La Tache on Balmoral in Andersonville is a cute little French bistro that is priced out around Le Boucheon $15-$22 for entrees. I've been there once before for dinner and remember enjoying it, promising to return. Though it's been a while, I finally did go back... for brunch.
Compared to a line and a crowd for pancakes and eggs the laid-back high-end style was a pleasant surprise and the cost was no higher than M.Henry or any other brunch-spot. From Pauline's to M. Henry to Zephyr to Standee's there are many options that all seem to involve a wait but none of them (especially not Standee's) are white tablecloth, Mimosa and truffle oil drizzled egg puff things.
The chef has just changed and the menu is being ported over for winter – new dishes to include a beef bourgognone and I can't remember if the duck breast with confit and rhubarb frisee is staying or going. I hope it's staying. I would love to try it but I suspect it is a summery dish and likely gone. They also mentioned that they may have a cassoulet night. I'm game for that but will wait for snow cover and maybe start working out to help the digestion.
The brunch menu offered a Gougére - a cheddar puff pastry with spinach and eggs, a puree of asparagus with truffle oil, pistachios and potatoes on the side. We had to get that and between a couple of different omelettes - we decided on the gruyere, spinach, carmelized onions and sun dried tomatoes combining for a fragrant and slightly sweet edge to a savory dish. The small potatoes were just enough and the main benefit was that we didn't leave feeling stuffed and ready to return to bed.
La Tache
1475 W. Balmoral Ave.
Something's up with one of my favorite local restaurants. The staff doesn't stay. The liquor is often out of stock. And the owner doesn't seem to care about her customers. I was one of 5 tables seated outside last night that waited over 2 hours for our food, and then suffered the indignity of having the owner REFUSE to come out and talk with any of us. REFUSE. Yet she found time to go to the corner store. We expected she'd come back with a bottle of Jack Daniels to fulfill drink requests, but no, she had a pack of cigarettes in her hand.
Charming.
Posted by: Kip | September 14, 2007 at 04:36 PM
I used to love this restaurant two years ago. We moved away and then just returned to the neighborhood. This is a common occurance these days. The food is late coming out, tables are not served all at once and the food is lukewarm. If you want to complain the owners send out the waitstaff. Lynn is especially nasty, unless you are a bar patron. I will not go back anymore.
Posted by: Walter | September 21, 2007 at 07:26 PM
My husband and I wen to La Tache this evening for the first time in two years. We expected to have a romantic anniversary dinner. Unfortunately, the food was mediocre. Our escargot were rubbery, my lambshank was soft rather than tender (was the lamb a mutton?). The sauce tasted like cornstarch, and everything had too much salt. Our dessert, a cherry clafouti, may have been good originally but was overheated so it was hard and tough. Guess that's our last visit.
Posted by: Gretchen | May 04, 2008 at 09:54 AM
Thank you for the post, you are doing a great job, keep it up.
Posted by: Ameda Ultra | November 28, 2009 at 04:54 AM