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  • Le Titi de Paris

    Post #1 - September 6th, 2005, 11:16 pm
    Post #1 - September 6th, 2005, 11:16 pm Post #1 - September 6th, 2005, 11:16 pm
    If you have eaten at Le Titi recently, would love to hear current feedback on the restaurant and any menu items you would recommend.
    Thanks.
    Jyoti
    A meal, with bread and wine, shared with friends and family is among the most essential and important of all human rituals.
    Ruhlman
  • Post #2 - September 9th, 2005, 8:15 am
    Post #2 - September 9th, 2005, 8:15 am Post #2 - September 9th, 2005, 8:15 am
    I've never made it there, but the Sun Times just published a review:
    http://www.suntimes.com/output/bruno/wkp-news-letiti02.html
    Make sure you read the part about the $25 coupon.
  • Post #3 - April 12th, 2006, 1:57 pm
    Post #3 - April 12th, 2006, 1:57 pm Post #3 - April 12th, 2006, 1:57 pm
    It's one of my favorite places. The food is great and keeps getting better. The owners are charming and love what they do, and customers feel that. It is comfortable and accessible, which is unusual for a high-end restaurant. Sure, you can drop a couple of hundred dollars for dinner, but they also have special fixed-price options that make it affordable, from a $16 express lunch to the $78 six courses with six wines wine dinners most Friday nights. And as far as food, I've never had anything I didn't like. Michael Maddox will accommodate any and all requests.

    And just so you know, it was my favorite restaurant even before I got to write about the chef: http://www.northshoremag.com/cgi-bin/ns ... oking.html

    I've been going to Le Titi almost since it opened more than 30 years ago. The current chef has been there for the past 14 years, so even though ownership changed hands a couple of years ago (Maddox is now the owner as well as the executive chef), the food didn't falter. And this isn't my opinion alone -- I've taken friends who are chefs, foodies, and francophiles, and all have been impressed.

    It's not quite as off the chart as Carlos's or Ambria, but it is more affordable and less intimidating. It's not quite a bistro -- no steak frites -- but it is a high-end French restaurant (considered one of the best in Chicagoland) that has decided not to be intimidating.
  • Post #4 - November 29th, 2006, 8:26 pm
    Post #4 - November 29th, 2006, 8:26 pm Post #4 - November 29th, 2006, 8:26 pm
    I agree with Cynthia that Le Titi de Paris is not intimidating. I also agree with Cynthia that the food is great. But, even beyond the fact that it’s an hour drive for us each way, I don’t see us returning soon.

    After a fair amount of careful research, I reserved a table for last Friday evening. The dinner was a multiple celebration: my parents’ 55th wedding anniversary, my dad’s 85th birthday, and my mom’s 80th. Dad used to do a lot of business in France and they both enjoy French food. A variety of factors including menu selections and reputation led us to Titi de Paris. I also brought a fairly expensive bottle of Charmes Chambertin for the celebration as it was a bottle with very special meaning for my dad.

    When I called to make the reservation, I was pleased at the warm reception I got on the telephone, the more so when I was asked if we were celebrating any special events. I asked about the corkage policy and was told we were welcome to bring our own wine; corkage is $35. I thought this a fairly stiff price but under the circumstances I was willing to pay it.

    We arrived for an early reservation—6:30—to find a few tables already in place. By the time we left two hours later, the house was about two-thirds to three-quarters full. Now, it was only just starting to warm up. Our server, Silviya, brought menus promptly, returning a few minutes later to see if we had any questions. That was the last we saw of her for quite some time. I was eventually able to flag her down and we placed our orders. Now, for the first time since we had been seated, she asked if we wished to have the wine opened. We so wished. She removed the cork but, somewhat to my surprise, did not decant the bottle (I use the term incorrectly in the sense of emptying it into another container, the better to breathe.)

