Telegraph

Telegraph opened last friday. A yelp review for the newly opened Telegraph stated that the staff was “adorable” and the food great. Curious about the word adorable not directly followed by a puppy, a kitten, or a baby, and certainly eager to try this delicious food, we decided to head over to Telegraph this afternoon. Parking was easy, there was no line and the atmosphere was quite and relaxing, I desperately wanted for the food to taste good! Most of it did. While I love the food in most places that seem to favor communal seating (like Avec, PP, Urban Belly etc.) I am not a big fan of the noise or rubbing elbows with tipsy strangers after a tiring day.



While the set up and décor at Telegraph was all in the light of friendship, there was more privacy. The thick wood tables gave it a very rustic feel while the rest of the décor had a modern touch.


We started with sardine tartines and frog legs in a dill/crème fraiche sauce. I love sardines and the ones on the perfectly crunchy bread were delicious.


The frog legs were not as satisfying. Some chefs are way to generous with their salt, Chef Anderes could be a little less conservative with it. The frog legs were cooked to perfection, but lacked any seasoning that made them memorable. I would also have preferred the sauce on the side, not under. The juices that ran out of the frog legs were not a good mix with the creaminess of the sauce. And yes, more generosity with the dill sauce would have been greatly appreciated as well.



We had sirloin steak with house fries and kale pesto and black earth grilled lamb, oysters, cherries, pumpernickel and ginger veloutè as second courses. I had the lamb, but could not stop picking on my partner’s plate of fries, They were absolutely addictive. The steak and the kale pesto were well executed; the meat tender, juicy and flavorful and the kale pest complemented the steak really nicely.


The Lamb was good, very slightly charred on the outside and the inside merely pink and incredibly tender and flavorful. I grew up eating naturally raised lamb and baby goat spit roasted over open fire and the lamb at Telegraph faced a tough test but passed with an A+. The cherries were a nice touch.



The surprise of the evening was dessert. We opted for the cheese course. The cheeses were good but what really stood out was the honey/peach/jalapeno sauce that came with it. Honey, Jalapeno perfectly grilled bread and stinky cheese, now that’s what I call a dessert with character that doesn’t give a damn what other desserts think! Yum Yum Yum.


The wine list is excellent, the little description below the wines genius. We asked our waiter to surprise us with the wine and were very satisfied with the choices. My partner was particularly impressed with how well the wine complemented the steak. Additionally, I really appreciated the presence of cider on the menu, why don’t other places have cider? Wine is good but its not all about wine always, especially when it comes to sardines. The staff was indeed “adorable” but in the very helpful friendly way.

Overall I enjoyed going there. The food was good, drinks were good and the noise level very low. I can’t wait to visit this place after they have been around for a little longer and have ironed all the little kinks in the food. I also, very egoistically, hope there will not be a line and 1 hour wait for this place in the near future. I am starting to get really tired of spending hours on the phone, clicking insanely or drinking wine outside when all I want is simply good food!

Telegraph
2601 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
773-292-9463
(newly opened as of this post date)

Finally got here - and we managed to get in just before the rush (Thurs, arrived just before 8 pm) Next time we'll try to reserve, though I enjoyed sitting at the bar (bar seats with backs!) The wine list was quite nice, the food was good, the staff still adorable. The menu changes, so we had completely different things from what is listed above, but everything we had was tasty and seemed well put together. It definitely feels more like a restaurant than Bluebird or Webster's. I liked the way the room felt, it had a good energy, but we could still hear each other. Definitely will be back!

First time at Telegraph, with others, a week ago. Fairly empty - which is puzzling as all the food were really terrific. Very memorable "creamy kale and cauliflower tartine," delicious composed beet salad with nicely assertive dressing, and a brioche-bread pudding were among the favorites. The waitstaff was informed and informing about all the food ... and the wines, of course, as Telegraph describes itself as a wine bar. I read LTH often, and write rarely - which indicates how much we thoroughly enjoyed our meal.

After hearing lots and lots of buzz about it, we made it out to Telegraph a couple weeks ago. M wrote up a review and put it on our restaurant blog. I figured I'd include it and add my thoughts.

