Little Village Chef Stuart Woodman, 27, says he finds downtown diners gravitate toward inventive cuisine. “I love the upbeat atmosphere here,” he says. “People are experienced and they’re really open to trying new things.” Woodman, who was recently promoted to head chef at the restaurant’s Third Street location, has introduced recent specials like pretzel-crusted grouper with honey mustard beurre blanc, a dish he says delivers crunchy texture and a sweet and salty contrast of flavors. His bacon-wrapped quail goes retro with a stuffing akin to a jalapeńo popper (jalapeńo and cream cheese) and is set off by bourbon pecan glaze. The restaurant’s pan-seared scallops with sherry tarragon cream sauce seem to be the current favorite—“They’re flying out of here,” he says— among resolution-minded diners. Read more about this chef in this week’s Du Jour.
