I thought I would try something different, and post about the food.

Dinner last night at Aigre Doux was excellent. Servers were well informed and attentive, pacing was very good.

We started with Oxtail Ravioli in a sauce that tasted of star anise and cinnamon. The filling was just a touch dry, but the sauce more than made up for it. Delicious.

Next, we had the Chicken with truffles, mashed potatoes, rapini and roasted lemon. Another complex sauce that was heightened with a squeeze of roasted lemon. The rapini were cooked perfectly, and had a sprinkling of lemon zest.

Finally, we had the Duck with wild rice, stuffed zucchini, and rhubarb compote in another complex, spiced sauce. The duck with sauce had so much flavor, I wish I knew better how to describe it.

You can definitely see the influence of Jean-Georges Vongerichten on chef Mohammad Islam with the complex interplay of spices. Perfect balance, with no one flavor sticking out. Prices were fair for the location, quality of food, and professionalism of the staff. The wine list was well though out, with choices at a variety of price points, and selections that complimented the food.

Aigre Doux
230 W. Kinzie St.
312-329-9400

Ahhh. Now that's more like it! Thanks for the review, FrankP.

We're leaving for dinner in about 30 minutes...can't wait to try it and will plan to post my reaction tomorrow. However, I will let you know that the "front of house" stuff has me a little bit concerned.

My husband made the reservations weeks ago - I believe he spoke to one of the chefs when he first called - yet they got the date, time and number of people wrong when they called to confirm. I'm sure it's just first-week issues, but it made me laugh and also cringe slightly. They called to confirm reservations for 4 people at 7:30 on Thursday night. We actually had booked a table for 2 at 8:00 on Saturday night. At least when my husband called to correct it the guy he spoke with said they should be able to fit us in. God, I hope so after all this! I can't wait to see what the service is actually like when we get there.

Over and out for now...

My wife and I were joined by a friend at Aigre Doux on Saturday for dinner. I believe that was the fourth day it had been open to the public. Like the meaning of the restaurant's name there were both sweet and sour aspects to the evening:

Sweet
The decor is nice. A lot of of single, small lightbulbs on hanging wire. Somewhat minimalist with a great looking hrizontal window offering a glimpse into the kitchen.

Sour
The chairs are ridiculously uncomfortable. 2 of the 3 of us commented on it simultaneously.

Sweet
Our server and sommelier were kind, enthusiastic, and generally adept.

Sour
The server was overly verbose and the sommelier a bit too informal.

Sweet
The wine list is thoughtfully diverse and the "by the glass" selections are nice.

Sour
When my wife ordered a glass of the white burgundy at the bar I said to the female bartender, "I'd like a glass of that as well." The bartender curtly responded, "Well, I'll just have to get you a 'Glass of That as Well' right away." I really didn't need to be chided for the way I ordered my potable. I'm sure she didn't mean this malicously but a bar-mate, not with our party, winced as she said it and gave me the "I feel your pain" look as he did it.

Sweet
The food is really good here. The white asparagus starter was fantastic as were the lamb and duck. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their dinner.

Sour
We each ordered a starter, entree, and coffee and spent the next 2 hours and 45 minutes navigating through them. The pace of play was much too long.

I suspect this restaurant will be viewed as good, but not great, until it hires a more professional staff.

Talk about press, Metromix says "Doux of a kind - Just-opened Aigre Doux is the Brad and Angelina of mom-and-pop spots."

http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/dini ... om_hedsh2o

Sheesh!

Take a deep breath now: it's really good. Actually, Aigre Doux was just as I expectecd it to be... great food, an earnest spirit, and a few opening-week glitches in service that can probably work themselves out. Definitely worth the visit, and possibly worth the hype!

Here's the extremely verbose version of our evening (Saturday night, 4 days after opening). I'm going to cover the service, food, wine and "special treat" elements here so bear with me.

When we arrived, the greeting was warm and the hostesses took our coats in such a friendly, welcoming way that I felt we were off to a great start. (Quick note: The entry/bakery area felt bare, but I'm sure that will change when there are baked goods in the cases and a more lived-in feel develops.) Quickly, they wisked us to our table. Our booth was set with champagne service, which threw the hostess off, and she almost turned us back to the front before my husband said, "I think this IS our table."

Immediately, the sommelier, Meredith, came over to wish me a happy birthday and to pour our Piper Heidsieck champagne, which I then learned that my husband had ordered in advance. (I would like to mention here that Meredith seemed much like a manager of the restaurant; she is a gem and really kept things moving, not just for our table but for others we observed.) Meredith came back a second time to top off the champagne before we ever met our server, who seemed quite nervous. Throughout the evening, this initial assessment stood; the server has a great memory, is clearly experienced and knew the menu, but he was one of the weakest elements of otherwise smooth service.

