One of Chicago ’s favorite and most enduring restaurants is quietly tucked away in the suburb of Arlington Heights. Le Titi de Paris has been pleasing patrons for more then 30 years, providing elegant and masterful interpretations of French cuisine in a relaxed and intimate setting.
At Le Titi De Paris, the atmosphere reflects the height of civility, the service the height of gentility, and the menu manages to take the classics and tweak them just enough with updated inspirations to ensure that things never get boring.
Consistently excellent food and warm and gracious service has made Le Titi De Paris the most honored, awarded and respected French restaurant in the Chicago land area. Over the years, this gem has attracted a very loyal local following as well as an international clientele. With exquisite Classic French cuisine, superior service and an award winning wine list, Le Titi De Paris continues to be the premier French and gourmet restaurant in Chicago.
When the restaurant's founders, Chef Pierre and Judith Pollin, decided to retire, they had to look no farther than their own kitchen for an heir to their legacy. In July 2004, the torch passed from the hands of the Pollins to those of Pierre 's long-time Executive Chef, Michael Maddox and Michael's wife, Susan.
Le Titi de Paris has consistently earned accolades for its cuisine. Awards include the AAA Four Diamond Award, the DiRona Distinguished Restaurants of North America Award since 1992, Wine Spectator's "Best of" Award of Excellence, Nation's Restaurant News Fine Dining Hall of Fame, and 3-1/2 stars by both the Chicago Tribune's Phil Vettel and the Sun-Times Dining Critic, Pat Bruno. Year after year, a readers' poll by the city's major newspaper votes Le Titi de Paris the favorite gourmet dining establishment.
But what makes Le Titi De Paris so special? There's the charm of the place, first, and the dedication to service. Their American wine dinner also has the reputation of being one of the best in Chicago . These dinners give diners the opportunity to be entertained, wined and dined with other similarly minded people. Their American wine dinners create the ideal blend of entertainment and the food and wine experience with a little education. The wine dinner offers diners the opportunity to become more knowledgeable about vintages.
From the moment I walked into the restaurant, I knew I was in for a treat. The maitre d' asked for my coat and co-owner Susan whisked me to an elegant dinning room where I would begin the wine dinner of my dreams. Though I was a little late, I was warmly greeted by the host, Jim Crooker who introduced me to the rest of the diners. The dinning room itself is gorgeous. It was just a complete feast for the eyes, with big, hefty furniture that said French elegance.
And then there was the menu, and just about everything on it was amazing. There was no paean to trendiness there, and conversely no strict adherence to a handful of classics that can get a little boring over time. Instead, the menu showed real innovation and creativity, an adventure for the customer. Jim opened the evening with his light-hearted observations about wines and how he grew to love them, and was followed by remarks about his background. Jim was a joy: efficient, articulate and extremely pleasant without crossing the line into chummy, and not a bit stuffy about anything. He proved to be quite the cut-up, and his laid-back manner, along with his humorous anecdotes, helped lighten the tone of what could have been a very stuffy, formal event.
My six course American wine dinner began with a Trio of Canapes which was beautifully paired with 2002 Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir. As Jim educated us about the wine list, dinner continued with Petit Bouillabaisse with Roasted Garlic Crouton & Rouille paired with 2003 Bethel Heights Pinot Gris; Tart of Oven Confited Duck Leg with Roasted Peppers, Balsamic Onions, Cherry Tomatoes & Laura Chenel Goat Cheese paired with 2000 Andrew Will Cuvee Lucia Syrah. The duck was tender and succulent. And the Lemongrass Sorbet, which later followed was delicious, refreshing and light.
The next dish, Seared Wisconsin Venison, Canadian Foie Gras & Homemade Broiche with green peppercorn sauce was paired with 2002 Natalie’s Estate Merlot. Given that I've never been a lover of liver, I was skeptical that I would find anything enjoyable about this dish. I was so wrong. The foie gras had a smooth, not grainy, consistency, and when paired with the buttery brioche it simply melted in my month.
We were later presented with Global Artisan Cheeses which was perfectly complemented by a glass of the 1996 Leonetti Cabernet Sauvignon and 1997 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate. The feast concluded with the appearance of Chef Michael, who brought forth an impressive dessert finale: a Carmelized Apple, Raisin & Pear “Cobbler” with Tahitian Vanilla Scented Ice Cream which was accompanied by a glass of 2003 Columbia Winery Gewurztraminer. I had a feeling we were in for a treat and indeed we were; the desert was positively ethereal.
Though Michael places a high value on service, he leaves that to his staff. He is at his best in the kitchen, creating each labor-intensive dish with deft hands and an eye for presentation. One of his delights is to whip up delicacies not on the menu whenever a patron asks to be surprised.
So, is it worth $119, plus tax, for this event? As I'm sure you can tell, my answer is a resounding yes. The opportunity to sample a wide variety of wines paired with food prepared by distinguished chefs, plus the chance to hear, and even talk with wine experts as they discuss their products and methods, all in an exclusive setting -- as the commercials say: Priceless.
Le Titi de Paris is the perfect place to celebrate an anniversary or special occasion. The quality of the cuisine, affordability and attentive service has created a loyal following of patrons who dine there regularly. For more information about Le Titi de Paris, please call (847) 506-0222 for reservations, information about current daily specials and upcoming events or visit them online at www.letitideparis.com.
