Boeufhaus – A Golden Gem
The summer editions of Steak Night always bring a bit of spice and difference. I have been out of the rotation for several months, it was fun to get back into the routine. The group returned to Boeufhaus for the first time in nearly two years. A non-traditional steakhouse on the border of Humboldt Park and Ukrainian Village, Boeufhaus is a hidden storefront on Western. A small setting with many date nights and special family outings, our group of five, Mason, Don, Crenshaw and Scott had a tremendous table located at the rear near the kitchen. We sat down late after waiting for Scott to finish up his Fox Business segment, but it gave us a time to have a lively banter at the bar.
We were presented with many different menus – food, specials, wine, cocktails, – ultimately our very french waiter, Adrian took our order of Pork pasta, western oysters and unreal short rib beignets to start. All were incredible, although with our late start, we probably could have used a bit more of each. For steaks, the ribeye, ny strip and fillet all proved some of the best I have had. They were crusted in a magnificent salt and pepper rub with delicious bernaise on the side. We coupled it with the cavatelli bean appetizer, mushrooms and two orders of frites. We closed with a Chocolate Decadence.
I would be so bold to call it a top three meal for me in recent memory. Wonderful across the board. Areas of improvement would be in the temp inside – we were rather toasty, a bit less from our friend Adrian who seemed overbearing and lacked flow to his service. However, the table, the crew, the conversation (politics, Fish concerts, football season, Brad’s performance at Gene and Georgetti, etc…) were all top notch. I will certainly be returning for another meal at this standout steakhouse.
Rating 9
Filed under: General
Alas…a long awaited return for me to steak night, and it did not disappoint. Company was well feathered as i appreciated the willingness to wait for me as I spread peace and hope on the small screen.
Getting to the ambiance and food, both were a nice departure (but a good one) from the traditional bustling and somewhat overly serious steakhouse vibe of downtown Chicago. The oysters were top of the line and the beignets were not far behind…and we were off to a fab start.
Following those up was a med-rare filet order for me that was one of the better steaks I’ve had this year which paired well with the sides that were expertly ordered.
The less than ostentatious vibe of the joint, as mentioned, allowed some great convo to flow with the tight-knit group. I especially liked the “Fish” stories, as Jevon called it…given they are on like their 1,000 tour and all. The night was nicely capped with some choco decadence and off when the boys into the night, or looking for bed.
July’s most masculine event brought the brawny, red-blooded, and strapping men of Steaks & Cigars to a return engagement at Boeufhaus. Off the beaten path from our regular rotation of steakhouses, Boeufhaus was a welcome reprieve from the River North neighborhood. It’s not your traditional steakhouse by our standards but holds its own in every way. Yes, it may be more of a date night spot, but it works for our purposes as well when we have a smaller group. After a couple of drinks and a slight scheduling snafu, Jevon, Mason, Scotty, and myself were seated. Oh yeah, some guy named Don joined us as well. I hear he used to be a part of the group but has gone dark for a few years. Nice guy. Hope he returns.
We started with short rib beignets, oysters, and pork pasta. All three were magnificent with the beignets being the standout for sure. I went with the 55-day dry aged ribeye. I questioned the length of time it was being aged and if it would come out a little tougher and/or gamier. Our waiter Adrian assured me that there aging process is superior to most out there and he may have been right. Although it was pre-cut for me which I typically hate, the steak was great. I guess this pre-cut thing ain’t so bad if you know what you’re doing. Maybe I’m just softening in my old age. Sides were roasted mushrooms, frites, and a cavatelli bean dish and all were great. The cavatelli really knocked my socks off.
I think Boefhaus is great all around. There wasn’t one thing to complain about and everything deserved praise. Good food, good wine, and good company. What more can you ask for? On to September. Jesus I can’t believe how fast this year has gone by.
9/10