It’s billed as a Parisian-style dive bar with food, but that seems to cheapen the planning apparent in every detail at Maude’s Liquor Bar, the new project from Brendan Sodikoff (Gilt Bar, Lettuce Entertain You, Per Se, the French Laundry) and executive chef Jeff Pikus (Gilt Bar, Alinea). It feels more like a New York brasserie than anything else—I was constantly reminded of Balthazar. And while the concept, a modern American homage to Paris, is nothing new, Maude’s take on it is fresh and smart.
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Drawing its influence in part from the bistro, in part from the brasserie, the menu features charcuterie (foie gras torchon, duck rillettes), braises (short rib bourguignon, coq au vin), and classics like French onion fondue. All of the dishes are plated for sharing, and while there’s more than one way to build a meal from the list of offerings, every evening at Maude’s should start with raw oysters from le bar a huitres. One variety from each coast is offered nightly—maybe creamy, deep-cupped Shibumi oysters from the Puget Sound or silken, sweet Conway Royals from Prince Edward Island—all opened with care and overflowing with oyster liquor.
Pikus is a master conceiver of dishes, exemplified by his version of a traditional cassoulet. The classic stew of larded beans studded with pork parts, duck confit, and garlic sausages and baked in deep clay pot is difficult to translate to an a la carte dinner portion for one, but Maude’s version is a layer of creamy yet toothsome beans and bits of savory meat spooned into a shallow casserole, topped with fresh bread crumbs, and broiled until the top is golden and craggy.
The cocktail program was a disappointment given our high expectations. The signature smash—floral, icy, and sweet—might have come off better in less wintry conditions. But even house cocktails bitter by nature strayed sweet. Champagne, beer, and wine from the well-curated list seem better suited for the menu anyway.
840 W. Randolph 312-243-9712maudesliquorbar.com
