Friday, July 6, 2012

Chez Joel

March 22, 2012
1119 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL 60607
Chez Joel on Urbanspoon

A Quick Word:
This is definitely a nice, authentic French restaurant in Chicago that doesn't break the wallet!  I was surprised to have a waitress with an accent and one that could actually pronounce the entrees in the correct manner.  Some of the food was amazing while others had just too many ingredients... which hurt the overall dish.  The dishes may be hit or miss so hopefully you choose right... In all, if you are looking for a non-mainstream French restaurant, definitely try this place!

What I Ate:

Escargot

The aftermath of our escargot appetizer... Figured with all the herbed butter that the actual snail wouldn't be appreciated. Just look and see how we dipped bread into each of the wells just to soak up all the butter! This was amazing!

Croque Madame

This sandwich was packed with thick cut ham, a generous portion of gruyere cheese, and hard boiled egg! It was grilled and served warm! The pomme frites were so crispy and fresh and well seasoned. And it came with a nice side salad with a light and sweet vinaigrette. I was disappointed with the bread however... it was a great vessel, but almost too toasted.  There wasn't much of a soft contrast in the center which I wished for.  ALso, it lacked a sauce... The sandwich was therefore a little dry but still had great flavors.

Butternut Squash Ravioli

Perfectly cooked pasta with plenty of squash filling. It was served in a brown butter and sage sauce and garnished with sliced almonds! I loved the pasta... But there was one BIG PROBLEM... for some reason, they added honey to make it sweeter. It wasn't necessary and honestly the honey hurt the overall dish.

The DOs/DON'Ts:

DOs:
- Do come for lunch!  They have wonderful options at reasonable prices and it is not packed like the rest of the fast food joints on Taylor Street.
- Do order the escargot.  I really enjoyed this appetizer.
- They do have a valet parking service, even for lunch, which is nice because of the limited parking options on Taylor St.

DON'Ts:
- Don't sit inside during the spring time or summer for lunch... They air is still and it is just very uncomfortable.  The back porch is a much better option!

How far would I walk for this food?


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