DutchMuse wrote:I have a slightly different take than my friend KennyZ on the issue of preconceived notions. From what I understand, Leopold presents itself as a Belgian restaurant. Therefore, the standard Belgian dishes served should be of proper standard. When I read about frites that are soggy, that's a deal breaker for me. No self-respecting Belgian would serve (or eat) soggy fries.

Have you ever been to a restaurant in another country that advertised itself as American, and eaten there, only to think "not really American, that's for sure." Having spent a few weeks in Paris, for instance, I was longing for American type food. As I was walking one night, I passed a restaurant that advertised itself as "American" and went in. The hamburger or the ribs certainly wouldn't have passed muster in the USA, but the French ate away. I think we might go to this type of restaurant and say "certainly not 'real' American" but one could argue "no, but take it on its own without preconceived notions." My reply would be that it might be good, but its not "authentic" American, using this example. I guess I'm just saying there are some absolutes when it comes to national dishes--whether they be from the USA, France, Holland, Belgium, wherever, and to say "don't have preconceived notions, just take it on its own terms" falls a bit short for these absolutes--at least for me.

I understand your essential point, and sympathize with it, but I guess being of dutch (and Belgian) descent, I just can't agree with certain standard dishes that aren't prepared properly as defined by that traditional culture.

By the way--cassoulet? Belgian?!

Just curious--you've posted in this thread at least 5 times that I counted but haven't mentioned what YOU think of the food. I know I'd appreciate your perspective more if your comments were in the context of your own experience versus your perception of others'. So, have you eaten here? Do you think it's any good? Looking forward to hearing about your experience!!

Hi Boud

I hope I haven't offended you by my participation in the thread. Would it pain you to know I haven't been yet? I'm very eager to go and try it. But I thought it would be alright, even before I went, to comment on what I have learned from others. Hope that was ok and, as I say, not offensive. Once I do go (and it will be soon), I'll comment on the food directly versus reacting to others' comments.

DutchMuse wrote:Hi Boud

I hope I haven't offended you by my participation in the thread. Would it pain you to know I haven't been yet? I'm very eager to go and try it. But I thought it would be alright, even before I went, to comment on what I have learned from others. Hope that was ok and, as I say, not offensive. Once I do go (and it will be soon), I'll comment on the food directly versus reacting to others' comments.

I find your comments perfectly reasonable. I think the title of the thread may be throwing things off. Leopold does not describe itself as "Belgium in West Town", but as a place that is "European-influenced, ... highlights Belgium and draws from the elegance of French cuisine and the heartiness of German." Add in an American chef who trained under Shawn McClain and Chris Pandel, and I think the restaurant paints an honest picture of itself.

DutchMuse wrote:Once I do go (and it will be soon), I'll comment on the food directly versus reacting to others' comments.

As at its core LTHForum is a culinary chat (eventually) trying and commenting on the actual food is a good thing.

I believe if you look at the Leopold website it says "Belgian inspired".

I doubt that the seared foie gras with cranberry compote and brussels sprout leaves was taken from the menu of any of the Belgian restaurants the chef visited in his travels

From the Comme Chez Soi menu, perhaps the most renowned restaurant in Brussels (now approaching 85 years old):

"Foie gras de canard au genièvre, perles de riz soufflé,
réduction de vinaigre de figues"

Juniper berries (genièvre) are not the same as cranberries (try finding those in Europe!), altho the sentiment is similar. No brussels sprouts but I suppose you wouldn't be hard pressed to find those garnishing some dishes in, well, Brussels.

The cassoulet, of course, is another matter.

jbw wrote:

I doubt that the seared foie gras with cranberry compote and brussels sprout leaves was taken from the menu of any of the Belgian restaurants the chef visited in his travels

From the Comme Chez Soi menu, perhaps the most renowned restaurant in Brussels (now approaching 85 years old):

"Foie gras de canard au genièvre, perles de riz soufflé,
réduction de vinaigre de figues"

Juniper berries (genièvre) are not the same as cranberries (try finding those in Europe!), altho the sentiment is similar...

