Thomas & Dutch - Evanston
Thomas & Dutch is the newest offering from Farmheads, which opened Farmhouse Tavern in River North in 2011. Since then, the mission remains the same: to offer "affordable, approachable Midwestern fare based on locally sourced and sustainable ingredients."
Chicago Food Magazine explains that " Thomas & Dutch creates a shared dining experience with a number of communal plates to be enjoyed while celebrating one’s company. Diners will notice the menu divided up to highlight a number of Midwestern cuisine staples – Our Journey Begins with plates meant to be shared among friends, vegetable-focused bites from Into The Wild, locally sourced fish in Sea Change, and finished with meat-forward plates from The Great Hunt."
For all this, what makes Thomas & Dutch special is a disciplined focus on simplicity of preparation to highlight the quality of ingredients used. Our Journey Begins features starters like some beautiful mussels dressed with just paprika, garlic, tomatoes and cream; and fried artichokes with lemon and garlic hummus, so simple and so satisfying. Into the Wild has agave roasted carrots perked up with sweet pickled fennel and pecans; as well as spring greens with fresh apple and aged cheddar. Sea Change is all about the gifts of the sea, including pan-seared trout and fried walleye. The Great Hunt focuses on the meats kuje roasted Berkshire pork tenderloin with grilled apples and corn puree; pan roasted Magret duck breast with confit onions and creamy potato gratin; and beef Wellington with beef-glazed turnips.
There is a good selection of cocktails, including classics like Sloe Gin Fizz and Manhattan (with a pickled beet!), as well as a tightly curated selection of wines, and anything available in a bottle is also available in a glass. If beer is where you're at, there is a good range to choose from, many from local breweries.