Bistro 110

Description:

• Bistro 110 enjoys a prime location just a half-block west of North Michigan Avenue. Although a harbinger of the now-booming bistro trend, it's really too large and pricey to be considered an authentic bistro, but it does have a bustling energy that I find invigorating. The menu covers a broad price range and includes several bistro classics such as escargots in puff pastry, mussels in white-wine sauce, French onion soup, cassoulet, and steak au poivre. While other restaurants chase the latest foodie trends, Bistro 110 keeps certain dishes on the menu year after year -- such as the decadently hearty Beef Wellington with a rich port demi glaze -- and that's just how the regulars like it. The wood-roasted items, including a savory half chicken and a bountiful roast vegetable plate, are consistently good. Although the menu touts "la fameuse" crème brûlée, there's nothing that really distinguishes it from its many cousins. Other desserts include chocolate mousse, lemon and apple tarts, and a massive Gâteau Paradis au Chocolat, a decadent mix of chocolate cake, caramel, and toffee (which satisfies chocoholics like me far more than the crème brûlée). On Sunday the restaurant hosts a popular brunch with live jazz music.

• © Frommer's 2012