/24-7PressRelease/ - Northfield, IL, June 13, 2008 - Summer is nearly here, and to welcome its arrival is Jacky Pluton's latest endeavor, the highly anticipated Haussmann Brasserie (305 N. Happ Rd., Northfield; 847-446-1133), a traditional American brasserie with a Parisian flair that is now open for lunch and dinner, with brunch slated to begin Sunday, June 22. The restaurant is located in Northfield, a suburb north of Chicago.
Executive chef/owner Pluton, who last owned Chicago restaurants Pluton and Jacky's Bistro, relishes the opportunity to return to the kitchen. Among his staff he's tapped a talented team that includes chef de cuisine Thomas Rice, formerly of Gilt in New York City, and general manager David Ligon, formerly of Trio.
About the restaurant
"I wanted a strong name that symbolizes French influence on Chicago," says Pluton. "I've named it after Georges-Eugene Haussmann, a famous French planner, who is credited with the redevelopment of Paris under Napoleon III." Haussmann's plans for Paris inspired many American architects including Chicago-raised Daniel Burnham who borrowed liberally from Haussmann's plan and even incorporated the diagonal street designs in his 1909 Plan of Chicago. Similar comparisons can be drawn from French food's influence on American cuisine.
Haussmann's d cor is classic and sophisticated, featuring handsome banquette and table seating in a rustic, earth-toned d cor with authentic Parisian accoutrements. The restaurant's spacious bar area is in the front of the restaurant, with the 175-seat dining room behind it. A private dining area adjacent to the dining room can accommodate groups of up to 50 people. An outdoor patio seating 50 guests is available for dining during warmer months.
About the food
Haussmann's menu includes a selection of American brasserie dishes influenced by modern French cuisine. For dinner, guests can enjoy Hors D'Oeuvres including Onion Soup Gratin e ($6); the Haussmann Salad served with bibb lettuce, Paris mushrooms, haricot vert and tarragon-mustard dressing ($10); Frisee aux Lardons with chicory salad, bacon lardon and poached egg ($10); Pât de Campagne, country style pât , pain au levain, watercress and radish ($12); Steak Tartare ($12); Garlic Sausage "En Brioche" with truffle reduction ($11); Parisienne Gnocchi with fines herbs ($11), or Endive Salad with blue cheese, candied walnuts, watercress and mustard vinaigrette.
For dinner, fish lovers will enjoy entr es such as Sea Scallops with lemons, capers and brioche croutons ($20); Halibut with roasted red pepper "aigre-doux" ($25); Mussels Marinière with potato frites ($18). Meat aficionados will savor the Veal Paillard with "vegetables a la grecque" ($22); Steak Au Poivre ($20); NY Strip ($28), and three gourmet burgers, including Mushroom Duxelle ($15), Royale with Cheese ($14) and Boursin Burger ($14).
The dinner menu also features "Plats du Jour," a special dish for each day. Monday's dish is Trout Almondine ($23), Tuesday is Duck Confit ($18), Wednesday is Stuffed Veal Breast ($25), Thursday is Bouillabaise ($25), Friday is Pate en Croute ($23), Saturday is Lobster Americaine ($48), and Sunday is Beef Bourguignonne ($23). Diners can also choose from a variety of sides, including Potato Puree, Potato Frites, Haricot Vert, Cauliflower Gratin and Macaroni Gratin ($6 each).
Haussmann's lunch menu features several salads, including the Mediterranean Tuna with grilled yellowfin tuna, romaine hearts, radish, olives, tomato confit and lemon-black pepper dressing ($14); Grilled Shrimp with bibb lettuce, avocado, cherry tomato and citrus ($15); Salmon Ballontine with fris e, haricot vert and sauce girbiche ($14), and Beet Salad with marinated beets, chevre, endive, watercress, Fuji apples and red wine vinaigrette ($12).