    The food was brought promptly and served perfectly—by others. And since this IS, after all, LTH, I owe everyone (including the restaurant) a comment or two about dinner. In a word, excellent. Interestingly, the Lovely Dining Companion and I ate at Oceanique the night before. Had we not done so, I would have probably been more impressed. But everything at Oceanique—the presentations, the service, and the quality of the food—was so superb that it overshadowed even the presentation and quality at Le Titi de Paris. I will try to put together something soon on our extraordinary dinner at Oceanique, but for now it is only fair to say that dinner at Le Titi de Paris—the food alone—was excellent. Appetizers included three salads: mesclun with candied walnuts, dried cranberries and Gorgonzola, a Caesar salad (why doesn’t anyone include anchovy any more?), and a salad comprised of pickled golden and red beets, green beans, goat cheese, and mache. With the exception of the AWOL anchovy, everyone was very happy with his/her salads. Always the odd one out, I ordered an oven roasted baby pumpkin filled with rock shrimp risotto and capped with a seared sea scallop, all accompanied by a lobster tarragon sauce. Stunning would be the word. The baby pumpkin was roasted to perfection (I ate the whole thing after I finished the filling). The risotto was rich without being overwhelming and the seared scallop a lovely touch. We were all primed for the entrees.

    Dad, ever predictable, ordered a filet and, though tempted to follow suit, I opted for the lamb done two ways: a herb/honey mustard-crusted “rack” of two ribs and a braised shank on a three-cheese polenta. We’re both fussy about the quality of our meat and the ability of the kitchen to cook it as ordered. Suffice to say, we were both extremely pleased. Mom’s tastes run to simpler dishes, but she’s no pushover; she ordered a chicken breast with spinach, brie, and sun-dried tomatoes with a portobello reduction. The Lovely Dining Companion had a sake-marinated Alaskan halibut with shrimp dumplings in a scallion/ ginger broth. Both pronounced themselves very happy with their orders.

    Very sadly, the burgundy was disappointing. A very nice wine indeed, but not what we had hoped. And its presentation was yet another occasion for Silviya to demonstrate her lack of attention to us and our table. After I tasted it (a practice I find increasingly silly, though I certainly know that it’s possible to get a bad bottle), she immediately began pouring for everyone, starting with LDC. Well, as it happens, LDC is allergic. Would asking have taken a few extra seconds? Yes. Was it a major service error? Of course not. But it was another in a series of errors, some minor, some major, some of commission, some of omission, that made painfully evident that we weren’t worthy of her complete attention.

    Except for one perfunctory visit, we saw Silviya not at all during dinner. I would not ordinarily be particularly perturbed by her absence (although it would have been nice if someone had taken responsibility for our receiving more than one roll at the beginning of the meal), except that it was painfully evident that every spare moment was devoted to a jovial table of six not far away. She was constantly at the table, finding one reason after another to be present. Indeed, her attentions there were so obvious that each of my parents—both of whom are ordinarily relentlessly upbeat about celebrations planned by one of their children and wouldn’t be caught dead making a negative observation—made comments afterward.

    Silviya visited briefly to take dessert orders and then disappeared again. Others served dessert—and the kitchen presented us with a dessert sampler, “engraving” the plate by noting (in chocolate) each of the events we were celebrating. Desserts, too, were up to the standard of everything that had preceded it, foodwise. Sadly, long after we had concluded the meal, Silviya was nowhere near us. Eventually we were able to flag her down for the check. Payment then sat ignored for a long time until another server took it, quite graciously. Speaking of payment, I feel it only fair to comment that the price, even with an extravagant corkage fee, was only $216 for four, including tax, a price I consider more than fair.

    Dinner, the food, was excellent; dinner, the experience, not so much. Both the hostess and the co-owner stopped by the table in the course of the evening; the former to note the celebration and convey good wishes in a genuine and warm way, the latter to ask how dinner was. But he did so in an extraordinarily disconnected way, as if to say, “I have to ask but don’t answer because I now have to move on to the next table.” I left—we all left—disappointed. I have even spent some time feeling bad for Michael Maddox, the chef. He is clearly a top-notch chef putting out top-notch food, and he’s being sabotaged by at least one server and his co-owner. Are all the servers like this? I seriously doubt it. But one unprofessional server is enough; she managed to take some of the zest out of our celebration. And I don’t see us returning.

