French restaurants in Chicago after WWII

Wich French restaurants were opened in Chicago between 1945 and 1965?

The famous Chez Paul, for one.

"How much for your wife?"

Cafe Bernard on Halsted, non? For some reason I recall reading that it was one of the very first

Biggs?

Maxim de Paris on Seneca, I believe.

When did Le Perroquet open?

I think Yoshi's has been around for 30 years, but not 40. Will let you know if I think of others, but I am sure Rene G has a list somewhere.

By the way, back in the 60's, and I am sure this probably goes back to the 40's, they probably would have been called "Continental Cuisine."

Mais pourquoi?

there was a terrific french restaurant my parents used to eat at regularly in, i think, the early 60's. it was called maison michelle and was located on clark street in lincoln park. i think it was about 2600 north. i remember that when they first started going the prix fixe was $3.50; then $5.50 and by the time they started taking me, it might have been up to $7.50. i loved the place, it was small, very dark, cramped, very unprosperous looking, with chianti(!) wine bottles filled with dripping wax candles on the tables. it was BYOB and when you left the cork they'd glue it up on the wall with all the others. i ate my first boeuf bourgignon there, served simply with carrots and noodles. alas, by the time in closed in 1980, or so, it had gotten all 'nouvelle cuisine' , expensive, pretentious and not very good. justjoan

Hi,

L'Escargot from 1968 until 1993.

Bright Lights Dim Beauty of Chicago wrote:The goody details is that Ward refers to L'Escargot's style as "Chicago Bungaloid" where the average tab at the time was about $21 dollars per person with drinks. Nowadays, you can't even get that low at TGIFridays. This great restaurant once served 200 people on weekends and great Provincial French dishes included the liver souffle better known as Gateau de Foie, the veal brains in pastry with tomato sauce aka Feuillete de Cervelle, Creme D'avocat, Cornish Hen Grand'mere and Poires Valentin which has something to do with pears.

Regards,

Thanks to all for your suggestions:
In fact Cafe Bernard opened in 1972. Same year as Le Perroquet on Walton.
Maxim's opened in early 1964.
L'Escargot on Halsted in 1968
Jovan on Huron in 1967
As far as Maison Michele on Clark it opened in 1961.
Also opened in 69 was Le Bordeaux on Madison
Alson in the 60s La Chaumiere, that later morphed into La Cheminee, and Les Champs-Elysees .
But probably, as far as I could find, the first authentic French restaurant opened in the sixties was Cafe French Market in the Essex House on South Michigan Avenue.

I'm still interested in locating other authentic French restaurants openeed in the 4s and 50s.
Thanks,

Alain40

This is somewhat repetitious (though there are some minor discrepancies) but I might as well post it since I did the research.

spinynorman99 wrote:The famous Chez Paul, for one.

Chez Paul was older than I realized. It was around in the late '40s.

dicksond wrote:Cafe Bernard on Halsted, non? For some reason I recall reading that it was one of the very first

Nope, after 1965. It opened in May of 1973.

dicksond wrote:Biggs?

Just barely. 1964.

dicksond wrote:Maxim de Paris on Seneca, I believe.

A little older. 1963.

dicksond wrote:When did Le Perroquet open?

Another newcomer. 1972.

dicksond wrote:I think Yoshi's has been around for 30 years, but not 40. Will let you know if I think of others, but I am sure Rene G has a list somewhere.

Yoshi's opened about 27 years ago. Perhaps you're thinking of Jimmy's Place where Yoshi Katsumura was chef for 4 years before opening his own restaurant?

dicksond wrote:By the way, back in the 60's, and I am sure this probably goes back to the 40's, they probably would have been called "Continental Cuisine."

Right. Maybe alain40 can clarify what's meant by "French restaurant." As far back as the late 19th century the dining rooms in many of Chicago's big hotels had what might considered French menus (many were written in French). DeJonghe's, around the turn of the century, had what most would consider a French menu (it wasn't all Shrimps DeJonghe) even though the owners were from Belgium.

dicksond wrote:Mais pourquoi?

