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"Cozy little Le Bouchon is crowded just about every night, and it's not hard to see why. With its tile floor, tightly packed tables, and yellowing framed photographs on the walls, this place feels like it was plucked from a Parisian side street. Add gracious service and great prices, and voila--you've got the ultimate neighborhood date place." | |||||
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"Jean-Claude Poilevey's little wood-trimmed dining room sets the standard for competently prepared bistro classics at the kind of prices you'd be overjoyed to find in Paris. Garlicky snails in parsley butter, robust onion soup and salad Lyonnaise (with lardons, croutons and a poached egg) all are on hand, along with free-range chicken with potato galette, steak frites, fish and, sometimes, kidneys in mustard sauce. Regional French wines are as affordable as the food. The marquise au chocolat makes a fine dessert, as does almost anything with fruit. Well-meaning service sags at peak periods, when customers waiting for tables (even with reservations) crowd the pint-size bar in back and line up out the door. A tip: Dine very early or late and avoid Saturday nights." | |||||
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"Jean-Claude Poilevey's tiny storefront restaurant, Le Bouchon, is popular for both its intimate yet boisterous atmosphere and affordable authentic bistro fare. Whatever the season, the food here is fairly heavy, although specials are lighter in warmer months. Poilevey could pack this place every night just with regulars addicted to the house specialty of roast duck for two, bathed in Grand Marnier-orange marmalade sauce. The fare covers bistro basics, with starters including steamed mussels in white wine and herbs, country pâté, onion tart, codfish brandade (a pounded mixture of cod, olive oil, garlic, milk, and cream), and salade Lyonnaise (greens with bacon lardoons, croutons, and poached egg). The authenticity continues in the entree department, with steak frites, sautéed rabbit in white wine, veal kidneys in mustard sauce, and bouillabaisse, most affordably priced at less than $20. The piped-in music and voices from closely packed tables create an atmosphere that some perceive as convivial, and others as claustrophobic and noisy. There's a small bar where you can wait -- something you might have to do even if you have a reservation." | |||||
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"Le Bouchon, by contrast, is a low-key, informal, and relaxed neighborhood sort of place. No big "statement" is being made here. I fell in love with this place and its cozy French bistro environment, and with our waitress, Beth, who reflected the easy-going, friendly personality of the bistro. Le Bouchon was packed to overflowing when we arrived for dinner at 7:30 p.m. on a Monday night, but the big draw here is not that the place is "happening," but the excellent classic French bistro fare at very reasonable prices. For appetizers, the escargot were merely okay, but the warm goat cheese salad was excellent, and the onion tart was absolutely out of this world. I had very tasty, generously portioned, and thoroughly satisfying classic Cassoulet Toulousain. Even better was my wife's hanger steak with red wine sauce, full of flavor and served rare as requested, with garlic mashed potatoes. For desert, my wife and I shared a chocolate marquise with expresso crème anglaise that would have been fabulous at twice the price. All in all, a thoroughly satisfying meal and thoroughly enjoyable experience. Le Bouchon is the sort of place that, if I lived in Chicago, would be one of my regular hangs." | |||||
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"Don't bother flying to Paris. Just go to Le Bouchon. This perennially crowded bistro prepares incredibly authentic and delectable French dishes, and if Michelin rated restaurants in Chicago, this one would get a star.
The staff recommends the hanger steak, which comes in a red wine sauce over creamy garlic mashed potatoes, over the grilled steak. The fish entrees (often found only among the daily specials) deserve special attention. If you're an adventurous American or a homesick French national, escargots, frog legs and veal kidneys are also available. Think of the dessert course not as an option, but as an absolute requirement. You can try splitting the chocolate marquise or profiteroles with the other people in your party, but the treats may inspire open warfare among those expected to share. The lemon tart is divine, but be warned: Le Bouchon has been known to run out of it before 9 p.m.
The one aspect of dining here that leaves something to be desired is the seating. The tables next to the window are practically on top of the powerful heaters, the tables a little further in back get hit by blasts of air from the door, and the tables next to the bar are so close together that if you try to squeeze in you might end up sitting in your neighbor's lap. You might try making a reservation for the early part of the evening to increase your chances of having a choice of tables...and your chances of getting a slice of that lemon tart." | |||||
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