    In fact, I was so exercised about the evening that I sat down to write a letter as soon as I got home. I addressed it to Maddox on purpose and I’ll be curious to see how it’s received. In the meantime, with Oceanique outpointing it in every category, I am disinclined to revisit Titi anytime soon. Sadly.

    (P.S. I have spent a lot of time thinking about this experience--and my reaction to it--ever since Friday evening. I may be overreacting, but I do know that everyone at the table shared my disappointment with the service. If nothing else, it pointed up yet again the significant contribution of non-food elements to a successful dinner. Everyone agreed that the food was great and everyone agreed that the dinner nevertheless "failed" on some level. So much goes into making a happy time that it makes you appreciate them that much more.)
    Gypsy Boy

    "I am not a glutton--I am an explorer of food." (Erma Bombeck)
  • Post #5 - November 30th, 2006, 9:40 pm
    Post #5 - November 30th, 2006, 9:40 pm Post #5 - November 30th, 2006, 9:40 pm
    Gypsy Boy,

    I also BYO'ed, but I tend to take a more aggressive approach with the wine service. I politely explain to the server that they do not need to worry about pouring, that I can take care of it. This prevents my wife's glass being constantly topped off when she doesn't always want it to be. I can also control pours to last through the multiple courses.

    Cheers,
    Al
  • Post #6 - December 2nd, 2006, 2:54 pm
    Post #6 - December 2nd, 2006, 2:54 pm Post #6 - December 2nd, 2006, 2:54 pm
    I am pleased to post that I just received a telephone call from Michael Maddox, chef and co-owner of the restaurant. (No, I did not offer my number in the letter I wrote him.) We spent quite a while on the phone and, suffice to say, he was apologetic and we discussed his "use" of the letter with the staff. Mr. Maddox happened not to be in the house that evening for personal reasons and I understand the implications of that, too. Anyone can have an off day and it was certainly unfortunate that a server's bad day occurred the same day as our celebration. The lesson I take away is as much how the restaurant responds to the criticism and, under the circumstances, I am very pleased. Nothing can undo what happened but I think that the call was the best response.
    Gypsy Boy

    "I am not a glutton--I am an explorer of food." (Erma Bombeck)
  • Post #7 - December 3rd, 2006, 8:06 pm
    Post #7 - December 3rd, 2006, 8:06 pm Post #7 - December 3rd, 2006, 8:06 pm
    Gypsy Boy wrote: Interestingly, the Lovely Dining Companion and I ate at Oceanique the night before. Had we not done so, I would have probably been more impressed. But everything at Oceanique—the presentations, the service, and the quality of the food—was so superb that it overshadowed even the presentation and quality at Le Titi de Paris. I will try to put together something soon on our extraordinary dinner at Oceanique, but for now it is only fair to say that dinner at Le Titi de Paris—the food alone—was excellent.
    I, for one, would be interested in reading an account of your meal at Oceanique. Oceanique was my special occasion place for many years, and I had some memorable experiences there. For some reason, I have not dined there in several years, but I still find myself comparing other "fine dining" meals to the ones I enjoyed at Oceanique. I am certainly not the most sophisticated gourmand, but I think Oceanique deserves more attention than it garners.
  • Post #8 - December 4th, 2006, 11:25 am
    Post #8 - December 4th, 2006, 11:25 am Post #8 - December 4th, 2006, 11:25 am
    If you go to Oceanique, make sure that you ask for the Northwestern University menu, which is set for $50, including three courses, tax, tip, and wine (two glasses). NU has set $50 as the maximum restaurant bill that they will cover, and many Evanston restaurants create meals for which they charge $50. I do not believe that this menu is only for Northwestern faculty (at least they don't ask for an ID, but neither do they offer the menu card unless you ask). Many Evanston restaurants, dumb down their menus when they serve their $50 meals, but not Oceanique, and I give them a lot of credit for that (I hope that they make some profit). NU has had this limit of $50 for about 15 years (certainly for the ten years I've been there), and in another ten years, we will be limited to dogfish or dogfood.

