Obelix - French Bistro River North

So the Trib listed their best new restaurants a couple weeks ago, and with my b-day approaching, SueF said to pick a couple out, and she'll surprise me.

Heck of a nice surprise! Obelix, at Huron and Sedgwick, is fantastic: service impeccable, flavors imaginative... just somewhat loud or the place would be perfect.

We started with a very nice Cotes du Rhone for her and a Dirty Bee (gin, honey, gentian, lemon, absinthe) for me. Nice sour cocktail, just what I wanted.

For starters we had the steak tartare (delicious spicy pistou and herbs), and Moroccan carrots (vadouvan, yogurt, herbs, puff pastry crumble). Great bright flavors on both. Also good bread and butter (no bread service charge).

For mains, I had the lobster crepe (wild mushrooms, velvety sauce), Sue had the dry-aged duck breast (several sauces). Flavors spot on. We also had fries (aioli) that were very good... but more food than we should have ordered.

Finished with the gateau Basque and ice cream, tea and coffee. Loved that pastry (crisp on top, creamy in the middle, delicate cake on the bottom).

Not a cheap place by any stretch, but probably my best meal this year, and we ate like kings in Budapest and Prague.

Obelix
700 N. Sedgwick St.
Chicago, IL
https://www.obelixchicago.com/
(312) 877-5348
Closed Tue/Wed

And was there any mention of Asterix?

Cynthia wrote:And was there any mention of Asterix?

Sadly, no.

Had a couple friends in from out of town and Obelix is what we landed on for dinner. A month in, I know Obelix will land on my best of 2023 dining list. Superb meal.

MACARON AU FOIE GRAS
Foie Gras Mousse, Pink Peppercorn Macaron, Date-Citrus Jame


STEAK TARTARE
File Mignon, Green Garlic Aioli, Bahn Mi Pickles, Beer Bread, Shio Kombu, Herbs


ESCARGOTS BOURGUIGNONS
Burgundy Snails, Garlic, Parsley


FOIE GRAS AU TORCHON
Apple Butter, Apple-Celery Root Compote, Spiced Pecans, House Brioche


SALSIFY AGNOLOTTI
Fromage Blanc, Salsify Puree, Perigord Black Truffle, Celery Root, Roasted Chestnut, Thyme, House Pasta


SQUAB PITHIVIER
Sauce Perigord, Confit Squad Kegs & Wings, Foie Gras, Savoy Cabbage, Mushroom, Pate Brisee


SEARED ROUGET
Carrot Veloute, Shrimp Mousse, Glazed Rainbow Carrots, Uni


CHOUCROUTE DE LAPIN
Saddle of Rabbit, Confit Rabbit Croquette, Sauerkraut, Fingerling Potatoes, Radish, Mustard


CITRUS VACHERIN
Angel Food Cake, Marmalade, Passion Fruit, Coconut Ice Cream, Meringue, Citrus Supremes


OPERA CAKE
Coffee, Chocolate, Almond, Coffee Ice Cream, Biscotti


We had ordered the CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE (Grand Cru Chocolate, Pistachio Ice Cream, Pistachio Brittle, Cocoa Powder), but they were having some issues and sent out the Pistachio ice cream gratis

SEASONAL ICE CREAM & SORBET
Pistachio


Lovely meal, lovely service, best dining companions. Already have a brunch with my family reserved for later in the month. Good stuff.

Thank you for the great pictures.

I wish I could take good pictures.

Noto bene: Obelix is located in the space that formerly housed Entente, which was also a great restaurant.

Good to see they keep mixing things up: I don't think any of those dishes were the same on the menu we had, even the steak tartare is garnished completely differently.

This is a place I'm going to save up to go back to.

We ate at Obelix last night. It was excellent. Photos were already posted above, except...

incite wrote:We had ordered the CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE (Grand Cru Chocolate, Pistachio Ice Cream, Pistachio Brittle, Cocoa Powder), but they were having some issues and sent out the Pistachio ice cream gratis

We had the chocolate souffle and it was excellent. They have quite a few flavors of ice cream available, and are happy to substitute any other flavor for the pistachio that is mentioned on the menu along with the chocolate souffle. One of us had coconut ice cream instead, and two of us had the pain au chocolat ice cream, shown here.