While we waited for the waiter to come back to talk about the menu -- he couldn't have known that by this point I had the thing almost memorized from re-reading this thread! -- my husband and I talked about the look and feel of the dining room. The wamth of the wood, and the hanging lightbulb art installation, and overall pleasantly dim lighting gave a very sophisticated feel to the room. The booth had very comfy seats, even though it felt a bit awkward to be seated side-by-side rather than elbow-to-elbow. All the other booths were occupied by three or four people when we arrived, so it seemed this was not an issue for others. And I'm glad we weren't in the regular chairs if they were so uncomortable! The wine glass shape bears mentioning as it is atypical for restaurants (flat bottom, straight cylindrical sides) but looked cool. I asked Sommelier Meredith about it and she said she was unsure at first but now likes the glasses. (There was a reason for this, but I can't recall...)

When Husband and I told our waiter that we were having trouble deciding between two dishes, he gave us his opinion and then stopped, assuming we would automatically go with his recommendation, period. Let me give you an example.

Me: "I'm in between the braised oxtail ravioli and the hamachi and avacado for the starter. Both sound great, and I'm planning to have the duck for the entree."

Server: "The ravioli is very popular, people love it. I'd go with that. So, ravioli and duck." He then turned to my husband, discussion over.

Husband: "I like the idea of crispy risotto, but also the white asparagus and truffle-poached egg. The risotto just sounds heavy."

Server: "I'd go with the risotto. It's actually pretty light. What would you like for your entree?"

That just struck me as strange. Usually there's a little back-and-forth that at least makes you feel you have some part in the decision, or the server will add some nuance that can't be communicated via the paper menu. Didn't happen this time.

And now, for the food!

The bread - a very light focaccia - arrived, and it was delicious but a bit damp. Soon thereafter the first course arrived. The ravioli, for all its praise, was a letdown to me. It was served a bit cool, and it really needed salt! But my husband's "crispy risotto" was a relelation. Three crispy risotto balls were served on top of a perfect, thin slice of prosciutto with a small cup of creamy sauce to the side. The mixture of the three (Husband allowed me two bites) created a phenomenal texture, and the dish was comfort elevated to a new level. Please try this dish and let me know if you agree!

Timing was spot-on for delivery of the second course dishes, although for the second time the runner switched mine and Husband's plates as he sat them down. Our server did check on us once during each course, which I thought was about right. Even though he was nervous, he was not hovering.

The duck was served with baby bok choi, simple rice, and a few bites of fantastic duck sausage. The jammy sauce had the sweet-sour element I hoped to see somewhere in the meal, and perfectly offset the crispy skin and juicy duck meat. Delicious, absolutely would order this again...and I am not a duck lover! Husband's lamb chops were juicy, perfectly cooked, and the truffled grits and fennel added nice contrast.

Before dessert, I decided to go take a peek at the kitchen. It's difficult to do this surreptitiously as it's no where near the bathrooms! One of the waiters said he would speak to the manager and see if he could get me into the kitchen. I thought this was cool - mind you, it was not MY server, but a random one who noticed me lurking for all of 20 seconds.

I had ordered Sticky Toffee Pudding for dessert, and it arrived with a curly candle. I believe the restaurant's manager brought it to the table, as he invited me to see the kitchen after dessert. This dessert is another dish that deserves its reknown, served with gorgeous orange slices atop a bit of toffee sauce and some rich cream on the side. YUM!

Sommelier Meredith had suggested three bottles for our consideration, two pinots and one Spanish blend but all in the middle price range, that would probably work well with our food (duck for me, rack of lamb for Husband). We chose a Daedalus pinot noir from the Willamette Valley, which was a perfect match for the duck, but did absolutely nothing for the lamb chops. Let's just say that I really enjoyed the wine and Husband drank lots of water. The cream sherry that Meredith has matched with the sticky toffee pudding is also a delicious pairing. I'm not usually one for having wine of any type with dessert, but being a special night meant taking a chance. I'm glad I did.

Big thrill: being escorted into the kitchen, and Chef Mohammed coming over to shake my hand!

The manager brought me into the center of the kitchen, and then the chef pointed out a good spot to stand and watch the action. I was allowed to stay for several minutes, and happened to stand next to the only two other civilians in the room. (The man in the pair explained they were childhood friends of Chef Mohammed from Bangladesh, and I believe they now live in NYC. The man looked as thrilled as I felt to be there; said he was so proud for his friend about the new restaurant, having followed Chef Mohammed's career by visiting all the places he has worked.) I was struck by the calm, orderliness and yet precision of all the statiions. Chef Mohammed was peacefully checking on things and consulting with the cooks who looked up for his advice; it was strange, because he seemed almost a benevolent presence. I don't know why, but the pleasant feeling in the kitchen really has stuck with me. Not a single cook seemed ruffled. And, what I saw in the kitchen mirrors what some other posters wrote about how "nice" the chefs are how great a place it is to work. (I did not see Chef Malika in the kitchen, she had been in the dining room earlier, sitting with a table who were clearly good friends of hers.)

