tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post7185388479856347379..comments2024-01-11T10:42:04.361-06:00Comments on French virtual cafe: French Restaurants in Chicago 1924-1999. A 75 year retrospectiveAlainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01126757109489920640noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post-67531890796073510662016-04-18T15:36:37.200-05:002016-04-18T15:36:37.200-05:00Yes it is a cruel and unjust end for a man who'...Yes it is a cruel and unjust end for a man who's life in the kitchen was a permanent source of joy and of delight for his customers and friends. I knew him since 1974, and I will miss him a lot. Alainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01126757109489920640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post-2875717414822845822016-04-18T15:04:37.506-05:002016-04-18T15:04:37.506-05:00Alain,
We mourn the tragic passing of Jean-Claude...Alain,<br /><br />We mourn the tragic passing of Jean-Claude Poilevey, who brightened Chicago for so many years with his fine food an gracious humor.RGuadnolohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00912635815001718804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post-17860294277874539512015-08-25T10:14:03.027-05:002015-08-25T10:14:03.027-05:00ThanksThanksAlainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01126757109489920640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post-65481797076964242512015-08-25T02:23:12.911-05:002015-08-25T02:23:12.911-05:00wow!wow!don wisenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post-29045188147149259512015-03-20T10:52:07.780-05:002015-03-20T10:52:07.780-05:00The only French bistro that I can remember of in ...The only French bistro that I can remember of in that area in the 1980s was Le Cochonnet at 3443 N. Sheffield, practically at the intersection of Clark, just South of Wrigley Field.<br />But the Restaurant you are thinking about must have been just North of the ballpark since just South of Waveland is in the 3600 N. Clark block. Alainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01126757109489920640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post-35115515269344303002015-03-20T10:07:43.955-05:002015-03-20T10:07:43.955-05:00I'm trying to remember the name of the small b...I'm trying to remember the name of the small bistro that was on Clark, near Wrigley Field, in the '80s and early '90s. Just south of Waveland, I think. East side of the street.RWShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16657836682868552279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post-14094871962568050952014-10-20T03:49:31.159-05:002014-10-20T03:49:31.159-05:00Thanks for sharing this post; you have explained f...Thanks for sharing this post; you have explained for almost all French <a href="http://eventup.com/venues/chicago-il/" rel="nofollow">Chicago restaurants</a>. Now it will get easy for those who are fond of French food and wants French items in their menu.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14902837130625049610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post-5981236204057631782014-01-24T11:20:02.488-06:002014-01-24T11:20:02.488-06:00Alain6:33 PM
I am sorry it took me so long to ans...Alain6:33 PM<br /><br />I am sorry it took me so long to answer your interesting comment that puzzled me for weeks. I was a regular customer at Le Perroquet from 1975 until 1984 when its founder and owner Jovan Trboyevic, who over the years became a friend, sold his iconic and delightful restaurant to its manager Jean-Pierre Nespoux. Over these years I consumed several bottles of champagne there but I had no memories of that particular Illinois-made sparkling wine. I did lots of research, called specialized publications and the association of Illinois wine growers. None had an answer, and myself, even though I found 2 potential leads, could not find any local bubbly that would fit the considered period. The ideal would have been to talk with Gérard Nespoux, who used to be the sommelier there. I know him quite well but I could not reach him. So I got in touch by e-mail with Maggie Abbott Trboyevic, Jovan's widow. She was in Europe in the fall, but upon her return to Chicago she told me that she remembered that mysterious sparkling wine from Illinois but could not recall its name. She told me that Governor Dan Walker had asked Jovan T. to cater a special dinner in Springfield in the mid seventies. He flew there and brought with him some bottles of that wine that he had just discovered and enjoyed a lot. So he put it on His own wine list. She also told me that she had found a producer of ''brut'' sparkling wine in Illinois. I knew this winery and had tried some of their wines, but I also knew that it was created recently, so it could not be the one I was looking for.