After a specialty pop-up in 2025, the rooftop omakase Quackatori experience has returned to Duck Sel for the summer season! The whimsical tasting menu invites guests to enjoy a 10-course menu that reimagines traditional yakitori through the Duck Sel lens. Inspired by Chef Donald Young’s (2024 James Beard Award Best Chef: Great Lakes Semifinalist) childhood memories of smoky backyard grills and late summer nights, this menu brings together nostalgic flavors, skewers kissed by binchotan charcoal, plus seasonal accompaniments.
Course One
At first glance, a shroud of smoke encased in a glass Oui Yogurt jar sealed with a custom wooden Duck Sel-engraved lid. Upon reveal, a Duck Egg Chawanmushi settled at the bottom, incorporated by a duck dashi, ginger, and scallions, awaiting the pierce of a spoon. At once, a hint of smoke lingering within the smoked trout roe and onion oil; and a subtle but luxurious sweetness from vibrant gooseberries. But look! On the underside of the lid, an umami-bomb has revealed itself: a nickel-sized schmear of buttered corn puree topped by a pickled ramp-marinated shitake (the ramps having been foraged by Chef Young himself) and a shattering sliver of Funyun (yes, you read that right). A lick of the lid launches your palate into the next course.
Course Two
Fulfilling Chef Young’s obsession of Korean fried chicken, the Duck Wing (actually a leg) is expertly roasted over the binchotan and lovingly glazed with a honey and fish sauce tare to coax out the smokiness and aid in caramelization. Nostalgia shines through when the Wing is rolled in a Rice Krispie and rice pearl mix, brilliant vessels for the cheddar powder that Chef Young infuses, creating an unctuous, salty-sweet crunch with every tear of the teeth. If that wasn’t enough, the Wing sits atop a yuzu kosho emulsion to swipe the tender meat through or spoon up at the end with any leftover Krispie crumbs. If your plate isn’t clean after this, you’re doing it wrong.
Course Three
A brief intermission of pillowy milk bread, reminiscent of French toast, is soaked and sous vide in a black sesame custard, giving it a charcoal-like aesthetic and an ultra-soft texture. Once again, the binchotan has blessed this dish with a cherry tare, adding smoky notes to the palate. The delicate milk bread sits atop a foie gras ganache (you didn’t think there would be a duck break, did you?) that has been touched up with Chinese five spice, green cardamom and pink peppercorn. Candied pumpkin seeds, maraschino cherries and their syrup, Pop Rocks and counter-side foie gras torchon provide an exciting, flourishing finish.
Course Four
Nothing says summer grilling, Chicago-style, like a...Duck Hot Dog? Charred over the binchotan, the dog and accompanying cherry tomato is glazed with a lemongrass tare before being adorned with dijonnaise, obligatory poppy seeds, pickled shallots, fennel and katsuobushi for added umami. Presented as a “kebab”, the duck hot dog and tomato are pierced by a food-grade syringe loaded with a sweet and spicy mango habanero salsa, ready to plunge to your personal spice-level.
Course Five
The nostalgia continues in Young’s Duck Meatball, a call-back to Italian Dunkers (or Bosco Sticks) served as school lunches across the Midwest. As with everything, the skewered Meatball gets the binchotan treatment, grilled with a bulgogi sauce consisting of gochujang and soy sauce, giving it the desired char and smokiness that Young seeks in every course. The cheese enters the arena as a gougère, puffed with manchego, sprinkled with everything spice and dipped in a strawberry marinara sauce. A trio of purées - strawberry, basil and olive & manchego – find their place amongst the dippable course accompanied by a shaving of MORE manchego, fresh Thai basil and Chicago caviar (aka giardiniera), all served in what else, but a gold duck.
Course Six
The sixth course, Duck Tsukemen, has been a mainstay on the tasting menu since day one, before Chef Young even set foot in Japan. After finally making the journey and chancing upon a tsukemen stand in the depths of Tokyo Station, Young came back eager to upgrade this refreshing chilled course. The ramen, homemade of course, is tossed in a watermelon tare and is accompanied by compressed, kombu-cured and binchotan-grilled watermelon. Also in the bowl, a vibrant garden of genmai (brown rice), shio kombu (salted kelp) and sorrel, aiding in texture and freshness. Off to the side, the ever-important tsukemen dipping broth, infused with droplets of chili and mint oil, await the plunge of your ramen-wrapped chopsticks. Slurping is encouraged!
Course Seven
Chef Young’s love of waffles unveils itself in this course, a play on chicken & waffles with Duck Thigh as a substitute for the protein. An intentionally hot and cold dish, the thigh is patiently grilled over the binchotan and glazed with a blueberry tare to pick up the natural smoky notes. The duck rests on a Liège-style waffle that’s been enriched with duck fat, soaking up a black truffle maple syrup. To bring everything together, Young and his team scatters around a crunchy pecan granola, pickled blueberries from Michigan’s Klug Farms, and Vietnamese cinnamon before finishing it off with homemade maple ice cream “Dippin’ Dots”.
