Good, Unpretentious French in Chi-town?

Hello,

Travelling to Chicago w/ my 18 y/o dd. We would like a few recs for good, *unstuffy* French rests. in the area. Neither of us has the patience for a marathon dining experience. We don't drink wine, never order dessert, and we dress comfortably. But we do appreciate good food and service.

Would Brasserie Jo fit the bill? Or Mon Ami Gabi? Other suggestions highly appreciated!

LindaH. wrote:Hello,

Travelling to Chicago w/ my 18 y/o dd. We would like a few recs for good, *unstuffy* French rests. in the area. Neither of us has the patience for a marathon dining experience. We don't drink wine, never order dessert, and we dress comfortably. But we do appreciate good food and service.

Would Brasserie Jo fit the bill? Or Mon Ami Gabi? Other suggestions highly appreciated!

I actually hardly ever eat French in Chicago any more, but I think both these LEY would be suitable; they're casual, reasonably priced, better than decent, and fun. Of the two, I guess I prefer Mon Ami Gabi, which is more bistro-like, though Jo favors those who wear hats, so they've got that going for them.

Hammond

All I had to do was read the title of the post to know that I'd recommend Kiki's.

(A search on this site for Kiki's will bring up a few reviews).

Best,
Michael

Kiki's Bistro
900 N. Franklin
Chicago, IL 60610
312 335 5454
http://www.kikisbistro.com/

David Hammond wrote:I actually hardly ever eat French in Chicago any more

Why ever not?


LindaH, Both Brasserie Jo and Mon Ami Gabi are good. I lean a bit more toward Brasserie Jo, as having a broader menu and less stuffy ambiance, but both fit your requirements.

My personal favorite of Chicago's bistros is probably Bistro 110, where I am a devotee of the flavorful, crisp-skinned roast chicken, served in an iron pot with roasted vegetables.

I have also had very good meals at Cyrano's (where I imagine foie gras figures prominently right now), Cafe Bernard, Cafe Matou, La Sardine, Le Bouchon, Bistro Campagne and Bistrot Zinc (thought it's been a while). I doubt you can go wrong with any of them.

Brasserie Jo
312/595-0800
www.brasseriejo.com
59 W. Hubbard St., Chicago

Mon Ami Gabi
773/348-8886
www.monamigabi.com
Belden-Stratford Hotel
2300 N. Lincoln Park West, Chicago

Bistro 110
312/266-3110
www.bistro110restaurant.com
110 E. Pearson St., Chicago

Cyrano's Bistrot & Wine Bar*
312/467-0546
www.cyranosbistrot.com
546 N. Wells St., Chicago

Café Bernard
773/871-2100
www.cafebernard.com
2100 N. Halsted St., Chicago

Cafe Matou
773/384-8911
www.cafematou.com
1846 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago

La Sardine
312/421-2800
www.lasardine.com
111 N. Carpenter St., Chicago

Le Bouchon
773/862-6600
www.lebouchonofchicago.com
1958 N. Damen Ave., Chicago

Bistro Campagne
773/271-6100
http://bistrocampagne.com
4518 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago

Bistrot Zinc
312/337-1131
1131 N. State St. Chicago
$25 off certificate

*By the way, Cyrano's also has a cabaret in its basement, Cafe Simone. I have not been there yet, though I have heard Suzanne Petri, who performs there every other week, and she's terrific. Apparently you can order food there, too, though I don't know if it's the same menu as upstairs.

Edited to add missing address.

I will never return to Brasserie Jo, as the restaurant committed one of the few unpardonables on my latest visit. We told the sommellier, who was being generally helpful, that we were looking for a nice bottle of wine in the 40-50 dollar range, he gave us two or three recommendations along with descriptions, of which we chose one. He disappeared to fetch the juice, and when he returned, he had a report that our chosen selection was sold out, and he offered to exchange it for either one of the others or a third option, which he described lusciously (a.k.a. sold aggressively). We chose the third option, and it was only when our check was presented that we learned that we were being charged $65 for this third option, a good 30 percent more than our proffered price range.