Friends staying over. Our tradition Monday lunch at Le Bouchon, which happens to be half-price wine day. Le Bouchon had a facilities issue so they switched us, with our permission, to Obelix.

Obelix only does lunch two days a week, and they have a "Brunch" menu, an abbreviated version of the regular menu. I've heard nothing but high praise, and the Bride has been for dinner with friends and raved, hopes were high.

Let me start by saying, and I have said it often, Salade Lyonnaise at Le Bouchon is one of my favorite food items in the known universe. Obelix offers a slightly tarted-up version with shredded duck confit, duck egg, duck-fat croutons, which I adore, escarole, and frisee.

Obelix Salade Lyonnaise "Canard' was a more is more proposition with mounds of perfectly done shredded duck confit, runny duck egg end Scrooge McDuck rich croutons. Believe it or not, this was over the top even for a nothing says excess like excess fellow like myself. It did me in, and I left duck on the plate. Same with the Foie Gras Monte Cristo, which I split, it did me in, I couldn't finish half.

No half-price wine, though there was half-price champagne, which we enjoyed, and our Pate en Croute, Merguez sausage, Escargot Bourguignonne, and perfect oysters were top-notch. Onion soup received raves, as did the Lobster crepe and I'm a fan of the house Le Bouchon beer.

Room is lovely, about 1/3 occupied thus no acoustic issues, and service was fine for a Monday lunch. Street parking was readily available. Of all the people we interacted with the bartender, bar manager, whatever her designation was, deserves special mention, she was the epitome of hospitality.

Enjoyable, if ever so slightly overwrought, lunch. Looking forward to going back for dinner.

Note: Seems I neglected to take of picture of our snails, slippery little fuckers.

Looking over this thread, it seems there's an unwritten consensus that the food at Obelix is, at the very least, photogenic. Count me in the group that agrees with that but . . .

G Wiv wrote:Enjoyable, if ever so slightly overwrought . . .

I felt similarly at our dinner there earlier this week. In most ways, our meal could be described as flawless and yet . . . for whatever reason, I didn't totally connect with it. I can't say enough about the skillfully prepared, immaculately plated dishes. And service was among the best I've experienced anywhere in town in a long time. Maybe I just need some imperfection to help things to sink in. Okay, there was a bit of that but very little. As I wrote above, the meal was just about flawless. Here's a rundown, with descriptions lifted directly from the menu . . .


Epi
This was actually one of the few weak links. This bread was pretty flavorless. However, it was not an omen of things to come.


Pate En Croute - Wild Boar, Duck, Pistachio, Foie Gras, Housemade Pastry Dough
Rich, unctuous and satisfying.


Gougeres - Raclette Mornay, Truffle
Loved the lightly crispy exteriors and the intense, pungent filling.


Macaron Au Foie Gras - Foie Gras Mousse, Date Jam
Really a cool concept. Loved the richness of the foie, and contrast in textures but in the end, it was too sweet a bite for me. My 2 companions absolutely loved them.


Soupe A' L'Oignon Gratinee - French Onion Soup, Beef Broth, Swiss Cheese, Croutons
Hands down one of the best -- if not the best -- versions I've ever had. So deeply flavorful and the cheese stayed gooey and runny until the very end, never seizing up.


Escargots A' La Bourguignonne - Snails, Garlic, Parsley
Herbaceous, rich and brightly flavorful.

Next up, sides and mains . . .


Broccolini - with Al Pastor Hollandaise, Breadcrumbs
An excellent prep. Good char, tender but not mushy and a great sauce to bring it all home.


Frites - with garlic aioli
Way better than they looked. Light and crispy until the very end.


