A wonderful experience at Le Francais - November 29, 2005

Le Francais has always been a special place for us, since we dined there the night we became engaged. That was back in Jean Banchet’s heyday. You had to dodge the rolling silver carts (as big as Smart cars) stuffed with the multiple catches of the day and various meats. Excess ruled: extreme quality and massive quantities of everything - ingredients, service, wines, interior furnishings, etc, etc. I have yet to experience anything like those meals.

Here is a great story regarding the previous JB era of excess. Every dish came out on a different Villeroy & Boch oversized dinner plate (at least that’s what we thought they were), appetizers, salads, desserts, everything. When we were china shopping prior to our wedding, we wanted the ‘over-sized’ VB dinner plates. No one knew what we were talking about because they did not exist. JB was using round platters for plates at IIRC about $150 per almost 20 years ago. For perspective, we paid about $65 to $75, on sale, for a 5 piece place setting of Villeroy & Boch Amapola at that time.

Tuesday was our anniversary and we took advantage of Le Francais’ new no corkage fee on Tuesdays. It was our first time back since the second coming of Roland Liccioni.

We decided on the seven course degustation menu, even though it was a school night. Our super-waiter, Daniel, knows the menu inside and out. He will give you honest opinions and even make some off-the-menu recommendations. Not to mention terrific (without being intrusive) service. Honestly, one of the best waiters I’ve ever seen.

The evening began with a two-fer amuse-bouche, a very tasty mushroom duxelle profiterole over sauce Bordelaise and a crisp seafood spring roll.

Our first course was actually three appetizers: white Alba truffle custard with chestnut espuma and topped with shaved black truffles (deep, rich and complex), king crab ravioli (good, but we both expected this to be the highlight of the three and it was our least favorite app) and cold foie gras on toast (I could have eaten an entrée sized portion). A terrific start.

The scallop cake (the consistency of a thick mousse) with cucumber salad and Vietnamese broth was a delicious combination of flavors. Another winner.

Seafood course number two was roasted Loup de Mer (sea bass) with killer thin-shaped, herbed spaetzle, and caviar eggplant over a watercress sauce. If there wasn’t enough going on, there was a single ravioli filled with liquid truffle (eat it in one gulp to prevent losing the ‘filling’) resting comfortably on top. Our bottle of 2003 Sine Qua Non Pinot Noir ‘Omega’, Shea Vineyard, Willamette Valley played very well with the riot of flavors, especially the truffle and herbs.

Our third type of ravioli for the evening was this pasta course of foie gras ravioli with fresh basil and banana water. This odd-sounding pairing worked very well, especially with sommelier Bruce Crofts’ recommendation of 2003 Balthazar Ress, Hattenheimer Schutzenhaus, Riesling Kabinett. Just the right amount of sweetness for the foie gras, plus some nice minerality and acidity. Bruce has made some very thoughtful selections for the extensive wine list.

A lover of game could never pass up Assiette de la Ferme or three preparations of game. Perfectly rare New Zealand venison medallion, stuffed rabbit loin, and mahogany colored, crispy-skinned quail were each surrounded by it’s own sauce as the plate was divided into three wedges by piped potato puree topped with spears of asparagus. Now we’re talking. Many times the entrée can’t live up to the complicated starters, but not tonight. That well structured (the fruit, acid, and tannins were in perfect balance) Omega just sang with the earthy game.

A nice combination of six very good cheeses were served with a nut bread, some red grapes, and an apple slaw. While the remaining pinot was good, Bruce thought we should try the 2000 Chateau Tirecul ‘Cuvee Chateau’ Monbazillac. Another great suggestion.

Desserts were plentiful. Sharing a rectangular plate were a delicious coffee crème brulee, a chocolate tart, really good coconut panna cotta, and an unbelievable cassis sorbet (WOW! How can a sorbet steal the show? Tremendous depth of flavor.). The blue, black, and strawberries on the plate tasted like they were just plucked outside, but it is November 29! I wish the berries I’ve been buying lately tasted half this good. There was also an emergency tray of sweets, delicious chocolates and cookies. We were glad we saved some of the Monbasillac for dessert.

Since Tuesday’s are calmer than weekend evenings, we were able to chat quite a bit with Daniel, who we know from previous dinners at Les Deux Gros (as well as Le Francais) and Bruce. They are both extremely knowledgeable, very friendly, and just good guys. We wound up being the last party to leave.

Just a delightful evening.

Le Francais
269 South Milwaukee Avenue
Wheeling, IL 60090
847.541.7470

Al,

The Wife and I went to Le Francais twice in the Banchet days (70s), and each dinner was remarkably memorable (I still recall the first bite I had there from a tray of pates we ordered as an appetizer). Then in the late 80s and mid 90s we went again and it just wasn't the same. The last trip there was just shockingly so-so: the food had no passion, the waiters were suddenly somewhat distant and inattentive.

Your beautifully detailed post makes me think it may be time to go back. I appreciate full-on French cuisine, but seem to have it rarely these days.

Good to hear from you,

Hammond

We went to a wine dinner at Le Francais a few weeks ago and it was fantastic. There have been so many ups and downs there over the last several years. It is great that they are back in form. Good to know about the tuesday night no corkage thing. Carlos has the same deal on Mondays.
-Will

My wife and I dined at Le Francais again last weekend, and things were not up to snuff. The food was good, particularly a tenderloin and sweetbreads combo that was part of their Bastille Day tasting, but they seemed to be doing things on the cheap. The salmon was even described on the menu as "Norwegian," which usually means farm raised, and tasted that way. They let us substitute a chocolate souffle for dessert, but it was in a small ramikin and almost cake-like, not the big light grand marnier souffles that others were getting. The worst part was the service. It was a saturday night, and pretty full, but the timing was bad, and the staff all disappeared for about 15 minutes when a bunch of tables, including ours, were waiting for their checks. The sommelier, who looks like Malcolm McDowell, seemed ready to reprise a scene from Clockwork Orange because he was really pissed off at a table on the other side of the room. All in all, very disappointing, especially after our great experience last time.
-Will

WillG wrote:My wife and I dined at Le Francais again last weekend, and things were not up to snuff.

Sounds as if a weeknight is the time to go. Maybe they're just not 100% on the dime again, otherwise they could pull it off even on a busier weekend evening. It's been so long since we thought of them as a possibile dinner choice that it would be good to have them on the roster again. The OP's meal sounds scrumptious!