The last time I wrote about Beatrix was in November, 2016. We have been there several times since then, and, after a recent visit to the River North location (the other is in Streeterville), I decided it was time for an update.
The dinner menu at Beatrix (they also serve breakfast and lunch) does not change dramatically over the years, but items are swapped in and out and recipes are retooled periodically. The offerings always include fresh squeezed juices, small plates (“Snacks”), soups, salads, a great burger, a vegetarian/vegan dish or two, some chicken, fish, and beef.
They also offer a wide range of beverages, including juice-based cocktails, wines by the glass or bottle, and local beers.
Valeria, always more likely to make healthier choices, ordered a juice drink while I ordered a cocktail.
The apple, pomegranate, and ginger juice tasted like, well, apple, pomegranate, and ginger. It was quite refreshing and the ginger took the edge off of the sweetness of the juices.
The “Behive Yourself” cocktail (clever name) was also very tasty. Regular readers know I love a good bourbon cocktail. Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon is basically a poster child for a good, solid bourbon. The nose and flavors hit all the right notes—caramel, brown sugar, oak, vanilla, hints of spice. It’s good enough to enjoy on its own, but not so outstanding (or expensive) that it should not be used in a cocktail. There are a half dozen or so bottlings of Elijah Craig, all made by the Heaven Hill Brands, which produces a huge line of whiskeys, vodkas, rums, tequilas, liqueurs, and more.
Amaro Abano is a member of the family of Italian liqueurs called amaros (bitters) that are often consumed after dinner. Historically, the formulas, which include a variety of herbs, spices, citrus, and so on, were developed for medicinal purposes. It is produced by Luxardo, an Italian company, that also produces (among many other products) one of the best cocktail cherries, Luxardo Original Maraschino Cherries, which are about 1,000 times better than those neon-red cocktail cherries we all grew up with.
While the formulas for some amaros go back centuries, Amaro Abano is a relatively recent creation, dating from 1952. Abano is an old Roman spa in the Veneto region. The formula includes wide variety of herbs, some warm spices like cinnamon and cardamon, and bitter orange peel.
Digestifs (after dinner drinks) are said to aid digestion, but I don’t know if there are actually any controlled studies to prove that. While I cannot vouch for any medicinal properties, I can say that there are many delicious amaros and other digestifs on the market.
Amaros are often used in place of sweet vermouth in cocktails and it usually works out very well. The general formula of a sweet vermouth and an amaro are not all that different—herbs, spices, citrus, sugar—but the bitter components of the amaro add different flavors and reduces the apparent sweetness of the cocktail. Add a little lemon, pineapple juice, and lemon juice and the bartender produced a complex, refreshing and balanced cocktail.
As far as I can remember, every appetizer we have ever tried at Beatrix has been delicious, but we had never tried the black bean cakes.
This is a vegetarian, possibly even a vegan choice, but at least two carnivores loved it. The cakes were almost meaty, as beans can be, and had a little spicy kick. The guac was good and the chips were crispy. A very nice appetizer.
There has been some style of chicken meatballs on the menu at Beatrix every time we have been there (at least as far as I can remember).
As usual, the meatballs were tender, well seasoned and flavorful. It’s hard to go wrong with a ginger-soy glaze on those.
Another item, and a favorite of mine, that seems to be a fixture on the menu is the Prime Burger.
One of the great things about the Beatrix menu is that almost anyone—vegetarian, vegan, generally health conscious, confirmed carnivore, or junk food junkie—can find selections to please them. Even the more “unhealthy” choices—like burgers and meatloaf—are made with an eye to making them as healthy and fresh as possible.
Here’s how I described the burger and fries way back in February of 2016.
The burger was excellent. Juicy, cooked to my specification (medium) and flavorful. The bun was the perfect size (one of my pet peeves is when the bun is too large for the burger patty or vice-versa) and had enough texture to hold together through the entire burger without overwhelming the meat.
Giardiniera is an Italian condiment that is beloved in Chicago, especially on Italian beef sandwiches but also on hotdogs and just about anything else. It is classically made by picking vegetables (typically red and green bell peppers, celery, carrots, cauliflower and cucumber) in vinegar then storing them in oil. Chicago-style giardiniera is made spicy with sport and/or serrano peppers. The Beatrix version was delicious. I don’t remember ever putting giardiniera on a burger before, but I will again.
Giardiniera is quite easy to make, although it takes a few days for things marinate properly and for the flavors to come together. You can find a recipe for home-made spicy giardiniera from Chicago’s own Jeff “The Sandwich King” Mauro here. Milder versions (often used on those heavenly Muffuletta sandwiches in New Orleans) add just a trace of red pepper flakes, as in this recipe. Almost any supermarket will have at least one, and probably several, brands of giardiniera to chose from. Find one that suits your taste if you’d rather not make your own. (There is a lot of variation in flavor, crunch and heat levels between brands. You can read one foodie’s opinions here.)
Now about those fries. The Kennebec is a specific kind of potato, like a Russet or a Yukon Gold.
They look a lot like the common Russet, beloved for baking and fries, but they have a thinner skin and lower moisture content. They have been a preferred potato by potato chip makers for years, but have recently become popular for making fries in trendy restaurants. The thin skin makes it unnecessary to peel the potato (if, indeed, it is ever really necessary) and the low moisture content helps it to fry up quickly, crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. To be honest, if you simply put a serving of these fries in front of me I am not sure I would immediately know what potato was used. There is such a huge variation in the flavor, shape, texture and seasoning of French fries from restaurant to restaurant that relatively subtle differences between potatoes are easily lost. Maybe I should do some blind taste tests to compare fries made with several different kinds of potato. So much research to do, so little time! Regardless, the fries at Beatrix were made as I like them: relatively thin, lightly salted, crisp outside, tender inside.
Happily, nothing has changed. This is still a really good burger and fries.
A dish we hadn’t seen before was the Wagyu Pot Roast.
I’d call this elevated comfort food. The beef did not look like filet mignon, but it was definitely Wagyu. There is a texture and flavor that is unique to that breed of cattle. This was a Sunday evening meal for us, and this plate certainly reminded me of a classic Sunday dinner in the Midwest, although the beef would more likely be a humble USDA choice chuck roast. The beef was meltingly tender and mashed potatoes and horseradish are never wrong with roast beef. The gravy also had a rich, beefy flavor.
If I had a complaint about this plate, it is that I prefer my carrots cooked until they are tender, rather than quite firm as these were. I realize that is a matter of individual taste, however, and they can never please everyone on that one.
Overall, Beatrix remains a great choice for a casual meal. They offer a wide range of choices and every one we have tried has been good, whether at the Streeterville location or the River North Location.
Beatrix River North
Address: 519 North Clark St Chicago, IL 60654
Phone: (312) 284-1377
Reservations: opentable.com
Website: http://www.beatrixchicago.com/
Dress Code: Casual
Price Range: $30 and less
Hours: Breakfast: Monday–Friday 8:00 am–11:00
Brunch: Saturday—Sunday 8:00 am–3:00 pm
Lunch/Dinner: Monday–Friday 11:30 am–10:00
Saturday 2:00 pm–11:00 pm
Sunday 2:00 pm–9:00 pm
Credit Cards: AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Chicago, IL 60654
The author has no affiliation with any of the businesses or products described in this article.
All images were taken with a Sony a9 camera with a Zeiss Batis 40mm f/2.0 CF lens using ambient light. Post-processing in Adobe Lightroom® and Adobe Photoshop® with Nik Collection by DxO and Skylum® Luminar® plugins.