    When I get to choose the restaurant, I talk our guests to North Clark Street, Devon, or Argyle, whether they like it or not, but at least we get a banquet.

    As for Le Titi, when my wife and I went - shortly after Mike took over, if I recall - we were impressed with the food, but we shouldn't oversell their culinary exploits. This is a very, very successful suburban French restaurant. It is not, however, Le Francais, Carlos, much less CT. It is a class of restaurant of which we need more (Tallgrass is in the same category for me), even if after two years or so my meal is something of a pleasant blur.
  • Post #9 - December 4th, 2006, 3:00 pm
    Post #9 - December 4th, 2006, 3:00 pm Post #9 - December 4th, 2006, 3:00 pm
    d4v3,

    The husband and I had a stellar meal at Oceanique last holiday season. We both had the Chef's 6-Course Tasting and it was quite a treat. Equally as excellent was the bottle of Niebaum Coppola Rubicon that we shared. I would recommend that you go back for a visit soon.
  • Post #10 - December 4th, 2006, 3:39 pm
    Post #10 - December 4th, 2006, 3:39 pm Post #10 - December 4th, 2006, 3:39 pm
    It's funny, but things do seem to be a matter of both timing and taste. I've eaten at Oceanique a few times, and while I thought it was very nice, and I liked the sommelier, I have never had a meal there as good as what I expect at Le Titi. I liked Oceanique, but the few times I've been there, it has been very good but not "best of show."

    Of course, I do realize that Le Titi is not Le Francais or Carlos, but it's still mighty fine, and more affordable than either of those two places. And I'd put Le Titi's seared foie gras up against pretty much any of the competition.

    Interestingly, when Pierre Pollin still owned Le Titi, he once told me that he valued his family too much to be Number One. He liked going home at night and not living with the incredible stress that Jean Banchet, who is a friend of his, lived with. He then added with a smile, "But being second to Le Francais is not a bad thing."
  • Post #11 - December 4th, 2006, 4:29 pm
    Post #11 - December 4th, 2006, 4:29 pm Post #11 - December 4th, 2006, 4:29 pm
    Cynthia wrote:Interestingly, when Pierre Pollin still owned Le Titi, he once told me that he valued his family too much to be Number One. He liked going home at night and not living with the incredible stress that Jean Banchet, who is a friend of his, lived with. He then added with a smile, "But being second to Le Francais is not a bad thing."


    Pierre Pollin makes a very important point that helps us explain the stratification in the restaurant market.

    Being second to Le Francais is not a bad thing, but neither is being Le Francais. Pierre Pollin is a good restauranteur (and hopefully a good father!), but Jean Banchet shaped how we think about food. He created Memory.
  • Post #12 - December 5th, 2006, 11:43 am
    Post #12 - December 5th, 2006, 11:43 am Post #12 - December 5th, 2006, 11:43 am
    GAF wrote: Jean Banchet shaped how we think about food. He created Memory.


    He definitely shaped how I think about food. Starting in the '70s, though I was just out of college and therefore not making a lot of money, I saved all year so I could go to Le Francais once a year. I didn't have any friends at the time who were interested in spending that kind of money on food (and, to be fair to my friends, I don't think I ever saw anyone else in their 20s dining at Le Francais back then), so I had to save up for two, and just took someone for a Christmas present. But I went every year, and there was and is nothing else like it. There is no restaurant currently operating that reproduces that level of luxury, of stunning super-abundance, of off the chart indulgence. And the spectacle -- the presentations were from a different era, and I don't think anyone would even attempt it today. (One approaches the presentation at a few restaurants in France, most notably Les Ambassadeurs, but even there, it's not as incroyable.) I have loved Jean Banchet for decades.

    And I'm pleased to say I still occasionally get to eat his food, thanks to the dinners his former sous chef and still close friend, Patrick Chabert, treats us to on occasion. And I got to see him regularly when I was taking cooking lessons from Patrick. (And Patrick, trained by Banchet and his second-in-command for 16 years, isn't a half bad chef himself.)