It's far too much work to compile the list requested by alain40. If the question can be refined, I might be convinced to take a crack at it.

justjoan wrote:there was a terrific french restaurant my parents used to eat at regularly in, i think, the early 60's. it was called maison michelle and was located on clark street in lincoln park. i think it was about 2600 north.

From what I can tell, Maison Michelle opened in 1961 at 2118 N Clark.

Cathy2 wrote:L'Escargot from 1968 until 1993.

Lucien Verge cooked at Chez Paul (and restaurants in NY and France before that) before moving to L'Escargot when it opened in 1968.

Once again thanks to all and in particular to Rene G who obviously has a serious knowledge of that topic and has probably been reading some sources similar to some of mine, among them the marvelous book " Dining in Chicago" by John Drury or Chicago restaurant Guide of 1972.
What I mean by French restaurant is an establishment usually owned and managed by a French professional serving authentic French cuisine, and not an American restaurant serving "continental" cuisien and pretending to be French as it was often the case with some restaurants of the Ray Castro-Edison Dick group.

Alain40

My parents used to take me to a place called Cafe De Paris which specialized in Duck a L'Orange. It was downtown and it might have been on State or Dearborn. I'm not sure when it opened, but The Bakery in Lincoln Park might fit into this list somewhere. It certainly served Continental Cuisine.

To Deesher:

Cafe de Paris, one of the Castro-Dick restaurants was opened in 1941, I believe, in the Park Dearborn Hotel at 1260 N. Dearborn. It is true that its most famous dishes were duck-based, often with cherries and Cointreau or Grand Marnier, like the "duckling Belasco". His chef, Henri Charpentier, is said as having created the "Crepe suzette". It closed in the early seventies

To René G:

Chez Paul was opened first at 180 East Delaware by Paul Contos in either 1945 or 1946 and moved later to the Mc Cormick Mansion at 660 N. Rush in 1964 where Paul`s son Bill was in charge.

Great stuff alain, Rene, et al. I do remember Cafe de Paris, and it certainly falls into the classification of "Continental Cuisine," by which I mean it was only meant to seem French and sophisticated to Chicagoans, without being really too foreign. Some French touches and techniques, but nothing Escoffier would have respected much.

Yes, Rene, I was thinking of Jimmy's. It was much farther north, right, maybe on Elston or some other diagonal street?

Not surprised that my recollections primarily date from the 60's and early 70's though I thought some were older. Sorry I could not be more helpful. Unfortunately the 100 year old aunt with whom I previously would have consulted on this, passed away last year. Though I imagine her recollection as to what was a French place would have lacked the rigor required. Remember that America did not really "discover" French cuisine in any real sense until that lady, Julia Something , began to popularize it in the 60's.

Thanks.

My parents had a meal at Chez Paul as poor grad students in the 50s, that has lived on in family legend and song. It was either where they got engaged, or to celebrate the engagement. Something momentous. They wanted wine but couldn't afford what the sommelier recommended after they asked him for a rec. So he or the owner or manager smiled upon their youth and their love and simply brought them the bottle and joined them in a glass. I don't recall if the bottle was comped, or priced at whatever they had said they could afford. It was a Burgundy, but neither could tell me what. But I've heard the story many many times.

My mother also sprinkled her ironing for as long as I can remember from the worn bottle of Piper Heidseck that was served at her wedding, with a sort of mini-shower head attachment stuck in the top.

mrbarolo wrote:My parents had a meal at Chez Paul as poor grad students in the 50s, that has lived on in family legend and song. It was either where they got engaged, or to celebrate the engagement. Something momentous. They wanted wine but couldn't afford what the sommelier recommended after they asked him for a rec. So he or the owner or manager smiled upon their youth and their love and simply brought them the bottle and joined them in a glass. I don't recall if the bottle was comped, or priced at whatever they had said they could afford. It was a Burgundy, but neither could tell me what. But I've heard the story many many times.