Similarity is in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

Ate there a couple of weeks ago, and I neglected to post my thoughts. While I don't remember all the details I will say that I very much enjoyed my dinner at Leopold. The service was very attentive. The item that sticks most in my head was the NY strip tartare. Absolutely brilliant with a perfect mouthfeel. The cassoulet and the rabbit were also excelent. The wine list was well thought out with some great food-friendly french wines at a fair price. Highly rec'd.

mattshafferHP wrote:NY strip tartare

NY strip!?!? That doesn't sound very Belgian!

We were able to get a table at Leopold last night at the last minute and really enjoyed our meal. To start we had the mixed greens salad and moved on into the veal sweetbreads and poutine. I've never had poutine before so I enjoyed it without having knowledge as to what it should look or taste like. There wasn't much ground lamb or cheese on ours but that's fine, I'm on a restricted diet anyway! We ended the meal with the meadow lark cheese platter and belgian waffle which I enjoyed. Overall it was a good experience and seemed to pull in a huge neighborhood crowd. I'd recommend it as a go to but am unsure when I'll be able to go back.

I was in on Friday night and had the mixed greens (love those fried cheesy goodies!) and a new entree, cold-smoked mackerel with a beet/horseradish slaw and baby potatoes. So good!

I forgot to mention the oddest thing happened to me while at Leopold on Saturday. I had a server actually argue with me about a mistake on our bill.. I was so shocked she argued since it really hasn't happened before. She actually agreed to remove the $12 charge, and then brought back another check that was $36 off. In the end we figured it out and got the bill settled but I probably won't be going back.

j0emv wrote:I forgot to mention the oddest thing happened to me while at Leopold on Saturday. I had a server actually argue with me about a mistake on our bill.. I was so shocked she argued since it really hasn't happened before. She actually agreed to remove the $12 charge, and then brought back another check that was $36 off. In the end we figured it out and got the bill settled but I probably won't be going back.

I had it happen to me when after finishing a particularly atrocious meal at Red Light. (Server took only part of bad dishes off the second version of the bill, then disappeared. Manager got called over and yelled at me that I was wrong about the price of the dishes. Only after being shown the price on the menu did they grudgingly correct the error.) And that wasn't even the worst part of the meal. I've never been back...and I've told hundreds of people about the experience. If restaurants can't master basic customer service, I'll spend my money elsewhere.

My fav line in the review:

But the only food even remotely related to Belgian cuisine was the mussels — moules and frites — and, in a stretch (the German side?), the soft pretzel.

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/d ... -menu.html

Smiling service added to a nicely set table recently at Leopold, with excellent small plates and frites, Allagash Black, and a boozy waffle dessert I enjoyed just as much as that at Publican. My salade Liegeoise was delectable with gems of potatoes, duck egg, beans, and lardons, and every plate on the table was savored clean. We used the saus Samurai with its heat and flavors on many items to good effect, though I'm also going to track down some of their nice mustard next time. Friendly place.

PS: enjoy your daily dose of the surreal by clicking through to the Sun-Times link mentioned immediately above.

Santander wrote:PS: enjoy your daily dose of the surreal by clicking through to the Sun-Times link mentioned immediately above.

I'll say...definitely surreal!

I went to Leopold for dinner last night after work, it has been probably 2 months since my last dinner there (I moved farther west a few months ago). I had seen their smoked rabbit on Facebook yesterday morning, and it got the place in my head...but when I sat at the bar and asked Jake the bartender what was "new and noteworthy" he went straight for the duck breast entree and the brandade fritters appetizer...so I took the bait.

The brandade fritters were quite tasty, sitting on a little bed of roasted red pepper puree (not quite a romesco) and coated with a very light crunchy batter. Moist and delicious, and paired well with a glass of the sparkling Cremant.

