French rec?

The Lovely Dining Companion is about to be out of town for a long weekend, which allows me the opportunity to try some too-long-overlooked opportunities. One of the cuisines I've been rediscovering lately is classic French, so I thought I'd take this chance to try out some new places. (New to me, that is.) First stop, the GNR page because I couldn't recall any French GNRs off the top of my head.

That's because there aren't any.

That's right, folks. Not a single French restaurant on the ol' GNR list. Well shut ma mouth!

Now, I've eaten at my share of French places in town over the years, both haute and not-so-haute. And I've read about many others. I'm not ready to get into a discussion of why we don't have a French GNR (though I find the fact itself rather remarkable, given some of the places we have to chose from 'round these parts).

So I post and ask for recommendations for a couple French places to try out. I haven't been to Le Bouchon in more than a decade, so I'm thinking that should be on the short list. And I've never been to La Sardine, so that might also be on the list. But I'm soliciting suggestions. Not haute, not bistro, but in between. Probably tending more toward bistro-ish, if I were pushed. Oh hell, recommend a place. Feel is more important than anything else, except food. Something comfy, something cozy. More Oceanique than Titi de Paris.

LDC will be gone next Sat/Sun/Mon nights, so I'm stuck with those days. But I might even solicit company on the Events board, if anyone else is interested in a little exploration.

Thanks!

This is too easy.

I think French cuisine may be the most overlooked high quality cuisine, one that Chicago is especially good at but just doesn't get talked about a whole lot. I haven't been to every French restaurant in Chicago - not even close - but the ones I've been to recently have been exceedingly good. The best bistros I can remember are Bistro Bordeaux, where I ate last night (see that discussion), and La Sardine, where I ate last year. Both have great 3-course deals on virtually the entire menu, on Tuesdays at La Sardine for $25 and Wednesdays at Bistro Bordeaux for $28.95. I haven't been to Le Bouchon but keep in mind that it is the sister restaurant (same ownership) of La Sardine. At the high end, Everest is still doing some amazing French cuisine, both traditional and contemporary. It's a bit pricy, although it's less than most of the other "top tables" around town, and they still have that $50 3-course early bird pre-theater menu.

The other thing to realize is that lines between French cuisine and other cuisines are blurring. Dishes like steamed mussels, sauteed skatewing, braised short ribs, and creme brulee can be found at French bistros like these, at contemporary American restaurants like Cafe des Architectes and Sweets and Savories (both of which have 3-course specials) and Chef's Station and Vie, and even at Mexican restaurants like Mexique and Mundial Cocina Mestiza. I had a wonderful dinner of cream of carrot soup with creme fraiche and a fabulous roast duck last month, in Vivere in the Italian Village complex.

Two restaurants where I have had the very best mid-priced Chicagoland meals in the past few years are both places that specialize in a contemporary version of French cuisine: Michael in north suburban Winnetka, and Tallgrass in southwest suburban Lockport. If you haven't been to those, you're really missing something special (although perhaps the LDC would appreciate dining at either or both).

So there you have a baker's dozen restaurants where you can get a fantastic dinner - some with classic French cuisine, and others with modern interpretations/variations of French cuisine. They are all superb and you can't go wrong with any of them.

From everything I read, I think that the French place to try is L.M at 4539 N. Lincoln.
Or you may want to revisit a too often forgotten place like Cafe Matou on North Milwaukee.

Kennyz wrote:This is too easy.

I tend to stick with Cyano's on Wells since I live within walking distance. Solidly reliable, & often overlooked.

I'm also a sucker for the skate wing at Brasserie Jo, & IIRC they have a new menu there with a heavier focus on beer & hors d'oeuvres that might be worth checking out if you're a beer drinker.

Thanks everyone. Indeed, LM was on my radar and had, indeed, been the actual stimulus to my thought process. I neglected to mention it though it is a short list entry as well. (Edited to add: no more. I just read the menu; see my post below.)

I probably should have noted a few other things: I haven't been to Kiki's in a while and my general feeling is that although I enjoy the food; the barn, not so much. Cyrano's is, sadly, the opposite: like the feel, have never really been wowed by the food. Cafe Matou: haven't been for a while but the last meal there was okay. Nothing about it made me eager to return. Nothing bad just nothing unusually good. Brasserie Jo. That's hard. Haven't been in a long time but my memories are pretty much the same as of Kiki's: good food but not the feel I'm after. The only other places I can recall provoking a stronger than average response are Bistrot Margot (I have never, ever, enjoyed a meal there) and Les Nomades, which I posted on elsewhere as a stupendous meal, but not what I'm looking for.

I am a big fan of Cafe Touche in Edison Park. Good Bistro food, fair/low prices, decent wine selection and bar dining if dining alone. They are closed on Mondays and they also have comped valet parking.