My mother also sprinkled her ironing for as long as I can remember from the worn bottle of Piper Heidseck that was served at her wedding, with a sort of mini-shower head attachment stuck in the top.

Beautiful story.

Hi,

Jacques at 900 N. Michichigan Avenue was extremely popular in the 1960's.



I also remember a neighborhood French restaurant called Le Fountain Rouge on Irving Park, near Broadway.

Tim

His chef, Henri Charpentier, is said as having created the "Crepe suzette".

He had a great memoir of his early days in kitchens in Europe and NYC, Life a la Henri (unfortunately ends before either Chicago or his last days in Hollywood in the 50s).

Another book to look through would be Vittles and Vice, though it is only devoted to a certain section of the north side.

Anybody know when The Cottage on 63rd opened? I suspect it was in the 70s but it could've been in the earlier decade.

Le Cottage was started in 1974 by Carolyn Buster in 1974

The first owner and creator of the famous Jacques French Restaurant, which became part of the Castro-Dick group, was a French gentleman born in Monaco called Jacques Fumigally who was the Maitre d' at the 180 East Delaware Restaurant, a rather fancy French restaurant that was very popular in the late 20s early thirties.

Alain40

alain40 wrote:But probably, as far as I could find, the first authentic French restaurant opened in the sixties was Cafe French Market in the Essex House on South Michigan Avenue.

Wasn't Café French Market in the Ascot (not Essex) House? The earliest mention I can find is from 1962 (clearly it could have opened earlier though the review makes it sound like it was 1962). I found a list (certainly not complete) of French restaurants from 1965:

La Chaumiere, 1161 N Dearborn
Maison Henri, 2820 N Southport
Maison Lafite, 1255 N State
Maison Michelle, 2118 N Clark
L'Epuisette, 21 W Goethe
Le Coq au Vin, 1400 N Lake Shore

It seems that three of these might have been older than Café French Market—Maison Michelle (circa 1961), Maison Lafite (circa 1959) and Le Coq au Vin (circa 1961). But Maison Lafite was part of the Castro-Dick which brings its authenticity into question.

alain40 wrote:Once again thanks to all and in particular to Rene G who obviously has a serious knowledge of that topic and has probably been reading some sources similar to some of mine, among them the marvelous book " Dining in Chicago" by John Drury or Chicago restaurant Guide of 1972.

You're very welcome. When I was looking up dates for my earlier post I didn't have access to my library. I was sitting in a coffee shop for an hour with my laptop. What is the Chicago Restaurant Guide of 1972? I guess I ought to know about that one.

alain40 wrote:What I mean by French restaurant is an establishment usually owned and managed by a French professional serving authentic French cuisine, and not an American restaurant serving "continental" cuisien and pretending to be French as it was often the case with some restaurants of the Ray Castro-Edison Dick group.

Thanks for the clarification. In most cases I have no detailed knowledge of the menu or owners/chefs of the restaurants I mention. I have no doubt that many of them served bastardized French fare but I have no way of knowing.

Getting back to Café French Market, one reviewer described a favorite entrée consisting of slices of prime rib rolled around a rice filling and covered with paprika sauce. What region of France would that be from?

alain40 wrote:Chez Paul was opened first at 180 East Delaware by Paul Contos in either 1945 or 1946 and moved later to the Mc Cormick Mansion at 660 N. Rush in 1964 where Paul`s son Bill was in charge.

In a 1955 review, Francois Pope (of cooking school fame and "television's leading culinary artist") indicates that it opened in 1944 (I haven't seen any corroborating evidence). He writes that Bill took over in 1950 when the restaurant was still on Delaware (this 1955 piece doesn't mention the Rush location).

There are two that opened in the late '40s that I don't know much about: Cameo and Le Boeuf sur le Toit (1023 N Dearborn). I have a feeling these were more nightclubs than serious French restaurants.

