Le Bouchon Turns 20 - Chicago

Le Bouchon may be classic, but it's far from stale.

Bucktown's charming French boîte, which turns 20 in June, has been humming with energy and creativity since owner Jean-Claude Poilevey's son, Oliver, rejoined the fold in January.

After a stint at The Publican, Oliver's return to Le Bouchon (and sister restaurant Le Sardine) heralded a revamp of the bistro's menu. The classics are still there, like a quartet of beet, carrot, lentil and celery-root salads ($7), and steak with herb-packed Maitre d'Hotel butter and a pile of thin, superlative frites ($20). But, during a recent visit, they were executed with greater care than before.

Bistro standards are joined by a handful of updated and brand-new dishes. Salmon for a tartine is now cured in-house, and draped over toast with lemony crème fraîche, green garbanzo beans and salmon roe ($8). Sausages made at Le Sardine are available daily ($8), as are new compositions like sweetbreads with romesco ($22) and seared duck breast with blackberry sauce ($23).

One of our perennial favorite elements of Le Bouchon remains unchanged: On Monday nights, the entire wine list is half-price, an inspired excuse for a toast to la vie française.