Chef Chris Pandel knows how to make a neighborhood gem shine. “It should invite a myriad of dining styles,” says the beloved Chicagoan, whose star-studded restaurant resume includes Italian icon Balena, retro-modern steakhouse Swift & Sons, and Mediterranean hotspot Cira, among others.
In May, when Chicago’s famed Boka Restaurant Group brought on Pandel as executive chef (and Boka vet Lee Wollen as consulting chef) at their cavernous 200-seat brasserie Le Select, he relied on that vision to redefine the glitzy River North spot.
French classics—with a Chicago accent
First on Pandel’s punch list: refreshing Le Select’s dinner menu. The revised lineup, which debuted shortly after the chef took the reins, is filled with imaginative, locally accented riffs on French staples.
That sensibility shows up in dishes such as a Chicagofied take on trout amandine. “Considering it is summer here in Chicago, we wanted to lighten the dish just a touch,” Pandel explains. Instead of sauteing the accompanying haricot verts in brown butter, the beans—which are locally sourced, just like the trout—are chilled and dressed with a touch of creme fraiche, lemon, and soft herbs.
Pandel is equally enthusiastic about other new menu additions including a crispy duck leg confit paired with dirty lentils and Michigan cherry aigre doux. “Everyone in Chicago knows that [summer] means cherries, both sweet and sour, so we’re leaning into the best seasonal produce available,” he adds. “The aigre doux lends a wonderful brightness, sweetness, and acidity to what would otherwise be a very rich dish.”
A brasserie for all occasions
In addition to serving lighter and brighter takes on decadent French food, Pandel wants to turn Le Select into a more adaptable all-star. Le Select’s Belle Époque-esque dining room screams special occasions thanks to plush red booths, mirrored ceilings, and patterned terrazzo floors. But its bar section offers a more laid-back everyday perch.
“[You can] belly up to the bar for burger, frites, and wine by yourself, have a date-night meal of delicious roast chicken, or a five-course extravaganza of shellfish plateaus and steak au poivre in the dining room,” Pandel says. “[We’re here] to deliver true hospitality while surrounding you with a bustling, energetic brasserie experience—no matter what that looks like to you.”
Aarti Virani is the blog editor at OpenTable.