    So you'll get no argument from me on the superiority of Jean Banchet's restaurant. I can still almost conjure some of the tastes and fragrances.

    But Jean Banchet is no longer at Le Francais, and I'm glad to have the vastly more affordable Le Titi still around, to supply my need for an occasional foie gras fix and delight my palate with French food that is good enough.
  • Post #13 - December 12th, 2006, 9:49 pm
    Post #13 - December 12th, 2006, 9:49 pm Post #13 - December 12th, 2006, 9:49 pm
    One of the best times to go to Le Titi is the last Friday of the month where they have "Tour de France Gastronomique Regional Dinners." They feature a certain region of France with both wine and food. $78/person +tax/gratuity (more for the Champaign region) And the Maitre d', Marcel breaks out his guitar and strums out some tunes... More than worth it...
    Eat to live, LIVE TO EAT!
  • Post #14 - June 25th, 2007, 9:49 am
    Post #14 - June 25th, 2007, 9:49 am Post #14 - June 25th, 2007, 9:49 am
    My wife and I went to Le Titi last night, and my experience was similar to my comment above. This is very good suburban French food. It is not on the level of Carlos or Le Francais in its heyday - or Everest, Trotters, and Alinea, but why should it be? Just don't oversell the experience (and the price is about half of these others - particularly as we had a coupon for $27 off - making each dinner under $70, although without dessert, but with tax and tip and a half bottle of Matanzas Savignon Blanc). Le Titi is in the class of Tallgrass and perhaps a notch higher than Michael's, but all three are relatively comparable in their aim. The execution of dishes is satisfactory, but lacks a certain subtlety. The creativity is there, but perhaps not culinary theory. And the food is nicely accessible, either a positive or negative. The service is congenial if not filled with drama, and the room is comfortable with its murals without being architecturally notable. It is a superior three star restaurant with three star prices. A nice place to spend a summer evening.

    As an amuse were were served a simple canape of smoked salmon on cucumber with Balsamic and with dill. Yes it was a taste that I could have made with some ease, but that doesn't mean it wasn't enjoyable.

    Appetizers:

    Chilled "Spring Roll" of Maine Lobster, English Cucumber, Mango, Carrot Angel Hair with a Passion Fruit Fennel Coulis. As is indicted by the title this dish was rather too "busy" and a little sweet, but lobster and cucumber made for a nice summer plate.

    Image

    Ravioli of Shredded "House Smoked" Pork Loin with Wild Mushrooms. A very satisfying appetizer without being stuffy. The ravioli was nicely prepared.

    Image

    An excellent warm asparagus soup. Very herbal and buttery.

    A less successful gazpacho, which lacked the robust flavors of a Spanish gazpacho. Much too subtle. almost watery.

    Image
    Image

    "Tandoori Scented" Australian Rack of Lamb, French Green Lentils, Mango Basil Chutney and Natural Juice. The lamb was a bit overcooked (we asked for it as the chef felt it should be cooked - but this was a Sunday evening and Chef Michael Maddox was cooking for an older crowd) and again somewhat too sweet and lacking in strong Tandoori spice, but with the lentils and the lamb, the dish was generous in its pleasure.

    Image

    Poached Maine lobster and seared sea scallops with cepe celeriac puree with a chive essence. The scallops were still a little gritty, but the lobster was luscious, a nice way to begin the summer. Both main courses had a little bread "sculpture" that was interesting to see, but a little stale.

    Image

    In these comments, I am holding Le Titi to the very highest standards, where it doesn't quite belong. Where it does belong, providing serious and accessible French food for a suburban clientele at plausible prices, it succeeds.
    Last edited by GAF on June 25th, 2007, 11:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
  • Post #15 - June 25th, 2007, 11:38 am
    Post #15 - June 25th, 2007, 11:38 am Post #15 - June 25th, 2007, 11:38 am
    I agree completely with your assessment,, GAF. It is not Le Francais or Carlos, but it places a solid, respectable second to these icons -- and at a price point I can enjoy far more often. The six-course wine dinners are $78. The main courses are around $28.