Le Provencal on 57th Street in Hyde Park is an interesting one that I wish I knew more about. It was opened in 1955 by three partners, a physicist, a mathematician and a chef who studied in the Nivernais. Reportedly they specialized in food of the Bourgogne and Provence. If anyone has more information on this restaurant please let us know. I'm going far out on a limb but perhaps Le Provencal was a pioneering Chicago restaurant anticipating the more authentic places that would open in later decades.

dicksond wrote:I do remember Cafe de Paris, and it certainly falls into the classification of "Continental Cuisine," by which I mean it was only meant to seem French and sophisticated to Chicagoans, without being really too foreign. Some French touches and techniques, but nothing Escoffier would have respected much.

Actually Henri Charpentier studied under Escoffier (and a couple other notable French chefs) before he came to the US, and eventually to Café de Paris when it opened in 1941. He was chef there for only a few years until his partner, Martin Geisel, took over. One has to wonder if the food at Café de Paris might have been at a higher level for those few years.

Tim wrote:Jacques at 900 N. Michichigan Avenue was extremely popular in the 1960's.

Jacques, opened in 1928, was one of the old warhorses of Franco-Chicagoan gastronomy. Nothing I have read makes me think they served anything close to authentic French food. From the same era there was Le Petit Gourmet (1920s-1960s) and its big brother Au Grand Gourmet (circa 1927). Interestingly, the latter occupied the building at 180 E Delaware that would later become Chez Paul.

Tim wrote:I also remember a neighborhood French restaurant called Le Fountain Rouge on Irving Park, near Broadway.

Les Fontaines Rouges opened in 1960 where Fornello is now. The restaurant had two fountains that gushed red wine. They specialized in flaming desserts. You can find a pretty savage review by Johnrae Earle from 1976 ("about as French as a french fried potato").

Mike G wrote:Another book to look through would be Vittles and Vice, though it is only devoted to a certain section of the north side.

Vittles and Vice by Patricia Bronte (1952) is well worth a look but covers only Café de Paris, Chez Paul and Le Petit Gourmet.

jbw wrote:Anybody know when The Cottage on 63rd opened? I suspect it was in the 70s but it could've been in the earlier decade.

Wasn't The Cottage (circa 1975) on Torrence in Calumet City? The only French restaurant on 63rd I can think of was French Kitchen a couple blocks west of Kedzie. I believe they opened in the 1970s.

jbw wrote:Anybody know when The Cottage on 63rd opened? I suspect it was in the 70s but it could've been in the earlier decade.

I will be more precise later after checking with Gerald Buster. It opened roughly 1974 and closed in the early 1990's.

Regards,

René:

Thanks for all these precise details. Obviously you have a battery of sources that I envy. The Chicago guide that I mentioned was in fact published in 1973 by Henry Regnery and was the first chicago Guide of ''Chicago'', the monthly magazine that later renamed itself ''Chicago Magazine''.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, Jacques Fumagally who created Jacques ( I thought it was in the 30`s because John Drury in Dining in Chicago published in 1931 does not mention it) was the Maitre d'hôtel at a restaurant called ''180 east Delaware Restaurant'' that is precisely the location where the first Chez Paul started.

I know a French guy who worked at the Café French Market when it opened in 1962 (he is the one who told me it was in the Essex house) I wil ask him if he remembers that dish based on slices of prime rib rolled around a rice filling and covered with paprika sauce. But to me, a frenchman who knows quite a bit nd write about traditioneal French cuisine, it does not look at all like a French dish. It might be Basque though.

I do not consider Le Petit Gourmet, that was located in Italian Court at 619 N. Michigan Avenue as a French restaurant. It was rather a ''literary'' café and bistrot, that served lots of pastries...

L'Epuisette like Maison Lafite, Biggs, La Maisonette, La Tour, Mon Petit, Cafe de Paris was a Ray Cstro-Edison Dick restaurant.

I thought that Le Coq au Vin, also named Arturo which was a Italian-Fench restaurant was opend in the late sixties.

