French restaurant Bistronomic, 840 N. Wabash Ave., recently held a spring media dinnerand maintained the high level of cuisine this writer has repeatedly experienced.
Among the highlights were three various salad: spring mesclun mix and asparagus ( which I really loved ); seasonal market, with spring baby kale, peas, breakfast radish, feta, brioche croutons and dill-buttermilk dressing; and quail confit salad, in which the birds are marinated for two to three days and then cooked in duck fat.
In addition, Chef Martial Noguier cooked the seared diver scallops ( served with apricot puree, black sesame quinoa, mint, watermelon radish and citrus vinaigrette ) to perfection, and the squid-ink gnocchi was solid as well.
Large-plate items include Lake Superior whitefish ( which, like the scallops, was served with watermelon radish ), Faroe Island salmon ( with fennel puree, heirloom cauliflower, asparagus and key-lime emulsion ), Maple Leaf duck breast and a wonderful rack of lamb with Meyer lemon sauce.
Although no desserts were served at this particular dinner, Bistronomic offers a nice selection, including black-and-white creme brulee, chocolate profiteroles and warm seasonal financier.
As a final perk of the recent media event, Nougier's elegant wife, Laurence, joined the journalists, offering tales involving the restaurant, France and home life.
Andrew Davis