Brindille

I couldn't find a dedicated thread for this restaurant so I thought I'd start one. I haven't been to Brindille yet but am curious if others here have. Phil Vettel called it "the best restaurant to open in 2013" in today's Tribune 2014 dining awards (http://galleries.apps.chicagotribune.co ... -pictures/), and as a fan of Naha, I'd love to hear some feedback. Thanks!

Brindille

534 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60654
Phone: 312.595.1616
http://brindille-chicago.com/

I have been there twice and thought both times were excellent. I will say though, that as a disclaimer, I have yet to be in for what I would call a normal dinner experience - let me elaborate. The first time I went, I sat at the bar for a couple of small dishes and a couple of glasses of wine. The steak tartare is probably one of the best in terms of flavor in the city. Unlike most steak tartare, however, it is meant for one person. It is absolutely delicious though.

The second time was for a Chaine des Rotisseurs event, which was an absolute blast. We had a six-course tasting menu paired with some incredible vintages. I remember, in addition to the steak tartare, a frisee salad, delicious lobster course, among others. A highlight in pairings from that evening were a 1988 Chateau-Leoville Las Cases. Albeit kind of a packed and crazy experience trying to say hi to folks and catch up with friends, it was still delicious and a lot of fun.

I'd like to go in alone or with one other person to fully explore and absorb it with no interruptions or limitations. It's an absolutely gorgeous space that lends itself to a special meal with a great friend or date. This place just screams luxurious deliciousness in terms of flavor. Phil Vettel certainly isn't far off.

Will travel for great steak tartare, so this is good to hear! Thanks for the feedback. Brindille sounds lovely.

Evil Ronnie and I were at Brindille 3 weeks ago and thoroughly enjoyed dinner.

Appetizers:

Foie Gras with autumn apple, onion pave, scented brioche & absinthe gelee. We both agreed this is one of the best foie gras dishes we've tasted.

New Brunswick oysters, eggs brouilles, leek and Osetra caviar. This was good, but not as good as we thought it would be.

Steak tartare with rye, sorrel, pickled mustard seeds, arugula and a quail egg. It was good but needed more seasoning, a bit bland.

Soup of onion crème, Roquefort soufflé, bacon lardons, Bartlett pears and crisp Brussels sprout leaves. A totally unique take on onion soup.

Entrees:

Lobster Brindille, roasted parsnips, red bulb onions, greens, grapefruit, coral butter and vanilla. The lobster was butter poached and the flavors were very sensual together.

Guinea fowl, horn mushrooms, savoy cabbage, cockscomb (which we both had never tasted), celeriac mousseline, beluga lentils and cippolini onions. A bit dry (overcooked) and we were comparing it the Guinea fowl we had 2 weeks earlier at Michael's which was superior.

Desserts:

Pithivier of almond frangipane. This was exquisite, the pastry flaky and buttery.

Roasted pineapple, crème fraiche ice cream and cashew nuts that had been dusted in sugar. This was amazing!

The restaurant is very zen in that it's pale gray, plain and elegant. And small. Brindille means twig in French and the few pieces of art on the walls all incorporate twigs. Also, Michael Aram did many of the serving pieces, (His work is sold at Nordstrom, Neiman, etc.) and they also incorporate twigs. We were talking to Michael Nahabidian and he said he an Carrie spent a lot of time in France choosing dinnerware and silverware.

This was a terrific experience. They haven't left one detail out!

I'm headed here for dinner in Spring. Does anyone have a rough idea of the dress code?

grothendieck wrote:I'm headed here for dinner in Spring. Does anyone have a rough idea of the dress code?

Their Opentable listing says "business casual", and that's what we observed when we ate there in Summer 2013. For gentlemen, a sportjacket would not be out of place, but is not mandatory; my memory of the attire is vague but I'm guessing 60-70 percent of men did not wear one, but some did. I would not recommend denim jeans, although sometimes women can get away with designer denim jeans. HTH.

any recent experiences? considering trying this for a birthday dinner, but doesn't seem as though any LTHers have eaten there in the past 18 months so wondering if that's a mistake!

had an excellent meal here the other night. everything we ate was delicious, with the pumpkin soup and ocean trout being personal highlights, and given the number of delicious looking items on the menu we are sure to be back.
service was also excellent, and thought the decor/vibe was really great too, really like how much smaller it is than many similar restaurants.

I am overdue. I love this place and Naha.

For some reason, Brindille's restaurant week menu is not on the Chicago Restaurant Week site. What an oversight. We ate there last night, and it was absolutely fantastic, and a great bargain. For anyone looking for a place to dine out for restaurant week, I would recommend this enthusiastically. Here is the menu:
Brindille Celebrates Restaurant Week 2017!
To Start…
Steak Tartare Brindille with Flavors of Rye, Horseradish and Sorrel, Quail Egg, Anchoïade,
Pickled Mustard Seeds, Romesco Cauliflower and Watercress
or
Broccoli Soup, White Beech Mushrooms, Brown Butter Brioche Croutons,
Crisp Bacon, Acacia Honey and Fromage Blanc
or
Salad of Beautiful Greens, Seeded Pavé of Triple Crème de Bourgogne, Radish and Chives, White
Truffle Honey and Ice Vinegar

Next…
Baby Chicken “Poussin” Perigordine Hunter’s Style with Sweetbreads, Foie Gras, Woodland Mushrooms,
Coin Onions and Pomme Mousseline
or
Filet of Mediterranean Sea Bass, Lyonnaise Potatoes, Roasted Gem Lettuce “Sucrines,”
Petit French Snails, Aromatics, Smoked Eggplant and Tomato Fondue
or
Tranche of Duck Breast, Crisp Belly of Pork, Eucalyptus Honey,
Flageolets and French Pancetta “Ventreche” with Swiss Chard, Candied Olive and Orange
To Finish…
Warm Baked Chocolate and Cherry Clafoutis, Crème Chantilly
or
Bittersweet Chocolate Delice, Salted Caramel Ice Cream, Orange Marmalade and Black Tea
Cheeses of France with Seeded Ficelle, Fruits Demi-Sec and Roasted Forelle Pear $22
Domaine Drouhin VSOP Calvados $10
$44