Telegraph is a new wine bar/restaurant in Logan Square with a great wine list and an interesting menu. We were excited to try this place based on the menu selections & a previous visit for a bottle of wine. Our Sous Chef joined us for this meal, so we enjoyed ourselves while keeping an open eye for criticism, so we could discuss and improve our own preparations in the kitchen.

Appetizers-
sliced edwards and sons ham, ricotta cheese, pistachio geleé, black lime, arugula
half dozen oysters on the half shell, cucumber, domestic caviar
slow cooked red onion tartine (on olive & rosemary boule) with spanish anchovy and chervil
Mains-
confit of beef tongue, brioche, salsa verde, fried egg
ricotta stuffed manicotti, red wine braised pork cheek, cherry tomato, pickled pasilla pepper
braised chicken leg & thigh, madeira-porcini cream, royal trumpet mushrooms, bacon gnocchi, mustard greens

Critique:
All of the dishes were brought out one at a time, which was nice, since we could share and discuss, while eating slowly and drinking vino. BTW, I'm not mentioning wine specifics here, but the wine list is outstanding, and there are some really reasonable bottles on there for the quality!

The oysters were served on the shell, each on a pile of sea salt which was a great presentation. They were served with pieces of cucumber and some caviar. The oysters were fresh, although they lacked the acid that I usually enjoy with my oysters. The caviar was nice, but oddly I still found I had to add a bit of the sea salt. The prep was a little inconsistent, a couple of the oyster shells were a little gritty and some were still connected to the shell. Not necessarily things I mind that much, but definitely something we noticed.

The ham plate was delicious- served with warm grilled bread, fantastic ham, spicy arugula, sweet ricotta and grapefruit gelee. This was a great start to the meal- we practically licked the plate clean, although the gelee did not add anything to the overall flavors. The ricotta is really worth mentioning, though. It was fresh tasting, sweet, creamy, deeeelightful!

The tartine was great! When I searched for the Telegraph thread on LTH, the first thing to come up is another tartine that ronnie_suburban posted in the "Best thing I've eaten lately" thread. And I would agree with that sentiment for this tartine as well. The bread was delicious and flavorful, with caramelized red onions and salty anchovies. It was simple and elegant.

The manicotti was tasty, but had some serious issues. First of all, it was 2 small "manicotti", actually more like thin pasta sheets dropped on top of the ricotta stuffing. There was a red sauce with a hint of a nice spice, from red pepper flakes I believe. Tasty, but nothing really special. The big issue was that there was no pork cheek in the sauce! And strangely, there were pieces of stewed beef of an indeterminate cut. When we told the waiter about this he shrugged it off, and didn't really respond to the complaint. It was strange. And worst of all this tiny dish was $21 dollars, which was way way to much for the portion size.

The chicken was delicious, albeit another small portion. The chicken leg/thigh was well cooked with a wonderful mushroom pan sauce. The texture of the pan sauce was excellent, definitely something I would like to recreate. There were a few gnocchi on the plate that were dense and had no discernable bacon flavor. The mustard greens were wonderful and perfect with the dish.

The tongue was tender, but had some problems. The tongue itself was served in too large of a block for such a dense meat- it would have been better in thin slices rather than a large piece. But at least the portion was appropriately sized! The brioche it was served on was very dry, the "salsa verde" was more akin to a chimichurri, and the fried egg had an overcooked yolk with an undercooked, slimy white. The tongue was delicious, but the accoutrements seemed all wrong.
And this plate was cheap, the biggest and cheapest main. Strange pricing structure...

Telegraph had better first courses than second courses, which is a big pet peeve of ours. The menu is creative, but the dishes weren't necessarily executed as well as they were described on the written menu. The pricing was way off, we felt it was way more expensive than it should have been, especially the manicotti which was ridiculously overpriced. We would return for interesting wines and probably snack on some first courses, but probably would not return for a full meal.

Epilogue:
We left Telegraph and went to The Bristol for dessert- we ended up ordering the crispy pork tail & 2 desserts as we were still hungry from the small portions at Telegraph. Mmm Pork Tail & Basque Cake!

smunderground wrote:...The pricing was way off, we felt it was way more expensive than it should have been, especially the manicotti which was ridiculously overpriced. We would return for interesting wines and probably snack on some first courses, but probably would not return for a full meal.

