Results tagged: New in Chicago

The Bristol, a self-style "neighborhood eatery and bar," has just opened in the northern Bucktown area. Chicago restaurant vets John Ross, Philip Walters, and executive chef Chris Pandel are to thank for this new addition, each departing from more formal venues (one sixtyblue, N9NE, and Tru, to name a few places on their resumes) to open the casual, communal The Bristol.

The food is seasonal American, with dishes priced and sized for sharing and grazing. The menu is split up into five categories: Snacks, Salads, Fish, Meat, and Etc. The first two categories are comprised of smaller dishes, while the latter three contain closer to entrée sized portions - with nothing priced more than $20. Some of the more unique offerings include Monkey Bread Pull Apart with dill butter and sea salt, Duck Fat Fries with house ketchup and garlic aioli, Stuffed Chicken Wings with chorizo and blue cheese, Raviolo with ricotta, egg yolk, and brown butter, and a Roasted Half Chicken with "Lazy Pierogi" and Madiera.

In addition to the regular menu, Pandel is able to keep the Bristol seasonal with the ever-changing Chalkboard menu. Dishes, smaller "snack" sized ones for the most part, will pop up when the chef finds something at market, and disappear just as fast; there's even another chalkboard running along side the bar with a countdown of how many orders of these items remain. 

In addition to the menu, the set-up of the Bristol encourages sharing and communal dining. Large parties, or those just wanting to chat with their neighbors, can sit at one of the communal tables that run down the entire length of the restaurant. Against one wall, a leather banquet has individual tables for those who want a little more privacy. For those who want to dine at the bar, the Bristol has a beautiful stone one, with comfy leather, backed stools.

Chef Pedigree:

• Most recently a corporate chef for Rick Tramonto's Cenitare restaurant group.
• Before that, worked as the Chef de Cuisine at Tramonto's Osteria Via Stato.
• Worked for two years under Rick Tramonto as a Sous Chef at Tru.
• Spent six years in New York City, working under Daniel Boulud and Andrew Carmellini at Cafe Boulud.

The Bristol

Location: 2152 North Damen Avenue between Webster and Shakespeare Streets
Hours: Sun-Mon, 5:30pm-10pm; Tue-Wed, 5:30pm-11pm; Thur, 5:30pm-midnight, Fri-Sat, 5:30pm-1:00am
Reservations: Not accepted

View the complete listing on Savory Cities for The Bristol.

By Jane Lopes

Randy Zweiban, formerly the executive chef at Nacional 27, has opened his own place in the already great-for-dining River West area, within blocks of Avec, Blackbird, and Sepia. Province, as in "a general place or region" (says the chef), serves American food with Spanish, Central American, and South American influences.

The menu is split up into seven sections: bites, raw, soups/salad, small, big, bigger, and vegetables (with two sizes available for many dishes), encouraging guests to nosh and share. Dishes include a "bite" of Cuban Pork Bocadillo, Melted Spanish Blue Cheese Fondue with smoked onions and herbed crisps, Gunthorp Farms Rabbit Confit with marcona almond emulsion, and a Ten Hour Braised Lamb with eggplant, chorizo and cornbread.

Province has also created enticing beverage menus: exotic cocktails by Jeff Donahue (formerly of Nacional 27 as well), with ingredients like Del Maguey Mezcal, Bosc Pear-Infused Woodford Reserve, and Farigoule Thyme Liqueur. The affordable wine list is eclectic and international with choices like Moschofilero from Greece and Carmenere from Chile, as well as "reserve vertical flights" of high-end wines from Rioja and California. Beer choices are limited, but available.

One of the most notable features of Province is its commitment to being eco-friendly. The restaurant is housed in The Chicago Transit Authority building, which was awarded Gold LEED-EB certification by the U.S. Green Building Council- the first building in Illinois to earn such an honor. The interior of the restaurant is "green" as well: regenerated cotton sheers hang in the windows, sustainably-harvested cork lines the floor, and painted white trees hang dramatically from the ceiling; guests take their seats in recycled leather chairs and eat off cork and recycled wood tables.

Chef Pedigree:
•    In the summer of 1998, was recruited by Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc. to open Nacional 27, which was named "Best New Restaurant" by Chicago Magazine.
•    Took a year hiatus to work as Executive Chef at The Gate, an exclusive supper club in Los Angeles.
•    Owned catering companies in New York City and Miami before becoming involved with celebrated chef Norman Van Aken in Miami. Zweiban worked first at a mano and then at Norman's, where he was Chef de Cuisine and partner.
•    Attended The Institute of Culinary Education in New York City.

Province

Location: 161 N. Jefferson between Randolph and Lake
Hours: Mon-Thu, 11:30am-10:30pm; Fri, 11:30am-11:30pm; Sat, 5-11:30pm
Reservations: Call 312-669-9900 or book on OpenTable.

View the Province listing on Savory Cities.