Fall Flavors
Boka1729 N. Halsted | 312-337-6070
rrr Walking into the airy, elegant Chalkboard space, it’s hard to believe it was formerly the gloomy Tournesol. But classy as the room is, the menu is decidedly friendly, offering dressed-up versions of classic American comfort food. Daily specials are listed on the restaurant’s namesake, a giant chalkboard, but often also on a paper menu that includes chatty asides from chef-owner Gilbert Langlois, a veteran of Rushmore and SushiSamba Rio. The good old combo of grilled cheese and tomato soup, which appears on the appetizer menu as roasted tomato bisque with grilled blue cheese in brioche, was right on: the soup was silky and rich, with added depth from the roasting, the tasty sandwich thoroughly dunkable. The menu changes frequently, but seasonal vegetables featured prominently at my last visit: the chips in the fish-and-chips were made from sunchokes, a pile of Swiss chard accompanied a pink seared duck breast, and tortellini were stuffed with roasted celeriac. The last were handmade by Langlois’ mother, and if they seemed a little dense and chewy, well, they had the homespun appeal of lumpy mashed potatoes. On Saturdays and Sundays there’s an afternoon tea from 2 to 4 PM. —Kathie Bergquist
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rrr Chef-proprietor Suzy Crofton presents a well-balanced and innovative menu in a small, urbane setting. Subdued music playing in the background of the minimally decorated room keeps the conversation level down and the focus on the food. The menu changes seasonally, but staples include appetizers like crab cakes with yellow-pepper butter and lovage oil and wild mushrooms with bacon and brioche. Entrees include chipotle-roasted Amish chicken and a smoked Kurabuta pork belly and grilled tenderloin combo with grits and smoked apple chutney. Half a dozen desserts are offered, for example a goat cheese cheesecake with cracked hazelnuts, blackberry reduction, and an ice wine gelee or Michigan peaches in caramelized puff pastry with pistachios, blue cheese creme brulee, and viognier-peach consomme. One Rater sums the place up with a simple imperative: “Go.” —Paul Schoenwetter, Rater
F 9.9 | S 7.7 | A 9.0 | $$ (7 reports)American Contemporary/Regional, Global/Fusion/Eclectic | Lunch: Monday-Friday; Dinner: Monday-Saturday | Closed Sunday | BYO
Graham Elliot217 W. Huron | 312-624-9975
rrr Sean McClain’s sleek haven for vegetarian dining is all cool earth tones, warm low lights, and bursts of greenery. The seasonal menu is currently featuring fritto misto with oyster mushrooms, pattypan squash, and haricots verts, served with a dipping sauce; roasted beets with wasabi gelee and cocoa nib foam; sweet onion and garlic soup with truffle cream; and a foraged mushroom popover with smoked cippolinis, fresh plums, and manchego. Among the desserts are a honey cannoli with lemon-white chocolate mousse and roasted fig and blueberry crisp with lemon thyme and brown butter ice cream. After-dinner options include French-press coffee and some wildly exotic teas—for example, one that according to the menu was once harvested by monkeys. —Martha Bayne
