LINCOLN SQUARE — On Thursday, Goosefoot owners Chris and Nina Nugent introduced the newest sibling to their fine dining restaurant — an ice cream shop.
And yes, Chris Nugent, Michelin-starred chef, is doing the scooping, affably serving up cups and cones of rainbow sherbet and moose tracks ice cream with the same care he gives to Instagrammable dishes like a rosewater shooter served inside a replica of Millennium Park's Pritzker Pavilion.
The scoop shop at 2654 W. Lawrence Ave. replaces Goosefoot Food & Wine, which opened in 2014 but couldn't realistically compete with larger markets like nearby HarvesTime, Nugent said.
An ice cream shop not only fills a need in the area, but is also more family-friendly, he said.
"We want to do something for kids," added Nina.
They'd been aiming for a spring debut to capture warm-weather business, but inevitable delays pushed the grand opening to an unseasonably cool week in September.
"In Brazil, it's summer," joked Chris Nugent, a nod to his wife's native country.
The couple, who recently celebrated their 16th anniversary, will be staffing the shop themselves for now, with Chris on scooping duty and Nina handling the cash register.
Because the two still have Goosefoot to run next door, hours for the ice cream shop will be limited initially to Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. A sandwich board outside the storefront will signal to customers that the shop is open for business, Nina said.
Eventually they intend to add soups, salads and sandwiches, but for now it's "baby steps," Nugent said.
Jamie and Charlie Ponce and their two young sons were among Goosefoot Ice Cream's customers on opening day.
"Finally, we can get something at Goosefoot," said Jamie.
She and her husband have been "dying" to try the restaurant, which turns 6 in December, but have been "waiting for a special enough occasion," Ponce said.
Ice cream with their boys is "something you can do on a more regular basis," she said.
Michelin-starred chef Chris Nugent is scooper-in-chief. [All photos DNAinfo/Patty Wetli]
Ice cream is being bought from Wilmette-based Homer's Ice Cream. Nugent is still fine-tuning his flavor offerings. The current chocolate option is "too adult," he said.
Look for this sandwich board to signal the shop's hours.
The ice cream shop is a departure from the typical fare at Goosefoot.