    Being self-employed and living nearby, I can get there regularly for their $16 express lunch. I'll drop in at 5:30 sometimes and just have an appetizer or two. And they don't care. For them, it's about having fun. You can go for dessert and coffee after a movie, and you can't do that at Carlos' or Trotter's

    I value Le Titi for its accessibility. It's friendly, easy-going -- and just happens to be French (or, more precisely, world-influenced French). I think of it as being a Great Neighborhood Restaurant that just happens to have more stars than most.
    "All great change in America begins at the dinner table." Ronald Reagan

    http://midwestmaize.wordpress.com
  • Post #16 - June 28th, 2007, 9:18 am
    Post #16 - June 28th, 2007, 9:18 am Post #16 - June 28th, 2007, 9:18 am
    Cynthia wrote:It is not Le Francais or Carlos, but it places a solid, respectable second to these icons -- and at a price point I can enjoy far more often....

    I value Le Titi for its accessibility. It's friendly, easy-going....

    Yes, I agree.

    One of my favorite comments about this place came from a visiting friend a few years back. She and her husband are jet-setting types who have eaten at four-star restaurants around the world and think nothing of spending hundreds of dollars on dinner, or, for that matter, flying to another city just in order to spend hundreds of dollars on dinner.

    Anyway, they were in town for a meeting in the 'burbs and I suggested Le Titi. We had a lovely meal, which they both enjoyed.

    So we were in the ladies' room afterwards, drying our hands at the sink and she says, "Just think, for another $20 a plate, we could've had cloth towels."

    On another occasion, Le Titi was completely unfazed when we went there accompanied by some young people in full punk regalia, complete with leather, chains, multiple piercings, brightly colored spiked hair, et al. I admit I was somewhat nervous about going to a suburban French restaurant with folks in such attire, but the staff treated them just as if they'd been dressed in suits and ties. (Rather, I fear, to our companions' disappointment -- since what's the point of dressing like that if it doesn't garner attention?)
  • Post #17 - July 27th, 2007, 3:20 pm
    Post #17 - July 27th, 2007, 3:20 pm Post #17 - July 27th, 2007, 3:20 pm
    Dutch7 wrote:One of the best times to go to Le Titi is the last Friday of the month where they have "Tour de France Gastronomique Regional Dinners." They feature a certain region of France with both wine and food. $78/person +tax/gratuity (more for the Champaign region) And the Maitre d', Marcel breaks out his guitar and strums out some tunes... More than worth it...


    I hope you mean the Champagne region.

    Darren72
    Part-year resident,
    Champaign, IL
  • Post #18 - July 27th, 2007, 5:31 pm
    Post #18 - July 27th, 2007, 5:31 pm Post #18 - July 27th, 2007, 5:31 pm
    Isn't the Champaign region right near the Urbana region? :lol:
  • Post #19 - August 1st, 2007, 2:34 pm
    Post #19 - August 1st, 2007, 2:34 pm Post #19 - August 1st, 2007, 2:34 pm
    Darren72 wrote:
    Dutch7 wrote:One of the best times to go to Le Titi is the last Friday of the month where they have "Tour de France Gastronomique Regional Dinners." They feature a certain region of France with both wine and food. $78/person +tax/gratuity (more for the Champaign region) And the Maitre d', Marcel breaks out his guitar and strums out some tunes... More than worth it...


    I hope you mean the Champagne region.

    Darren72
    Part-year resident,
    Champaign, IL


    Katie
    Former 12-yr Champaign resident
    Wines weren't as good as I thought they would be
  • Post #20 - August 1st, 2007, 3:20 pm
    Post #20 - August 1st, 2007, 3:20 pm Post #20 - August 1st, 2007, 3:20 pm
    Katie wrote:Wines weren't as good as I thought they would be


    Hard to do a nice meal AND wine for $78 a head at a place like lTdP
    You may end up with some interesting pairing but you will not be
    drinking any bottle that would retail for over $20.
  • Post #21 - August 15th, 2007, 9:35 am
    Post #21 - August 15th, 2007, 9:35 am Post #21 - August 15th, 2007, 9:35 am
    Okay -- having done my preliminary build-up to nominating Le Titi, here is my official nomination.