When I got back from the kitchen (Husband elected not to go with me), I found two tiny bites of the post-dessert hazelnut brittle left on the little dish. Husband had eaten all of it while I was gone, possibly to get back at me for not sharing more than two bites of my sticky toffee pudding with him. I did enjoy my taste of the brittle.

Skip this part if you don't want to know about the bathrooms:
It may be a strange way to end the review, but I need to tell you that I did not like the restroom. It's way down the hallway in the basement, which is fine, but it is so spartan that it doesn't fit with the rest of the restaurant's experience. The sinks are the push-button kind you find in some office buildings. There was a flower arrangement on the vanity, but it was too big for the space. The ladies' restroom seemed cramped, dark and cold in comparison to the rest of the place. My husband's trip to the men's room also gave a mixed review. He remarked that "it's kind of fun to pee on ice," and actually liked the push-button sinks, but remarked that one of the ceiling tiles was missing. I'll bet this has already been fixed.

Just to prove that service at the front door is working well on both ends, I should mention that by the time we got to the host stand, they had our coats waiting, and our car had already been pulled up to the front. The restaurant was still buzzing as we left about 10PM.

The next time I have a special occasion, or can convince my husband to blow our entire eating-out budget on a single meal, I will go back. Even for this high-maintenance girl, it was a perfect birthday meal.

Four of us braved the miserable weather and ate there last Saturday night. We were very impressed with both the food, for the most part, and especially the service. Our waiter was fantastic and paced our meal so we were never rushed. I didn't take notes and, unfortunately their menu isn't online so as best I can remember this is what we ate. We shared four appetizers. The Greek pizza, oxtail ravioli, white asparagus and truffle-poached egg. and hamachi and avacado with a Meyer lemon sauce. I wasn't crazy about the asparagus but the others were delicious. The bread was amazing. Sort of a cheese foccacia which they kept replacing throughout the meal until we told them to stop. I had the duck--four slices of duck breast, two duck sausages and wild rice and rhubarb compote in a delicious sauce. It was very good, My husband had the turbot which he said was outstanding. The other couple had the skate wing and salmon. The skate wing was very good. The salmon was different as it wasn't a filet but was a round piece like it was rolled. Not sure if she liked it or not. We shared the sticky toffee pudding dessert which is the signature dessert. Oh, my. Was that good. It isn't a pudding but more like a warm bread pudding cake in an outstanding caramel toffee sauce with a little scoop of ice cream--maybe goat cheese. Whatever it offset the sweetness of the sauce. There were other things on the menu that sounded really good. We will definitely go back.

When we were ready to leave, we stopped at the hostess desk to get out coats which we had checked. We had not been given claim checks but were told the coats were put under out reservation name. Then we glanced outside while waiting for the coats and our car was outside waiting for us. The hostess told us they keep an eye on your table and when it looks like you are getting ready to leave they get your car. Very impressive! I can't recommend this restaurant more highly. Our entire experience there was fantastic.

After a pre-theater dinner, Aigre Doux strikes me as another one of those restaurants that opens to a lot of PR and fanfare and won't be around in two years.

Reading about AD, and it's title of "restaurant and bakery", I had hoped for the arrival of something in Chicago that would capture some of that Soho-Balthazar magic. I anticipated expertly-prepared simple dishes accented by an array of house-baked breads and sweets.

What I found was a restaurant with Balthazar prices and a menu with little personality or focus--Italian (tagliatelle bolognese, pizzas, lasagna), Japanese (hamachi-avocado salad with yuzu), French (steak frites), Fusion (tuna-wasabi pizza), Classic American (burger and fries). Browsing the menu I thought "what do they do well?" and "where's the bakery?"

I suppose the bakery showed up in the bread service, a perfectly fine piece of cheesy focaccia.

I started with an appetizer of three fried risotto balls with prosciutto and aioli for dipping. The prevailing flavor of this dish was "deep-fried". Dead, mushy prosciutto and flavorless interior of the risotto balls. A marginal bar-snack, at best.

petit pois had a roasted beet salad with ricotta salata which was, by far, the best dish of the night. Flavorful beets, good vinegar, and an enjoyable cheese combined to make a tasty, light starter.

My entree was a limp and bland skate wing, prepared in the classic pan-fried with brown-butter style. The most exciting thing on the plate was the half-teaspoon of meyer lemon relish that was hidden beneath some chard and potatoes.

petit pois went for the Niman Ranch burger on a brioche bun. The burger itself was delicious, with among the purest-beef flavor I've tasted in a burger in a long time. The rest of the plate failed to live up to it. The bun was dry and crumbly, and it was adorned with supermarket tomatoes (why bother?), and a hunk of iceberg lettuce. The fries, thin and very crispy, had a McDonald's-y quality to them (not a compliment)--by this I mean that they tasted slightly more like oil than they tasted like potatoes.

