...the Chicago French Market! Je ne sais pas, really? Oui, really. As of last Thursday (12/3) Chicago is officially the proud host of it's first, okay at least in the last four decades or so, indoor year-round market. Seattle has it's Pike's Place Market, Philadelphia has the Reading Terminal Market, New York City has the Grand Central Terminal Market, even Cleveland, Ohio can boast having an indoor year-round market. And now finally, instead of whining, 'why can't Chicago have an indoor market', we can now toot our horns and say that we too have an indoor market. Thank you thank you to the Bensidoun family who has been running markets here and in Europe for four generations. With that kind of experience, I am guessing we are in good hands.
As you have all guessed by now (if you have been reading my posts, you are reading aren't you?) I have a real thing for the markets, indoor and out. Whenever I travel, whether an hour away, or a 14 hour international flight away, the first thing I like to do, once at my destination, is check out the local market(s). Be it a small roadside stand or ginormous indoor market like La Boueria Market in Barcelona, I think there is no better place to get your finger on the pulse of a place and it's people. And based on the streams of folks coming into the Chicago French Market since last Thursday, I would say visitors to our fine city will get a sense of us real quick.
No big box here baby, but real local food purveyors and artisans. Some with established presence at other markets and brick & mortar locales, and others for whom this is their first location. At the Chicago French Market we will have the opportunity to develop relationships with these folks, just like our parents and grandparents had relationships with the butcher, the baker, the candlestick-maker...okay maybe not the candlestick-maker but for sure the egg & milk guy. They are all extremely knowledgeable and tremendously passionate about their products, and getting them directly to you, their customer.
Located in a 15,000 square foot piece of the Ogilvie Center (ya know, the old Northwestern train station for those of you still kickin' the 'old school' terms). This part of the city (the west loop hood) has been booming with an influx of new residents, but retail, entertainment and food options not so much. Well no more, with 25 purveyors in the market, residents and commuters (remember, major train station right above the market) will have a 'one-stop shop' option. Everything from beautiful fresh and organic produce, fresh seafood, meats and poultry, beautiful artisan cheeses, and wine to go with said cheese, freshly baked breads, pastries and baked goods, gorgeous handmade chocolates, and stunning fresh flowers all to help ready you for holiday entertaining. Feeling a bit peckish after all the sensory overload? So many yummy options to sit down and enjoy right there, or pack up to take home, or to the office: from a yummy green curry, to Bi Bim Bap, to tacos, to crepes, to fresh juices, to raw food options, to sandwiches, to fresh roasted nuts (which always smell so good), to OMG Belgian fries, wait are we in a market in Europe or in Chicago?
Now if you are like me and don't reside or work in the area, but are close to a Metra train, this is such a stress-free way to get to the market. Or if you are planning to really load up, there is free parking available for up to an hour, with a $20 purchase at the market, and in a city that likes to charge a lot for parking, this is a MAJOR plus.
So being that I did go into sensory overload at the market and too full to make dinner (yes, you can say Belgian fries) no recipe to share this week. So get your self to the Chicago French Market and find inspiration. And let me know what your favorites are at the market and what you were inspired to cook. Email me at moira@efete.net.
For more information and hours go to www.chicagofrenchmarket.com
photo credits: Steven Johnson Photography
Labels: Bensidoun, Chicago Farmers Markets, Chicago French Market, food artisans, indoor market, organic food
I contemplated writing about this restaurant for weeks because I would have to stray from my strictly stay positive policy. After a not-so-great dinner during Restaurant Week, I decided that before writing it off forever I would follow in the footsteps of Phil Vettel and try it a few times to be fair. This proved to be a smart move because the following week my mother and I had an excellent lunch at Province (161 N. Jefferson).
Province is a fun spot with an inventive menu influenced from Central and South America and Spain. The decor is bold with bright pink walls and the actual building possesses the extremely rare gold-level LEED certification (U.S. Green Building Council's rating system for existing buildings by measuring performance to maximize operational efficiency while minimizing costs and environmental impacts). Additionally, Province prides itself on using local organic ingredients in a "farm to table" dining experience. Executive Chef Randy Zweiban of Nacional 27 takes a fairly new approach to modernizing Latin cuisine and succeeds with many dishes.
The best thing that my friend Allie and I ate during our dinner at Province was the Green Acres Farms Winter Squash Taquito off the "bites" section of the menu. We ordered everything in that category and enjoyed the Cuban Pork Bocadillo, but wished we had another taquito instead of the Peeky Toe Crab toast. The Fluke Ceviche with Red Grapefruit was one of the bigger disappointments of the night as it was flavorless and stringy in texture - not the "mouth feel" you hope for in a Ceviche dish. Luckily, we quickly forgot about the ceviche when the Tortilla Soup was served! This fun spin on a classic is awesome for a light lunch or a first course at dinner. The bottom of the bowl was filled with guacamole and roasted chicken and a spicy chicken broth was poured over the top for a little bit of a wow factor.
As it was restaurant week, two of the items we ordered are not mainstays on the menu. The Sherry and Mushroom Bisque was forgettable but the Braised Beef Short Rib with pancetta hash was certainly not! The Hawaiian Seared Tuna was really disappointing as it was flavorless, and missing the promised honey roasted root vegetables and caper vinaigrette! I blame our server who was not at the top of his game for sure. We capped off the meal with a sure thing: "Chocolate Three Ways" which was composed of a Chocolate Flan, Cocoa Sorbet, Chocolate Gooey Muffin and Dulce de Leche.
Lunch was much more of a turn on. Although we only shared two dishes, they were both fantastic. The Chicken and Apple salad delivered visually as well as in texture and flavor. Perfectly uniform matchsticks of tart apples tossed with roasted chicken, toasted almonds and candied olives. Additionally, we had (drum roll please!) the Pork Belly and Avocado Sandwich. Notwithstanding my glutton for pork belly, I am pretty sure my mother was fulfilled after eating this tummy-pleaser. Rich pork belly goodness is served with avocado on grilled country rosemary bread along side of a puckery red cabbage slaw which cut the fattiness of the sandwich perfectly.
My personal theme for 2009 is to keep my learning curve turned up and "reviewing" this restaurant was a great lesson. I understand what a bad write up can do to the heart and soul of a restaurant and the people working there (I have seen it first hand) and I will never allow myself to become a hater. However, a little bit of constructive criticism is what makes us better, isn't it?
Labels: chicago dining, chicago nightlife, madeleine yastrow, organic food, To Dine For By Maddie
I contemplated writing about this restaurant for weeks because I would have to stray from my strictly stay positive policy. After a not-so-great dinner during Restaurant Week, I decided that before writing it off forever I would follow in the footsteps of Phil Vettel and try it a few times to be fair. This proved to be a smart move because the following week my mother and I had an excellent lunch at Province (161 N. Jefferson).
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