Approaching Haussmann Brasserie

When you’ve experienced a vast number of new restaurants, one may become jaded and view the prospect of another new restaurant review as a ho-hum assignment. Well, to put it mildly, my most recent assignment to review the newly opened Chicago north suburban Haussmann Brasserie was no hum-drum affair. It was awesome.

Step up to the bar

The restaurant is named after George-Eugene Haussmann the famed city planner of Paris who redesigned the City of Lights for Napoleon III. I am sure that even Napoleon III, a noted gourmet, would have found the ambience and food par excellence had he lived two centuries longer. ‘Cest la vie.

Chef des Cuisine, Thomas Rice and Executive Chef/Owner, Jacky Pluton

Haussmann Brasserie, located at 305 North Happ Road in Northfield answers the question: Why trek to downtown Chicago and fight the road construction and waste gas? From the time you enter the restaurant and are greeted by cheerful hosts you are made to feel comfortable. The décor of the restaurant is both classic and sophisticated. You are seated at a table in a rustic, earth-toned Parisian décor feeling as if you have been transported to the Champs-Elyssees.

Onion Soup Gratinee

The restaurant is spacious. There is a 175-seat main dining room, a lovely bar area and a private dining area that accommodates up to fifty patrons. In addition, during the milder months there is an outdoor patio.

Steak Tartare

Haussmann’s menu, while not huge, is more than ample with a half dozen selections of hors d’oeuvres, the same number of main courses, a large wine list and desserts enough to satisfy your sweet-tooth. The entrees include meat, fish, shell fish and fowl. The hors d’oeuvres include delights such as Steak Tartare, Onion Soup Gratinee and Parisienne Gnocchi. In addition to the regular menu that changes frequently, there is a daily special or "Plat de Jour."

Steak au Poivre

My dining companion and photographer ordered the Onion Soup and the Steak au Poivre. The soup, according to him, was just as he remembered from his trip to Paris and the Steak au Poivre was tender and cooked to his order of medium rare. I, on the other hand ordered the Steak Tartare and Sea Scallops. The Steak Tartare was plated with wonderful greens and was simply delicious. My scallops were seared on the outside and tender on the inside. They were served on thinly sliced cauliflower and sauced to perfection.

Sea Scallops

Since all of the dessert offerings sounded astounding, we had a difficult time choosing one. I asked our server who was knowledgeable, first-class and accommodating, what she would recommend. She stated that all were delicious. Instead of having us choose one she suggested that we try a few and before we knew it, there were four fabulous desserts on our table. They were all irresistible. The Peach Clafoutis was beyond scrumptious but it didn’t deter me from sampling the other three. Pana Cotta, Profiterolles and Vanilla Ice-Cream defined the word "cream" and the magnificent Apple Tart rounded out the quartet of desserts.

Peach Clafoutis

You may ask-Who is responsible for the creation and execution of our tasty dinner? The kitchen is the heart of the restaurant with Executive Chef/Owner Jacky Pluton at the helm and Thomas Rice, Chef des Cuisine as second in command. Pluton grew up in the Provence region of France where his father owned and operated a Michelin one-star restaurant. Though he vowed never to own or operate a restaurant due to his early immersion in the art of cuisine, he finally realized that being a chef was his passion. He enrolled in culinary school at France’s Ecole Hoteliere de la Chaise Dieu and graduated first in his class.

Pana Cotta

After graduation Pluton worked in Michelin-starred restaurants in Monaco, France and Switzerland. Since immigrating to the United States in the mid 1980’s he has plied his craft at fine dining establishments in New York City, Boston and Boca Raton, Florida. His career in the Chicago area began in 1994 at Carlos in Highland Park and he opened his first restaurant, Provence, in Winnetka. The restaurant underwent a name change to Jacky’s Bistro and the location was changed as well to Evanston.

Apple Tart

The restaurant’s Chef des Cuisine, Thomas Rice, having studied the culinary arts at the well known Culinary Institute of America (CIA) hails from Chicago and graduated from Hyde Park High School. After receiving his degree from the CIA, Rice spent a year in France honing his skills and working with famed chefs, Alain Ducasse and Paul Hamberlin. Rice returned to the US, worked in New York City, returning to Chicago in 2001, and back to New York for over a year. Fortunately for us Chicagoans he once again returned to Chicago and his expertise is now showcased at Haussemann Brasserie.

Nikki serves profiterolles and Vanilla Ice-Cream

Before leaving the restaurant one is given a rating sheet which one is encouraged fill out. There is a problem though. The highest rating is excellent…not superlative enough…so my rating, just beside the excellent, had to have double and triple plus signs added.

Profiterolles and Vanilla Ice-Cream are the best

Haussemann is open for lunch Monday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and dinner Monday-Thursday from 5p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday hours for dinner are 5 p.m. to 10: p.m. and Sunday hours are 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Within a very short time the restaurant will be open for Sunday Brunch. Parking is available. Reservations may be made by calling: 847-446-1133 or by going to: www.OpenTable.com . Most credit cards are accepted.

Photos by Joel P. Shrago

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