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More than anything else, it may be the cozy ambience that attracts diners.
Jane's is ensconced in an old house that has been gutted and rehabbed to create
an open, two-story space with just 16 tables. (In summer, seven more are set up
on an outside patio.) The menu offers piquant, upscale comfort food prepared
simply and with loving care. The salads are standouts. Try the mesclun greens
with pear, blue cheese, pecans, and balsamic vinaigrette. Tasty entrees include
seared sea bass with mashed potatoes, arugula, caramelized pearl onions, and
mushroom coulis; and an excellent garden burger with wild mushrooms and
Monterey Jack cheese, served with mashed potatoes.
1655 W. Cortland St. (1 block west of Ashland Ave.).
&
773/862-5263.
Reservations recommended but on a
limited basis. Main courses $9-$22. MC, V. Mon-Thurs 5-10pm; Fri 5-11pm; Sat 11am-11pm; Sun 11am-10pm.
Subway/El: Blue Line to Damen (walk 3 blocks north on Damen Ave., 4 blocks east on Cortland St.).
Le Bouchon
FRENCH/BISTRO Opened in 1994, Jean-Claude
Poilevey's trend-setting Le Bouchon was a well-received precursor of the bistro
boom. This tiny storefront restaurant quickly caught on for the intimate yet
boisterous atmosphere and authentic bistro fare at reasonable prices.
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 lardons, 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 garlicky frogs' legs on
the bill of fare. The sounds of prominent music and voices from closely packed
tables create an atmosphere that some perceive as cozy and romantic, and oth-
ers as claustrophobic and noisy. There's a small bar where you can wait—some-
thing you can expect even if you have a reservation.
1958 N. Damen Ave. (at Armitage Ave.).
&
773/862-6600.
www.lebouchonofchicago.com. Reservations
recommended. Main courses $13-$15. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon-Thurs 5:30-11pm; Fri-Sat 5pm-midnight.
Subway/El and bus: Blue Line to Damen and transfer to bus no. 50.
Soju
KOREAN Funky-chic Soju is a welcome destination for accessible
Korean food, which isn't easy to find in Chicago outside of certain Korean neigh-
borhoods on the north side of the city. The menu is slightly Americanized with a
few Sushi 101 items, and the traditional barbecued beef and pork aren't served
with lettuce wrappers, but otherwise Soju delivers tasty Korean fare in a casual,
urban setting a step above neighborhood ethnic dining (priced accordingly).
Soju's menu is broken down into American-style courses. The kimchi-rice
flour pancakes have a creamy, doughy texture spiked with the crunch of fer-
mented vegetables and served with a soy-and-sesame dipping sauce. The pump-
kin soup is an oddity, but the brothy
suun-dubu
(spicy soft tofu casserole) is an
earthy delight, contrasting the crunch of cabbage with the softness of tofu, and
finishing with a hint of fire. The signature house chicken entree is sauced with
soju
(a vodkalike Korean liquor). The classic
bibimbop
(mixture of rice and veg-
etables) can be ordered with beef, chicken, or tofu. The latter is a good vegetar-
ian option, as is “Boys' noodles,” a tasty texture and flavor medley that tosses
cold rice noodles with shredded cabbage, scallions, and spicy bean sauce.
1745 W. North Ave.
&
773/782-9000.
www.sojuchicago.com. Reservations for large parties only. Main
courses $11-$15. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Thurs 6-10pm; Fri-Sat 6-11pm. Subway/El: Blue Line to Damen.
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