Bar Pastoral

Bar Pastoral just opened a couple of weeks ago (right next door to the Pastoral cheese shop that has been around for some time) and brings a much needed classy, elegant wine and cheese bistro to East Lakeview. Walking inside I was immediately struck by the beauty of the space; they did an amazing job remodeling a former boutique shop into a stunning wine bar that has the vibe of dining in an upscale cheese cave - you really feel as though you have been transported out of the city. Gorgeous dark woods, exposed brick walls, beautiful bar counter, elegant light fixtures and a domed textured ceiling set a wonderful ambiance that is enhanced by the friendly personnel. There are several seats along the elegant bar (where he opted to be seated), a few more by the cheesemonger and several two and four tops, with a single six top set in the back. There is a no reservation policy and Bar Pastoral is a hot spot, so it is best to arrive early or be prepared to possibly have to wait to be seated. Best to come as a couple of a nice date night or a small group of friends due to the small space.

Bar Pastoral features artisan cheeses, house-made charcuterie, cured meats and a small but nice variety of miscellaneous options (such as a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich with pear and toasted almonds on sourdough; smoked trout chowder, fondue... and I could go on but this is already making me have an urge to walk back to Bar Pastoral for some more goodies). Each cheese is served with it's own special accompaniment.; you can order individually (at $6 per cheese or meat) or a platter of three of five for a small savings. The cheeses and meats are top quality and are served with some outstanding, crusty baguette. Portions are decent and this menu is excellent for sharing so you can sample more of the tantalizing cuisine. There is also a small pastry menu to satisfy your sweet tooth. This is not a full restaurant menu, so do not come here expecting a large meal with several entrees to choose from; the cheeses and meats are front and center and most of the other selections are sides or smallish entree type dishes. However there is still plenty of food to choose from.

Tonight my wife and I just came for pre-dinner appetizers but the food was so tasty (and so much of the menu appealing) that I wished I was there for a full meal. We shared four cheeses; the Challerhocker - a firm raw cow's cheese was my favorite and was accompanied by a delicious little chunk of peanut butter fudge. We also greatly enjoyed a goat cheese served alongside a lady apple covered in house-made caramel. In addition to the cheeses we had a serving of the Bresaola (aged, dried, salted beef sliced thin) served with baguette, pickles and gourmet mustard. Everything we ate was delicious.

In addition to wonderful cuisine, Bar Pastoral is very much also about adult beverages featuring a nice mix of quality Midwestern products as well as high quality fare from all around the world. Generally the wines, beers and spirits are from small, artisan venues. There are three interesting craft cocktails (I will have to make a return trip for the Mawby's Little Helper with house infused cinnamon honey), three craft beers on tap (and several more by the bottle) and well over a dozen wines by the glass (and several more by the bottle); there are even some enticing sounding non alcoholic beverages available such as a quince and apple soda. What is great is all the wines are $10 and you can opt for half pours for $5; perfect for building your own flight or just sampling a lot of different wines.

Tonight I tried three half-pours of different reds; the 2009 Terra Di Vulcano Aglianico from Italy was my favorite with a bold but pleasant lingering peppery finish. The food and drinks will be changing frequently with the seasons and with what high quality, fresh ingredients are available - so each visit expect to see some new options. Be sure to utilize your server if you are unfamiliar with the menu items or want some recommendations as there are so many wines, cheeses and meats to choose from; our server did an excellent job listening to our likes and aversion and helping us with our selections.

Bar Pastoral is off to an outstanding start and likely will remain a hot spot for a long time coming. About the only con is their small space and popularity will likely make seating scarce during prime dinner time, so be sure to arrive early! About the only flaw I noticed tonight was while the staff was excellent, there was only a single bar tender. We arrived minutes after opening and the space rapidly became more than half full; it took quite a long time for drink orders to be filled and for our second round to be served. I am not sure if they were short a bartender tonight, but a second bartender seems much needed. Aside from this our experience was extremely positive and surprisingly smooth for such a new venue.

I am already looking forward to my next visit and am ecstatic to have Bar Pastoral in walking distance of my condo; here's to a long relationship!

Goat Cheese with Caramel Coated Lady Apple:


Bresaola Plate:


Bar Area:

Bar Pastoral
2947 N Broadway
Chicago, IL 60657
773-472-4781
http://www.pastoralartisan.com/

We had a really lovely meal here last week, but after Gonzo's terrific report, there isn't too much to elaborate upon.

It's a very small space and when we arrived at 6pm, we got the last table, this place is quite popular and is the sort of place where one lingers, so I'd recommend getting there early as we witnessed people waiting over an hour to get a seat. It's a very warm and charming room, but VERY crowded and very loud, we could clearly hear every single conversation around us and had to lean across the table to converse. I did like that the two top tables are larger than usual, making a meal made out of small plates and boards far more comfortable.

Wine selections are solid and thoughtful, I really liked the by the glass selection. The menu is limited, but very strong. Note - for some reason, our server neglected to tell us about the special that day, a lobster roll, and it wasn't written up on the wall, so we missed something that we would have certainly ordered. Be sure to ask if no special is mentioned, as I get the feeling the specials here are genuinely special. We had bits of this and that from across the menu and really enjoyed all of it, but we particularly enjoyed the olives, with whole roasted garlic cloves, and the duck leg confit. On an amusing note, cheese/meats are brought out with very delicious baguettes. We watched with amusement as people tried to cut the bread with cheese knives. I asked our waitress if this happened often and she said, unfortunately, it did, and a number of knives have been broken by people loathe to tear bread apart with their hands. In any case, a really terrific spot, looking forward to a return visit soonest.

I couldn't tell looking in the other morning, are the tables high or normal height? Want to go with mom, who can't do tall tables. Thanks!

Normal height. There's also seating at the cheese bar and regular bar on standard bar height chairs.