My cousin Irene lives in Evanston, which is the first suburb just north of Chicago, so we find ourselves here for some holidays and hanging out relatively often. Most recently, on a frigid Saturday in January, we came to Le Tour for a delicious french meal.

The service here was attentive, and they were very focused on making sure we were comfortable and well taken care of. I absolutely despise bistro chairs, so they brought me a different chair which was nice. The ambiance is a bit weird, as it doesn’t *feel* very warm or french bistro-like, with more modern, clean lines throughout, but this didn’t really detract from the experience. They have a large outdoor patio, which seems like it would be super inviting if the weather wasn’t less than 15 degrees!

They had a special baked brie which was served with mushrooms and a spicy beef broth. This was served with crusty bread and was super delicious with a nice umami flavor.

I ordered steak frites, which were really delicious. The steak was cooked to my specifications (medium rare-minus) and the fries were super salty and crispy, the way I liked them. Brian had the short rib bourguignon which was tender and delicious.

The best entree of the night, though, was Irene’s bone-in monkfish. The fish was incredibly delicious, firm and steaky, as well as nice and buttery. This was served with a lentil “risotto” which was a really nice texture and super flavorful as well. The combination of the fish and the lentils really sang, and we all agreed it was the best of the three entrees we ordered.

The desserts were lovely here too, and we got a slice of the basque cheesecake which was creamy, smoky, and was served with some fruit and crumbly crust. I really loved it. They also have an awesome wine list, as well as a really nice selection of after dinner drinks and dessert wines.

We had a fun evening here, and I would love to come back when the weather is nice and sit on their expansive outdoor patio!