Chicago’s had a weird taboo about goats since 1945, when local tavern owner William Sianis “cursed” the Cubs for banning his pet goat from the stadium. Seventy losing years later, the folks at Taco In a Bag are frankly over it. Hoping to reverse the vex, owners Pat Bertoletti and Tim Brown recently enlisted world-famous competitive eaters Kobayashi, L.A. Beast, and Notorious B.O.B. to help them devour a 40-pound roasted goat. The five demolished the slab in under 12 minutes. In honor of their valiant attempt, Chicago rounded up five picks for the best goat dishes around town. 

Gorkhali khasi at Cumin

$15. 1414 N. Milwaukee Ave., Wicker Park, 773- 342-1414

Try it South Asian style: chunks of bone-in goat meat bathed in a savory sauce of tomatoes, onions, and Nepalese spices.

Birria plate at Birrieria Zaragoza

$9-$11.50. 4852 S. Pulaski Rd., Archer Heights, 773-523-3700

Zaragoza’s flavor-packed signature dish is steamed for five hours, then marinated in an ancho chile-based molé and oven-braised for another 20 to 25 minutes. It's smothered with a tomato-based broth and served alongside handmade tortillas.

Confit goat belly at Girl & the Goat

$19, 809 W. Randolph St., West Loop, 312-492-6262

True to its name, Girl & the Goat offers an array of tasty goat fare. This wood-fired selection is topped with lobster, crab, and fennel and basted with a bourbon butter sauce.

El Chupacabra at The Bad Apple

$12, 4300 N. Lincoln Ave., Lincoln Square, 773-360-8406

Piled high with braised goat chili, guacamole, roasted garlic purée, and white cheddar, this dish makes bacon-topped burgers officially boring.

Goat barbacoa at Xoco (Saturday-only special)

$12.75, 449 N. Clark St., River North, Xocotogo.com

This once-a-week braised goat torta comes on a toasted bolillo roll stacked with Oaxacan pasilla-tomatillo salsa, Michoacan avocado, white onions, and diced cilantro.