Ratatouille Pithivier - Eggplant, Zucchini, Bell Peppers, Rainbow Chard, Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese, Sauce Tomate, Pâte Brisée
Enjoyed this quite a bit, though, I wish the veg filling had been a little more concentrated in flavor. But inside that wonderful pâte brisée, if they cooked any longer, the pastry would have burnt. As it was, those veg were just a bit too subtle for me.


Black Cod - Grilled Bok Choy, Ube Purée, Pickled Pearl Onion, Soy Glazed Mushrooms, Green Curry
Perfectly prepared with moist, tender flesh and a perfectly crispy skin. Loved the way pickled onions provided pops of contrast in both flavor and texture.


10-Day Dry-Aged Duck Breast - Crépinette De Canard, Sunflower Miso, Grapes, Salsify, Grape Gastrique
Great stuff here. Breast was cooked perfectly and the decadent crepinette was pure pleasure.

We were pretty darned full -- hadn't even finished what we'd ordered so far -- but we wanted to try one dessert to finish off our meal. Honestly, the selection wasn't enticing to me. When it comes to dessert, I'm very much a 'right down the middle of the fairway' guy and there was none of that to be had here. Each selection had what I consider to be a deal-breaker component but I could also tell, just from reading Pastry Chef Antonio Incandela's menu (and experiencing his many touches throughout the dinner menu), that these were most likely some world-class desserts. 'High-wire act' is the term that comes to mind. We opted for the Baked Alaska . . .


Baked Alaska - Gooey butter cake, Chicago mix popcorn, truffle, sweet corn ice cream
I don't remember the liquor with which this was flambeed but it certainly was a thrilling production.


Baked Alaska
Just look at this precisely prepared and obviously well-considered dessert. Personally, I thought the truffle was a major distraction and I didn't love the sweet corn ice cream either. And yet, I know this dessert was something truly special. It just wasn't for me.

So, would I recommend Obelix? Absolutely. But will I be rushing back? Probably not. I have a lot of respect for the skill and effort that were clearly put into every facet of our meal. The space is inviting, comfortable and conversation-friendly. Service was warm, knowledgeable and professional. The place didn't feel stodgy, staid or haughty in any way. It was all completely inviting. I'm going to chalk up my curious lack of enthusiasm to my ever-evolving tastes and preferences. That said, it's clear that this is some top line cuisine prepared and served by talented and dedicated professionals in a completely inviting setting. Not inexpensive but a relative value given the quality here. Special occasion? Yep, this is the place.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:Epi
This was actually one of the few weak links. This bread was pretty flavorless. However, it was not an omen of things to come

Terrific pictures!

I dig the Le Bouchon/Oblix bread. Though I always add both butter and Dijon. The combination of rich butter, crunchy warm bread and sharp mustard floats my boat.

At Le Bouchon I can make a meal out of bread, butter, Dijon and salade lyonnaise.

G Wiv wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:Epi
This was actually one of the few weak links. This bread was pretty flavorless. However, it was not an omen of things to come

Terrific pictures!

I dig the Le Bouchon/Oblix bread. Though I always add both butter and Dijon. The combination of rich butter, crunchy warm bread and sharp mustard floats my boat.

At Le Bouchon I can make a meal out of bread, butter, Dijon and salade lyonnaise.

Thanks. Yeah, I usually enjoy their bread, too. I think something was off.

=R=

After many trips to Le Bouchon, we had our first dinner last night at Obelix: foie macarons, gougeres, foie taco, duck sausage, duck breast, and tete de cochon. We both thought the meal was excellent. Since we were full, we only ordered a couple of the bite sized desserts, but they inadvertently brought out the Baked Alaska, which was also very good. The place was packed on a Thursday evening, as one might expect. We did not notice anything slightly off that you wouldn’t also find at 99.9% of other restaurants out there. We will definitely put it into our rotation.

Chicago Hokie wrote:After many trips to Le Bouchon, we had our first dinner last night at Obelix: foie macarons, gougeres, foie taco, duck sausage, duck breast, and tete de cochon. We both thought the meal was excellent. Since we were full, we only ordered a couple of the bite sized desserts, but they inadvertently brought out the Baked Alaska, which was also very good. The place was packed on a Thursday evening, as one might expect. We did not notice anything slightly off that you wouldn’t also find at 99.9% of other restaurants out there. We will definitely put it into our rotation.