The sparse dessert menu did nothing to carry the "bakery" name, and we skipped it.

If you're drinking even one glass of wine per person, you're spending over $100 on dinner at AD. For a comfort-food menu that lacks seasonality, personality, focus, or originality, there are far better places to spend your money.

In my opinion, Aigre Doux needs to answer some tough questions.

Are you an upscale restaurant that wants to sell $30 entrees to the River North crowds? If so, reflect that on your menu with some dishes that you can't find at 20 other places in town (heck, they're serving skate wing with brown butter in Beverly). Honestly, what makes this restaurant different or for that matter, very good? What do you do well? It's hard to tell.

And where's the "bakery"?

Best,
Michael

PS
The service was excellent.

eatchicago wrote:After a pre-theater dinner, Aigre Doux strikes me as another one of those restaurants that opens to a lot of PR and fanfare and won't be around in two years.

Two years is about the shelf-life of its predecessors in that location as well. If there ever was a cursed location, it's that. It's a desolate stretch, darkened during all times of day by the monstrosity across the street.

It is my understanding that the "bakery" is going to open relatively late in the morning and not serve coffee drinks.

Instead, as a neighborhood resident, they have not given me any reason to go there rather than Fox and Obel or even Starbucks (for the baked goods).

A few weeks ago, three of us had dinner at Aigre Doux. I wanted to go there after reading rave reviews in the Tribune and Reader (see links below). Could it possibly live up to the hype? As it turns out, it exceeded my highest expectations!

I made my reservations on Friday for an early (5:30) seating the following night. Gotta love opentable.com when it comes to checking availability for the restaurants listed there! At 4:00 pm that day, they called to confirm. So far, so good.

We arrived at the restaurant fifteen minutes early. Fortunately, meter parking on the street was easy to find at that hour, so we didn't bother with the valet parking. No sign was visible on the outside of the restaurant (at least, none that I noticed), but look for the wood paneling on the facade.

The restaurant was mostly empty at that hour, but by the time we left at 7:30, the place was packed, including people waiting up front. Most diners were attired "business casual"; I estimate that 50-60 percent of the men had neither jacket nor tie, 30-40 percent had a jacket but no tie, and 5-10 percent had both jacket and tie. I only saw one person, a young woman, wearing blue jeans.

The decor was very nice, with high ceilings and modern fixtures. The lighting was better on one side of the room with smaller tables and a plethora of pendant fixtures above them, than on the other side of the room with booths, where we sat, with illumination provided by indirect lighting behind hanging mirrors. They turned the indirect lighting up a bit and it helped, but it was still somewhat dark.

Our server, Rich, came by and brought menus, took our drink orders, and told us he would be back shortly to tell us the nightly specials. Very smooth and professional.

We ordered, and were served our drinks. The busboy brought the bread and butter to the table. The bread (focaccia) was excellent, with an airy texture and slightly crispy cheese on top. The butter had a touch we had not seen before: it was lightly covered with crystals of cracked salt on top. It worked beautifully, adding a nice taste and texture to the bread.

We had three appetizers. One was Prince Edward mussels ($12), served with diced butternut squash and a broth lightly flavored with coconut, curry, and spicy pepper (flavorings often found in Thai food). It was WONDERFUL. It was actually on the menu as an entree, but when I asked our server about the portion size and its suitability as an entree (I've always seen mussels as an appetizer, not an entree), he immediately suggested that we might be better off having it as an appetizer (half portion, half price), because its rather strong flavor combined with the larger portion size could be a bit overwhelming. It turned out that he was absolutely right on this, and also on all the other advice he provided during the meal. Rich was an excellent server. In fact, the entire staff was absolutely professional but also friendly; you would never guess that this place had only been open for four weeks.

Another appetizer was the artichoke soup with sauteed bay scallops pictured in the Reader review ($11). It was excellent. The third appetizer was a seared ahi tuna served with citrus fruit ($12); although this is something I don't eat, my companion said it was excellent also.

We had three entrees, and two of them were daily specials not on the printed menu. The regular menu item was the rack of lamb with truffled grits and fennel ($34). This was the best rack of lamb I have ever eaten. The consistency was as tender as the most tender filet mignon - melt in your mouth! But wait, there's more.

One daily special was a sauteed skate wing, served with fingerling potatos, a bit of minced Meyer lemon rind served next to the skate, and spinach ($26). It was very fresh with a very tender, moist texture. A tiny bit of the lemon rind made an excellent topping for each bite of skate. It, too, was WONDERFUL. (Do you see a pattern here? )

The other daily special was a grilled prime rib of beef, served with mustard spaetzle that was cooked so that it had a slightly crunchy texture to it ($34). I hate to repeat myself, but this dish was WONDERFUL, too.

