More than a neighborhood spot where everybody knows your name, at In Fine Spirits, the chef and owners also know the names of the farmers who raise the meat and grow the vegetables they serve. Owners Shane and Jill Kissack’s vision was based on the mom and pop vibe of Andersonville, and keeping it local was an important part of the plan.

But plan might be a strong word. Back in 2003, the husband and wife team (then a golf course manager and an HR manager, respectively) saw a need in the neighborhood and simply wanted to open a wine shop.

“Jill and I never would have gone into business to just be a chain store. We lived in the neighborhood and went from being wine novices to enthusiasts. We started taking classes and just kept learning. It was more like a passion than a business as that time,” says Kissack. As In Fine Spirits settled into its place on Clark St., the idea of expanding into a restaurant started to take shape, and they teamed up with the owners of Continuum Studio to open in April 2008.

Chef Marianne Sundquist has managed to create a globally inspired menu of unique small plates using mostly local ingredients—no small task in an often-unpredictable climate.

Kissack says that if you asked him to pick his favorite menu item last week he would have said the Brazilian cassoulet—Feijoada ($15), a delicately spiced stewed beef, pork, black bean, pumpkin and chile dish served with a surprisingly light cornmeal and maple crepe cake that peels in satisfying layers. This dish, along with being unique and tasty, was really fun to eat. Kissack’s current favorite is the crispy ricotta gnocchi—which also topped my list. The red wine pork cheek ragout served with toasted mustard seed and parmesan ($15) was hearty without being heavy. He describes both dishes as comfort food, which is a good way to think about most of the items on the current menu.

We put our meal in chef Sundquist’s hands and couldn’t have made a better decision. She came out to chat with us about how she crafted the menu and cooking with locally sourced foods before we started eating (and eating and eating). “We define local as a place you can drive to and from in a day. We work with about 30 farms and a few co-ops. It’s really important to me to have a relationship with the farmers.”

In Fine Spirits did start with spirits, which is evident in the extensive, creative drink menu. While the wine isn’t local, the drink selection is in line with the philosophy of the food. “I want products that have a face and a name. I want to say hey, ‘I know Ted from Ransom Wine & Spirits and here’s what he thinks…’ I like knowing that he aged gin in pinot barrels because he was having trouble recycling them,” Kissack says. I began with the Thurston Wolfe flight out of Washington. The Lemberger, with peppery notes and a full body, was my favorite of the bunch. In Chicago, the Lemberger and Primitive can only be found here.

Kissack is currently working with North Shore Distillery in Lake Bluff to create a house vodka. “We tweaked it to get a high quality, lower priced vodka to mix a reasonably priced drink,” he says. Keeping the prices neighborhood friendly is one of his goals. “Because we order from so many places and in small quantities, we’re not always getting the lowest price and not being downtown, we have to watch the price points. We’re actually a great value, which is important to us.”

The decor at In Fine Spirits reflects the homey feel of the food. The lighting is just dim enough to provide a cozy atmosphere, and the long bench facing the bar is a great place for people-watching and chatting with neighbors. We talked to the guys next to us for a few minutes toward the end of the night and even shared a little dessert (Black Star Farms sparkling cider zabaglione with local apples, $7). The art on the walls is local as well.

In Fine Spirits is truly a reflection of the people who work there, and the global/local fusion is evident in the influence of the staff on the menu. Sundquist says that the flan ($4) is a direct result of a request from Pedro in the kitchen and that the Feijoada, the national dish of Brazil, was inspired by the Brazilian waitress, Pricilla.

The carefully chosen and lovingly prepared food make this place is a gem that lives up to the owners’ ambitions. “We wanted to be the place to go where, no matter what you ordered, food and drink, you got the best product,” says Kissack.

In Fine Spirits
5420 N. Clark St., Chicago
773.334.9463
infinespirits.com