    “Accessible,” “comfortable,” and “fun” are not words you normally associate with high-end French restaurants, but they are the right words for Le Titi de Paris in Arlington Heights. “Sensational” is another good word for this renowned French eatery, as are the seemingly contradictory “classic” and “innovative.” Chef/owner Michael Maddox has all the chops, when it comes haute cuisine, but he also has international flair and a gift for blending influences. But the personable Maddox and his wife, chef and co-owner Susan Maddox, are also all about having a good time. The Maddoxes cruise the dining room, making sure everything is perfect, chatting with regulars, welcoming newcomers. While most diners are there for a complete meal, the Maddoxes encourage people to drop in after a movie for dessert and coffee. As for accessible, while you can drop a bundle, if you want to, you can also get a great meal at a reasonable price, from a $16 express lunch to the $78 wine diners, which include six courses and six wines.

    Because Le Titi is in the suburbs, foie gras is not an issue—and Maddox’s seared foie gras is as good as any I’ve had elsewhere, including at Ambria, once my standard for foie gras. (Several of my friends have suggested that Le Titi matches Ambria for soufflés, as well.) James Crooker is sommelier, though Marcel Flori, the former sommelier, returns for the French wine dinners. Both are personable and knowledgeable.

    I really love this place. Sure, it’s not Le Français under Jean Banchet, but as we’ve seen, neither was Le Français, once Banchet left. However, it is an ideal neighborhood restaurant, with a friendly, welcoming atmosphere and sensationally good food. I actually think it’s worthy of being considered a destination restaurant, but the genuine warmth of the place also makes it feel at home.

    As for previous discussion: http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... iti++paris

    Le Titi De Paris
    1015 W Dundee Rd
    Arlington Hts, IL 60004

    Tel: (847) 506-0222
    Fax: (847) 506-0474
    Email: info@letitideparis.com

    http://www.letitideparis.com
    [/url]
    "All great change in America begins at the dinner table." Ronald Reagan

    http://midwestmaize.wordpress.com
  • Post #22 - August 16th, 2007, 9:15 am
    Post #22 - August 16th, 2007, 9:15 am Post #22 - August 16th, 2007, 9:15 am
    Hi,

    You may want to post to other threads on Le Titi de Paris to provide a fuller history on this community's experience with it.

    Regards,
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast
  • Post #23 - August 21st, 2007, 11:30 pm
    Post #23 - August 21st, 2007, 11:30 pm Post #23 - August 21st, 2007, 11:30 pm
    Okay, in response to both Cathy's comment on additional threads and Mike G's holding forth on what makes the places nominated special, I'm going to try to add more info.

    Sure, there are lots of great, high end restaurants, but I really don't think any others are going to let you (even encourage you to) drop in for coffee and dessert after a movie. I think it's the friendliness and accessibility that make Le Titi exceptional, even more than the food. It is easy-going. Michael actually grows many of the vegetables and herbs he uses, at least during the summer.

    As for threads, here is another, longer thread, not all positive, that strays into discussions of Oceanique and Le Francais.

    http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... iti++paris

    There are a couple of mentions here, in a discussion on French food:
    http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... iti++paris

    Here's a detailed meal description:
    http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... iti++paris

    In this thread, Le Titi is introduced as topping Chez Panisse:
    http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... iti++paris

    I won't list all 47 threads that came back when I searched for Le Titi de Paris, but I think the ones above give a sense of what people have experienced, both negative and positive.

    And again, I'm not nominating it because the food is high end. I'm nominating it because I think it's a great neighborhood restaurant. You can pop in for lunch without a reservation. They supply lunches to the day spa next door. They have classes. They contribute to the community (they've given me "a day in the kitchen" certificates a number of times to auction for scholarship fund raisers). They are friendly people. The "sing along" at the French wine dinners is kind of corny, but it works -- and you're not going to find a bunch of folks swaying to the music and singing "O, Champs Elysee" at Charlie Trotters.