Desserts... ah! Could they possibly stand up to a meal which was so outstanding up to this point? Indeed they could!

One dessert was called the "chocolate malted" ($10). No, it was not a drink; the name of the dish refers to the flavorings of the custard dessert, which was the consistency of creme brulee and served in a similar dish, although without the flamed sugar coating. It had a spoonful of chantilly creme (possibly flavored with creme fraiche?) on top, as well as a crispy strip of chocolate. WONDERFUL. Dessert winner number one.

Another dessert was creme fraiche panna cotta ($10), served with a pineapple sauce. Light, airy, delicate, and totally delicious. Dessert winner number two.

The third dessert was the "sticky toffee pudding" ($10) mentioned in both reviews. It was not at all what I expected. For some reason, based on the name, I was picturing a pudding the consistency of your standard chocolate pudding, with crunchy pieces of toffee in it, but this was not at all what this dessert was like. This was more of a horizontal slab of cake soaked with a sweet syrup (think of the texture of baba au rhum and you're on the right track). Served with a small scoop of ice cream with a slight tang to it (possibly the Devonshire cream ice cream mentioned in the review, or else creme fraiche ice cream, I forget) and some wedges of citrus fruit, with the same sweet toffee-flavored sauce over it. As good as all the dishes were, this is the one I can't get out of my mind now, a few hours later. On another forum, someone posted that it's "one of the best desserts I've ever eaten in Chicago" and I agree. If any one dish we had was worth saying "DON'T MISS THIS", this is it. Dessert winner number three.

Including a bottle of Schuetz zinfandel, two glasses of Kracher beerenauslese, a coffee and an iced tea, the total was $97/person including tax/tip.

This was a dinner where every single dish, every single bite, was an absolute delight, so delicious that it makes you roll your eyes and swoon. I don't dole out "best Chicagoland restaurant meal of the year" honors this early in the year, but this was every bit as good as the best meal I ate in 2006. I am confident that, as more and more people try Aigre Doux, word will spread and this will soon be widely considered one of the best restaurants in the city in the "casual fine dining" category (joining places like One Sixty Blue, Blackbird, mk, Sweets and Savories, etc).

Aigre Doux
230 West Kinzie Street (across the street from the Merchandise Mart)
Chicago
312-329-9400
Restaurant website
Chicago Tribune/Metromix review
Chicago Reader review

03.16.07

I dunno...I gave T a list of possibilities a week or so ago and why I put Aigre Doux on the list I have no idea...it's the hype/quasi-shilling/hip new spot/and, from at least one LTH reviewer... toothache hyperbole...well...I added it to the list because of it's hip new spot onus...I figured Paul(our visiting friend) might dig it...and I figured it's had a couple three months to get its act together...I added it to the list of maybe twelve possibilities and what does T choose? Aigre Doux.

deep breath

We arrive, have quick cigarettes(table not quite ready yet, but that gives us time at the bar)...and quite a nice bar it is...bronze-y, brass-y, soft, hammered metal...competent bartender(I got a black cherry in my Manhattan...that was kinda neat)...and Hendrick's on offer.

We were murmuring amongst ourselves, initially worried that they were gonna shunt us into one of the tables they were hurriedly massing in the entryway...blecch...

And lemme say...it's a nice room(despite the empty bakery cases lending a forlorn air):

dusky...the way I prefer it...two discreet forests of dangling lightbulbs...

I was kinda hoping for a booth...those seemed to be the provenance of necking power lesbians. Instead we were given a perfectly acceptable middle table toward the kitchen.

The complimentary cheese foccacia was alright enough. Nothing wow.

I went with the braised artichoke soup and a fine rendition it is...silken, light, perky, the scallops adding just a tad toothsomeness. Paul enjoyed his beats and ricotta salata(he’s a big fan of beets). T went about his hamachi and avocado salad with aplomb...hamachi’s one of those things...you know how restaurant menus begin to resemble one another? Now it’s hamachi, skate, lamb, oxtail. All at once everywhere.

We shared a plate of pretty darn yummy oxtail ravioli...discovered some morels on the side and launched into a discussion of the hunting of and folklore.

Paul chose a bottle of chardonnay which paired well enough with our diverse plates.

Entrees went:

myself, the Colorado rack of lamb---excellent, smokey, cooked to a perfect medium rare...plate awash in a truffled grits lagoon

Paul, the skate

T, the lobster buccatini

we each enjoyed what was put before us...huge platings...I ended up sharing a good portion of my lamb just because...”it’s just a mint...wafer thin...”

Of course, we had to do the sticky toffee which I found a bit...whatever...maybe it was overkill...I’m being a bit harsh, here...I felt a shudder of sugar orgasm and went back to my sherry...left the remains to my companions. The absence of cara cara orange was disheartening(I love the cara cara) instead we got slivers of satsuma.