Lunch guests will also enjoy sandwiches like Croque Monsieur ($12), Pulled Beef Shortrib and Brie Presse ($16) and Smoked Salmon Tartine with herb cream cheese, cucumbers and watercress ($15). Lunch entr es include Cheese Souffl with petit salad ($16.95), the Wild Mushroom Omelet ($12.95) and Roast Pork Chop with green cabbage kraut, apples and sauce charcutière ($26).
Haussmann's brunch menu features Planchas, a three egg cocotte served with country sausage, bacon, potatoes, salad, toasted brioche and caramel flan; Vegetable Plancha with onion, broccoli, mushrooms, tomato and bell peppers ($19.50); Cheese Plancha with gruyere, chevre and parmesan ($18.50); Steak Plancha with grilled steak and pomme frites ($23.95), and Original Plancha with eggs simple ($17.95).
Brunch entr es include Haussmann French Toast with fresh berries, chocolate fondant and vanilla crème chantilly ($11); Gaufres Grand-Mere, waffles with caramelized bananas and rum caramel ($10.95); Omelet Forestiere, a three egg omelet with wild mushrooms, county sausage, salad and toasted brioche ($13.95); Ouef Benedict, two eggs poached with Canadian bacon, English muffin and hollandaise sauce ($12.95); Smoked Salmon Tartine, smoked salmon on toasted levain bread, dill cream cheese, cucumbers, watercress, egg and pomme frites ($14.95), and Tuna "A La Nicoise", grilled tuna with radicchio and romaine lettuce, tomato confit, black olives and a lemon-black pepper dressing ($16.95).
Try Haussmann's scrumptious dessert selections, including Bugnes & Merveilles, Panna Cotta with St. Germain and strawberry compote, Jacky's Childhood Tiramisu, Chocolate Mousse with hazelnut fudge, Baba with raspberry liquor, Apple Tart, Meringues Profiteroles and Sorbet ($8 each).
About the wine
Haussmann's wine menu features more than 80 different bottles of wine, for sale by the glass, half bottle or bottle. The comprehensive wine list also features "Wine of the Week," as well as a "Carafe of the Week."
About the team
Pluton received his culinary education at the prestigious Ecole Hoteliere de la Chaise Dieu, and has worked in multiple capacities at Michelin-starred restaurants in France, Monaco and Switzerland. He quickly worked his way to the top restaurants in the United States, including
Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia, Trouvaille in New York, LaVielle Maison in Boca Raton, Fla. and Carlos in Highland Park, Ill. After successfully opening his namesake restaurant, Pluton, in Chicago, Pluton penned The Fairway Gourmet in 2005, a cookbook named for his dual love of golf and cooking.
Rice was graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in New York City's Hyde Park, and soon began working for Chef Kurt Gutenbrunner at Monkey Bar. Following that, Rice worked with renowned chef Jean-George Vongerichten at Jean-Georges. After traveling to France to work and perfect his technique, Rice worked at Atlas in New York, the W Hotel in Chicago and Gilt in New York. Rice eagerly took the opportunity to return to his native Chicago to work at Haussmann Brasserie as the restaurant's chef de cuisine.
Ligon has had a wide range of experience in the restaurant industry before coming to Haussmann Brasserie to serve as general manager. Most recently, he served as food and beverage director for The Glen Club in Glenview, Ill., and previously he served as the general manager of Trio Restaurant in Evanston, Ill.
Haussmann Brasserie is located at 305 N. Happ Rd. in Northfield, Ill. Dinner hours are Monday through Thursday from 5 p.m. until 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m., and on Sunday from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Lunch is served Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Brunch is available each Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Haussmann will begin serving brunch on Sunday, June 22. Private dining is also available. For more details, contact the restaurant at (847) 446-1133 or visit online at http://www.haussmannbrasserie.com.
Media Contact:
Kurman Communications, Inc.
(312) 651-9000
Catherine Patterson / Stephanie DeMeester
catherine@kurman.com / stephanie@kurman.com
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- american, best, brasserie, chicago, communications, david, haussmann, jacky, kurman, ligon, new, northfield, pluton, restaurants, rice, thomas
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