Originally Posted by Cholula

in it's prime, I don't think there ever would have been an argument that Le Francais was first class. But it went through an ownership change several years ago and seemed to have quickly deteriorated.

This, however, from a recent blurb, on the restaurant. The chef that brought them to the party is now back in charge:

Chef Roland Liccioni is back ~ taking over the reign as chef / partner of Le Francais restaurant in Wheeling. The highly imaginative and artistic chef was previously at the restaurant from 1989 – 1999. During this time, Chef Roland achieved a five-star Mobil rating, five Diamond awards, accolades from Food & Wine Magazine, and in 1997, he won the James Beard Best Chef in the Midwest Award, a highly sought after honor. Under his direction, Le Francais was thought of as one of, if not the, best Restaurant in the United States. Chef Roland’s achievements literally put Chicago on the map of the culinary world.