    Le Titi de Paris is a friendly, family-owned, family-run, neighborhood restaurant that just happens to have great food. And it's far enough out in the sticks that it can't hurt to give it a little love.
    "All great change in America begins at the dinner table." Ronald Reagan

    http://midwestmaize.wordpress.com
  • Post #24 - August 21st, 2007, 11:41 pm
    Post #24 - August 21st, 2007, 11:41 pm Post #24 - August 21st, 2007, 11:41 pm
    Thank you, Cynthia, I think that's exactly the sort of additional insight I'm looking for.
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  • Post #25 - August 22nd, 2007, 8:36 am
    Post #25 - August 22nd, 2007, 8:36 am Post #25 - August 22nd, 2007, 8:36 am
    Although I have nominated another restaurant, I support the nomination of Le Titi de Paris as well. I've eaten there several times over the years. (Many years ago, Le Titi seemed like it was "out in the boonies" - which shows you how the area has grown up around the restaurant!) The food has always been consistently wonderful, and the entire experience enjoyable. They survived the transition from Pierre Poulin to Michael Maddox and have excelled under both chef-owners - which is very unusual in the business. Le Titi de Paris deserves the award too.
  • Post #26 - August 22nd, 2007, 4:52 pm
    Post #26 - August 22nd, 2007, 4:52 pm Post #26 - August 22nd, 2007, 4:52 pm
    When did they acquire the place? My last visit (before September 9, 2007) was probably 20+ years ago, back when it was on Rand Road. Since then it has closed, moved and been sold, I think, but I am curious about exactly when those changes occurred. Call me historical.
    d
    Feeling (south) loopy
  • Post #27 - August 22nd, 2007, 6:15 pm
    Post #27 - August 22nd, 2007, 6:15 pm Post #27 - August 22nd, 2007, 6:15 pm
    dicksond wrote:When did they acquire the place? My last visit (before September 9, 2007) was probably 20+ years ago, back when it was on Rand Road. Since then it has closed, moved and been sold, I think, but I am curious about exactly when those changes occurred. Call me historical.


    Pierre Polin was the chef/owner while it was up on Rand Road. (He had been brought over from France to be the chef, and when the owner wanted to bail out, Pierre bought the place.)

    About 15 years ago, Michael Maddox came on board as chef, then executive chef, then chef/partner, and finally, three years ago, owner. So it has not really changed hands all that much. Pierre cooked there from the beginning, and Michael has cooked their for 15 years, so really just two chefs at the helm, but with different permutations of ownership.
    "All great change in America begins at the dinner table." Ronald Reagan

    http://midwestmaize.wordpress.com
  • Post #28 - August 23rd, 2007, 9:17 am
    Post #28 - August 23rd, 2007, 9:17 am Post #28 - August 23rd, 2007, 9:17 am
    Thanks Cynthia.
    d
    Feeling (south) loopy
  • Post #29 - August 25th, 2007, 11:39 pm
    Post #29 - August 25th, 2007, 11:39 pm Post #29 - August 25th, 2007, 11:39 pm
    I just wanted to write a little about the former Owner/Chef, Pierre Pollin. As a student at Kendall College I have the great honor of learning under him. He's not only a great teacher but a role model. He's the most honest, loving, and passionate Chef I've worked with. He's not the typical "French Chef" that screams and throws pans at you in the kitchen. The remarkable food that he's prepared over the year comes from his great patience and love for food. That's all, and I hope to eat at Le Titi soon.
    Last edited by Jayz on August 26th, 2007, 5:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
    GOOD TIMES!
  • Post #30 - August 26th, 2007, 4:56 pm
    Post #30 - August 26th, 2007, 4:56 pm Post #30 - August 26th, 2007, 4:56 pm
    Jayz wrote: The unremarkable food that he's prepared over the year comes from his great patience and love for food. That's all, and I hope to eat at Le Titi soon.


    Unremarkable? I'm guessing you meant "remarkable," right?
    "All great change in America begins at the dinner table." Ronald Reagan

    http://midwestmaize.wordpress.com

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