Have you heard about
Boeufhaus yet? It's one of the hottest new restaurants in Chicago--it just won an
Eater Award for being "So Hot Right Now." The 34 seat steakhouse is located in West Town and opened this past spring. Although its name literally means "beef house," don't confuse it with other typical Chicago steakhouses. Boeufhaus is a French and German steakhouse with a relaxing and intimate dining room that evokes a sense of warmness. Fellow foodie Allana of
Allana Bytes and I stopped by for a weeknight dinner to check out the menu and see what all of the hype was about.
The menu is pretty straightforward and consists of starters, soups and salads, a la carte beef, entrees, and sides. No trip to Boeufhaus is complete without ordering the shortrib beignets. Yes, you read that right. If you haven't had savory beignets before, trust me, they are fantastic. These little pockets of heaven are stuffed with hearty pieces of braised shortrib, and served with a side of jus for dipping. The dough was not the slightest bit greasy, rather, it was pillowy soft and well, doughy. Our only complaint was the salt level. Each dough ball was sprinkled with sea salt, but this was a little too much considering the saltiness of the braised shortib inside.
 |
| Shortrib Beignets |
Boeufhaus also offers nightly specials and on the night we dined, they featured swordfish crudo with mushroom consommé, and fresh mushrooms. The fish was delicate and fresh, but I felt it was lacking in flavor. I really wanted it to have something more to it.
 |
| Swordfish Crudo |
Since we were at Boeufhaus, we had to try some steak. Boeufhaus offers five cuts including a 35 or 55 day dry aged ribeye, filet mignon, New York strip, and steak frites. We tried the steak frites which included some pretty fantastic boeuf fat fries and malt vinegar aioli. The steak arrived pre-sliced which made it easy to share. It was a generous portion of steak and fries and thank goodness, those fries were addicting! Allana was a huge fan of the malt vinegar aioli but we both felt the steak was very chewy. I will say I was happy to see our steak was cooked the way we ordered it (medium rare).
 |
| Steak Frites |
We supplemented our entree with a side of cauliflower gratin. Hey, it's a vegetable. Even if it's smothered in Gruyère, béchamel, leeks, and bread crumbs. Minor details. The gratin was rich, gooey, and one of the best things we tried. Other side options include roasted mushrooms, rye spaetzle, and those scrumptious boeuf fat fries.
 |
| Cauliflower Gratin |
If you're not in the mood for steak, Boeufhaus offers other entree options including fish, pork, duck, and veal. You can also make a meal out of the selection of appetizers including beef tartare, citrus salmon, or chickpea cavatelli.
So, what about the price? There's quite a range: starters range from $6-16, steaks range from $26-60, and entrees range from $27-46. We kept it pretty affordable by sharing several dishes, but you could definitely ring up quite a bill. Still, the prices don't compare to other, pricey Chicago steakhouses.
I'm giving Boeufhaus 3.5 ghosts out of 5 for their laid back vibe, and beyond-the-norm menu. Our service was great too, I just thought the seasoning of some items were off (too bland/too salty). Boeufhaus is a great option if you're craving a steak, but not craving a typical Chicago steakhouse experience.
Post a Comment