[Photograph: Anna Deem]

Chicago Q may be known for serving excellent barbeque, but their brunch menu is not to be ignored. Served alongside their lunch menu, Chicago Q's brunch features five signature dishes ranging from typical brunch fare (mascarpone-stuffed French toast), to not-so-typical (smoked chicken eggs benedict). The real standout dish among the five, though, is the Kobe Brisket Hash ($10.50), which is served with two eggs any style (I got mine scrambled) and two crumbly cheddar-chive biscuits.

The biscuits had a touch of sweetness to them, which made the cheddar and chives not too overwhelming. The hash was almost as good as the biscuits, with the fluffy scrambled eggs providing the perfect supporting role to the tender Kobe brisket pieces. The slices of apple on the plate also worked as a crucial palette cleanser as I worked my way through the dish. It may be hard to ignore the barbeque essentials on Chicago Q's lunch menu—I may have stolen a few bites of my brunch companion's pulled pork sandwich—but their unique barbeque-inspired spin on brunch is worth taking the risk.

Chicago Q

1160 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60610 (map)
312-642-1160
chicagoqrestaurant.com