The duck though...oh yeah. Pan roasted to mid-rare, sliced and fanned and served with sunchokes, carrots, a touch of Brussels sprout leaves, and finished with cherry jus (just enough but not too sweet, as Jake told me).



The flavors were wonderful together, especially on this cold rainy night. The duck was quite tender and perfectly cooked, fat rendered well but enough left to keep it moist. It paired well with a glass of Provence red. I love Brussels sprouts, so since I didn't get a green salad, I ordered a side of the (Belgian themed!) sprouts, which come in a crock and were cooked with thick bacon, a bit of maple, diced chestnuts and some red onion. The sprouts on the entree were brighter and fresher, where the side dish was more roasted and savory. I do love me some sprouts!

No room for dessert, although if I did I would've opted for the bittersweet and milk chocolate pave, with olive oil and sea salt...it sounded awesome.

The room was lively, lots of younger couples and 4-tops dining and enjoying themselves. I noticed some new art on the walls as well, including some back-lit photos along the south wall by the entrance. I'm very happy this place is doing well, although sad that I moved a bit farther away...I'll just have to make a bit more effort since this stretch of Chicago Ave has lots to offer these days.

Mrs & I had dinner at Leopold, a Belgian inspired food & drink restaurant. www.leopoldchicago.com

Started with fresh oysters from Prince Edward Island, served with lambic mignonette. I prefered mine w/o, Mrs really liked the mignonette.

Next was a pretzle, with a currant mustard. Seeing as we were just in Munich, the pretzle was a bit weak, but still tasty.

To follow was slagel heart of ribeye tartare: shallot, caper, farm egg yolk, frisee, whole grain mustard, chef's toast.
The tartare is finely chopped ribeye, not ground, the beefy flavor came shining through.

Our final dish was smoked rabbit: mustard spaetzle, caramelized fennel + onion, monks prune glaze
Rabbit is smoked then pan finished, so tender & delicious, combined with the spaetzle (which has the fennel & onion in it) was so good.

Paired with our drinks this meal was a delight from start to finish !!
(from the tap I had a Belgian beer N'ice Chouffe & Mrs had a pinot from Burgandy FR

Boud will be pleased, I think, to know I dined at Leopold last night.

The menu is a hodgepodge of European and American foods, but as for the taste of the food--it was great. Loved the poutine (though a bit more cheese and gravy would not have hurt). The pierogi were also excellent. Odd that our two favorite items were not of Belgian origin, but as an American restaurant with European influences, it was fantastic.

I also had the mussels which I thought were good but not great. The frites were also "good, not great" but pleasing. The pretzel was quite good.

Nice that they have a selection of Belgian beers as well as American and European beers from non-Belgium; I enjoyed a couple of Karmeliet Trippels (the server even brought me a third "on the house" because the courses had been slow in coming, not something I minded) but by then I was too sated to drink it. Still, a nice gesture on her part.

In all, the restaurant is a win. Loved the food and I think they're doing a great job. Eager to go back. (My prior comments stand regarding it being misleading to call it a Belgian restaurant, which it isn't, but I now see that is more a function of the title of this thread than what the owners advertise themselves).

Hit Leopold for dinner Friday night with a friend. This is now a regular spot for us. They never disappoint. We also had the mussels with the bacon and frites, and it was outstanding. I don't know what they could have done to make it better. The mussels were nicely seasoned and plump. It was really great, also the peirogi's which were also good, but the sauce really makes it for me. We had the scallops, Fluke (which was a complete highlight with fresh crab and lemon) and the cover steak, which is always mindblowing. The place was packed, easy reso on opentable. I actually prefer this restaurant during the week, when it is a little less hectic and you can go at a slower pace.

