’s still run by the same group from Mott Street and the former Mini Mott. This is also confirmed by the Second Generation website:

https://eatsecondgen.com/menu-2

Lerdawg wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:I presume from the name, it's still the same ownership/management. Do you know?

I can field this one. Yes, it’s still run by the same group from Mott Street and the former Mini Mott. This is also confirmed by the Second Generation website:

https://eatsecondgen.com/menu-2

Thanks. Very curious about this place. Hope to check it out soon.

=R=

lodasi wrote:On Saturday, myself and a couple of friends stopped into Second Generation close to 8pm. Fortunately, they were able to accommodate a party of three inside immediately, but the quotes for patio seating given over the phone to prospective guests were in the 40-45 minute range.
The interior of Second Generation seems more sophisticated than it's previous iteration as Mini Mott but there are also a plethora of family photos hung in the front of the restaurant as a nod that this is a more personal experience.
As a table, we shared the following dishes: the everything wings, which were dressed with ginger, soy, chili, fish sauce and everything bagel seasoning. A hamachi crudo daily special which was delicate and delicious. Sea scallops which were perfectly cooked. The star of the shared items was the eggplant misoyaki tartine. Perfectly cooked Chinese eggplant on sourdough soaked in miso butter with oyster mushroom, hoisin and a perfect onsen slow poached egg. Each of us chose one of the larger menu item as a main: the midnight pasta resembled a classic scallion noodle dish, the Mott burger no bun and I got the kalbi steak frites which amazingly tender from the marinade but full of flavor with some of the best crisp frites I have had in years.
For dessert, we split the Grasshopper sundae which was soft serve, mint, fresh gooey chocolate brownie and macha twists which offered an excellent cap to the meal.
All in all with drinks it ran to around $80 per person with tax and tips. I will definitely be returning here in the future, although I suspect it will be harder to walk in as word gets out further.

Second Generation
3057 W Logan Blvd
Chicago IL 60647
773.904.7620
https://www.eatsecondgen.com/

Great write-up! And interesting menu. I'm glad to see some thematic & flavor consistency across the menu. Perhaps my own issue, but I'm getting really tired of small plates restaurants that are an incoherent hodge podge of totally unrelated & (often) incompatible flavors. Hopeful that trend starts to dissipate.

Block Club did a write up on Second Generation:
https://blockclubchicago.org/2022/09/19/logan-squares-mini-mott-replaced-with-second-generation-a-tribute-to-owners-asian-american-heritage/

Well that's that. Closing today. There will be no third generation at this location but the original Mott Street remains.

Dang. Wasn't in my regular rotation but I enjoyed it during my visits.

Felt like it was pretty both times that I was there. I don't know how any restaurant can do well with those crazy small margins