Coquette
French restaurant · West Town ·
Contemporary French cuisine with live fire oven and dry-aged meats
Contemporary French cuisine with live fire oven and dry-aged meats
"Coquette, the bright pink bistro attached to Bambola, serves modern spins on French fare focused on live fire ovens and dry-aged meats with options ranging from lamb merguez-stuffed dates, to beef wellington to baked scallops with beet hollandaise. Pair the meal with a glass of champagne or natural wine or an Armagnac old fashioned. Book a table through Resy." - Sam Nelson
"This French spot in the West Loop comes from the same team as Beatnik and Bambola. Coquette’s interior is like sitting in a giant kaleidoscope. Bright pink tiles and tall stained glass panels surround the space, and chandeliers that look like grapes decorate the ceiling. Soft French music plays, which could (in theory) be relaxing—but this bar still feels like sensory overload. While the space is overwhelming, the food is the opposite. The short menu is filled with small bites and mains—none of which are very good. And the dishes are often imbalanced, like the oeufs et oursins which has too much potato foam and shredded truffle, overpowering the duck scrambled eggs and uni. When flavor isn't an issue, there are other hitches, like rubbery steak, or foie gras in stale potato cones. At least the wine is good. So if you somehow end up here, sip on a glass or two while the bartender spins some French vinyl." - John Ringor
"It’s a selfish headline: I will attempt to make Bonhomme’s new French spot, Coquette, my own personal Cheers. After dining at Bambola next door my friends and I wandered over to Coquette and learned about its after-dinner 'Parisian house party' ethos — guests mingling and drinking *behind* the bar, as if in someone’s kitchen." - Ashok Selvam
"In a playful lounge that isn't a traditional bistro, I experienced Coquette in the West Loop as a brash, bold 40-seat spot with a chef's counter, colorful tiles on the floor and ceiling, and a corner display shelf more than 100 years old among trinkets imported from Europe. The owners promise free sips of wine and a soundtrack that transports customers to Paris. Chefs Erwin Mallet and Shannah Primiano, with help from Marcos Campos, present contemporary French cooking — including dry-aged beef and other items cooked over a live fire — and decadent dishes such as beef Wellington and a crab royal with smoked King Crab and confit fennel. Sommelier Colin Hofer (named Sommelier of the Year by the Michelin Guide) curates a wine list that leans toward so-called natural wines from Alsace, Jura, Savoie and the Languedoc, alongside lots of Champagne and bubbles. It's open 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday, with brunch upcoming and reservations via Resy." - Ashok Selvam
"Planned as a French spot from Bonhomme Hospitality, Coquette will open later this year at 1400 W. Randolph Street; it will share the address with Bambola but have a separate entrance and an entirely distinct identity." - Naomi Waxman