We also enjoyed dinner at Leopold the other night. Here's what we had:

We started with a dozen West Coast oysters. They were good, but there were a few small shell scraps in a couple of them. I prefer East Coast oysters, but they only had West Coast the other night. I'll probably hold off on the oysters next time. My go-tos for oysters are C-house and Balsan.

The mussels were the best my wife has ever had. These were the mussels with white wine (they also have a bacon/beer mussel preparation) IMHO, they bested the offerings at Maude's and Hop Leaf.

The pretzel was fantastic. It was very soft and fluffy. It was served with a currant mustard. I liked the sweetness of the mustard, which was unique for me.

The poutine was disappointing. I'm not sure what the issue was. Either the gravy was bland or the ratios were off. I prefer the presentation at the Gage.

We enjoyed the smoked rabbit leg. It was cooked nicely. It was served with lambic soaked cherries and fava beans. My palate skews towards sweet so I loved the sweet/savory/smokey combination

Wines by the glass were ok at best. I'm not a big fan of Belgian beers, but I should have stuck with that. It seemed they had a very good selection of Belgians.

Too stuffed to try the Belgium waffle with maple for dessert, but it looked good.

I'll be back in the future, although I'll probably go later in the evening. There were kids at several tables and that's not the atmosphere I was looking for.

-Matt

I met up with a couple other LTHers last week and had an outstanding dinner at Leopold. It was my first visit and I'm sorry I waited so long to get over there . . .


Leopold - 1450 W Chicago Ave



The Local Libation | North Shore #6, Koval Rose Hip, Old Fashioned Bitters
This cocktail I had at the bar before dinner was fine but I think the beer list is the way to go here.



Brouwerij Oud Beersel Geuze
Once at the table, this brew more than made up for the cocktail, though, at $25 for 12.7 ounces, it isn't exactly a bargain...and no, I didn't pour it.



Pretzel| Currant Mustard
The pretzel was well executed but it kind of got lost in the sea of other, more distinctive plates.



Charcuterie | smoked kielbasa (pickled peppers), rabbit + pork terrine (bacon, loin, liver pistachios), Cabot Bound Cheddar, Nettle Meadow
I really enjoyed the components on this plate, which were selected by the kitchen (at our request). I don't know if the kielbasa was made in house but it was very well made, with great flavor and a perfect definition. The terrine was terrific, as were the paired cheeses.



Housemade Pierogi | farmers cheese, potato, onion, woodland mushrooms, spring peas, creme fraiche
For me, the wrappers lacked a little bite but the flavors here were sensational. So too were the earthy mushrooms and taut peas.



Slagel Heart of Ribeye Tartare | shallot, caper, farm egg yolk, greens + house pickle, whole grain mustard, chef's toast
This was a seriously great rendition. It was bursting with flavor, and the texture of the coarsely-chopped meat was tender with a perfect chew.



Poutine | hand-cut frites, merguez gravy, house pickles, nordic cheese curds
I enjoyed this rendition but couldn't really pick up the merguez in the otherwise tasty gravy. Still, the fries were very nicely executed.



Veal Sweetbreads | honey cornbread, mustard gravy, greens + bacon vinaigrette
Crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, these rich nuggets paired very nicely with the greens and vinaigrette.



Smoked Rabbit Leg | lambic cherries, fava beans, pork belly, toasted almonds
A great plate. I loved how all the components were cooked and how well they went together...right down to the inspired addition of the toasted almonds.



Seared Diver Scallops | green garlic, baby cabbage, german dumplings, caraway scallop broth
Damn, these were great scallops and again, perfectly cooked with a great sear on the outisde and tenderness within. They were subtley sweet and very well matched with the other ingredients.



Pan-Roasted Fluke | crab + asparagus salad, meyer lemon vinaigrette
That's asparagus puree on the plate and this dish really sang. The fish was moist and flaky and it was (once again) matched up very well with the other ingredients in the dish.