No restaurant should ever sneak such a surprise on its diners, and I will not reward one that does with further patronage.

I would recommend Kiki's Bistro for reliably good bistro fare.

Keep eating,
J. Ro

There's also:

<woops le bouchon already listed>

Cafe Bernard/Red Rooster
2100 North Halsted
Chicago, IL, 60614
773-871-2100

Both have $20-$25 prix fixe specials during the week. I just may be going to Cafe Bernard tonight.

I second the recommendation for Kiki's Bistro. They6 offer an early dining menu until 6:30 where a three course prix fixe is $25. Quite a deal, although for non-dessert eaters, maybe not. I love their breast of duck with leg confit served with red cabbage.

Kiki's Bistro
900 N. Franklin
Chicago, IL 60610
312 335 5454

-1 for kiki's. tho it seems i'm the only one.

we went during their matched-to-AIC toulouse/lautrec ooo-lah-lah We're-so-French showings of french movies on projectors, blah blah blah. Forgettable French Fair. too much schtick, not enough cuisine.

Le Bouchon/La Sardine for me. Or Heck, even Brasserie Jo (just don't order wine?) & Marché (for the HOOOOOOGE portions of appetizers).

there's also Cafe Absinthe & Meritage Wine Bar. both of which have recently received mixed writeups.

TonyC wrote:there's also Cafe Absinthe & Meritage Wine Bar. both of which have recently received mixed writeups.

Well, I don't know about Cafe Absinthe, but Meritage is almost agressively American

Tony, count me among those who never understood Kiki's. I don't know why, but I always feel like I'm in the French version of the German place in Fast Times. If I enjoyed the food more, that might be cool.

It's been a long while, so maybe I should give it another go.

Our one meal at Marche was fine enough, certainly, except for one dessert: a trio of house-made gelati.

The flavors were, and I'm not kidding: cream cheese, sour cream, and vanilla. And the vanilla wasn't very vanilla-y.

Now, I can accept that sour cream gelato can be good, especially when paired with something where the tang would really help. I can even barely accept that the vanilla was made with extract instead of bean.

But c'mon. It was a big plate of white and bland. It was interesting as a test of our taste buds ("which is the cream cheese and which is the sour cream?"), but a complete failure as a dish in general.

So if you go to Marche, ask what the flavors are beforehand

Is the venerable Froggy's too far away for consideration?

Froggy's French Cafe
306 Green Bay Rd., Highwood
(847) 433-7080.

JeffB wrote:Tony, count me among those who never understood Kiki's.

And, another here.

JeffB wrote:It's been a long while, so maybe I should give it another go.

I was in a similar position and so I returned for a visit this past week.

Alas, my opinion remains the same:

There are better options in this town.

E.M.

Thanks so much for the informative replies. It's a special trip for dd (graduation) and we try to have at least one special dinner on the town while travelling (budget usually precludes our doing this every night!)

I stressed the "unstuffy" requirement because the last time we were in Chicago, an experience at Vivere nearly ruined our trip. The food was superb, but the haughty, pretentious twit of a waiter acted insulted when I did not order wine; rolled his eyes when I asked for a slight change to a menu item, and showed undisguised disdain when I informed him firmly that we did not want dessert. I took it in stride, but my daughter was bewilidered to the point of tears -- "What difference is it to him if you don't drink and all I want is squash ravioli?" Indeed.

Now she is in an experimental phase and wants to try French cuisine. Rudeness and stuffiness do seem more prevalent at French establishments, and since I have little experinece with those in the Chicago area, I needed the opinion of others!

thanks so much!

Erik M. wrote:There are better options in this town.

Where do you like to go?


I've always found French bistros to be a bit of a challenge in Chicago. Over the years, I've had a number of outstanding experiences at Kiki's as well as some fairly mediocre ones too. Although they do create an over-the-top French vibe, which is a huge turnoff, in terms of the food I do not believe there's anyone in town that can compete with them for that level bistro dining experience.
If you get past the French owner on the way in and bypass his condescension, chances are you'll be pleased with your choice.

