Chicago Neighborhood: Hyde Park
Knowing that Hyde Park is located on the south side of Chicago, you might be surprised to learn that for decades after Hyde Park was established in the late 1800s, the community was made up of a predominantly white population, mostly due to segregationist exclusion covenants. It was only after the Supreme Court declared these covenants to be unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment in 1948 that the neighborhood became multiracial, due in some part to civil rights activist Leon Despres, who was the alderman in Hyde Park for twenty years and fought for racial integration. Because of the economic decline resulting from the emigration of the white population, the University of Chicago lent its support to a successful urban renewal effort that included major housing redevelopment in the 1950s and 1960s. The community's economy soared; however, many African Americans couldn't afford to live in the newly constructed residential buildings and were forced to relocate to other neighborhoods.
In these past few years, Hyde Park has been going through another redevelopment phase, this time in the historic shopping district of 53rd street. Beginning with the Harper Court restoration project, around twenty-eight new businesses opened up shop on 53rd street during the last three years, including A10. My husband, a University of Chicago alum who graduated just as the redevelopment was starting to take shape, was taken aback by how different the area looked. Even local college-town staple Rajun Cajun was completely remodeled, giving off a chic look that fits in with the new Akira store across the street. Although the project has been commercially successful and critically praised, there were inevitably a few disgruntled local shop owners unhappy at being relocated or closed down at the University's request, and a general unease at the gentrification of the area. Only time will tell if the new 53rd street can sustain its hip image and compete with the young, trendy neighborhoods like Bucktown and Lincoln Park.
The Atmosphere
A10 is located right next to the newly restored Harper Theater, on the corner of 53rd and Harper. The exposed brick walls, steel light fixtures, and dim lighting* combine to give the French-Italian restaurant a sophisticated ambiance. It's largely successful in that endeavor, if not a little bit ordinary.
We came on a Saturday night, with the streets crowded and the sidewalks bustling. Although there is a public parking lot located just north of the restaurant, it was completely full by the time we arrived at 6 pm, so we were glad there was a relatively cheap valet option. While the parking situation indicated a busy night, the restaurant itself was pretty sparse, making our reservation seem a bit unnecessary. The age group skewed towards the elderly, with a few middle-aged couples here and there. Not exactly a hot spot for young college students, although it does seem like an appropriate place to take your parents when they visit.
*One of my restaurant pet peeves is dim lighting. I know it provides a romantic and classy mood, but it just makes it really hard to see the food clearly, and makes my already crappy iPhone pictures look even blurrier.
The Food
We started off with the Double Fried Frites, spiced with lemon and parsley and accompanied with garlic aioli. It was all delightfully flavorful; however, the average size of the frite was no larger than an inch, which was a bit alarming given the $7 price tag.
For the main entree, I tried one of their handmade pasta dishes, Chitarra alla Bolognese, made with ground lamb, pecorino cheese, and basil. It was a well-seasoned meat sauce, and generally the dish was hearty and comforting. However, for all the hype about handmade pasta, I was expecting something a little denser, chewier, and flavorful. There was nothing wrong with the pasta, it just wasn't particularly notable or unique, and I wouldn't have been able to tell it was handmade if it hadn't been written on the menu.
My husband's meal hailed from the restaurant's French cuisine: Duck Leg Confit Tartine, with parsnip and gooseberry jam. The duck was rich, as all duck are, and cooked well. Honestly, this dish reminded me of the turkey sandwiches you make the week after Thanksgiving, with the tart gooseberry jam acting as the cranberry sauce and the parsnip puree standing in for mashed potatoes, all covering a well-buttered piece of toast. It tasted great, but again, there was nothing terribly unique about it.
The Price: $56
Our meal came out to just under our goal of $58, so were pleased (and also quite stuffed). Although the food was tasty and well-prepared, the lack of originality makes A10 the first restaurant on the Bib Gourmand list I don't feel the need to revisit in the future. I can't help but wonder if it was picked by Michelin solely to recognize Hyde Park's great achievement in revitalizing its downtown.
The List
The Angry CrabAramiA10- Au Cheval
- Avec
- Balena
- Beatrix
- BellyQ
- Belly Shack
- Bohemian House
- Carriage House
- Ceres' Table
- Chilam Balam
- County Barbeque
- Cumin
- The Dawson
- DeCOLORES
- Dove's Luncheonette
- The Duck Inn
- Fat Rice
- Frontera Grill
- Gilt Bar
- Girl and the Goat
- Green Zebra
- GT Fish and Oyster
- Han 202
- Herb
- Hopleaf
- Jaipur
- Jam
- Jin Thai Cuisine
- Kai Zan
- Lao Sze Chuan
- Luella's Southern Kitchen
- Lula Cafe
- Mana Food Bar
- Maude's Liquor Bar
- mfk.
- MingHin
- Mott Street
- Nana
- The Publican
- The Pump Room
- The Purple Pig
- Riccardo Trattoria
- Sabri Nihari
- Slurping Turtle
- Smoque
- Sol de Mexico
- Spacca Napoli
- Sushi Dokku
- Table, Donkey and Stick
- TAC Quick
- Two
- Untitled
- Via Lima
- Wood
- Yusho
No comments:
Post a Comment