Chicago - Duchamp Restaurant - Bucktown - 'an American eatery with a global twist'

So Mrs Sweet Willie & I dined this evening at Duchamp, we went on the advice of a buddy and the fact that it was a 1,000 point Open Table time sealed the deal for us.

We had attended the Steppenwolf matinee production of 'Detroit' so it was very early (5pm) when we arrived at Duchamp.

What struck me most initially was the music playing, the latest CD of The National followed by The Black Keys.

I have to be honest, I was underwhelmed by the menu. I normally am able to narrow my focus down to 2-3 dishes very easily and then will make my decision from there. I was having a hard time with this menu, just not a lot of choices. Turns out if a restaurant executes well, not having a lot of choices isn't such a bad thing.

For some reason I feel I had heard/read about the havarti burger. Turns out in Chicago Magazine - Feb 2009 edition they stated: Under a puffy dill bun and a melt of Havarti, the four-inch-tall hunk of three freshly ground meats (including filet mignon) weighs in at eight glorious ounces. Duchamp's burger is the juiciest, the beefiest, and the best we've had in ages.

Alas I didn't choose the burger.

We had a delicious bottle of Pinot Grigio by Canaletto, seeing as Sunday is 50% off bottles of wine day at Duchamp, our bottle was $22:)

Our starters:
seared diver scallop with butter poached gnocchi, seasonal mushrooms and finished with black truffle. DELICIOUS and so rich!

steak tartare w/egg yolk, served w/traditional garnishes of cornichon, mustard, capers and paprika. One doesn't see steak tartare often, this was a good one.

Our mains:
bouillabaisse of grouper, mussels, calamari, shrimp, potatoes, basil and house cured tomatoes simmered in saffron-shellfish broth. The seafood was not overcooked in this bouillabaisse, the broth was salty but Mrs Sweet Willie likes salt so she was happy.

roast amish chicken breast with escargot whipped potatoes, slow roasted fennel and rustic pan sauce. Breast was skin on, seared in a very hot pan so there was a nice crust, keeping the meat juicy. Escargot potatoes were unique, the escargot really didn't add anything IMO. The oops of the night was the fennel, it was not slow roasted but quartered and put on a grill. The result was a blackened grill mark piece of fennel that was not cooked at all.:td: The fact that the chicken and jus were so well done, I was able to forgive this faux pas.

We were too full for dessert.

Based on our very good meal, we will be back.

Duchamp (an American Bistro)
2118 N Damen Ave
Chicago
773-235-6434
www.duchamp-chicago.com

I really enjoy this place, although I still miss Meritage Cafe (the restaurant it replaced circa 2007/8).

The east meets west wings are one of my favorites, and the scallop is consistently cooked to perfection (and we all know how hard it is to properly sear a scallop).

This is a great spot during warmer weather -- they have a large outdoor patio with lots of seating and mood lighting.

And it also happens to be a stone's throw from home for me!

.. although I still miss Meritage Cafe (the restaurant it replaced circa 2007/8).too funny, a friend of mine said that she & her husband feel the same way. I came close to ordering the east/west wings, I'll give them a shot on our return.

I love Duchamp in the summer when you can sit outdoors. The food is good but not great. For me the outdoor seating on a summer day makes it amazing.

To the OP, were you as underwhelmed with "Detroit" as you were by the menu? I couldn't get out of that theater fast enough! :)

To the OP, were you as underwhelmed with "Detroit" as you were by the menu? I couldn't get out of that theater fast enough! :)Might be a generational thing, Mrs Sweet Willie & I both liked/enjoyed "Detroit", that was the response from friends of ours in their late 30's through late 40's. My parents (late 70's) and their friends, HATED it.