Our waitress was kind of half ‘n half delightful and perform-y. She gave us pet names like “sweet pea” and “darling”...which I found awkward, but oddly inviting all the same. This is to say, I liked her. Another wasn’t so sure.

Just like the barren bakery cases, the bathrooms are a bit of a disconnect: down some stairs a long haul taking you past the employee lockers and a vast basement space littered with furniture(some desultory late night meeting happening way at the back at a scuffed-up desk). So, the toilet needs some work...it’s actually kind of intimidating after a fashion. Some effort might make it a li’l more homey.

So...Aigres Doux. After all that, I like it. Is it one of the best restaurants in Chicago? No. It is self-assured, but unchallenging...and by this caveat I mean to say you can find their admittedly, thoughtfully-executed dishes in various versions at other joints around town(and elsewhere)...again, skate, oxtail, lamb, hamachi...yadda yadda yadda

I don’t see a personality at work here unless it’s the mere act of serving simple well-prepared food in an environment neatly straddling designer restaurant couture and upscale
comfort.

Christopher Gordon wrote:Just like the barren bakery cases, the bathrooms are a bit of a disconnect: down some stairs a long haul taking you past the employee lockers and a vast basement space littered with furniture(some desultory late night meeting happening way at the back at a scuffed-up desk). So, the toilet needs some work...it’s actually kind of intimidating after a fashion. Some effort might make it a li’l more homey.

After all the restaurants that have been in this space, they still haven't fixed up those dungeons/restrooms downstairs? I rather jog down the street and use the loo at the Irish bar instead.

Well this last review puts it on the sour side for me. Sounds like a decent enough place foodwise with nothing special enough to make it a choice. That bathroom deal strikes me as an unfinished restaurant-which really doesn't bug me too much.
The kicker is that server. I can only hope that management is not condoning this snappy patter. This is no kinda place for patronizing diner-speak. Don't wanna get on my high horse, but you're paying for professional service here as well as skate & oxtails. You can call me curmudgeony, but she can't call me sweetpea.

Our server (Rich) didn't call us any names, endearing or otherwise. He was very professional, friendly, and very helpful with his suggestions. Sounds like you folks are looking for nits to pick, instead of looking at the things that matter, like the food. (Remember? The food?)

Christopher Gordon wrote:you know how restaurant menus begin to resemble one another? Now it’s hamachi, skate, lamb, oxtail. All at once everywhere.

You forgot to mention the short ribs of beef.

I don't know why some things get to be popular everywhere at the same time, but they do.

Granted, the uber-creative high-end places still manage to do their own variations on suddenly omnipresent dishes, such as the short ribs of bison with root beer sauce I had a few days ago.

stewed coot wrote:Sounds like a decent enough place foodwise with nothing special enough to make it a choice.

For anyone who loves lamb, the lamb at Aigre Doux really was the best I've ever had - the most tender, with NO fat anywhere in it. It was even better than at one of Chicago's best restaurants a few nights ago, where the food was certainly more creative and complex than Aigre Doux, but the lamb and the sticky toffee pudding at Aigre Doux was better than the lamb and desserts we had at that other famous place.

The food at Aigre Doux consistently tastes better than 90+ percent of the places out there, including many of the better-known fine dining places. That's special enough for me!

nsxtasy wrote:Our server (Rich) didn't call us any names, endearing or otherwise. He was very professional, friendly, and very helpful with his suggestions. Sounds like you folks are looking for nits to pick, instead of looking at the things that matter, like the food. (Remember? The food?)

Christopher Gordon wrote:you know how restaurant menus begin to resemble one another? Now it’s hamachi, skate, lamb, oxtail. All at once everywhere.

You forgot to mention the short ribs of beef.

I don't know why some things get to be popular everywhere at the same time, but they do.

Granted, the uber-creative high-end places still manage to do their own variations on suddenly omnipresent dishes, such as the short ribs of bison with root beer sauce I had a few days ago.

stewed coot wrote:Sounds like a decent enough place foodwise with nothing special enough to make it a choice.

For anyone who loves lamb, the lamb at Aigre Doux really was the best I've ever had - the most tender, with NO fat anywhere in it. It was even better than at one of Chicago's best restaurants a few nights ago, where the food was certainly more creative and complex than Aigre Doux, but the lamb and the sticky toffee pudding at Aigre Doux was better than the lamb and desserts we had at that other famous place.

The food at Aigre Doux consistently tastes better than 90+ percent of the places out there, including many of the better-known fine dining places. That's special enough for me!

