Avec Restaurant

avec, a wine bar from the award-winning team behind One Off Hospitality, opened in October 2003 out of a partnership between Executive Chef Paul Kahan, Donnie Madia and wine steward Eduard Seitan. The rustic menu, which features Midwestern takes on Mediterranean classics, takes its cue from the wine-growing regions of Southern France, Italy, Portugal and the coast of Spain. Beyond reflecting...

The 125-bottle wine list focuses on small growers in France, Italy, Spain and Portugal, with three-fourths of the selections priced at about $30 per bottle. There are also 32 wines by the glass, served in a quarter-liter "caraffina," ideal for sharing.

Avec doesn't take reservations, so it's a good idea to get there early in the evening.

Owner Marcia Sindel and her daughter have been baking custom cakes at this small corner outpost for many years. Their foray into dining happened gradually, but now chef Ramon Cuffie is almost as much of a fixture at La Dolce Via as the bakers. The typical lunch or dinner menu is fairly brief, and it changes daily depending on what’s fresh. Mind you, what it lacks in breadth it makes up for in...

A follow-up to Blackbird, this highly seasonal (and always creative) restaurant is situated next door. With a name that’s French for “with,” it’s no surprise that you’ll eat in close proximity to other people --- it’s part of the experience, after all. But, mind you, this was communal dining before it was the norm. There’s a wealth of tasty ideas --- many Mediterranean-centered --- coming from...

In Short
Communal tables bring strangers closer together at this foodie institution, which looks more like a sauna than a restaurant. The gunshot space is all about clean lines, cedar...

avec restaurant, chicago, illinois