Gavroche’s “King Louis Royale” wagyu brisket burger with black truffle aioli
Veteran restaurateur Jason Chan has just opened a 32-seat French eatery—and it’s already making an impression in Old Town’s dynamic dining scene. Gavroche highlights modern French cuisine, an ode to Chan’s journey in the culinary industry and a tribute to his roots as the son of local restaurant owners.
From his humble beginnings as an apprentice at iconic French spot L’ Escargot to his rise in the local industry with the opening of restaurants like Juno and Butter, Chan’s observance and application of classic French culinary techniques have given him plenty of time in the spotlight, amassing accolades like the Chicago Dining Award for Restaurateur of The Year in 2015 by Chicago Tribune’s Phil Vettel, awards from Food & Wine and Food Arts and, most recently, an ambassadorship with Polanco Caviar.
Restaurateur and Gavroche owner Jason Chan
With Gavroche, Chan aims to deepen his championship of authentic French cuisine, ushering circa-French Revolution classics and nouvelle cuisine, a contemporary technique emphasizing freshness and presentation, into a new era.
Chan has enlisted executive chef Mitchell Acuña, known for his experience at establishments like Michelin-starred BOKA, North Pond and Sixteen restaurants, to develop an 18-item a la carte menu highlighting inventive, seasonal daily specials—from wagyu brisket burgers to Polanco caviar-topped baked turbot with a smoked crème fraîche Beurre blanc rémoulade.
“Nouvelle cuisine as we know it is over 50 years old,” says Chan. “chef Acuña and I love the classics; who doesn’t? But there is a movement happening in other parts of the world—from Paris and London to Tokyo—that we haven’t really seen yet in the U.S., and that movement is sharing French cooking through a modern lens. Gavroche aims to present the ‘new nouvelle’.”
Gavroche executive chef Mitchell Acuña
The culinary program incorporates first-course staples like Hamachi “Niçoise” paired with egg yolk confit, seasonal vegetables, petite lettuce, pickled pearl onion and white anchovy vinaigrette; oeuf arpège with a Nicolas Farm egg, Polanco caviar, pickled green garlic, charred corn, grapes and Brillat-Savarin crème; and escargots a la Bourgogne, served with garlic parsley butter, preserved shallots and a demi-baguette.
For their second course, restaurant-goers can opt for specials like koji dry-aged whole poussin rouge steak, accompanied by summer black truffles, chanterelles, baby turnips, Yukon potato pave and black truffle jus; Parisian gnocchi with lemon black truffle cream, fine herbs, crispy garlic and bourbon barrel-smoked trout roe; and the “King Louis Royale,” a wagyu brisket burger with raclette, pickled red onions, arugula and black truffle aioli, served on a toasted brioche bun with beef fat pommes frites.
Gavroche's rendition of French onion soup
The dessert course highlights offerings like crème brûlée duets, chocolate mousse and opera cakes, brought to life by acclaimed pastry chef Christine McCabe, a longtime friend of Chan who’s held positions at lauded dining destinations like Joël Robuchon in Paris, Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago and Metropolitan in Salt Lake City.
Menu offerings are accompanied by an array of boutique and reserve wines hand-selected by Chan, highlighting local selections. The restaurant’s cocktail program showcases five signature drinks made with rum, whiskey, vodka, gin and tequila, and spirit-free beverages, including teas, incorporating seasonal ingredients like functional mushrooms and adaptogens.
Maximalist design elements in the dining room, including sparkling leaded glass and terrarium chandeliers
Drawing inspiration from quintessential French bistros, brasseries and cafés, Chan has curated an atmosphere that merges the past with the present, incorporating vintage furnishings from antique shops, estate sales and auctions into the 1100-square-foot space, including a French armoire in wine red, palladium black granite tables, along with accents like smoked mirrors and copper patina terrarium chandeliers.
Chan concludes, “Gavroche is the sum total of my experiences. At the end of the day, dining here is intended to bring us back to what’s really important—celebrating life. This place champions the spirit of community, coming together around the table in friendship and love over a great bottle of wine and the best ratatouille and steak tartare you’ve ever tasted.”
For more information, visit gavrochechi.com and follow @gavrochechicago.
Photography by: Headshots of Owner Jason Chan and Chef Mitchell Acuña by Victor Chan Creative; photography of interior details by Victor Chan Creative; food photography by Michael Concialdi