Belgian Waffle | maple gelato (Black Dog), pecans, bourbon butter sauce
I have to say this is one of best waffles I can remember having in Chicago. It was light and flavorful. Paired with the maple gelato and bourbon butter sauce, it was downright irresistible.



Callebaut Chocolate Pave | olive oil, salt
Extremely well made, with a complex flavor that straddled the line between bitter and sweet beautifully. The olive oil and salt enhanced the pave quite nicely.



Salted Peanut Gelato (Black Dog Gelato)
We ordered this one just to try another flavor of the Black Dog gelato and it did not disappoint. It was totally spectacular, especially when eaten with the pave.



Orange + Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta | hibiscus + blood orange, pistachio biscotte
Not really my thing but again, it was very well made. I didn't love the flavor combination but that's just me. In any case, I did feel like this was overshadowed just a bit by the other desserts we ordered.

I know absolutely nothing about Belgian food, so I cannot speak to authenticity but the quality of the food we had at Leopold was excellent. Course after course delivered expertly-cooked components combined into very successful compositions. The reports about Leopold here (and elsewhere) have been mixed but after this initial experience, I'm really looking forward to checking it out again in the very near future.

=R=

9000

I don’t have a lot to add to what Ronnie posted but I’ll take the liberty of adding a few additional pictures and some comments, both about a few other things and also reflecting a slightly different take than his.

I began with a cider, often my drink of choice. This one came recommended and it was one of the funkiest—for good or ill, depending on your tastes—I’ve ever had. Ron commented that it reminded him of the barnyard and, indeed, it did. It was clearly a cider, but it had a sourness, a funk, that took it to a whole other place. For the curious: Julien Fremont, Cidre Brut par Nature, Pays d'Auge, Calvados. I thought it a bit sweeter than brut and it is, I suspect, a bit of an acquired taste.

I “graduated” to a Bloody Mary because for no reason I can imagine, I suddenly developed a taste. This is something I rarely order because I am so frequently disappointed. I won’t order it again here either. Way too much Worcestershire. Minimal discernible horseradish. Slightly watery (though not terribly so). Just not the exceptional drink it can be in the right hands.

And so, on to the meal:


Pierogi: farmers' cheese, potato, onion, mushrooms, peas. creme fraiche
I wasn’t quite so taken with these as the rest of the table. No mistake: they were a good rendition and enjoyable. I thought them a little overgenerous with the dough and that the filling (and accompaniments), while very good, couldn’t quite overcome the starch.


Poutine, merguez gravy
This is one of those dishes: on the one hand, what’s not to like: fries, gravy, cheese? On the other, as Ron noted, I tasted virtually nothing of the merguez, which is a shame since it was a primary reason—at least to my mind—for ordering the dish. Given the ingredients, I liked it. But would I get it again: no.

The pretzel—not pictured (by me)—was a pretzel. Absolutely nothing to add to that.


Charcuterie plate: smoked kielbasa and (pickled peppers); rabbit and pork terrine (loin, pork belly, liver, pistachios)
As with the two preceding dishes, I liked it but I’ve had too many house-made charcuterie plates that simply outclassed this one. Nothing to complain about, just nothing to write home about, either.


Beef tartare
Probably my favorite among the “apps” for its freshness. The beef was suitably “beefy” and really made an impression. The vinaigrette on the greens was sufficiently acid to complement, though I think I might have preferred some other acid. Still, the tartare was the star of the dish and it would be hard to find anything at all to pick at here.

The veal sweetbreads—also not pictured (by me)—was my greatest disappointment. I will often order sweetbreads whenever I see them on the menu. Well executed, they’re a great pleasure. These I did not like. I found the breading a little…soggy, rather than crispy. And if there is one flaw that’s almost guaranteed to make me dislike a dish, it’s sogginess. I just have trouble forging through the textural issues that presents to care much about the flavor if the texture doesn’t work for me. I know Ron liked them—we just didn’t agree on this plate.


