Oh. My. God. My life has been changed. I don’t eat red meet often– maybe once or twice a year. As such, I save these meat-eating occasions for the best of the best. Rated the #1 Burger in America by Bon Appetit in 2012, people come far and wide to Au Cheval to experience their famous Burger. Well, I’ve never been to Chicago, and with 36 hours to spend I decided my first stop HAD to be Au Cheval. Accolades like the one from Bon Appetit explain the hour and a half wait I encountered when I arrived at 5:30PM on a Tuesday evening, and I am SO happy to report the burger was everything I thought it would be AND MORE…
Not only does Au Cheval have a dedicated gluten-free menu, but they have a dairy-free menu, too! And if you are gluten-AND-dairy free- it’s no problem! I ordered the Open Faced Single Burger on Crispy Hash. If you’re like me and thought you were doing some nice portion control by ordering the single burger versus the double, think twice. The single burger is TWO patties, and I topped mine with two slabs of the tastiest bacon I have ever had and completed it with a fried egg. I’m at a loss for words when it comes to the hash brown bun. Can someone please tell me HOW it is made?! The ‘bun’ was thick, yet crispy, and made purely from hash browns! Upon ordering my meal, I notified the waiter of my gluten-restriction to which he asked if it was an intolerance or allergy. In noting that it was an allergy, extra concern was taken with my order to ensure it wasn’t cross contaminated. (As you will see at the restaurant, all the burgers, bacon, bread, etc. are cooked on a stovetop behind the bar). To start our meal, my friend and I ordered the Greens Salad, which was a great little way of incorporating some nutrients into our meal and had us thinking we were being healthy for all of one minute. Other gluten-free menu items offered include a Chopped Salad with bacon, egg & ranch dressing, Omelette with roasted peppers, espellette & fresh chèvre, and French Fries (which you can also top with an egg!)
I left Au Cheval in the best mood ever… and in a total food coma! The meal was delicious and well worth the hour and a half wait. Honestly, I’d wait even longer just to experience it all over again! I look forward to going to Au Cheval every time I am in Chicago, and if you haven’t been yet, you absolutely have to go!!