LindaH. wrote:The food was superb, but the haughty, pretentious twit of a waiter acted insulted when I did not order wine; rolled his eyes when I asked for a slight change to a menu item, and showed undisguised disdain when I informed him firmly that we did not want dessert. I took it in stride, but my daughter was bewilidered to the point of tears -- "What difference is it to him if you don't drink and all I want is squash ravioli?"

Well, the difference is to his wallet, since the less you order, the less you tip. (And of course, since you were two women, he assumed you'd be lousy tippers anyway.) That's no excuse for the way you were treated, just an explanation.

I shouldn't think you'd have that kind of trouble at any of the places I named, although I can't tell you for certain, since I nearly always order wine and dessert (not to mention an appetizer and sometimes an aperitif) and I've only been to a couple of them without a man in tow. (Those two, by the way are Bistro 110 and Le Bouchon and the service was fine.)

The food won't be especially adventurous. These places run to nicely roasted chicken, pates, onion tart, steak frites, rack of lamb, etc., not cutting-edge cuisine.

I have not been to Kiki's for years because I found the service stifling and the food forgettable. And Marche is very, very loud.

Here's a thread from last year that also covers many of these restaurants.

PIGMON wrote:Where do you like to go?

Within the past four or five months I have had very good meals at Cafe Matou, Le Bouchon, Bistro Campagne, La Sardine, and Mon Ami Gabi. And, in every case, the meals were much, much better than my three most recent meals at Kiki's.*

I have been going to Kiki's off and on for nearly all of its fifteen years of operation, and my feeling now is that its time has come and gone.

I am further convinced that its present fans must generally dine there for something in addition to the food.

--------

An aside: Tell me, PIGMON, what do you think about the wine program at Kiki's? Compartatively speaking, is it a big draw for you?

E.M.

* My visits to Kiki's have roughly numbered once a year in the past three years.

Erik M. wrote:I am further convinced that its present fans must generally dine there for something in addition to the food.

Not that I would deign to un-convince you, but as a fan of Kiki's, I can say with great confidence that the food is the only thing that interests me there.

Best,
Michael

While I'm never blown away by the food at Kiki's, I am rarely disappointed either. Which is more than I can say for Bouchon or Sardine which I haven't enjoyed in a long time. The past few meals I've eaten at either one have suffered from the same plight--good ingredients, classic recipes, but poor execution.

And, yea, the scene at Kiki's is about as beat as it gets (zzzzzzzz), but there's something old world/school that comes through in the food that I am endeared to. Sometimes when I am at Bouchon or Sardine it feels like I'm eating a distinctly American version of French bistro.

I have never been to Cafe Matou though, so tonight Piggy and I are going to check it out. Any favorite dishes?

Ahhh, this is a subject dear to my heart. I've never been disappointed with Cafe Matou, and it's off-the-beaten path locale means its seldom hard to get a table. I love Bistrot Campagne and eat there as often as I can, although tables are a little tougher and reservations are recommended, even during the week. I love the funky Paris charm of Cafe Bernard and thier fixed price deal is great. Finally, for super cheap and unpretentious French fare, La Creperie is fun -- especially on Thursdays when they have live accordian music. I've never gotten attitude at any of these places.

trixie-pea wrote:Any favorite dishes?

What, and risk PIGMON's ire for steering him wrong?

I would prefer that your instincts guide you.

[Last year at this time, I had an excellent rabbit dish with ramps.]

-----------

Back to your point above: I was quite pleasantly surpised by my most recent meals at La Sardine and Le Bouchon.

I am on record here (and elsewhere) as being greatly critical of Le Bouchon, in particular.

E.M.

I can't remember any specific dish at Matou I was wild about, rather just the feeling that it was a pleasant place capable of carrying off the old standards very successfully. I agree; your instincts will guide you fine.

i have to put in a vote for Bistro 110. Now, if it was me out there, I'd probably go somewhere else, but for an 18 year old -- Bistro 110 is perfect. The food is usually really excellent and the wood burning oven is a nice bonus for the bread and the vegetables and the incredibly yummy roasted garlic that you get with the bread and butter.