See reviews here: Cafe Touche

Cafe Touche
6731 N. Northwest Highway
Edison Park, IL 60631
773-775-0909
http://www.cafetouche.com

One of the places that is not often mentioned in these discussions, since it's not a typical bistro nor a high-end dining extravaganza, but somewhere in-between--hey, that sounds like what you're looking for--is La Petite Folie. The chef's training is classic French but with an individual touch, and it has the ambience of a mid-scale white-cloth restaurant. It's been a while since I've been myself (and that mostly for lunch), but the experiences have always been positive:

http://www.lapetitefolie.com/menus.html

Cafe Absinthe has long been one of my favorite French-inspired places. You won't find blanquette de veau, but there is certainly a French vibe running through the place. And, the food is terrific. Enter through the alley just north of North Ave. on Damen.

Cafe Absinthe
1958 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
773-278-4488
http://www.cafeabsinthechicago.com/

I'll always have a soft spot for Bistro Campagne, as it's where I took my wife on our first date. I haven't been in years, but it has been very reliable in the past.

Bistro Campagne
4518 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625-2103
773-271-6100
http://www.bistrocampagne.com/

Here's a list of most of the French bistros in the Chicago area:

Chicago
Brasserie Jo (River North) - http://www.brasseriejo.com
Kiki's Bistro (River North) - http://www.kikisbistro.com
Cyrano's Bistrot and Wine Bar (River North) - http://www.cyranosbistrot.com
Bistro 110 (Michigan Avenue) - http://www.levyrestaurants.com
Le Petit Paris (Gold Coast) - http://www.lepetitparis.net
Bistrot Zinc (Gold Coast) - http://www.bistrotzinc.com
Bistrot Margot (Old Town) - http://www.bistrotmargot.com
Mon Ami Gabi (Lincoln Park) - http://www.monamigabi.com
Cafe Bernard (Lincoln Park) - http://www.cafebernard.com
Bistro Campagne (Lincoln Square) - http://www.bistrocampagne.com
Rendezvous Bistro (Lincoln Square) - http://www.lerendezvousbistro.net
LM (Lincoln Square) - http://www.lmrestaurant.com
Cotes du Rhone (Edgewater) - Menupages listing
La Tache (Andersonville) - http://www.latachechicago.com
Cafe Touche (Edison Park) - http://www.cafetouche.com
La Sardine (West Loop) - http://www.lasardine.com
Marche (West Loop) - http://www.marche-chicago.com
Le Bouchon (Wicker Park) - http://www.lebouchonofchicago.com
Café Matou (Wicker Park) - http://www.cafematou.com
Chez Joel Bistro (Little Italy) - http://www.chezjoelbistro.com
La Petite Folie (Hyde Park) - http://www.lapetitefolie.com

Suburbs
Bistro Bordeaux (Evanston) - http://www.lebistrobordeaux.com
Jacky's on Prairie (Evanston) - http://www.jackysbistro.com
Jilly's Café (Evanston) - http://www.jillyscafe.com
Cafe Central (Highland Park) - http://www.cafecentral.net
Froggy's (Highwood) - http://www.frenchrestaurantschicagocatering.com
Miramar (Highwood) - http://www.miramarbistro.com
Retro Bistro (Mount Prospect) - http://www.retrobistro.com
D&J Bistro (Lake Zurich) - http://www.dj-bistro.com
Hemingway's Bistro (Oak Park) - http://www.hemmingwaysbistro.com
Bistro Monet (Glen Ellyn) - http://www.bistromonet.com

Boy, I'd forgotten all about Cafe Absinthe. Thanks for reminding me. And nsxtasy, thanks for that really handy list; I love the links!

Given your location, you might want to give Jilly's in Evanston a try if you have not already been. It's been some time since I've been there, but when I lived in Edgewater it was not a difficult trip and well worth it. More of a homey feel than high end, but the food was fantastic.

I've eaten at all three of the French bistros in Evanston within the past year. Jacky's and Jilly's are both pretty good, but I think Bistro Bordeaux has them beat. Quite handily, in fact.

Kennyz wrote:This is too easy.

Well now. I just took a look at the menu, finally and belatedly. Seems to me that while this may be a wonderful restaurant and worth a visit, the entree list hardly qualifies as "classic French," which is what I'm after. I won't dispute that the menu looks interesting and there are some French things on it. It may even feel wonderfully French inside. But the dinner menu hardly convinces me that this should be on my list.

Gypsy Boy wrote:

Kennyz wrote:This is too easy.

Well now. I just took a look at the menu, finally and belatedly. Seems to me that while this may be a wonderful restaurant and worth a visit, the entree list hardly qualifies as "classic French," which is what I'm after. I won't dispute that the menu looks interesting and there are some French things on it. It may even feel wonderfully French inside. But the dinner menu hardly convinces me that this should be on my list.

Since the menu is so very French, I assume you're taken aback by the presence of terms such as parmesan and prosciutto, neither of which would be out of place on the menus of great restaurants throughout France. But if you're looking only for the old fashioned stuff and will be turned off by a place that modernizes things a little, LM might not be right.

