Cyrano's Bistro, a brightly colored restaurant in River North has an intimate feel to it. When you walk in, you are greated with a "Bonjour", and the staff is predominantly French or attempting to speak French. The wine list leans toward the Languedoc, the Southern region of France where much of its wine is produced. (Languedoc is the highest-producing wine region in France, though most of its wine is consumed domestically.) I ordered a delicious premier cru Burgundy off the wine list, and split a salad with spice walnuts, pears, blue cheese, haricots verts. We were served by an American who called himself Marcel (and I'm betting that's his stage name).
For my main course I ordered tripe with herbs in a delicious consomme, served with potatoes and carrots. The tripe absorbed the flavors well; those who actually eat tripe know that its easy to make it bland or even rubbery. I scarfed the tripe down, and somehow managed to fit in room for dessert.
We ordered lavender crepes filled with heavy cream in a marscapone-like consistency and drizzled with caramel, served slightly below room temperature, which was delicious, though we were only given a spoon to eat them and eating them lukewarm did make the dough a bit chewy. I complemented them with a yummy poire (pear) eau de vie (a clear fruit liqeuer made in the northeastern French region of Alsace). Service was prompt, warm, and attentive.
Cyrano's Bistrot
546 N. Wells
312-467-0546
Comments