Brindille
Jean d’Arc – No. 3 Gin, White Currant Jam, Black Currant Caviar
Semolina Bread with Honey Butter
Prince Edward Island Oysters, Eggs Brouilles, Leeks, Oscietra Caviar
Steak Tartare with Flavors of Rye, Sorrel, Pickled Mustard Seeds, Arugula, Quail Egg
Dover Sole Meuniere with Rissole Potatoes, Watercress, Meyer Lemon, Horseradish
Loup de Mere with Summer Squash and Blossoms, Smoked Whitefish, Heirloom Tomatoes, Sauce Basquaise
Roasted Scallops with Uni Custard, Parsley Scallion Puree, Finger Lime, Dried Satsuma Orange, Cucumber, Tapioca, Marrow Emulsion
Lobster Brindille with a Remoulade of Parsnip and Celeriac, Haricot Vert, Sugar Snap Peas, Cherry Tomatoes, Fragrant Greens
Hand Cut Noodles with Foraged Canterelles, Red Wine Braised Snails, Gesier de Poulet, Fines Herbs
Veal Sweetbreads, Loin and Rillette of Rabbit, Pearl Onions, Purslane, Golden Beet, Ginger and Cocoa
Foie Gras and Saffron-Poached Rhubarb, Preserved Crimson Sultanas, Scented Brioche, Bourriers de Venise
Tranche of Duck Breast and Foie Gras, Beluga Lentils, Belgian Endive, Scarlet Turnips, Cipollini Onions, Sutters Plum
Grilled Lamb Loin Scented with Lavender and Orange, French Horn Mushrooms, Swiss Chard, Young Turnips, Sauce Gribiche
Wagyu Ribeye – Puff Pastry, Shaved Artichokes, Vin Jaune, Micro Greens, Foraged Mushrooms, Preserved Ramps
Fantasie au Chocolat
Warm Baked Cherry & Almond Clafoutis, Crème Chantilly
Vanilla Bourbon pate de fruit, Raspberry Truffle
Defiantly French in an era when such restaurants are few and far between dinner at Brindille was planned as the centerpiece of my first day in Chicago and joined by a friend at 5:30 it can simply be said that Carrie Nahabedian’s second restaurant on North Clark Street ranks amongst Chicago’s very best, a seven-course and fourteen plate tandem-tasting for $155 per person allowing us to taste nearly the entire late summer menu with not a single course falling short of expectations that were admittedly quite high. Treated to educated and gracious service with a table drenched in sunlight from the wide front windows it was almost immediately after a brief conversation about likes, dislikes, allergies, and intolerances that our meal began and with a decadent cocktail delivered complete with mother of pearl spoon soon in hand as my friend sipped his well priced Bordeaux even the warm bread and honey butter would prove exemplary, the following flavors of supple tartare with herbal aromatics and briny oysters resting in eggy pudding just a glimpse of things to come. Truly a restaurant rooted in classic technique yet at the same time happy to dabble in unexpected pairings of pristine ingredients it was with perfect timing plus portions amenable to plate-swapping that our evening progressed and although each plate proved excellent in one way or another it was a trio of savories that shined brightest of the night, the tender duck liver richly accented with notes of saffron and cleverly set against citrus while the lightly cooked lamb and a caramelized scallop atop savory custard courses proved equally impressive, the later amongst the sweetest specimens I’ve tasted to date. Without a doubt one of the most refined experiences to open in Chicago over the past few years but not once stuffy or uptight throughout the course of our three-hour stay Brindille is the sort of place that every ‘upscale’ restaurant should aspire to be and as good as NAHA was during my lone lunch there several years ago, Brindille has decidedly one upped its older sister in nearly all ways – a Michelin Star or perhaps even Two seemingly destined to come in next year’s guide.
RECOMMENDED: With only the Lobster and a few other dishes consistently offered during each season since the restaurant’s inception I’d simply suggest making your preferences known to the kitchen and ordering the tasting menu, the seven courses at $155 a veritable bargain considering the a la carte prices and the experience more than justifying the time and financial commitment.
AVOID: Filling up on the bread…though you’ll probably want to. I know I did.
TIP: Tasting menu prices and structure vary from night to night and customization is not only allowed but encouraged, savvy diners are behooved to ask questions, make requests, and engage the servers who are not only excellent at their jobs but also impeccably familiar with sourcing and techniques employed in each dish.