<br />Encouraged by what she told me I went back to my search in the archives of the Chicago Tribune and finally found some serious leads in 4 articles which convinced me that the only excellent sparkling wine ever produced in Illinois using the ''méthode champenoise'' was Père Champagne Cuvée Marquette Brut, produced by John Thompson on his Thompson Vineyard and Winery in Monee, Illinois between 1972 and 1982, when his son who had taken over the vineyard encountered economic difficulties in 1980. The production of Père Champagne which had peaked to 5,000 cases in the late seventies, was practically stopped in 1982.<br />John Thompson, a very interesting and well-traveled and cultured man from Flossmoor IL, always had a passionate interest in steam locomotives that he collected and wines. A scientist holding 2 MS diplomas and perhaps a PHD was an international consultant who also owned cattle farms, and also had a solid knowledge of both agriculture and viticulture. He bought a bankrupt vineyard in Monee in 1970 from 2 local gentlemen named Bern Ramey and Joseph Allen. They had created their own winery there in 1964 and had managed to produce a very decent ''American champagne'' in Monee. They even bought 2 small railroad stations located in Southern Illinois thta became their winery, office, and laboratory in Monee.<br />In 1975 Père Champagne, Cuvée Marquette Brut, even won an award at the International Wine and Spirits competition in London, UK. This sparkling wine was scrupulously following the rules of the méthode champenoise. Thompson had visited many wineries in Champagne to perfect the knowledge he had acquired at UC Davis. He used a press imported from France, the grape juice was temperature controlled, fermented in French oak vats, the yeasts were imported from Ay one of the most celebrated village in Champagne, and the techniques of ''remuage'' and '' dégorgeage'' before the second fermentation in the bottle were also followed.<br />I am almost positive that this was probably the "champagne" from Illinois that you had been drinking at Le Perroquet in the seventies.Alainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01126757109489920640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post-64719883312618911882013-09-07T01:53:38.985-05:002013-09-07T01:53:38.985-05:00astonished to find this history of French restaura...astonished to find this history of French restaurants in Chicago--thank you so much for writing it. I recently mentioned to someone that the best "champagne" I ever had was at a lunch at Le Perroquet in the 70s. We ordered it because it was only $10 a bottle, and because, much to our surprise, it was made in Illinois. I don't recall the name of the winery, so I began a search this evening. I see that some newer wineries are in Illinois making sparkling wines, and one, in Galaena that existed in the 70s. But for some reason I seem to recall that the winery was near Kankakee, either south or east of there. I'm commenting here because I have a feeling that if anyone knew what that winery was, it would be you! Thanks again! Nicol KNicolKnappenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18007136591940883468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post-64144005177342287632013-05-24T10:46:28.902-05:002013-05-24T10:46:28.902-05:00Thanks David. The pleasure was mine.
The next ins...Thanks David. The pleasure was mine.<br /><br />The next installment, The nineties, that had been delayed for too long for several reasons, should be posted sometimes in June Alainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01126757109489920640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post-61011123122824460992013-05-23T19:38:11.483-05:002013-05-23T19:38:11.483-05:00So pleased to have found this site. Was just writi...So pleased to have found this site. Was just writing about Le Bouchon (20 years!). Very glad we ran into each other last week.<br /><br />HammondDavid Hammondhttp://www.dchammond.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post-79097736701260250252012-09-28T11:12:15.238-05:002012-09-28T11:12:15.238-05:00Saved as a favorite, I love your site!
