BBE Editor's Pick

Bistronomic

840 N. Wabash Ave., Chicago (Near North Side)

By Anthony Todd

When a Chicago restaurant makes the semifinalist list for the national James Beard Foundation "Best New Restaurant" category—just happened—you can count us to get there. And, as of last month, Bistronomic serves brunch, so you can count on bottomless mimosas after counting up all your shopping receipts from nearby Magnificent Mile boutiques. Thankfully, chef Martial Noguier has instituted a brunch menu with the same flair as dinner: honoring French bistro classics with local ingredients to create sophisticated dishes—a thrilling twist for those who tire easily of 15 different kinds of saccharine-sweet pancakes.

menu musts

It may be an old dinosaur of a dish, but if you haven’t ordered a Croque Madame lately, now is the time to refresh your memory. Dig into savory Nueske's ham and enjoy the added bonus of a lightly fried egg on top. Use a knife and fork; the yolk all over your sandwich makes it twice as delicious. The Chioggia beet salad with truffle oil is a wonderfully light palate cleanser to clear your head after a night of debauchery. Cool and composed, the crunchy sweet beets pair perfectly with creamy goat cheese. Then, be prepared to walk off all those mimosa refills, or you might lose your footing. view full menu here

the scene

The high-end downtown location attracts locals who have caught wind of the new brunch, as well as some well-heeled tourists who wander over from the nearby Park Hyatt and Four Seasons. (Be nice and suggest some nearby attractions for them to visit.)

side dish

eye for design
Bistronomic doesn’t fall into the trap of trying to replicate every French bistro from Paris to Lyon. Instead, warm red walls are offset by B&W photos and cool gray placemats. Quiet. Comfortable. Sophisticated. Okay, there’s a chalkboard.

decibels
Low

hours

Lunch: Tues–Fri 11 AM–2:30 PM
Dinner: Sun–Thu 5 PM–10 PM; Fri–Sat 5 PM–11 PM
Brunch: Sat–Sun 10 AM–2:30 PM

price range

brunch: $10 (Belgian waffle) to $22 (steak frites)

840 N. Wabash Ave. (between E. Pearson St. and E. Chestnut St.), Chicago, IL 60611; 312-944-8400 www.bistronomic.net $$$