Mott Street — located on the Ashland corridor of Wicker Park near…NOTHING but with plenty of parking. Also, the only sign of this trendy new spot (because of course it's unmarked) are the hipsters lulling around the little red building on the corner. Wait, did I say hipster? How about I clarify that with hipster haven, as one of my dining companions dubbed the place. Cool people crawling all over. Mott Street is your typical no reservations, packed to the walls joint with every foodie instagraming dishes…yours truly including. We arrived late thinking we would have a better chance of getting a table. Quite the opposite. Around 8.30 p.m., the Mott Street kitchen was a little overwhelmed and wasn't seating any longer. Hang on…hang on. "I guess if you want to sit the bar, we can seat you there." I've always said, the bar can be the best seat in the house. We took it and we had great service the entire evening. 

Our server suggested the refreshing cocktail, "Storm in Spring" a cucumber-grapefruit-ginger concoction that was perfect on hot night.
Then the ordering frenzy began:

• Pickle Plate  SEASONAL PICKLES, THREE DIFFERENT TYPES, KITCHEN’S CHOICE $5
• Brussels Sprouts  WOK FRIED WITH LAMB PANCETTA AND MAPLE BROWN BUTTER $8
  
• Oyster Mushrooms  PAN SEARED AND ROASTED WITH THYME AND MISO BUTTER $10
  
• Kimchi and Oaxaca Spring Rolls  DEEP FRIED AND SERVED WITH CHIMICHURRI CRÈME-FRAICHE $8  
  
• Mentaiko Kimchi Udon  UDON NOODLES TOSSED WITH SPICY MARINATED COD ROE, KIMCHI AND SEAWEED $14
• Poached breast  CUCUMBER PICKLES, FRIED SKIN, SALT AND SESAME OIL, HOISIN  $12
  
• Pork jowl  CHILI MARINATED AND GRILLED, SERVED WITH SESAME LEAF AND TOFU  $12
  
• Crab Brain Fried Rice  CRAB BRAINS, CHINESE SAUSAGE, COCONUT, BEAN SPROUTS AND LIME  $10
  
• Hangtown Fry  SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH PICKLED MUSHROOM AND SAUTÉED OYSTERS, OVER A CRISPY NOODLE PANCAKE, DRIZZLED WITH HOISIN  $14​
  

Having been to Ruxbin, chef Edward Kim's first success, Mott Street is the casual sibling restaurant with more seating and casual food that's meant to be shared. Some of the flavors sang, especially the poached chicken breast, while others seemed to muddle. The chicken, while simple, was thinly sliced and fork-tender paired with a smear of hoisin then topped with grapes and pickled cucumbers. From the plating to the flavors, it was the most balanced and layered. The Brussels sprouts and mushrooms were also our favorites, although for sharing, the Brussels sprouts were on the small side. The oyster mushrooms served with a creamy miso butter sauce were rich and elegant, almost the surprise dish on the menu. 

The two most talked about dishes: the crab brain fried rice and the hangtown fry. Based on all the food chatter, we of course, tried them. The hangtown fry seemed like a jumble of textures and ingredients topped with a legend of how the dish came to be 160 years ago. Eh, give it a try once, but on Mott Street's menu there were much better options. The fried rice, always a good dish to nosh with friends, draws mostly from the sweet Chinese sausage. Thus, anyone hoping to go all "Fear Factor" and eat crab brains…I'm pretty sure you won't be any wiser they were even there. 

Definitely worth the visit and we intend to go back in a few months to taste how the menu has evolved. 

Mott Street
1401 N. Ashland
773.687.9977