Plus..it's warm and inviting and I've never been treated in any sort of stereotypical "French" way there. No stuffiness and I've had many lovely meals there over the years. I remember my family taking my Uncle there once when he was in from out of town and he raved about how much he liked it for years.

Plus it's right off Boul Mich -- and that's got to be part of the fun for an 18 year old -- Water Tower is right there and the horsies with their carriages right in the heart of Chicago.

Enjoy!

s

Erik M. wrote:what do you think about the wine program at Kiki's? Compartatively speaking, is it a big draw for you?

One of the things that made me cross Kiki's off my list was wine served at blood temperature.

i'm a big fan of cafe le coq in oak park and have had good classic bistro meals at la tache in andersonville, but that was before a change in chefs.

just had brunch at le coq on sunday for mother's day and was one of the best brunch spreads i've ever had. very classic, very traditional, executed perfectly, great depth of flavors. really, really good simple cooking.

elakin wrote:i'm a big fan of cafe le coq in oak park and have had good classic bistro meals at la tache in andersonville, but that was before a change in chefs.

just had brunch at le coq on sunday for mother's day and was one of the best brunch spreads i've ever had. very classic, very traditional, executed perfectly, great depth of flavors. really, really good simple cooking.

I was gonna mention Le Coq too, but I was too lazy to put the effort into describing how good I find it. In fact, I feel I have little say in the bistro comparision because I find it hard to go to any place other than Le Coq, which handily happens to be in my town. I would say that the Condiment Queen and I go about once every six weeks, and at that, I always say, why not more often. I just find their cooking done on a higher level, and I love their ultra classic menu.

Anyways, funny you should mention Mother's Day. We went there last Mother's day (2005) and just did not find the brunch at the same quality as most meals.

But, love this place

Apparently there is not Board consensus on good French Bistros, though I am heartened to note that no one has promoted Bistro Margot.

Put me in the supporters of Le Sardine camp. Mon Ami Gabi has great oysters and Loire white wines - nothing else has impressed me. I always have wanted to enjoy Brasserie Jo, but it never quite made it - often indifferent execution and uneven seasoning. My one meal at Cafe le Coq was okay, about the same level as Gabi & Jo, nothing awful, one can probably get an acceptable meal.

Last time I ate at Marche I found it quite good, but while the food is definitely Bistro-style, the atmosphere is not. Did not encounter the culinary misstep noted above.

Bistro Banlieue in Lombard is pretty darned good, but more pricey and likely very geographically undesirable. Plus the crowd and atmosphere are more stuffy than Bistro, but the food on the plate more than makes up for that for me. Best around by far, and offers many Bistro classics.

Anyway - Le Sardine has pleased me just fine on two or three visits, both with their Bistro standards, and other dishes. Hit the right notes, properly executed, followed the traditional formula across the board.

Can't comment on the others, 'cause I have not tried them.

Surprised no one has commented about the Chi-Town in the title. Sort of like calling SF, "Frisco" isn't it?

dicksond wrote:Bistro Banlieue in Lombard is pretty darned good, but more pricey and likely very geographically undesirable. Plus the crowd and atmosphere are more stuffy than Bistro, but the food on the plate more than makes up for that for me. Best around by far, and offers many Bistro classics.

On Tuesday and Wednesday nights until the end of summer, Bistro B is offering any 3 courses (starter, full entree and desert) from either the regular or chef's menu for only $28 ($33 for venison or steak). What a deal! Certainly worth the trip to a suburban mall.

Bistro Banlieue
44 Yorktown Convenience Center
Lombard, IL 60148
Phone: 630.629.6560
EMail: info@bistrob.com

LAZ wrote:of the things that made me cross Kiki's off my list was wine served at blood temperature.

That's why I like to add an ice cube.