The tete de cochon w a side of perilla leaves, kimchi & other veggies was one of my favorite things I ate this year

The tete the cochon was our favorite as well. The kimchi was indeed a very nice pairing with the crispy pork, with the whole assembly being an interesting reinterpretation of a betel leaf bite.

This restaurant would fit perfectly in the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok.

I went here for brunch yesterday. Overall, we had a good experience.

The banh mi (featuring the duck liver mousse) and the carrots were highlights. I thought the quiche was fine - the pastry portion was quite good, but I've had lighter, silkier versions of the egg portion elsewhere. We also got the salade lyonnaise and, as noted upthread, it's a lot. Probably one the heavier salads I remember eating in a while. It was tasty, but not our favorites.

We finished up with the pistachio croissant and the pain suisse. I am a flaky pastry enthusiast so was very excited to try these. We were told the pistachio often sells out and so we ordered it with the rest of our food for later. It's a very Instagram-worthy pastry with green striated dough. Both pastries were well constructed and not overly sweet. However, I found they both ate a little dry compared to the buttery versions I'm used to elsewhere. Overall, they didn't quite measure up to my favorite pastry places around town.

The room was very pleasant on a sunny day. When we sat down (noon), all the window booths were occupied but we were one of only a couple of tables seated on the restaurant interior. When we left (about 1:30 or so), more of the booths had turned and more folks were seated at interior tables. I never thought the room seemed too busy or loud.

Service was friendly and well informed. I enjoyed the trip and could see returning for brunch or to check out the dinner menu.

gastro gnome wrote:I am a flaky pastry enthusiast so was very excited to try these. We were told the pistachio often sells out and so we ordered it with the rest of our food for later. It's a very Instagram-worthy pastry with green striated dough. Both pastries were well constructed and not overly sweet. However, I found they both ate a little dry compared to the buttery versions I'm used to elsewhere. Overall, they didn't quite measure up to my favorite pastry places around town.

On a side note, the laminated dough offerings at Good Ambler are unbelievable. I wish I didn't love their double chocolate croissants so much (ham and cheese are also excellent). If you haven't been, highly recommend checking them out.

thaiobsessed wrote:On a side note, the laminated dough offerings at Good Ambler are unbelievable. I wish I didn't love their double chocolate croissants so much (ham and cheese are also excellent). If you haven't been, highly recommend checking them out.

Thanks for the tip, Becca! I think nsxtasy would certainly agree with you as I think those are his favorites as well. I have been in once and did like what I tried, but it didn't blow my mind. I should stop in to explore more. Seems like sometimes I end up posting my pastry explorations to that thread rather than the dedicated individual thread which is probably not a great practice. I'll try to cross post more carefully in the future (in fact, I have another report from today)

gastro gnome wrote:

thaiobsessed wrote:On a side note, the laminated dough offerings at Good Ambler are unbelievable. I wish I didn't love their double chocolate croissants so much (ham and cheese are also excellent). If you haven't been, highly recommend checking them out.

Thanks for the tip, Becca! I think nxstasy would certainly agree with you as I think those are his favorites as well.

You are correct. As I have noted in the topic on kouign amanns in Chicagoland, the ones at Good Ambler are indeed my favorites. This is true both before and after last September, when deservedly esteemed pastry chef Meg Galus joined their team as executive pastry chef.

However, my favorite Chicagoland baker for laminated pastries (viennoiserie) is Chef Amanda at her northside bakery, Southern France. Even though she doesn't usually make kouign amanns, her croissants are my absolute favorites, as are her biscuits and her quiches, both of which are the best I've ever had.

What a great meal. Ramp Tart, Foie-cos, Salade Lyonaise Cannard and Duck Sausage were all outstanding and candidates for best bites I've had recently, and some of the best mac and cheese I've ever had. Bonus for our favorite waitress from early Avec days working here now.