If you were going to design a restaurant that set out to be distinctly Chicagoan, what would it look like? Maybe it would be housed in a 19th century brick workingman’s row house on a tree lined street in a neighborhood like Bucktown. Maybe it would have the sophisticated feel of an upscale loop restaurant but with a friendly neighborhood vibe. Maybe it would serve eclectic seasonal fare prepared with fresh ingredients and a sincere devotion to quality. Maybe it would be Jane’s.
At Jane’s the menu is small but well thought out. Here you’ll find grilled fish and seasonal salads as well as plenty of vegetarian options that combine nicely with the California vintages that predominate in their wine cellar. Eaters of red meat are also welcome. Try the black pepper crusted New York Strip with scallion garlic mashed potatoes and port reduction. Outstanding.
Since Jane’s also offers a variety of sandwiches for the lunchtime crowd, we enjoyed the sirloin burger with smoked bacon, cheddar cheese and grilled onions. The thick, juicy paddy of grade A beef came on a fresh Kaiser bun with zesty cheddar cheese and plenty of grilled onions on the side. A true American delight, and one prefaced by a bowl of old fashioned farm style corn chowder fresh off the cob and swimming in a light creamy broth delicately spiced.
Your meal at Jane’s begins with a small personal loaf of fresh bread and olive oil for dipping. No danger of getting reused bread at this restaurant. The water glasses are refilled regularly and your drinks arrive in a timely fashion. The waitstaff is on the ball.
The ambiance is at once romantic and casual as befits a stylish restaurant housed in a former brick row house. The space has been opened out to the walls, revealing the exposed wooden trusses of the peaked roof, giving the room a vintage atmosphere augmented by sexy accent lights and candles. Opt for the quaint bistro tables in the front windows. Once showcase windows when the building was a bakery in a former life, the word Bakery is still spelled out in tiles on the mosaic floors. The view is to a charming, secluded stretch of Cortland reminiscent of a Chicago of a simpler era.
Maybe you’ll want to try the jerked chicken breast with grilled pineapple and black beans. Or yellowfin tuna sashimi salad with asparagus, scallions, chopped spinach and miso ginger vinegarette. The menu changes seasonally at Janes. We started with a delicious tomato gazpacho. The flavors came dancing through in scintillating detail: pepper, cucumbers and cilantro. Our pan seared black grouper with sake ginger sauce was moist and delicate with tangy accents imparted by the sauce. They always use the best quality ingredients here and if they are not always 100% successful, they are always 100% sincere. They pay attention to the details, and most often it works.
Jane’s is romantic and unpretentious, causal and stylish, down to earth and sincere, what out-of-towners might say about Chicago writ large. Jane’s is a quintessentially Chicago restaurant.
Jane’s
1655 W. Cortland
773-862-5263 / Reservations Accepted
Hours: Breakfast and Lunch: M-F 6:30am-3:00pm; Sa-Su 10am-2:30pm; Dinner: Su-Thur 5pm-10pm; F-Sa 5pm-11pm
Features: Outdoor Dining, Carryout, Private Party Facilities
Avg price of a meal for two including drinks and tax $110
Comments