A lot of restaurants these days are touting their use of "local, sustainable and organic" ingredients, but I don't know how many are as serious about it as Sean Sanders, owner and chef at Browntrout. It's one thing to throw some free-range chicken and organic greens on the menu, but Sanders actually grows his own herbs and vegetables on the rooftop of his recently opened Lincoln Square restaurant.
Sanders gets as much of his meat, fish and produce as close to home as possible. And what he can't find locally, he buys organic from California. That means when the steak runs out, as it did the Saturday night I was there, you are out of luck. But, there were plenty of other dishes so elegant in their simplicity that they kept my party of eight "mmm-ing and ahh-ing" for a good three hours. The warm and cozy space makes you want to sit and linger over wine and conversation, and the communal table in the center is perfect for large groups.
There is a roasted beet salad on the "smalls" menu that I will go ahead and call perfect: subtly salted arugula, creamy goat-milk ricotta, crunchy toasted almonds and a zesty Meyer lemon vinaigrette. Wow! The Prince Edward Island mussels came in an unexpected spicy sauce with coconut milk and cilantro. They clearly were a crowd-pleaser because there was nothing but a bunch of empty shells left when we were done. The bread came to the table crusty, still warm and—I'm guessing—homemade, but it's a shame it arrived about 30 minutes into the meal, and without butter or olive oil.
I assure you that you'll be very, very tempted, but skip the pomme frites. Gruyere fondue is like a siren song for me. I'm powerless against its rich, pungent allure. But the oily, congealed, vinegary-tasting cheese that was served with these overdone French fries really let me down. The same was true of the specialty house cocktails. I truly appreciate the effort and creativity ( there's a highball made with Maker's Mark and a White Russian blended with a coffee cordial and topped with whipped cream ) , but for $10 a pop, they just don't deliver. Save your money for a nice bottle of wine.
The food at Browntrout is impressive without trying too hard, and the entrees were no exception. The scallops were scrumptious—seasoned and pan-seared to perfection and tender enough to eat with just a fork ( if you have no table manners ) . The scallops came with a cauliflower puree so creamy and tasty, I thought it was mashed potatoes.
Figuring that a place with "trout" in its name would make a good one, I ordered the Utah ruby red trout, which came with bacon lardon, brown butter and shallots—oh my! And, I hate peas, but the super-fresh English ones that came with this trout were so delicious, I couldn't resist.
There were several other standouts among the main courses. The Mint Creek rack of lamb was a beautiful cut in a tantalizingly sweet sauce with smashed purple potatoes. But, um, Chef Sanders, if you're going to serve smashed purple potatoes, please don't put peas in them. Although delicious, the combo looked so gross, I had to close my eyes to eat it. The chef recommends the Raymond Estates R Collection Cabernet Sauvignon with the lamb, but we struck out on our own and paired it with the David Barn d'Or Cabernet/Syrah, which I loved from the first whiff—not too sweet, not too dry, and really nice with the lamb.
The crispy duck leg and antelope sausage was one of the fussier dishes. With flageolet beans, Brussels sprouts, sauerkraut and blood oranges, there was a lot going on—but it seemed to work, so I'm not complaining. The grilled pork chop was served with chestnut-and-apple risotto, an obvious, albeit gussied-up, nod to pork chops and applesauce. But here's the thing—the risotto was so mushy, it actually tasted just like applesauce. I really love the concept, but for $28, I'll open a jar of Mott's and call it a day.
The menu is pretty fish- and meat-heavy, but vegetarians, have no fear: Sanders has a special menu just for you. It includes a spectacular Kabocha squash tagliatelle with walnuts, sage, pecorino cheese and brown butter, which makes it obvious that the vegetarian menu isn't an afterthought.
Meals at Browntrout end just as simply as they begin. None of us was still hungry, but we shared several desserts. The fallen chocolate soufflé was delicious, but a bit crispy around the edges and not served with nearly enough coffee Anglaise—I know it's a recession, but come on! My first bite of the Cara Cara orange meringue tasted like cough syrup ( full disclosure: I don't really like orange-flavored things ) , but the crust was so good, I kept going and it won me over. My pick for dessert is the butterscotch crème brulee—thick, creamy, not too sweet, and it came to the table warm. I was mad I had to share it—even with people I love.
Browntrout is at 4111 N. Lincoln; 773-472-4111 or www.browntroutchicago.com .
