Out here in deepest Suburbia, sometimes things present a vaguely Disneyesque artifice, where, if…read morethe fantasy world was more advanced, "Quotation Marks" would appear magically in the air around buildings (and, alas, people) indicating irony should be applied as a mitigating factor.
This is not to imply in any way those places (or people) are therefore any less in quality or to be avoided.
But I digress...
I've driven past the "Paris Bistro" here, since it was established, and, unfairly thought "yeah, right".
Why?
Route 59 is a 1000% American Commerce Zone, rife with every franchise on the docket, and conformity is securely on the menu. And rightly so. Folks out here may have had their success, but they were raised in front of American TV, and their consumer habits developed accordingly, especially with regard to cuisine and eating habits.
There are, of course, bona fide Ethnics in the general area, but those are germane to the Communities in residence. (Some FAB Chinese, Indian and Mexican places-q.v.) I am not aware of a burgeoning French settlement anywhere nearby.
Around here "Cooper's Hawk" passes for "fine dining", and if you've ever fine-dined, you'll know Cooper's Hawk may parlay a decent feed, but it ain't Alinea, Bubba.
In the far Western and Southwestern Chicago 'burbs, folks' Culinary tastes are as conservative as their politics.
So whither "Paris Bistro"?
It's a handsome suburban building with inviting signage. When you walk in, you pass a bar having an impressive array of boozes. Keep going west past the bar and you're in a room mimicking a rural setting, if a rural setting had curved leather banquettes. There's a more traditional dining room on the other side of the bar, but I didn't go in there. It was daytime, and bright, but when daylight ebbs, I'll bet both rooms are romantic.
The service is reserved and accommodating-you're not going to find a wisecracking "Alice" on the staff.
The menu actually is pretty accurate as a French Bistro in the USA. Lots of Français on it (in the titles), but the descriptions are all clear English. You don't have translation to fear.The menu is extensive, and features many traditional "Bistro" faves, along with select "American" choices.
I was in for Brunch.
Disregarding conformity, I ordered the Escargot for Hors D'oeuvre, not that I wanted to, but because I am pathologically incapable of NOT ordering Escargot if they are on the menu before me. They were yum, but I wish there was a softer bread available for sopping the buttery-garlic goodness remaining after the morsels are consumed.
As "they" say, a French Chef is judged by their prowess in cooking a simple Omelette, so that's where I went.
"Jambon et Gruyere" to be exact.
It wasn't a large beast, but it was tasty, light, and properly prepared. No sign of the Rugby-Ball pancake-batter-enhanced behemoth omelettes you'll find in common Coffee shops.
Accompanying was a (very) small salad of nice composition, with just enough fruity vinaigrette to satisfy. Also on the plate were tasty and ultra-crispy "shoestring fries". I'm not a slave to potatoes with breakfast. but these were damned good. The problem at hand (so to speak) was the transport from plate to mouth, as they were very thin and very crisp. Both fork and spoon were inefficient. I thought of using the spoon to crush them, thus rendering spoon a contender to preserve my dining decorum. In the end, I bit the bullet and just picked them up in hand, decorum be damned. I wish I had a bucket of these for movie-watching snacks at home.
The coffee was a conundrum. It arrived with a strongish smell, like it was burnt and past its prime, but lacked the acrid flavor such as found in a forlorn brew. It was actually a fine, bold, cup of VERY dark roast.
It's a nice, sophisticated (but not snooty) resto, dignified but not stuffy. If you need to have a business breakfast/brunch, this is a perfect place. Also, if you're not in the mood for the hustle and bustle of a noisy coffee shoppe.
Prices a bit higher than you might expect, but...
I quite enjoyed both the bread and circuses here, and while I never mistook myself from being anywhere else than in Naperville (not Paris), I caught the vibe, and it was nice. I am officially pissed at myself for not stopping here sooner.
No "quotation marks" for this place.
Throwing 4 stars (for now), and I'll be back here very soon for dinner.
