Restaurant Review: Bistro Monadnock brings Parisian flair to historic building in South Loop
“Bistro Monadnock is more than a restaurant; it is a celebration of both historical elegance and contemporary gastronomy, offering a unique dining experience that honors its storied past while embracing the vibrant culinary scene of today.”
Choose Chicago
The Monadnock Building occupies the block bounded by Jackson, Dearborn, Federal and Van Buren Streets, across the street from the Federal Center and the Union League Club.
The 16-story skyscraper, completed in 1893, was the world’s largest office building, and remains the tallest load-bearing brick or masonry building ever constructed.
It was in this piece of history that Executive Chef Johnny Besch created Bistro Monadnock, a modern French bistro focusing on traditional preparations of classic French dishes, with some twists.
The bistro, as their website notes, is a homecoming for the bistro’s owners – John, Karl & Graeme Fehr. The three brothers previously operated a boutique law firm in the Monadnock Building from 2011 – 2017. Ditching the courtroom for the dining room, this is their third hospitality concept in six years.
Start with small bites like Salt Cod Croquettes with pâte à choux and garlic aioli. Or, a Maui Oyster Shooter with a quail egg, trout roe, verdita, and shiso leaf, or Oysters from the East Coast and West Coast.
Hors D’oeuvres are purely Parisian, and include Bread & Fat…a French baguette smothered in house-cultured butter. Chicken Liver Parfait has a unique and flavorful elderflower gelée with pickles and mustards on a crostini. Smoked Walleye hasAquavit, dill, hearts of palm, and piquillo pepper on a saltine cracker. Escargots are French snails with maitre d’hôtel butter, puff pastry and charred lemon. Steak Tartare is made with dry-aged beef, farm egg variation, and dijonnaise. They go old-school with Frog Legs, seasoned with lemon pepper and made with foie buffalo, and fourme d’ambert (blue cheese).
Soupe Et Salade includes a Classic French Onion Soup with veal stock, gruyere, and emmental, with a crostini. Frisee Aux Lardons has bacon, champagne vinaigrette, a 1-hour egg, and gaufrette (thin, waffle-cut) potatoes.
Plats include a Parisian Gnocchi, made with a sherry beurre noisette, butternut squash, ossau iraty (Basque sheep milk cheese) and hazelnut. Steak Frites is a 10-ounce prime Beeman Ranch flatiron steak, served with beef fat fries in maitre d’hotel butter. Cornish Hen has a confit leg and thigh, roasted airline breast, and black garlic natural jus, served with seasonal vegetables.
What’s a French bistro without a Charcuterie Board? Certainly not Bistro Monadnock, which has its Charcuterie Et Fromage, amix of four fermented, ground salumi and whole-muscle, dry-cured meats sliced on a vintage 1921 Van Berkel meat slicer, with chef selection artisan cheeses.
Sandwiches go international, and include a Pari twist on a highly rated Bistro Burger, sitting atop an Aya milk bun, with steak, butter, red onion relish, gruyere cheese, and a Vargo Brother pickle. Croque Madame is served on a baguette, with mornay, smoked ham, and a sunny-side-up egg.
Desserts are a rotating menu of chef’s choice, and include a delectable peach melba.
Mine was not the only positive review.
“Semyon was a phenomenal waiter who gave us pleanty of time and patience as we navigated the menu,” said one recent Google reviewer. “The food was fabulous. We enjoyed the onion soup, Cornish hen, gazpacho, dorado royale, escargot, and peach Melba. It was wonderful and can’t wait to come again.”
Bistro Monadnock is located at 325 S. Federal Street. They are open Tuesday-Saturday for lunch from 11:30am-2:30pm and for dinner 4:30pm-9pm. Happy Hour is 2:30pm-5:30pm. They are closed Sunday and Monday. For reservations and information, click here.
Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago
