Restaurant Review: West Town’s Boefhaus combines French-German influences in one Alsatian steakhouse
In the middle of a fussy holiday food season, sometimes, it’s just nice to come home to a simple, well-prepared steak with all the sides. With a side of Alsatian sass, provided by owner/chefs Brian Ahern and Jamie Finnegan.
Such is the charm of West Town’s Boeufhaus, a brasserie whose name is a mashup of the French word for beef (bouef) and the German word for house (haus).
Opened in 2015 on the border of the Ukrainian Village and Humboldt Park, the chefs are at their best when preparing classic chop and sides in their sleek, exposed-brick setting, using “sustainably and responsibly raised animals and artisanal house-made products.”
Alsatian cuisine comes from the Alsace region of France, which incorporates German traditions. You see it most strongly in their dinner starters, including FRIED PERCH paired with sauerkraut and creme fraiche. SHORTRIB BEIGNETS combine the meat in a classic French deep-fried dough and natural jus. ESCARGOT has a burgundy snail with garlic, lemon, and herbed breadcrumb. FRENCH ONION GRATINÉE has a traditional, tangy sourdough crouton with gruyere cheese.
‘For the Table’ selections include TARTARE OF BOEUF, classically made with capers and unusually, with quail egg, and is served with a petite salad. CITRUS CURED SALMON is made with ginger, beech mushroom, fresno chili, and crisped skin. CECI BEAN CAVATELLI is a combination of chickpea pasta, merguez sausage, and cacciocavala (stretched-curd cheese.)
‘Boef’ selections include the RIBEYE MP, a 22-ounce dry-aged ribeye. NEW YORK STRIP MP is a 12-ounce prime NY strip. When available, don’t miss their T-BONE or PORTERHOUSE MP. Both are 30 ounces of dry-aged goodness.
Boefhaus’ steaks caught the attention of such publications as the New York Times and Eater.com, who opined “The ribeye at Boeufhaus in Chicago, dry-aged for 55 days and weighing in at 22 ounces, arrived carved into thick tiles with crimson centers. The slices toppled neatly over one another like fallen dominoes, the last beefy brick leaning against the bone from which the meat had been cleaved…”
At lunch, the menu is nearly the same, with the exception of FRUIT DE MER with shrimp cocktail, oysters on the half shell, escabevhe, King crab, half lobster, herb aioli, mignonette, cocktail sauce, and lemon. Their CHARCUTERIE BOARD has a chicken liver mousse, duck rillette, veal & pork pate, saucisson rouge (redgarlic sausage) and manchengo conserva (sheep’s milk cheese).
Google reviews were stellar:
“Been dining at Boeufhaus since opening month and still does not disappoint. Must do’s: escargot, pastrami-cured salmon, The Tartare of Boeuf. The finale, a flawlessly cooked duck breast. Get the espresso Martini. Pro tip: eat a steak!”
Boefhaus is located at 1012 N. Western Avenue. They are open Thursdays from 3:30pm – close, on Fridays and Saturdays, lunch is 11am – 3pm, and dinner is 3:30pm – close. Their Sunday Supperclub is from 5pm – 10pm. Reservations are highly recommended, and can be made by clicking here.
Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago
