Movable Feasts

Call them “underground,” “unofficial,” or “occasional.” Whatever the name, restaurants that don’t have a permanent address and that eschew traditional licensing are popping up all over town. Eating at one is the dining equivalent of choose-your-own adventure: diners, who exchange hushed e-mails to get on the list, show up where they’re told and eat whatever the chef feels like preparing. It’s fun, sure. But at $25 to $100 a pop, are they any good? Chicago checked out a few to find out.

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Ghetto Gourmet

$45 to $75 for four courses, plus a $1.12 handling fee; tip is extra


THE SETUP: The culinary equivalent of punk rock. Brothers Joe and Jeremy Townsend invented Ghetto Gourmet three years ago in Oakland. Now they travel regularly to Chicago and other cities with their crew of five rotating chefs. On the night we were there, they had rented out a Bridgeport artist's space known as the Orphanage, which sported a forest of fake trees fashioned from real branches.

A TYPICAL MEAL: "Forbidden" empanadas stuffed with not-exactly-forbidden pork and dried cherries. Chicken roasted in a banana leaf, which, while tender, was seriously undersalted.

THE VERDICT: The weakest of the five. Their edge is live entertainment, and on our visit, there was a performance by the human beatbox Yuri Lane. The whole experience was excellent culturally, which made us wonder why they didn't pack more effort into the food.

HUSH FACTOR: Medium. No licenses-and a secret spot, which isn't announced until the day before. But it's not hard to get on the list; go to theghet.com website.