Better late than never, right? My first trip to Aigre Doux and why not get a prix fixe. I’d say upfront that
it’s not generally a good way to evaluate a place. That said I had a very good meal and even though we were a fairly large group up against the back kitchen-wall, I did find the place to be nice and comfy. Then again it could have been the girl drinks.

The other thing to note is that 3 cosmos has the tendency to make any night a remarkable night. The menu option of braised spare ribs made any decision a formality. I’ve been on a braised meat kick lately and was excited. The haricot vert was a great starter… what better to go with a cocktail. Technicolor.

The spare rib was very good but lacked that oomph that you want from
a slow-cooked-forever inflatable park complicated mature piece of meat. I’d be very
curious about the rest of the menu. The restaurant has this bakery tag
associated with it and I saw none of it. The dessert cookie plate that
we shared was very average and certainly not worth the $11. The set
menu dessert was great though. It was a chocolate mousse pudding thing
that I certainly didn’t need to eat by then. Of course it was served
with my third cosmo which I didn’t need either.

One thing to note is their location across from the Merchandise Mart
on Kinzie. It’s not a high-traffic spot. I was surprised to find it
there. In spite of that they seemed packed and are always getting
press. The other thing is that even though they are across from the
“design centers” of the Merch the decor isn’t wholesale-cool. Thinking
about it more makes me wonder if there are any truly beautiful
restaurants in Chicago.

Aigre Doux
230 W. Kinzie
Chicago, 60610
312-329-9400