Bistrot Margot
WHAT: Bistrot Margot
WHERE: 1437 N. Wells St.
OUR RATING: Do It!
Located in the heart of Old Town lies Bistrot Margot, a Chicago foray into French cuisine. We soon discovered that you don’t need to travel to France for good French food, and in fact, Bistrot Margot provides more genial service, and comparable cuisine to many French restaurants we’ve been to.
(bistrotmargot.com)
Alicia: The French experience starts even before you walk through the doors, as I warmed immediately to the black and white tiles outside the entrance that spelled the restaurant’s name. As you walk inside the red walls, mirrors and black and white photography continually provide a warmth, and I really did feel like I was back in one of the more upscale eateries in Paris. The only thing I felt missing from the ambience was the music, which was relatively absent, or perhaps was just completely overwhelmed by the very boisterous table next to us.
Salade Niçoise (bistrotmargot.com)
I’d actually been to Bistrot Margot once before with my co-workers for a more casual holiday lunch, and thoroughly enjoyed their pâté maison (country style pate and chicken liver mousse) and my order of salad niçoise with beautifully seared rare tuna. This time, I wanted something a little lighter but still French as hell, so I went the moules marinières route, a dish I have only ordered once elsewhere at chain restaurant Léon de Bruxelles in Paris. Knowing that this dish was an appetizer, and that French plates tend to be smaller, I also ordered the Salade de Betteraves: watercress with roasted red beets, goat cheese and a tarragon vinaigrette.
Moules Marinières (bistrotmargot.com)
When the mussels came to the table I was completely overwhelmed, as the portion was gigantic! The huge bowl of 30 mussels came with bread (of course) and a beautiful white wine, beurre blanc, shallots and herbs sauce that was other-worldly and completely decadent. Luckily the mussels were deliciously fresh and filling, as the salad left much more to be desired. For a whopping $9 I was delivered the saddest plate of over-dressed watercress with a mere two mini slices of beets, but it also came with a generous portion of creamy goat’s cheese. A small miss, yes, with the salad…but ultimately the mussels were a win!
(chicago.eater.com)
Adam: I am most accustomed to good French cuisine and, after trying several other spots around the city, I can categorically say that Bistrot Margot ranks amongst the best and most authentic in Chicago. Depending on where I am in the world, I tend to expect different things from Gallic restaurants: if I’m in Europe, I will generally order traditional steaks and ducks, if in the US I tend to go with calf’s liver, fish or veal. This is a well thought-out policy that never seems to fail me. But, tonight, I felt like broadening my horizons and bucking the trend.
Filet Mignon (foodspotting.com)
Going all-out traditional, I ordered the filet mignon du boeuf grille, served with golden potatoes, grilled asparagus, and a wonderful bordelaise sauce. This is unusual for me: filet mignon is a harder dish to prepare well and only worth the cost at the best of restaurants. I was most pleasantly and absolutely surprised at the quality and quantity I was served. Even at medium, the filet was juicy and tender in such a manner as is unusual in America. The bordelaise enveloped the whole dish with a fantastic deep rouge that brought out the succulent nature of both the meat and sides. I highly recommend this entree, as it is certainly one of the most accurate representations of French cooking one can have.
A word of warning: these are not French sized plates. Large portions leave little room for dessert or appetizers, so don’t feel sheepish in asking to take some of it home with you.
Final Thoughts: This quaint and romantic spot is perfect for a night out with your loved one, and even has some great nightly specials and very fairly priced pre-fixes on Wednesdays. They also have a quite affordable brunch and lunch menu if that’s more your style. Authentic and quintessentially French, Bistrot Margot makes for un très bon repas.