Yeah...I don't really go into it all that much but, the lamb was extraordinary...juicy, meaty, char-y, lovingly smokey...and the truffled grits were pretty hot damn! I love truffled mushy things tho'. One's mileage may vary. For instance our dinner companion can't stand grits or polenta. And it may sound odd considering but, I'm more on the grits side than that of polenta. Anyway...fantastic dish. I think the best of the entrees(buccatini, skate) at the table.

stewed coot wrote:Well this last review puts it on the sour side for me. Sounds like a decent enough place foodwise with nothing special enough to make it a choice. That bathroom deal strikes me as an unfinished restaurant-which really doesn't bug me too much.
The kicker is that server. I can only hope that management is not condoning this snappy patter. This is no kinda place for patronizing diner-speak. Don't wanna get on my high horse, but you're paying for professional service here as well as skate & oxtails. You can call me curmudgeony, but she can't call me sweetpea.

I dunno maybe I'm more forgiving or simply naive, we'd set up a banter with our waitress that might have invited such ingratiation. I *did* find it odd, but not off-putting...maybe I was just in a good mood.

I don't mind the occasional sweet-pea or honey-bunch, particularly if it's culturally appropriate (I'm from elsewhere, where calling everyone darlin' and ma'am is not unusual)

But it can get to be too much. It's finding that balance that's important. I was at a store the other day, and the guy working the register called me honey-bunch about 47 times. 5 is OK. 45 - not so much.

Christopher Gordon wrote:

stewed coot wrote:Well this last review puts it on the sour side for me. Sounds like a decent enough place foodwise with nothing special enough to make it a choice. That bathroom deal strikes me as an unfinished restaurant-which really doesn't bug me too much.
The kicker is that server. I can only hope that management is not condoning this snappy patter. This is no kinda place for patronizing diner-speak. Don't wanna get on my high horse, but you're paying for professional service here as well as skate & oxtails. You can call me curmudgeony, but she can't call me sweetpea.

I dunno maybe I'm more forgiving or simply naive, we'd set up a banter with our waitress that might have invited such ingratiation. I *did* find it odd, but not off-putting...maybe I was just in a good mood.

Put me in the "absolutely despise" category.

I am not the server's friend. We are not family. I am a client or a customer and expect to be treated with respect, and those terms sure don't cut it.

Of course, that is the difference in the service you generally get in France as opposed to the U.S. The French understand how to be polite and gracious and provide first quality service without this fake thing about being our pal. I will take the formality of Taillevent over the wacky banter that you get in places like this.

Not to flip-flop, but if Christopher's party encouraged or invited the banter given them-then its another thing. It could be a case of trying to please the customer, and good servers can have a difficult time with all this. If a table is looking to be "chatted up" or whatever, the server has to make some decisions, and hope that they work out.
Otherwise-I stick to my guns. Service doesn't have to be stuffy, but as noted above, professional and respectful. Research has strongly indicated that service is typically given more weight than food, so "sweetpeas" should not be served with the lamb unless asked for.
-On the food note-looks like I was not reading clearly-Christopher reported having quite an excellent repast.

stewed coot wrote:Not to flip-flop, but if Christopher's party encouraged or invited the banter given them-then its another thing. It could be a case of trying to please the customer, and good servers can have a difficult time with all this. If a table is looking to be "chatted up" or whatever, the server has to make some decisions, and hope that they work out.
Otherwise-I stick to my guns. Service doesn't have to be stuffy, but as noted above, professional and respectful. Research has strongly indicated that service is typically given more weight than food, so "sweetpeas" should not be served with the lamb unless asked for.
-On the food note-looks like I was not reading clearly-Christopher reported having quite an excellent repast.

I'd dine there again(whether I will with so many other places on the perennial list of yet to try is the big question).

Christopher Gordon wrote:I'd dine there again(whether I will with so many other places on the perennial list of yet to try is the big question).

This is the constant conundrum of living in Chicago. There are way too many places where I've had a wonderful meal, and thought to myself I would like to return in the near future, but months and then years pass while I continue to try places I haven't been before.

I have three "yet to try" lists for places in the area - one for splurge restaurants, one for cheap eats, and one for weekend brunches. Among the three lists, I've got around sixty places. And even as I try places on them, it seems like the lists never get shorter, only longer.

I really, really, really want to go back to Aigre Doux, though. I still regret sharing my sticky toffee pudding with my dining companions.

nsxtasy, I'm right there with you. I'd put Aigre Doux high on my list of "pricey-but-worth-it restaurants I'm dying to try again." I just wish I had more opportunties for such a meal. It seems like I'm working my way through the "cheap eats," "great take-out" and "places you can take two picky preschoolers and also have a delicious meal" lists much more quickly.

But I thoroughly enjoyed my meal at Aigre Doux and have sent several friends who have all had B+ to A+ experiences. I'm just hoping I have a chance to try it again within the next few months.

Do they have any exterior signage yet? That seems to be a point of confusion for people looking for the restauarant when it's dark...

