Coquette - Chicago
Pink and Parisian are two words that describe Coquette, the latest offering from Bonhomme Hospitality Group (Celeste, Disco, Porto and many others). The dining room is colorful and wild, a permanent party atmosphere where 40 guests can groove on vibes reminiscent of a French New Wave movie.
Next door to the West Loop's Bombola, another new restaurant from the Bonhomme Hospitality Group, Coquette is a place to go for just a drink or a drink and dinner; either way, this new place promises to be a gas. The mood is light, and the food offerings are unpretentious, adventurous and delicious. The menu, researched and designed in large part by Porto chefs Marcos Campos, Erwin Mallet and Shannah Primiano, reflects the casual sophistication of a French bistro with dishes like Magret De Canard (dry-aged duck breast, orange-infused duck jus, celeriac and nutmeg purée, wood fire-roasted grapes), Sole Meuniere (charcoal-grilled whole Atlantic dover sole, preserved lemon, herbes De Provence, smoked brown butter), and Boeuf Wellington (Josper-smoked dry-aged beef tenderloin, mushroom and anchovy duxelle, sea lettuce and wasabi crêpes, beef sauce Périgourdines). As you can see, the menu picks up the basics of French bistro food, but with flavor combinations that reflect the immense creativity of the Coquette kitchen. The cocktail program is as fun and inventive as the food, with a focus on seasonal produce that reflects foods harvested in France and the Midwest. The spirit offerings are decidedly French, with Gallic tipples like The Coquette Martini (French gin, William-Pear Eau De Vie, Pineau Des Charentes and a roasted, local pear). There is, of course, a formidable wine list (because...French) which Coquette describes as "a playful celebration of France’s most under-appreciated regions and boldest natural winemakers," as well as "an intentional deviation from the status quo of French wine." The desserts are, predictably, French and fantastique, with pate a coquette (with a roasted foie gras granach), a French fries mousse and, of course, cheese!
