Le Papillon - Skokie

Friday nite Hubs and I needed a spot for a romantic dinner a deux between work in Niles and a show at Northlight and I remembered seeing this place reviewed on Check Please and thinking it looked like our kind of place.

Sadly I didn't have a camera along, but I'll do my best.
We dined early, so we were the only folks there at first,
and the owner was the server.

He started us off with 2 types of home baked breads one was a dark break with chopped raisins, very hearty, delicious, the other a rye-7 grainy type of bread, both with sweet butter.

There was no official wine list, but he recited the possibilities, and we chose a Pinot Noir from Provence, which he said was the house wine- very lovely-$46/btl

The meal started with an amuse of what he called amish chicken broth, which for me was the only off note of the nite.
It was boiling hot and super salty- reminded me of nothing so much as Wyler's chicken bouillon straight from from the jar.

For appetizers I had polenta with mushrooms and goat cheese, Hubs had a mediterranean plate which had two generous slices of prosciutto, a crostini topped with a thick slice of fresh mozzerella drizzled with olive oil and topped with basil chiffonade, and a shooter of a fresh tasting chilled tomato soup. Both appetizers were very good.

For dinner we decided to split the baby rack of lamb as it was described on the menu as having 8 bones, and that sounded like enough to split to us, and boy was that a good decision. We requested it medium rare. WOW! One plate came with 5 bones, one with 4, and they actually doubled up the sides, giving each of us a complete serving of potatoes and veg. The mashed potatoes were very good, topped with fried onions and two crispy waffle chips, and veggies were bright green and fresh, drizzled with butter and delicious! There were asparagus, haricots verts, brussels sprouts, and broccoli crowns! The owners later told us his veggies are so good because they are all organic and he gets them fresh every day. I fully expected there would be a split charge on the bill, but there was no extra charge at all, even for the extra sides, so we just tipped well , The lamb was perfectly cooked, beautifully, tender, delicious.

For dessert, I had a mango creme brulee, that was phenomenal- you really could taste the mango flavor.
The total bill before tip was just over $100, (of course it helped that we split the entree)

Midway through our meal, one other couple did come in, but this place is deserving of more business.
This little gem, hidden away around the corner from Village Inn is definitely worth a try, I know we'll be back!

Le Papillon
5111 Brown
Skokie, IL 60077
847-763-1322
http://www.papillonchicago.com

Could you describe the restaurant's culinary sensibility? The website describes Le Papillon as "contemporary French," but the menu seems more international, and your appetizers seem more Italian or Mediterranean.

I agree,
I guess I would call the menu sensibility more of a Mediterranean than pure French-
it could encompass southern France of course LOL
The emphasis actually seems to be mostly on fresh, seasonal, and organic ingredients.

Of the appetizers listed on the website, the only other one I recall seeing was the Papillon salad. I know there were at least two other appetizers offered, but I'm blanking on what they were...
The polenta I had was the one listed on the website:
although you couldn't really tell it was a trio of mushrooms since they were chopped up- but there were mushrooms on it and in the sauce.

The other entrees on the menu were a pan-seared salmon (with I think a dill sauce?)
A cocoa dusted filet mignon, which the other table got and were making nummy nums sounds over,
and a short rib dish with root vegetables which sounded really good sounded sort of south of France-like to me) and would have probably been our both of our choice had we not split the lamb. (Although I really hate ordering the same thing- it sounded really good). There may have been one other offering I'm forgetting...

Our lamb entree was I think $32.50, and the apps were $7.50 and $9.50 (I think)
Most of the other entrees were a bit less costly, the lamb was the most expensive one.
The lamb had a dark sweetish reduction under it that was I think a red wine-demi glace, It was very tasty, and I wouldn't have minded a bit more of it.
The lamb was a different preparation than described on the website, but it was very good.
The rack of lamb was very generous, and the side sizes were also generously portioned.
I was really surprised we each got full side portions- and they were delicious.

The other dessert offered was a chocolate mousse.

So I guess to sum up the techniques are French-
but some of the ingredients are more Mediterranean.
But the main emphasis was on fresh, seasonal, and organic ingredients.
The owner was also very friendly and accommodating.
I hope that rounds out the picture a little better for you.

I went several times after it first opened, when it was still BYO, but haven't been back since. I remember it being very good, a bit more French-inspired than described above (apparently it's evolved). I've forgotten the name of the chef/owner, but I believe he's Serbian, and was the Executive Chef at Westmoreland Country Club prior to opening Le Papillion.

Alas, I drove by today, and Papillon is closed.

Sorry to hear it, but given the lack of customers the night we were there, I must say I am not surprised...

You know, I work less than a mile from the now-shuttered Le Papillon, and drove kinda-past it every day on Lincoln. But...never found my way there--a moot point now I guess.

It must be incredibly tough to make a fine-dining bistro successful in this economic environment. On a rhetorical basis, what does it take these days? Price, value, freshness, location I guess. Le Papillon was in a nasty spot that appeared quaint but obviously never turned into anything close to a destination for suburbanites.

Are we on an inexorable march to a choice between Cheesecake Factory & Claim Jumper?