Duck Sel — Chicago Pop-Up Dinner Series (A Bumpy Night) 🦆😅

Tried the new pop-up Duck Sel last night — and honestly, there’s a lot to unpack. I was initially intrigued by chef Donald (who goes by the online name Donald Duck) — his resume listed stints at Temporis, Woodwind, and Venteux. After the dinner, I understood why the online buzz was… mixed. 🦆 Starters: ham doughnut, caviar cheese, shrimp-pumpkin purée — all tasty. The pumpkin purée had liquid nitrogen bubbles, which was fun… until they popped within a minute of reaching the table. 🦆 Best dish of the night: miso salmon egg roll — tender, flavorful, and Asian-palate friendly. 🥗 “Spring” salad with yuzu pea soup and hidden morels — but the server spilled vinegar while pouring. 🦆 Signature duck course — served with a tiny cleaver (cute!), but the plates weren’t warmed. By the time all 16 servings were plated and delivered, the duck was noticeably cold (not gamey, but definitely not ideal). 🍓 Strawberry popsicle with popping candy — same concept as Oona’s, so no surprise. 🍮 Foie gras soufflé — top layer had lovely black sesame aroma, but underneath was just… sweet. Questionable dessert execution. Overall, flavors were decent, but execution was shaky. The non-alcoholic pairing felt like a rip-off — one soda plus three teas? 💸 Chef Donald is still young — hopefully he learns and improves future pop-ups. If curious, search Duck Sel on Tock for upcoming events. #ChicagoEats #PopUpDinner #DuckSel #MixedReview #ChicagoFoodie #YoungChef