Have an Offal Halloween: 18 Dishes With Off Cuts We Love in Chicago

[Photograph: Nick Kindelsperger]

Happy almost Halloween everyone! In honor of all the ghouls and ghost about (to say nothing of the strangely and barely dressed), we were planning to put together a list of our favorite "spooky food." But then we realized we didn't know what that actually meant, because if you're referring to some of the less used bits of animals, also known as offal, then there's nothing spooky about them. In fact, when treated right, these are some of the most delicious dishes you can find in Chicago.

Think we're joking? The highlight of my meal to Sumi Robata Grill was a grilled beef tongue. The crispy tripa taco from La Chaparrita might be the best taco in the city. If you love Vienna Beef natural casing hot dogs as much as us, then you've tried sheep intestines. See what we mean?

This pig's head will eventually be transformed in to roasted pig face at Girl & the Goat. [Photograph: Huge Galdones]

While in no way complete, we've covered a number of offal options in Chicago over the past couple years. Here are some of our favorite. Check them all out by clicking on the slideshow.

• Blood: Black Pudding at Spencer's Jolly Posh Foods
• Brain: Mughuz Masala at at Shan Restaurant
• Cheek: Beef Cheek Barbacoa at La Favorita #2
• Chin: Duck Chin in Sweet Sake Sauce at Ken Kee
• Ear: Crispy Pig Ears at Nightwood
• Face: Wood Oven Roasted Pig Face at Girl & the Goat
• Gizzard: Chicken Gizzards Dinner at Shark's Fish and Chicken
• Head: Beef Cabeza Taco at Tacos D.F. at the Maxwell Street Market
• Headcheese: Classic Bánh Mì at Saigon Sisters
• Intestines: Vienna Beef Natural Casing Hot Dog
• Liver: Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage at Hot Doug's
• Marrow: Roasted Bone Marrow at Revolution Brewing
• Neck: Lamb Neck Sloppy Joe at Red Door
• Tail: Spicy Pigtail Ramen at Union Sushi + Barbeque Bar
• Tendon: Salt and Vinegar Beef Tendon Chips at The Purple Pig
• Tongue: Gyūtan at Sumi Robata Bar
• Tongue: Tongue on Rye at Romanian Kosher Sausage Co.
• Tripe: Crispy Tripa Taco at La Chaparrita

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