Course Eight
An homage to Sun Wah BBQ’s signature duck baos, course eight’s Duck Breast is dry-aged for 21 days in-house and religiously brushed every day with a wildflower honey from Wisconsin. The honey application eventually allows a crispy skin to form over the breast as the duck is slow-roasted then grilled over the binchotan. Sesame seed-encrusted homemade baos await the delectable duck breast nestling atop a shiso and Thai basil leaf “lettuce wrap” for guests to easily pick up and stuff inside. A slaw of carrots, scallions and kohlrabi lends a fresh crunch while the hoisin and truffle sesame aioli marries it all together.
Course Nine
Ushering in the sweet end to the experience, the Duck Fat Washed Freezer Pop is pure, frozen nostalgia. For this grown-up take on the classic summer treat, Young freezes and then thaws strawberries from Klug Farms to extract their natural juices. The “pure strawberry water” is finished off with a duck fat-washed, Demon Slayer sake and a touch of yuzu. To soften the freezer pop for consumption, Young’s team presents it over a personal rosemary-infused binchotan for guests to thaw to their preference.
Course Ten
The final course, Ducking S’mores, relies on guests to toast their own marshmallow and create their ideal mess of s’mores using the provided ingredients: graham crackers that have been bathed in duck fat and cut in the shape of a duck with a trio of chocolate truffle spread in between; a “Hershey”-style chocolate bar; and a strawberry marshmallow waiting to be toasted over your personal binchotan.
Drinks
A variety of beverage pairings are available for all Duck Sel experiences. For wine enthusiasts, a $145 curated wine pairing can accompany your coursed meal, or you can bring your own favorite bottle for just a $45 corkage fee. Those who don’t want to imbibe but want something to sip on, Duck Sel offers a $95 non-alcoholic pairing with each drink concocted by the incredibly talented staff around Chef Young. As with any experience, guests can also add a $9 spot of tea or coffee to wash down the dessert courses.
Reservations
Held at a secret location in River North, the counter-style experience is limited to just 12 guests per service with reservations available starting at $175 per guest. The next Quackatori seatings will be held August 7-9.
Worth the Visit
After a specialty pop-up in 2025, the rooftop omakase Quackatori experience has returned to Duck Sel for the summer season! The whimsical tasting menu invites guests to enjoy a 10-course menu that reimagines traditional yakitori through the Duck Sel lens. Inspired by Chef Donald Young’s (2024 James Beard Award Best Chef: Great Lakes Semifinalist) childhood memories of smoky backyard grills and late summer nights, this menu brings together nostalgic flavors, skewers kissed by binchotan charcoal, plus seasonal accompaniments.
Course One
At first glance, a shroud of smoke encased in a glass Oui Yogurt jar sealed with a custom wooden Duck Sel-engraved lid. Upon reveal, a Duck Egg Chawanmushi settled at the bottom, incorporated by a duck dashi, ginger, and scallions, awaiting the pierce of a spoon. At once, a hint of smoke lingering within the smoked trout roe and onion oil; and a subtle but luxurious sweetness from vibrant gooseberries. But look! On the underside of the lid, an umami-bomb has revealed itself: a nickel-sized schmear of buttered corn puree topped by a pickled ramp-marinated shitake (the ramps having been foraged by Chef Young himself) and a shattering sliver of Funyun (yes, you read that right). A lick of the lid launches your palate into the next course.
Course Two
Fulfilling Chef Young’s obsession of Korean fried chicken, the Duck Wing (actually a leg) is expertly roasted over the binchotan and lovingly glazed with a honey and fish sauce tare to coax out the smokiness and aid in caramelization. Nostalgia shines through when the Wing is rolled in a Rice Krispie and rice pearl mix, brilliant vessels for the cheddar powder that Chef Young infuses, creating an unctuous, salty-sweet crunch with every tear of the teeth. If that wasn’t enough, the Wing sits atop a yuzu kosho emulsion to swipe the tender meat through or spoon up at the end with any leftover Krispie crumbs. If your plate isn’t clean after this, you’re doing it wrong.
Course Three
A brief intermission of pillowy milk bread, reminiscent of French toast, is soaked and sous vide in a black sesame custard, giving it a charcoal-like aesthetic and an ultra-soft texture. Once again, the binchotan has blessed this dish with a cherry tare, adding smoky notes to the palate. The delicate milk bread sits atop a foie gras ganache (you didn’t think there would be a duck break, did you?) that has been touched up with Chinese five spice, green cardamom and pink peppercorn. Candied pumpkin seeds, maraschino cherries and their syrup, Pop Rocks and counter-side foie gras torchon provide an exciting, flourishing finish.
