“Prise de la Bastille” by Jean-Pierre Louis Laurent Houel (1735-1813).
The defining event of the French Revolution, the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, launched a decade of vast upheaval and terror in France, and ended, not with liberty, equality and fraternity, but with the crowning of Napoleon as emperor. France would go on to have numerous monarchs, coups and revolts between then and 1958, when its current republican constitution was established.
So Bastille Day isn’t exactly equivalent to Independence Day, as many Americans seem to think. Nevertheless, the French celebrate as much as we do on July 4, with parades, picnics and fireworks. And French restaurants in Chicago celebrate, too. Here’s what’s happening tomorrow:
- Brasserie Jo, River North: Alfonso Ponticelli and Swing Gitan play gypsy jazz from 6 to 10 p.m. Chef Jean Joho’s “Frenchie’s Menu” (available through July 26) goes offally French with fare such as kidneys with mustard sauce and Alsatian knefla (dumplings), blood sausage with sauteed apple and apple puree, boudin blanc with pommes Lyonnaise, sauteed sweetbreads, beef tongue and more. Reservations recommended.
- Marche, West Loop: Oo-la-la! Performances include Michelle “Toots” L’Amour and the Lavender Cabaret, costumed French femmes from Narcisse Couture and a DJ spinning Bastille Day tunes. Chef Cory Peterson’s Parisian-inspired menu features duck rillettes, escargots and coq au vin. Diners will receive a $50 gift certificate to Marche, valid on their next visit.
- La Tache, Andersonville: A votre sante — select bottles of wine are half price all night. Chef Andrew Alcid’s bar menu offers items like mussels and frites and a half-pound burger on brioche, and the dinner menu includes a nicoise salad and beef tartare with truffled potato gaufrettes.
- Le Titi de Paris, Arlington Heights: Glassworks plays jazz from 6 to 9 p.m. Chef Michael Maddox’s prix-fixe lunch (three courses $36) and dinner (three to five courses, $38 to $56) menus include grilled Atlantic salmon on French green lentils with lemon-balm sauce; Perigord-truffle-scented wild mushroom and sun-dried tomato duxelles on roasted pork tenderloin with madeira sauce; and grilled fillet of beef, zucchini, yellow squash and crumbled blue-cheese galette with roasted shallot sauce.