Thank you again to all of you for your memories.
Alain40
.

alain40 wrote:Also opened in 69 was Le Bordeaux on Madison

The Wife and I ate at Le Bordeaux in 1973-4. I remember it was in a downstairs space, and I had the sea bass in a creamy sauce. It's a good memory.

Reading this post, I thought about Jacques, and the menu.This thread contains my memories of two dishes at Jacques' that place their menu squarely in the ersatz French category.

Josephine wrote:Does anyone remember a mid 1960's "French" restaurant in Chicago called Jacques' or Chez Jacques? I remember having a ladies' lunch there in a garden-room setting: artichoke hearts stuffed with crabmeat. Seems like they had a sherry-shallot flavor in the crabmeat. I felt very grown up sitting there ordering what my mother and aunt had ordered, and very superior to my younger cousin with her Chicken a la King on mashed potatoes. Funny, but I don't remember the dessert, but then WASP-y ladies never ate dessert at lunch. . .

And we probably drank iced tea with the meal.

Rene G wrote:

Tim wrote:I also remember a neighborhood French restaurant called Le Fountain Rouge on Irving Park, near Broadway.

Les Fontaines Rouges opened in 1960 where Fornello is now. The restaurant had two fountains that gushed red wine. They specialized in flaming desserts. You can find a pretty savage review by Johnrae Earle from 1976 ("about as French as a french fried potato").

Le Fountain Rouge was a victim of their own success in the late 1960's. They were serving wonderful food and suffered the misfortune of a wonderful review in one of the local papers. They could not cope with the crowds and their food suffered terribly. They may have changed hands about that time.

My one memory of Jacques was opening of their courtyard at 11:00 am on Sunday morning. The after-church socialites showed up in hats and chatted for an hour before ordering. Bottles of champagne appeared at noon, followed by strawberry crepes.

What's does the word "authentic" have to do with French restaurants in the 1960's?

Tim

René : You were right about Cafe French Market. It was located in the Ascot House and not in the Essex Inn as I had said in my post.
Its opening was in July of 1962 under the ownership of a Frenchman, Jean Guillaume, at 1100 South Michigan Blvd.
I do not know the exact date of its closing but I think that it was about 2 years later
Alain40

Here are two amusing postcards from old French restaurants in Chicago.

This is Henri Charpentier, "the erratic genius of the chafing dish" as Patricia Bronte referred to him, performing at Café de Paris in the early 1940s.



Jumping ahead a couple decades, here is Café Bonaparte in the Blackstone Hotel. I don't know if I feel more sorry for the waiters or the customers.

To René G, Dicksond, MikeG and others contributors to LTH who helped me in my research 18 months ago:

The Second part of my 50 years retrospective on French restaurants in Chicago has been posted on my blog: http://frenchvirtualcafe.blogspot.com or google French Virtual Cafe.

Thanks again for your help

Whe I was in HPHS (also) in the era of 1972 -1976 (heaven help me)
I remember my French class went on a field trip to a French restaurant, bien sur!
I think it was on N. Lincoln, just south of Childrens Memorial, and I remember I ate Coq au vin.

I'm not sure of the name of the place, however...
I do remember feeling VERY grown up....

Slightly different years for me, but I remember doing the same thing on an HPHS French class field trip: we went downtown to see Cousin Cousine, and we ate dinner at a French restaurant. I don't remember the restaurant, but I clearly remember that it was the first time I had coq au vin. I even think I have a mental picture stored away of how that dish looked when it came to the table, lo these many years ago.

irisarbor wrote:Whe I was in HPHS (also) in the era of 1972 -1976 (heaven help me)
I remember my French class went on a field trip to a French restaurant, bien sur!
I think it was on N. Lincoln, just south of Childrens Memorial, and I remember I ate Coq au vin.

I'm not sure of the name of the place, however...
I do remember feeling VERY grown up....

I'm guessing it was The Bakery, under legendary chef Louis Szathmary.

We saw Cousin Cousine at the Biograph (that's another detail I do remember clearly), which is on N. Lincoln, so maybe the restaurant was The Bakery, but I thought the place where we ate had a French name.