Phil Vettel gives 3 stars to Aigre Doux. Although, it seems like good old Philly boy has given 3 stars to the last 28 restaurants he's reviewed.

http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/thestew/2007/04/aigre_douxs_a_s.html

jesteinf wrote:Phil Vettel gives 3 stars to Aigre Doux. Although, it seems like good old Philly boy has given 3 stars to the last 28 restaurants he's reviewed.

http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/thestew/2007/04/aigre_douxs_a_s.html

The first sentence of his review chapped my ass so badly that I couldn't possibly read any further.

E.M.

That cracks me up, because I felt that way about the last sentence-in my case of course it was far too late to stop reading. Besides, I read that kind of stuff to piss myself off and keep my canky edge well honed.

Should we offer to trade Phil Vettel for Frank Bruni, or will we need to throw in another minor leaguer?

I do not really object to Phil Vettel's reviews (and even enjoy many), except for his tendency to bend to grade inflation. Based on a lunch, Aigre Doux no more deserves three stars than, say, Copperblue. Both are admirable restaurants in their way, but three stars? As Vettel indicates (first and next to last sentences): "I really want Aigre Doux to make it big . . . if we want to be the restaurant town we think we are, we have to support the efforts of small but serious independent restaurants, from our Copperblues to our Aigre Doux."

This is perfectly admirable sentiment, but not for the serious critic. The critic's responsibility is to hold restaurants to the highest standard. This is my intention when I post. I love and admire all restauranteurs, including AD's Mohammad Islam and Malika Ameen, just as I love and admire my C students, but I don't give them As because I want Northwestern to become Harvard.

It is the responsibility of diners to seek out one and two star establishments, but let us not pretend that greatness can come from every kitchen. By rigorous standards Aigre Doux might deserve a star, not a galaxy.

I had lunch with a friend at Aigre Doux on the day of Phil's annointment. Perhaps the kitchen staff were so ecstatic that they forgot to look at the plates they were delivering to our table. Neither my appetizer or my main course was well-plated. As an appetizer I ordered AD's Roasted Beet Salad with Hazelnuts and Cheese Wedges (as I wasn't planning to write up a review, I didn't take tasting notes). The dish was a pleasant little salad, even if the dressing was rather too generously ladled with separated oil and vinegar.



The main course of braised short ribs crusted with harissa was floating in a pool of sauce. The ribs could have been braised for several more hours; the zing of harissa was barely evident. The accompaniments were cracked faro with Swiss chard (I believe). The faro was quite enjoyable, and the short ribs pleasant enough.



I did not assay Chef Ameen's desserts.

Isn't it enough that Aigre Doux provides small pleasures without pretending that it is Frontera Grill?

Erik M. wrote:The first sentence of his review chapped my ass so badly that I couldn't possibly read any further.

Erik, after reading your comment I read Vittel's first sentence expecting to be as outraged as you, but I couldn't see what was wrong with it. What was it about it that pissed you off?

This is a non-rhetorical question. I genuinely don't understand and want to know. Was it that he appears to be rooting for the restaurant to succeed, when a critic ideally should have no rooting interest and should be just as pleased (in the name of objectivity) with a restaurant's failure as with its success? That's the only thing I can figure.

There is a disturbing sense that the critic eagerly relinquished objectivity in the first line of the review. It's not wrong for a restaurant-goer, even a critic, to support a restaurant, but there's something about announcing one's affiliation with a place that suggests that what's to follow may lack sound and impartial judgement.

In most cases, a food writer's sympathies should not be with a restaurant but with the consumer, for whom he or she is an advocate.

I do feel that Vettel is a little over-generous with the stars, and that last sentence is beneath what you'd expect from a writer of a major metropolitan newspaper, but what I think happens is that once a critic becomes entrenched in a food community, and restauranteurs become friends, it becomes harder and harder to be honest with the public.

David Hammond wrote:There is a disturbing sense that the critic eagerly relinquished objectivity in the first line of the review. It's not wrong for a restaurant-goer, even a critic, to support a restaurant, but there's something about announcing one's affiliation with a place that suggests that what's to follow may lack sound and impartial judgement.

I can see that. I guess I interpret the first sentence as falling more into the category of "championing" the restaurant rather than pimping for it. Much as Pauline Kael and Manny Farber used to champion the iconoclastic under-the-radar films they thought their readership might otherwise ignore. There was a sense in Kael's reviews not just that she liked these films, but that she really really wanted them to succeed, because if they succeeded there'd be more films like them and if they failed there would be fewer. I didn't think it was unreasonable for her to write from this sort of championing point of view then, and I believe what motivates Vittel comes from a similar impulse. Perhaps he was a Kael devotee in his youth and is channeling her influence into his food writing.

But he lacks the art to do it persuasively. His concluding words have the sound of scolding about them, and scolding causes more resistance than agreement.