Also see my...Saved as a favorite, I love your site!<br /><i>Also see my webpage</i> > <b><a href="http://301investmoney.com" rel="nofollow">how do you Invest money</a></b>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post-91051694505937047362012-08-31T09:18:08.844-05:002012-08-31T09:18:08.844-05:00You are right about the Papillon, but in the early...You are right about the Papillon, but in the early 80's before they close it was not owned by the original owners anymore.<br />Also True: Dominique Tougne, former executive chef of Bistro 110 has bought Cafe Bernard from Bernard Lecoq and completely transformed it in a very nice looking modern bistro. But Chez Moi is even more, as far as the food is concerned, typically "provincial" country French than cafe Bernard was. Alainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01126757109489920640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post-61302054917149203962012-08-31T06:45:41.941-05:002012-08-31T06:45:41.941-05:00I think Pappilon lasted into the early 1980s. I s...I think Pappilon lasted into the early 1980s. I say this because my wife and I recall eating there. We didn't start to keep company until 1980. Also, I hate to say that Cafe Bernard and the more intimate Red Rooster closed this past spring. I'm told the chef returned to France to become a farmer. Not to fret, though. Chez Moi in the same space as Cafe Bernard is a worthy successor.Romberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18408879101913507546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post-31308314841214184782012-04-11T17:25:32.062-05:002012-04-11T17:25:32.062-05:00Thanks! I'll check back in a week or so for th...Thanks! I'll check back in a week or so for the film reviews. And I'll be keeping an eye out for any other updates to your blog.<br /><br />We don't have much experience of French restaurants in the US. Never got to Le bec-fin when we lived in Phila and now Georges Perrier has retired.<br /><br />But we can highly recommend a place near Winchester VA, a wonderful French restaurant and inn, L'auberge Provencale. Maybe you'll be in the area sometime and can check it out.Carolynnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post-17826919606823934302012-04-11T15:58:08.357-05:002012-04-11T15:58:08.357-05:00Thank you for your much appreciated comment,
I am ...Thank you for your much appreciated comment,<br />I am presently working on a list of my favorite French films viewed both in theaters in Chicago or from Netflix.<br />I will post it soon.Alainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01126757109489920640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post-59284022962298752042012-04-10T14:58:49.362-05:002012-04-10T14:58:49.362-05:00Today I came across your blog while googling Iroul...Today I came across your blog while googling Irouleguy, and am delighted to find it. Your comments on your hypermarche grocery shopping resonated with us. Watching French shoppers in Leclerc buying all the boxed and frozen foods, I wanted to say, Don't you know that there are food treasures that you could be buying instead of industrial foods? At the weekly markets you don't see many younger shoppers--probably they are at work and can't get away to patronize the market stalls. We only are in France for a few weeks, but it seems to us that the markets we go to are smaller each year.<br /><br />But the real reason I am commenting here is to encourage you to update your list of favorite movies. I added a few of yours to our Netflix queue, but you stopped around 2007. I think we might be on the same movie wavelength with you, so please, when you have a chance, bring us up to date.Carolynnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post-57662759545757583922012-03-01T09:34:21.752-06:002012-03-01T09:34:21.752-06:00Souvenirs, souvenirs....
Thank you Debi for this v...Souvenirs, souvenirs....<br />Thank you Debi for this very nice evocation of your own memories of our group in this mythical placeAlainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01126757109489920640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20235549.post-22754076779633020782012-03-01T07:58:46.134-06:002012-03-01T07:58:46.134-06:00Bonjour Alain - I had the great fortune of accomp...Bonjour Alain - I had the great fortune of accompanying you, Francis, Robert, Pierre and Joseph to Le Perroquet back in the '70's and I remember it as a religious experience. At the tender age of 22, I had no experience of elegant French restaurants. I had enjoyed many, many wonderful French meals "en famille", but a student's budget in Switzerland and France left me with "pain et chocolat" in the street. At Le Perroquet, I remember Robert asking me what year I was born and ordering a wine that was a year ot two within that range, and feeling the sensation of liquid gold coating my throat as I drank. I was such a child then -- I remember him offering the chocolate from the saucer of his coffee cup, popping it straight into my mouth. In a strange way, it was a "communion" with my chosen "culte", the American girl amongst the French. I have dined at countless French tables since then, always feeling warmly welcomed and yet keeping some of that "Alice au Pays des Merveilles" sensation of taking a privileged journey away from what was supposed to be "home". If it's true that "home is where the heart is", then my home is truly in France.<br />Gros Bisous<br />Deborah (or "Debi" as I was called, but it sounded too American and too much like red ink...)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12145761750099653167noreply@blogger.com