Markethouse's Charcuterie To-Go | Gold Coast, Chicago

Scott Walton is no dilettante.

Over the past few years, the chef of Markethouse built one of the city's most productive restaurant gardens. River East, Gold Coast and Downtown residents, take note: Walton's new charcuterie to-go program at Markethouse is equally impressive.

Walton stocks five varieties of sausage daily. Take home links like merguez ($8 per pound) spiced with rooftop-grown chiles, lobster-based seafood sausage (market price) and spiced apple-chicken sausage ($7.50 per pound), all made with locally sourced meat. He keeps rustic pork and sour cherry-duck pâtés (both $12 per pound) and duck bacon ($12 per pound) on hand, as well as jars of tart, colorful homemade mustards ($8).

He takes custom orders, too. Dreaming of bratwurst with pine nuts, booze-soaked raisins and chiles? Give him 48 hours' notice.

And that's not all: Beef-heart pastrami and pork marrow-foie gras mousse are off-menu items currently in stock. The former is salty with an irony tang and makes a mighty Reuben; the latter is an excellent and indulgent topping for a slab of toasted bread.

Markethouse, 611 N. Fairbanks Ct.; 312-224-2200 or markethousechicago.com