Pan-roasted fluke, crab and asparagus salad (asparagus puree)
My unexpected hit of the night. I was expecting to like it and I loved it. Again, the freshness stood out and the piece was cooked absolutely perfectly. I was slightly disappointed that the crab didn’t come through strongly, but I’m picking at nits here. With the asparagus, both the “salad” and the puree, this was a truly exceptional dish.


Smoked rabbit leg, lambic cherries, fava beans, pork belly
Not what I would have chosen to put together (which explains why I’m doing something else for a living). A wonderful piece of rabbit, moist, flavorful, and a pleasure to enjoy, particularly since I was surprised and pleased at the way the plate added up to more than the sum of the parts.


Scallops, green garlic, baby cabbage, german dumplings
Note to self: don’t have scallops and dumplings together again. Each very well done in its own way but the heavy starchiness of the dumplings really detracted from the beautifully done scallops. Scallops aren’t the lightest seafood in the emporium and I find that how well they succeed (assuming they’re fresh and properly cooked) depends a lot on what they’re served with. Here, despite fresh ingredients and finesse in cooking, the dumplings just made the whole dish a little too heavy and, for that reason, less enjoyable. A pity.


Callebaut chocolate pavé
A gift of the kitchen and absolutely stellar. Not much to say except I could have eaten another ten plates of this. Just fabulous: creamy, rich, intense, beautiful, and delicious. Eaten along with the salted peanut gelato (again, not pictured by me), this is one of the great desserts. If you go and there's at least two of you, you must order these two together so as to experience dessert heaven at least once in your life!


Orange + vanilla bean panna cotta, blood orange and hibiscus, pistachio biscotti
I guess I have a love/hate relationship with panna cotta. The Lovely Dining Companion usually chooses this because it is so light. I usually avoid it for the same reason. However, given what preceded it, I thought a light dessert might be in order and the description just added to my curiosity. Really liked this dish. The flavors came through clearly, the elements all balanced and complemented each other beautifully; the biscotti was great (too often they’re not particularly crisp and this was done exactly right). Sadly, the double espresso I had with it was a bomb. I didn’t have the heart to tell our server who was so enthusiastic about everything, but if this was typical, I’d steer far clear of the espresso here. It wasn’t even up to the level of strong coffee.


Belgian waffle, maple gelato, bourbon butter sauce
Maybe I’m just not a waffle guy. There was nothing to object to but the stars of this plate, for me, were the gelato and the sauce. The waffle was merely a vehicle to help get to what I most enjoyed.

So: all in all, a very good meal. We were well taken care of by the server and the kitchen and it was an enjoyable meal, as much for the company as the meal. Will I return? No doubt. But I’ll just be careful about ordering.

Has there been an announcement regarding who bought Leopold's space and when they are opening?

My daughter was just awarded a 6-month co-op position doing research in a university in Leeuven, Belgium, her bopirthday is Friday and I so wanted to take her to Leopold to celebrate...am crushed that it closed! All my searches turn up lots of beers (Hopleaf)and mussels. She's turning 20 so no beer! Any other Belgian-ish restaurants around?

Hopleaf is a full service restaurant now--they took over the storefront next door and expanded both the space and their menu. You might want to have a look before you decide it won't suit--especially since I'm not aware of any others besides the fry place in the French Market...

I think the issue is that the daughter is 20 and won't be allowed into the Hopleaf.

turkob wrote:I think the issue is that the daughter is 20 and won't be allowed into the Hopleaf.

I think that's right. Per their website:

Hopleaf's website wrote:Hopleaf is an adult venue. Everyone must be 21 or over with valid ID to enter. Sorry, children (including infants) will not be admitted.

=R=

I knew they were "no kids" --I forgot about the "carding" issue. Oops. Bummer too because I always really liked their food. Vincent is vaguely Dutch--maybe that could stand in in a pinch?

Dutch...guess she will get there in her time overseas, going to check it out! Thanks.