Excellent meal at a fair price. I am a fan of their Faux Filet w/ frites.

CM2772 wrote:I am a big fan of Cafe Touche in Edison Park. Good Bistro food, fair/low prices, decent wine selection and bar dining if dining alone. They are closed on Mondays and they also have comped valet parking.

See reviews here: Cafe Touche

Cafe Touche
6731 N. Northwest Highway
Edison Park, IL 60631
773-775-0909
http://www.cafetouche.com

Kennyz,
I think there's a difference between classic and old-fashioned. And no, it's hardly parmesan or prosciutto that are throwing me off. It's that the menu doesn't strike me as classic. If you think the two are synonymous, I guess we're not gonna end up agreeing. To me a place that modernizes classic French a little is Les Nomades; the LM menu strikes me as modernizing things a whole lot more, to the extent that it loses what I consider the quintessential French-ness I'm after.

Sometimes it's better to look at the menus and decide which one sounds like what you're looking for more than others (or just appeals to you more), without trying to apply labels to it or explain it to anyone else. Hope you find the kind of place you're looking for; fortunately, we have plenty to choose from.

Gypsy Boy wrote:Kennyz,
I think there's a difference between classic and old-fashioned. And no, it's hardly parmesan or prosciutto that are throwing me off. It's that the menu doesn't strike me as classic. If you think the two are synonymous, I guess we're not gonna end up agreeing. To me a place that modernizes classic French a little is Les Nomades; the LM menu strikes me as modernizing things a whole lot more, to the extent that it loses what I consider the quintessential French-ness I'm after.

Got it. You didn't mention "classic French" in your OP. If that's what you're after, then LM might not be it. As I noted in the thread about the place, "The food at LM is what I'd call modern French". Though "modern" may sound like the antithesis of "classic," in this context I intend it to mean that classic preparations have been updated with modern ingredients and styles. Delicious and well-executed, but apparently not what you're after.

Apparently LM is French enough for the Lycée Français de Chicago (French International School), as they invited the chef, along with the chefs from NoMi and Café des Architectes, to orchestrate dinner for their annual Soirée.

I would add Hemmingway's Bistro in Oak Park as a more traditional french bistro.

stacy lunardini wrote:I would add Hemmingway's Bistro in Oak Park as a more traditional french bistro.

Hemmingway's Bistro does a fine job with dessert if you feel like a soufflé. I'd find it difficult to recommend anything more than that there.

I added it to the above list of links.

nsxtasy wrote:I added it to the above list of links.

speaking of that list, Cafe Absinthe doesn't describe itself as a French restaurant, and it is not one. Ditto for Retro, which is actually Tuscan-themed.

Kennyz wrote:Cafe Absinthe doesn't describe itself as a French restaurant, and it is not one. Ditto for Retro, which is actually Tuscan-themed.

While Retro Bistro mentions a Tuscan theme on its website home page, the menu consists largely of "French bistro classics", as noted on its "About Us" web page.

I've removed Cafe Absinthe from the list.

nsxtasy wrote:

Kennyz wrote:Cafe Absinthe doesn't describe itself as a French restaurant, and it is not one. Ditto for Retro, which is actually Tuscan-themed.

While Retro Bistro mentions a Tuscan theme on its website home page, the menu consists largely of "French bistro classics", as noted on its "About Us" web page.

I'll let Gypsy Boy be the judge of how "classic" those things are.

One of my favorite french inspired places is HB (Home Bistro)

Amazing staff, amazing chef and BYOB. Country french food with lots o' love.

http://www.homebistrochicago.com/

These menus are providing ample backup for my previous statement above:

nsxtasy wrote:The other thing to realize is that lines between French cuisine and other cuisines are blurring. Dishes like steamed mussels, sauteed skatewing, braised short ribs, and creme brulee can be found at French bistros like these, at contemporary American restaurants like Cafe des Architectes and Sweets and Savories (both of which have 3-course specials) and Chef's Station and Vie, and even at Mexican restaurants like Mexique and Mundial Cocina Mestiza. I had a wonderful dinner of cream of carrot soup with creme fraiche and a fabulous roast duck last month, in Vivere in the Italian Village complex.

There are certain dishes that seem to be mostly exclusive to French bistros and are not often seen elsewhere, such as cassoulet, escargots, salade Lyonnaise, salade Nicoise, coq au vin, steak au poivre, blanquette de veau, croque madame, ile flotante, and profiteroles. Duck confit used to be in this category as well, but has joined the dishes I mentioned in the above paragraph as now found on contemporary menus of various ethnicities. While Home Bistro and other contemporary restaurants may have their menus inspired by French cuisine, I don't see a plethora of "French bistro classics" like these on their menus.

The one place I have been wanting to check out is Le Petit Paris

Added to the list.