Course Four
Nothing says summer grilling, Chicago-style, like a...Duck Hot Dog? Charred over the binchotan, the dog and accompanying cherry tomato is glazed with a lemongrass tare before being adorned with dijonnaise, obligatory poppy seeds, pickled shallots, fennel and katsuobushi for added umami. Presented as a “kebab”, the duck hot dog and tomato are pierced by a food-grade syringe loaded with a sweet and spicy mango habanero salsa, ready to plunge to your personal spice-level.
Course Five
The nostalgia continues in Young’s Duck Meatball, a call-back to Italian Dunkers (or Bosco Sticks) served as school lunches across the Midwest. As with everything, the skewered Meatball gets the binchotan treatment, grilled with a bulgogi sauce consisting of gochujang and soy sauce, giving it the desired char and smokiness that Young seeks in every course. The cheese enters the arena as a gougère, puffed with manchego, sprinkled with everything spice and dipped in a strawberry marinara sauce. A trio of purées - strawberry, basil and olive & manchego – find their place amongst the dippable course accompanied by a shaving of MORE manchego, fresh Thai basil and Chicago caviar (aka giardiniera), all served in what else, but a gold duck.
Course Six
The sixth course, Duck Tsukemen, has been a mainstay on the tasting menu since day one, before Chef Young even set foot in Japan. After finally making the journey and chancing upon a tsukemen stand in the depths of Tokyo Station, Young came back eager to upgrade this refreshing chilled course. The ramen, homemade of course, is tossed in a watermelon tare and is accompanied by compressed, kombu-cured and binchotan-grilled watermelon. Also in the bowl, a vibrant garden of genmai (brown rice), shio kombu (salted kelp) and sorrel, aiding in texture and freshness. Off to the side, the ever-important tsukemen dipping broth, infused with droplets of chili and mint oil, await the plunge of your ramen-wrapped chopsticks. Slurping is encouraged!
Course Seven
Chef Young’s love of waffles unveils itself in this course, a play on chicken & waffles with Duck Thigh as a substitute for the protein. An intentionally hot and cold dish, the thigh is patiently grilled over the binchotan and glazed with a blueberry tare to pick up the natural smoky notes. The duck rests on a Liège-style waffle that’s been enriched with duck fat, soaking up a black truffle maple syrup. To bring everything together, Young and his team scatters around a crunchy pecan granola, pickled blueberries from Michigan’s Klug Farms, and Vietnamese cinnamon before finishing it off with homemade maple ice cream “Dippin’ Dots”.
Course Eight
An homage to Sun Wah BBQ’s signature duck baos, course eight’s Duck Breast is dry-aged for 21 days in-house and religiously brushed every day with a wildflower honey from Wisconsin. The honey application eventually allows a crispy skin to form over the breast as the duck is slow-roasted then grilled over the binchotan. Sesame seed-encrusted homemade baos await the delectable duck breast nestling atop a shiso and Thai basil leaf “lettuce wrap” for guests to easily pick up and stuff inside. A slaw of carrots, scallions and kohlrabi lends a fresh crunch while the hoisin and truffle sesame aioli marries it all together.
Course Nine
Ushering in the sweet end to the experience, the Duck Fat Washed Freezer Pop is pure, frozen nostalgia. For this grown-up take on the classic summer treat, Young freezes and then thaws strawberries from Klug Farms to extract their natural juices. The “pure strawberry water” is finished off with a duck fat-washed, Demon Slayer sake and a touch of yuzu. To soften the freezer pop for consumption, Young’s team presents it over a personal rosemary-infused binchotan for guests to thaw to their preference.
Course Ten
The final course, Ducking S’mores, relies on guests to toast their own marshmallow and create their ideal mess of s’mores using the provided ingredients: graham crackers that have been bathed in duck fat and cut in the shape of a duck with a trio of chocolate truffle spread in between; a “Hershey”-style chocolate bar; and a strawberry marshmallow waiting to be toasted over your personal binchotan.
Drinks
A variety of beverage pairings are available for all Duck Sel experiences. For wine enthusiasts, a $145 curated wine pairing can accompany your coursed meal, or you can bring your own favorite bottle for just a $45 corkage fee. Those who don’t want to imbibe but want something to sip on, Duck Sel offers a $95 non-alcoholic pairing with each drink concocted by the incredibly talented staff around Chef Young. As with any experience, guests can also add a $9 spot of tea or coffee to wash down the dessert courses.
Reservations
Held at a secret location in River North, the counter-style experience is limited to just 12 guests per service with reservations available starting at $175 per guest. The next Quackatori seatings will be held August 7-9.
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