Monday Night Dinner - Chalkboard

Scccccrrrreeeeeeeeeecccchhhhhh....

And so ended our dinner at Chalkboard in the North Center neighborhood of Chicago. I had been wanting to dine at Chalkboard ever since I peered into its large front window. I gazed upon its long chalkboard and barely made out these words "My mother's favorite...". They had me.

I am a great lover of comfort food. Being raised by Southern grandmothers who coaxed me into good behavior with buttermilk cheese biscuits, fried chicken (drumstick dipped in Kraft French dressing for me), and a luscious pound cake that I swear stays moist for 3 weeks. So needless to say...I was ready for Chalkboard.

It is one of those restaurants that you always pass by and mention to your cohort, we HAVE to eat there! But you always forget to put it on your short list when that lovely question rears its salt and peppered head..."Where should we eat?" But on Monday night I remembered!

JB and I talked about Lula's Cafe, Glenn's Diner and other favorites, but Lula's was too far and Glenn's was closed. So Chalkboard hit me! I was so excited!

Neither one of us was dressed for Chalkboard. We arrived around 6pm and were the first to be seated. Inside was very new....soft hues of green and orange. The HUGE chalkboard...very french bistro. Soft lighting and unexpected music choices. Old blues, jazz, and then some funky alternative.

The menu was straightforward with not a lot of surprises...comfort food/french bistro. Some Asian influenced items in the special - but nothing that screamed my name. The chef also added little anecdotes next to each item. Not sure I loved that touch - I tended to get annoyed with his continuous references to his wife.

THE FOOD:
Tap water was nicely served out of corked bottles - nicely chilled. Made me forget all my fears about Chicago water. Warm rolls were served - brushed with olive oil. JB and the man at the next table commented on the lack of butter, but for me the oil was enough.

I asked JB if he was up for some country pate. I believe I startled him. "You like pate?" he asked incredulously. "Hey, I grew up on liverwurst, mayo and white bread!" So bring on the pate! The pate was a mixture of chicken and duck liver, bacon and bacon fat served with cornichons, diced shallot, whole grain mustard, and roasted cashews in olive oil. We both gasped at the size of the pate portion. Very substantial for $10. We slathered the accompanying flatbread with pate/shallots/mustard and dug in. Very tasty. The pate on its own was good but layer it with shallots and mustard and I was in heaven. I occasionally get squeamed that I am eating liver but then I get over myself.

JB was eating light and went for one of his favorites - the single crabcake. I ordered the vegetable pie with curried peas. Trying to appear healthy after burying my face in the pate.

The vegetable pie was very pretty. A small pie settled in the middle of fragrant curried peas with two baby carrots. The crust was delicious but had a sweetness to it. After tasting, JB immediately declared that I was the only one who could order a perfectly sensible savory dish and have it turn up tasting like dessert! Inside was a brownish mushy vegetable that I guessed to be eggplant - but I had no real clue. It looked like the pate they put inside of old school Beef Wellingtons. It too was a bit sweet. Also inside was carrots, potatoes, some parsnips? And that strange sweetness...cinnamon? nutmeg? Definitely sweet without being sweet if that makes sense. The peas were straight curry and could have used some variance.

The crabcake. Oh the crabcake. I love a good crabcake. The right crabcake can sing and be sweet and salty. It can make or break a meal. This cake broke ours. The good: plenty of crabmeat -not a lot of filler. The mustard sauce tangy. The bad: Fishy...and I HATE FISHY. I am not a big fan of fish but I love crab. So god help the chef that makes my crab taste fishy.

JB stopped eating after 2 bites. His appetite was gone and I kept eyeing the nasty cake and trying to dispel the fishiness that I had been tricked into eating.

The server came to clear and asked if we had enjoyed the crabcake. JB was kind. "Um it was a little fishy". I could not hold back - "VERY FISHY" I added and made sure I made "the face". She apologized and said she would have Chef Gil taste it. JB took that opportunity to ask me HOW a Chef named Gil would be able to taste the fish. That was funny. She offered to get him something else - but fishy anything can spoil the most stalwart stomach.

Well Gil thought JB must not have like the Obi (seaweed) he included in the cake. Obi? Obi?!!?!? Who actually tries to make something taste FISHY? Obi has its place in cooking just not in a crabcake.

Dessert menu was a bit ho hum. Why can't chefs figure out that cookie dough egg rolls are just not that great? I love bread pudding but I was afraid that Gil might put some Obi in it.

The bill was presented WITH THE CRABCAKE. *sigh* 10% tip and we left. I felt disappointed and slightly uneasy while my stomach was trying to decide if "sweet" vegetable pie was to its liking.

I loved that they served Dr. Pepper.

Please take an eraser to Chalkboard. We will not be returning to class.

Chalkboard
4343 N. Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL