Brindille Chicago

I honestly didn't have any expectations coming here. I was a bit skeptical at first but once the food was served, it became very apparent that I'd be dining at Brindille again, in the near future. First and foremost, I would've never guessed that such a wonderful place was so close to me. I've been searching for a decent French restaurant for a while. Boka's new venture was quite a big let-down and I've been needing to recoup myself after that experience. I don't know whether or not their menu rotates, but if it does, their current menu is delicious and I'd gladly go back to try it seasonally. First off, the Ramequin of Foie Gras Royale. If I could, I would order this 10x and have that be my entire meal. It was definitely one of my favorite items. The next dish that is a definite reorder, if available, would be the Brindille Tarte Tatin. My only qualm with that item is the size. I wish it was larger so I could've had more of it. Another dish that was small but packed a lot of flavor was their Seared Foie Gras and Apple Brioche Bread Pudding. In hindsight, my party (four adults) should've ordered two of those to share; however, that's just my opinion. The Salade Lyonnaise of Pork Belly, Coddled Duck Egg and Crisp Brussels Sprouts wasn't great, just good. The dish could have used a bit more pork belly, but that's the inner carnivore in me speaking. Overall, the salad was well balanced. As for entrees, three out of the four stayed with me, one, not so much. Let's start with the good first. Firstly, the Whole European Dover Sole Meuniere. It was paired with some pasta (could've had a slightly larger serving size) and four fillets. Secondly, the Lacquered Aged Moulard Duck Breast a l'Orange and a Confit of Belgian Endive. Truthfully speaking, if a French restaurant has duck l'orange, it'll be my first go-to entree to order, in order to test whether or not they're up to par. Needless to say, Brindille stepped up to the challenge and knocked it out of the ballpark, 10/10 on the duck. Their third entree that deserves a great review would be the Medallions of Ranch Venison. Although not the most photogenic of dishes, it was delicious nevertheless. Don't let the bland color scheme fool you. Everything on the plate worked harmoniously in my mouth and was wonderful. Unfortunately, the fourth and final entree, their Braised Lamb Shank wasn't anything to write home about. I'm not saying it wasn't good, but it reminded me of a pot roast that. Don't get me wrong, the lamb was very tender and melted in my mouth; however, flavor profile wise, it didn't leave a very big impression on me. They offer tasting menus, 5 course/8 course at $155/$205. I'm not sure what the portion sizes are for the tasting menu, but if it's full sized portions from their a la carte, it'd be well worth it.