Cyrano’s Farm Kitchen Before chefs got into the habit of knocking patrons over the head with enormous flavors, good bistro food probably tasted a lot like how it tastes at Cyrano’s Farm Kitchen, the new iteration of what used to be called Cyrano’s Bistro. In this spruced-up dining room, which incorporates all the trappings of modern farmhouse restaurant decor (see: the dark reclaimed wood), chef Didier Durand is using tricks old and new. His well-regarded charcuterie, such as thyme-scented duck rillettes, plays a big part on the menu, as does a whole section of burgers, which is indicative of the trendy waters Durand is now trying to navigate. Much of the food here (roasted whitefish, roasted pineapple) is too subtle to really compete with other farmhouse spots, but that, in turn, makes this food refreshingly simple. So when the burger arrives with a little sign poking out of it saying you will love me!!! i am medium rare, it’s hard not to do just that. 546 N Wells St (312-467-0546).
By David Tamarkin