South Barrington's L'Eiffel offers authentic French food, flair
L'Eiffel Bistrot & Creperie's sophisticated style and upscale approach to food fit well with the high-end mix at Arboretum of South Barrington, a new outdoor mall at Route 59 and Higgins Road.
Handsomely and undeniably French, this 200-seat bistro rubs elbows with other toney operations such as Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant, Ruth's Chris Steak House, deluxe Gold Class Cinema (with tickets from $16 to $25) and Pinstripes, the snazzy way to bowl and play bocce.
L'Eiffel Bistrot is the second venture of France native Frank Ferru, who opened La Petite Creperie on the historic town square in Woodstock three years ago.
I love his accent and his instincts for location, décor and menu. The fit and finish at this newest location suggest warmth and good taste. Gleaming walnut is generously employed for paneling, wine racks and the custom-made bar. Archways and partial walls separate the bar area from the dining room with its well-spaced, linen-topped tables and wrought iron accents.
Beautifully lit in the evening, it is romantic enough for dates and anniversaries, dressy enough for business and special occasions. We saw a foursome of women celebrating a birthday, several couples sans children, and a large, all-adult family party one recent dinner hour.
The authentic bistro fare is expertly wrought and goes beyond what you expect for a shopping center restaurant. The kitchen buys locally grown and organic produce when possible and prepares everything from scratch: sauces, dressings, pates, sausage and its signature crepes, of course.
To start, crunchy rolls offer a warm welcome, individually doled out to each diner with a small cup of olive tapenade with sun-dried tomatoes.
Appetizers hew to the classics, from foie gras and frog legs to escargot and assorted French cheeses.
We shared l'assiette de charcuterie, a fun assortment of rich pates and sausage served with cornichons, mustard and baguette slices. Chicken liver mousse is bold and rich; rabbit rillette, similar to pate, is enriched with pork and lightly seasoned with cloves. Pork sausage, head cheese pate and prosciutto round out this adventure; it's plenty for two.
From the hot starters we shared a wedge of onion tart, "la pissaladiere," a dish with potential. Thin, flaky pastry is a base for tenderly caramelized onions, and allegedly, olives. We only got one to offset all that wonderful sweetness.
The crepe menu offers a dozen variations in price and complexity, from simple ham and Swiss ($7.75) to an elegant seafood medley with shrimp, scallops and salmon in pesto cream sauce ($12.25). By themselves these make a perfect lighter meal; each is served with a small salad lightly coated in wonderful, tangy vinaigrette.
The braised beef version, "la bourguignon," should be the signature crepe. Slow-cooked in red wine, the meat is tender and succulent, the sauce lighter than expected, but with well-developed flavor. The thin, slightly crisp crepe encases carrots, mushrooms and baby pearl onions, too.
Eight main courses include the expected (steak frites, braised lamb shank) and the unexpected (braised beef tongue with Dijon mustard sauce and mashed potatoes).
Duck a l'orange is not to be missed; its crisp skin overlays moist, tender meat on a pool of well-balanced sauce with a small portion of seasoned barley. Hearty eaters might want a side of fries or mashed potatoes, too.
The dessert menu features standards such as crème brulee and crepes with suggestive names ("French kiss" and "le ménage a trois").
We fell for the last, a naughty trio of warm bananas, dark chocolate sauce and caramel sauce embraced by a delicate crepe. Chocolate mousse is irresistible, too, with deep, dark flavor and thick texture.
The global wine list is moderately priced, including more than 20 options by the glass, each well described. Or try a shot of the once-forbidden absinthe, the infamous green liqueur mistakenly thought to be a hallucinogen.
L'Eiffel serves it in the ages-old tradition: The bartender drips water from a decorative absinthe "fountain" over a sugar cube poised on a slotted spoon above a shot of absinthe. When the sugar dissolves, the drink is ready.
Service was friendly and helpful but oh-so-slow on a night when only one server was on duty. That wouldn't stop me from going back though, and apparently I'm not the only one who has fallen in love with this charming new spot.
While riding Metra into Chicago recently I overheard a woman telling her friend she was taking out-of-town guests to L'Eiffel for lunch because dinner was so good.
• Restaurant reviews are based on one anonymous visit. The Daily Herald does not publish reviews of restaurants it cannot recommend.
<p class="factboxheadblack">L'Eiffel Bistrot & Creperie</p> <p class="News">100 W. Higgins Road, South Barrington, (847) 428-4783, <a href="http://www.leiffelbistrot.com" target="new">leiffelbistrot.com</a> </p> <p class="News"><b>Cuisine:</b> French</p> <p class="News"><b>Setting:</b> Handsome, sophisticated bistro </p> <p class="News"><b>Hours:</b> 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday </p> <p class="News"><b>Price range:</b> Appetizers $6.50 to $22; salads $5 to $8.25; crepes and entrees $7.75 to $26.75; desserts $3.75 to $7.50</p>