HB: Home Bistro... In the words of Britney Spears, "Gimme More"

I say “Gimme More”, not because I was disappointed, but rather I cannot wait to go back and try the rest of the menu. This past Wednesday, another self ordained Foodie and I ate at HB: Home Bistro on Halsted Street. For $29 per person (3-course menu), we enjoyed one of the best meals in a long time!  HB is also a BYOB, so the bill for the 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and 2 desserts was $64. Value, leftovers, and satisfying/memorable food…very nice!  HB offers a variety of dishes that can be categorized as American cuisine with East Coast and European influences.

Our meals started appetizers- an Old Bay Spiced Crab Cake and an Escargot with vegetables, spices, and croutons in a savory sauce. While the crab cake was fresh and better that average for a mid-western restaurant, it didn’t even begin to compare to the outstanding flavors of the escargot with vegetables appetizer. Not your typical escargot with garlic and butter. It was better! HB took the escargot and paired it with wonderfully stewed tomatoes and vegetables and then added a few croutons to soak up some of cooked juices. Such a delicious dish! I only wish there was a loaf of bread for me to run across the plate (maybe not classy, but it’s the sign of a good meal) when I finished eating the vegetables and escargot. Good thing that bread was not on the table because I needed to save room for the next two courses.
 
 Just when we thought the meal couldn’t get any better, the entrees came. HB is somewhat known for their lamb burger. Yes, lamb with brie on a pretzel roll… and a side of truffle fries. It was tasty (a little greasy on the bottom of the bun), but if I could only select one dish for the entrée, I would go with the 12 hour braised beef brisket. This, my readers and food lovers, is beef romantic. The brisket is cooked for 12 hours and is flavorful, smooth, juicy, and delicious. Not to mention, it wasn’t alone. The 12 hours of cooking perfection was atop a parsnip potato mash and surrounded by drizzled jalapeno oil. Running the forkful of brisket through the mashed potatoes and then getting some jalapeno oil in the mix was an outstanding marriage of flavors. Doggie bag please! It’s not humanly possible to finish the dish, plus there was still the dessert course.
 
While you are mentally digesting the first two courses, I’ll mention the atmosphere of HB. It is charming and a truly great space for groups of friends or a dinner-date for two. Not a huge restaurant, but one with attentive staff, lit candles, and a feeling of pride in the cuisine.
 
So, the foodie delight continues with dessert. We ordered the bread pudding and the chocolate brownie with salted caramel. Again, beating our expectations! While still not as amazing at the Chocolate mousse cake at NAHA, these desserts were memorable, tasty, and an amazing value. The bread pudding was a nice mixture of fruit, crème, and bread. If you want to trick yourself into thinking that you made a healthy dessert choice, that dish is the ticket. More realistic dessert goers might prefer the chocolate brownie with salted caramel and fresh whipped cream. The salty sweet combination of the brownie and caramel was pronounced, but not so robust that you couldn’t enjoy the surprise peanut butter flavor or the rich, smooth taste of the whipped cream. At the end, I had to physically push the plate away to stop myself from finishing the entire brownie and the other half of the bread pudding, too.
 
Chicagoans are blessed with many wonderful dining establishments, but few restaurants offer flavor, menu creativity, value, and a warm, inviting atmosphere like HB. I can’t wait to go back and let HB “Gimme More”!
 
http://www.homebistrochicago.com/menu.html

Home Bistro
3404 North Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 661-0299

Comments

[Brian Ziegler]

Love Home Bistro...it's right around the corner from where I live and is one of my top choices in the Lakeview neighborhood. Unfortunately I don't go there much.

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