Fab Review: Small Cheval

Everyone and their mother has heard of Au Cheval, the famous and beloved burger joint of West Loop. It has gotten so popular that the Hogsalt Hospitality group opened a cleverly named sister restaurant, Small Cheval, located a few blocks north of Wicker Park’s bustling Damen “L” stop.

While Small Cheval remains true to the gastronomic fundamentals established by its sister restaurant, it still stands apart with its simplified style and its own version of the Au Cheval burger.

{Ambiance}
Small Cheval has a delightfully charming red-barn exterior with its 3-item menu painted outside. The interior is equally charming and cozy, with a large communal dining table in the center and bar seats that line the walls. On the other side of the bar seats is the counter and the partly-open kitchen, which adds a welcoming liveliness.

There’s also an absolutely lovely outdoor dining area with large picnic tables and overhead string lights (true to the hipster nature of Wicker Park). Like I mentioned before, the food menu contains only three items: a hamburger, a cheeseburger, and fries (and, of course, the option to add bacon to your burgers). On the other hand, the drink menu is more extensive and includes various alcoholic beverages, as well as chocolate and vanilla shakes for a more PG experience.

{Food}
Cheeseburger
The three things that immediately caught my attention were the lack of fried egg (or even the option to add one), the thinness of the bacon, and the smaller size of the burgers. The first two points make me quite sad, even more so because the bacon was actually a bit tough. However, the patties (they’re still double patties) were delicious, and the meat was very tender and juicy. The buns themselves were well-toasted, buttery, and glistening, and of course, the Kraft cheese rounded the burger out with that all-American flavor. It’s hard not to compare this with the famous Au Cheval burger, but, in its own right, Small Cheval still serves up a good burger.

FAB TIP: You can get your burger house style, which includes dijonnaise, house-made pickles, and onions.

Golden Fries
Beautifully cut, beautifully fried, and beautifully salted – what more needs to be said? Though… let’s not forget about the glorious garlic aioli. It’s self-serve, too, meaning I was free to heap as much as I wanted to onto my burger and fries.

Chocolate Milkshake
This milkshake was very nostalgic, reminding me of the Nesquick chocolate milk that I drank so much of as a child. It wasn’t as sweet as most milkshakes are, which I enjoyed, and was also topped with a very light whipped cream. I got this milkshake for the sole purpose of dipping my fries into it, because sweet and salty is the best flavor combination out there, and I would highly recommend this.

{Experience}
I can’t help but compare the Au Cheval and Small Cheval burgers, and there’s also no argument that the former is better. It’s the bacon (the thick, peppery, maple-syrupy bacon) that makes the Au Cheval burger such a highlight in the Chicago food scene, so the thinness and toughness of the Small Cheval bacon really hits hard. The Au Cheval burger is worth every penny of the $16 (that’s including egg and bacon) you’ll dish out for it, but I’d be hard pressed to say the same for the Small Cheval cheeseburger at $12.

If we’re considering Small Cheval as its own independent restaurant, my final conclusion is that it’s a little overpriced, but it definitely still serves great food. If you want a higher-end burger without the wait of Au Cheval or you happen to be in the Wicker Park area, Small Cheval is definitely worth a try.

{Location}
Small Cheval
Wicker Park || 1732 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL

{Price Range}
$ (Under $10)

{Fab Ratings: 3.5 Fabs}

Have you ever been to Small Cheval? How did it compare to Au Cheval for you?

Live, laugh, eat,
Senxi

Note: This meal was not complimentary. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the writer.