PRICE:
Frommer's Highly Recommended

This "French steakhouse" concept seduces with its aromatic atmosphere, tasty steak preparations, and rolling cart of wines by the glass ("Gabi" refers to executive chef Gabino Sotelino). Gabi's decor is like a movie set of a cozy, boisterous bistro. There are numerous classic bistro starters and hot seafood appetizers, such as plump mussels steamed in white ale, pâtés, and cheeses, but a pleasant departure from bistro fare recently consisted of cavatelli pasta with asparagus, snap peas, and edamame. Exquisitely simple entrees include chicken paillard (a crusty, pounded chicken breast in lemon butter) and trout Grenobloise (perfectly pan-seared trout in caper butter with a sprinkle of croutons). Steak frites can be had with maître d'hotel butter, au poivre, Roquefort, or bordelaise (with caramelized onions in mushroom-and-red-wine sauce). Numerous seafood entrees, a section of seasonal specialties, and sides along the lines of whipped cauliflower and ratatouille round out the menu. Did I mention the fantastic tarte tatin? You can also get classic French treats such as dessert crepes and profiteroles.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Chicago 2009, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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