Epilogue:
We left Telegraph and went to The Bristol for dessert- we ended up ordering the crispy pork tail & 2 desserts as we were still hungry from the small portions at Telegraph....

This is why I won't be a regular patron at Telegraph. The pricing is too high for the neighborhood. We already have a couple of places on Logan Square (Lula, Longman & Eagle) where you can get a pricey (again...pricey for the neighborhood) meal if you choose....and sometimes I do. *BUT* those places also have a few menu items around $10-$15 that are a complete meal, totally filling, and allow you enjoy the atmosphere without feeling like you're missing out.

I enjoyed the food at Telegraph, but there was nothing that I went home raving about. The staff was friendly and helpful with the menu and wine selection. The space is beautiful. I just wish I could justify spending money there.

chowhunt46 wrote:First time at Telegraph, with others, a week ago. Fairly empty - which is puzzling as all the food were really terrific.

We had dinner there Monday night, and I felt the same way. All right, Monday night from 6 to 7:30 is not going to be the most crowded time slot in Telegraph's week, but even so, I felt the level of business they were doing was grossly uncommensurate with the quality of food and drink on offer, which was outstanding.

The four of us shared three appetizers and salad, all of which were terrific. Two that stood out (forgive me, going from memory, I'm not a food writer) were a plate of wonderful, mild, thinly-sliced ham with accoutrements, and an orecchiette (sp?) with crumbled bratwurst in a light cream sauce. My entree was a roast Amish half-chicken, hacked artfully into four pieces and done to perfection with a wonderful herby flavor. I had a fantastic Belgian-style beer which unfortunately I can't remember the name of.

Prices in my opinion were moderate and very reasonable for the quality. The menu is not divided between starters and mains, but rather lists everything in one list of roughly increasing price and substantialness.

Service was warm, gracious, attentive, friendly, perfect. (The fact that we had gone to North Pond for brunch the day before and experienced something quite else made Telegraph seem all the more special in contrast. And, even though it's not quite apples to apples, the kitchen at Telegraph has nothing to be ashamed of when held next to the kitchen at North Pond. If I'd been doing some kind of blind taste test of the whole food experience, I believe Telegraph would have won.)

Lovely place with an even lovelier view out the windows of Logan Square itself (park, obelisk), which is directly across the street. Parking is easy in a pay-to-park lot adjacent to the Blue Line station across Milwaukee Ave.

Judging from the relatively light amount of discussion of this place on LTH, combined with the relatively light amount of business they were doing (granted not at a "peak time"), this is a place deserving of wider recognition.

Very generous $10 Ledaig pour, orange wines, bitter chocolate pave, and blood sausage hash with harissa and cucumber-yogurt salad made me take a shine to Telegraph this week. I look forward to returning.

Three of us hit Telegraph after work on Friday. We didn't have a reservation, but got a table by the entrance that wasn't booked until 8:30. Perfect timing for us. We snacked on the olives/salami/pickled peppers/white cheddar curd while we had our first drink and decided on our next course. My friend really enjoyed her first experience with orange wine, the "2009 coenobium ‘rusticum’". I started with the "2011 hauvette ‘petra’, les baux de provence" rosé, which I liked but didn't love.

For dinner, my friend had the "lake superior whitefish seared on mosel slate, persillade." At our server's recommendation, I went with the "braised spanish octopus, bay scallops, marinated chickpeas, roasted cauliflower, poached egg." Both were excellent. I had switched to a red, the 2010 etxegaraya, tannat blend, irouleguy, basque country, which went well with the octopus.

Mr. X joined us later. I had ordered for him the "roasted amish miller 1/2 chicken, shitake mushrooms, pickled pumpkin, carpano antica vermouth, spiced brioche buns" for him. The pickled pumpkin was an excellent balance to the juicy fattiness of the chicken. We also loved the mushrooms.

The place really filled up while we were there. Service was good throughout, although it did get a little slower as they got busier. For what we had, I didn't think prices were too high. I would definitely go back if I'm in Logan Square.

I've been going to Telegraph since opening day, and live just west of there. I've enjoyed just about everything I've eaten there, and feel that John's food has only improved over time. I especially enjoy his tartines - toasted bread topped with any array of savory ingredients, and prefer the simpler preps on the main dishes (like roasted chicken or hanger steak) over more complicated creations.

