59 West Hubbard Street, Chicago
312-595-0800
Broadcast July 14, 2006
CHICAGO (WBBM Newsradio 780) -- Brasserie Jo, at 59 West Hubbard, opened a decade ago, as the namesake of Chef Jean Joho. It's been a solid representative of French casual dining ever since. Brasserie Jo is somewhat different from the many other bistros and brasseries that dot Chicago, largely because of the Alsatian influences which reflect Joho's background.
As a brasserie, there is an excellent choice of imported beer, and a terrific domestic ale out of Dupage County. The wine list revels in the sweeter, spicier wines of Alsace, without ignoring the other grape growing regions of France.
As for the menu, there are the classics such as baked onion soup with Gruyere cheese, ratatouille and goat cheese, or steak frites among several listings. We began with a house special, Onion Tart Uncle Hansi. The crust is the real deal, the filling less sweet than some other onion tarts.
Steamed mussels in Riesling is all it should be, maybe a bit more buttery than one might expect. The mussels are plumped and free of all traces of grit. Other starters include a collection of salads and smoked or otherwise preserved meats and fish.
Brasserie Jo features what the menu calls The Famous Shrimp Bag, a pastry filled with shrimp in lobster sauce. I think it's gilding the lily a bit. My preference is sautéed walleye pike with mustard vinaigrette. Walleye is a mild fish that reacts favorably to most treatments, including this one. Other seafood includes braised halibut with fennel and clams, trout in a classic preparation which uses capers, or salmon with spinach and fennel in a Riesling broth.
For meat eaters, in addition to the steak frites, there's grilled lamb chops, roasted chicken and a dozen or so other selections. As much as I like Brasserie Jo, I am surprised at the stingy portion of fries when ordered as an ala carte side. It's not worth the money.
Otherwise, expect to spend about $ $80 a couple for appetizer through dessert, plus add ons. Brasserie Jo is a 59 West Hubbard and has a K/RATING of 18.75/20.
AMBIANCE 4/4
HOSPITALITY 5/5
FOOD 9/10
VALUE .75/1
K/RATING 18.75/20
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