As their wine list is fairly cerebral, don't hesitate to ask the staff for recommendations. Jeremy Quinn, the wine director, does a great job of educating their staff on the wines so that they know what will pair best with the menu items.

And where else will you find an "orange wine" section on the list?

Just in from my first visit to Telegraph and very happy with the experience. A few folks from work wanted to get dinner and asked me to pick a spot we had not been - and I have to admit I puzzled all weekend over the selection esp since two are from the UK and have eaten very well around the world while another is new to our team and I was unsure of her level of adventure. Telegraph was a perfect mix of really good and interesting food that made everyone at the table happy. Service was lovely - very friendly without being intrusive, and very much on top of things when something was needed. We got good suggestions, good guidance on the wine options and overall a sense of a comfortable neighborhood spot mixed with special food and wine. We will definitely be back - if it was my neighborhood, I suspect I'd be there once a week ... or just popping in to try another of the interesting wines they serve by the glass.

Long day so I won't run through our meal but the olives were a great start and the pear salad with caraway dressing was extra delicious as was the sourdough tartine with chevre, blueberries and rioja reduction.

Had a very nice experience at Telegraph on Friday evening. Have tried to go before, but no luck with reservations. The attractive space was almost empty when we arrived on Friday, but it was only 6pm, since we were headed to see Father John Misty at the Vic for an 8pm show. The place was just about filled when we left.

My buddy and I shared the charcuterie plate for two which we really enjoyed. My favorites were the excellent, creamy duck liver paté, the spicy pork rillettes, and venison tartar. We also split the duck meatballs over greens with Nueske’s bacon which were very good.

My friend enjoyed his lamb saddle with sunchokes and beets. I had seared venison loin, cherry parsnip puree, roasted brussels sprouts, and cranberry demi glace, which was a very nice dish. Have too admit I enjoyed my recent venison loin at Michael a bit more, but it was also more expensive.

Very thoughtful wine list and it was nice to see a freisa on the list. We had the 2011 Brovia Freisa ;Villerina Secca' which showed a lot of promise, but needs more time, or at least some air. I should have asked for a decanter.

We went on Friday with 6 people, had a reservation for 7pm and 2 people arrived quite early. They sat at our reserved table, as there was no room at the bar, and had drinks while they waited.

As usual, everything was wonderful. We had way too much food, and took home a lot of boxes. We probably could have gotten away with ordering one or more fewer dishes. They have a prix fixe you can order, with wine pairings or not, and one of those dishes was amazing - Chestnut Gnocci. My goodness, they were so tasty!

And staff are still adorable.

Gotta get back there. Have been twice, thought it was outstanding twice, but it's been a while. Glad to be reminded.

True to my intention in post #14, we returned to Telegraph the other night, and were very glad we did.

A Resurrection Rye Manhattan was perfect, as was my entree. Beautifully tender and flavorful short ribs, with the marrow from the bone mixed in with mashed potatoes and then presented with the potato-marrow mixture ladled into the groove of the bone itself.

I had a fantastic birthday dinner at Telegraph last Saturday. Our party of 20 were served at the 'kitchen table' in the back room from 5:30-8:30.

Scott and I worked with Jason to design the meal, selecting from the menu with recommended wine pairings. We started with cheese/charcuterie, moved to salad, then entrees. We invited the group back to our house (nearby) for dessert.

The charcuterie/cheese course included smoked country ham terrine, the silkiest foie gras torchon, jamon de bayonne & finocchiona and 5 cheese varieties (I recall fiore sardo and heublumen as standouts)

Salads were a take on caesar with grilled romaine/veal bacon and a perfectly dressed autumn pear/apple/fennel combination.

We completely overdid the mains with prawns ala plancha, bacon wrapped hangar steak, farm chicken, and boar ragu papparaelle. My favorites were the head sucking huge prawns and the hangar steak which had a pervasive smokiness.

Throughout the evening, we were aptly handled by 2 servers who paced the food despite some very late arrivals and kept our wine glasses flowing with wines (sparkling, chardonnay, and 2 reds.)

Everyone was delighted with the food and atmosphere. An ideal setting for such an event - intimate despite the size of the party. Our only complaint- we discovered the next day that we left without the leftover charcuterie.