Step inside Coquette, 165 N. Ogden Ave, and be instantly transported to a pink, Parisian, Champagne-drenched dream where romance and the liberating energy of the French New Wave meet world-class cocktails, audacious natural wines and cooking done exclusively on charcoal and wood by Bonhomme’s award-winning culinary team. The newest restaurant from Bonhomme Hospitality opens on Tuesday, October 18, with reservations live today through Resy.
Designed by Maison Bonhomme, Coquette pays tribute to the style of Mondrian, YSL, Godard and Bauhaus, using bold colors and simple geometric shapes to express a postmodern aesthetic sensibility. Vibrant interiors fashioned with curvaceous furnishings wrapped in soft textures and a palette of pinks and lavenders offer a distinct vision for what a modern French bistro could be.
Coquette welcomes fun, flirtatiousness and the joy of breaking rules to create an elevated setting where 40 guests can enjoy a Parisian party filled with French flavors, bubbles, spirits and music. Interaction is part of the experience at Coquette — especially at our “Kitchen Counter” – where guests are invited behind the bar for complimentary pours and to select albums from our record collection for the evening’s musical stylings.
To bring Coquette’s stunning vision to life, Maison Bonhomme collaborated closely with a dynamic design team starring Luca Lanzetta Group, Popham Design, Molteni&Co, Viabizzuno, Sogni Di Cristallo, Viccarbe and Antoniolupi. Some of the most dazzling design elements of their seductive interiors include handmade cement and zellige tiles by Popham Design; a monumental Tisoffio Light by Viabizzuno; René bistro tables by Piero Lissoni for Salvatori; handblown glass chandeliers by Sogni Di Cristallo; Season dining chairs and sofas by Piero Lissoni for Viccarbe; kitchen and bar counters created with 3” slabs of sustainably harvested bubinga wood from Gabon; custom steel and glass partitions inspired by the work of Mondrian; a 100-year-old Italian six-tier display shelf from the Lisotti Distilling Company in Modena; and bathroom vanities and taps by Antoniolupi.
Coquette’s cocktail program is built around seasonal produce, bridging the similarities found between what is harvested both in France and in the Midwest. Created by Bonhomme Hospitality’s award-winning beverage team and partner Brian Sturgulewski, the old idea of the spirit as the “center” or “focus” of beverages takes a backseat to building a menu around seasonally available ingredients and ingredients preserved through pickling, infusion or fermentation. Coquette’s spirit offerings are, predictably, very French. Embracing theatrics in the glass, guests can expect tipples like The Coquette Martini, a signature cocktail, made with French Gin, William-Pear Eau De Vie, Pineau Des Charentes and a roasted, local Pear “Olive”. Stepping behind Coquette’s bar is the “Kitchen Counter”, named after the gathering place at any great house party, and where we host our friends and well-wishers for an end-of-meal tasting of our favorite Armagnacs or a sip of our house-made Cassis, produced from a late-summer harvest of currants.
Coquette’s wine list is a playful celebration of France’s most under-appreciated regions and boldest natural winemakers. It is an intentional deviation from the status quo of French wine which all-too-often is driven by classic regions, large brands and archaic wine laws. Created by Michelin’s Sommelier of the Year, Colin Hofer, Coquette’s wine list promotes minimal intervention winemakers and biodynamic vanguards who vinify in uncharted areas like Alsace, Jura, Savoie and the Languedoc, showcasing risky expressions and wine styles that are far from “normal”. Coquette further celebrates the avant-garde with a gleeful by-the-bottle selection that displays the winemaking talents at the historical birthplace and heart of Natural Wine — Beaujolais – and an extra-intentional sampling of Champagnes by grower producers, all who dare to make extraordinary wine on their own terms.
Research for Coquette began organically in the kitchen of Michelin-starred Porto, where Chefs Marcos Campos, Erwin Mallet and Shannah Primiano have worked side-by-side for three years. When Bonhomme’s founder and creative director Daniel Alonso challenged them to collectively express their vision for a modern bistro, the trio began by applying their live-fire cooking style to French cuisine, playing with distinct levels of smoke in the preparation of whole ingredients as well as classic sauces and purées. Those thoughtful experiments became Coquette, a French experience that reflects the food of France today unburdened by the shadows of its past by elevating quintessential recipes and iconic dishes. Though Coquette’s cuisine may be “nouvelle”, it’s equipment is undeniably primitive, with all cooking done by live-fire ovens and mangal grills. Coquette also features a dry aging system that blends state-of-the-art technology with methods that go back thousands of years. This time honored technique unleashes the flavor and tenderness of the beef, duck and fish prepared in the kitchen.
The result is a menu reflecting modern and playful takes on bistro classics with dishes like Moules et Coques (Smoked Mussels, Atlantic Cockles, Green Apple, Seaweed & Cider Vinaigrette, Mussel Espagnole Sauce, Absinthe Dijon Mustard), Crabe Royal (Smoked King Crab, Confit Fennel, Vanilla and Yuzu Escabeche), Oeufs et Oursins (Sea urchin, Scrambled Duck Eggs, Smoked Potato Foam, French Dried Caviar), Magret De Canard (Dry Aged Duck Breast, Orange Infused Duck Jus, Celeriac & Nutmeg Purée, Wood Fire Roasted Grapes), Sole Meuniere (Charcoal Grilled Whole Atlantic Dover Sole, Preserved Lemon, Herbes De Provence, Smoked Brown Butter), and Boeuf Wellington (Josper Smoked Dry Aged Beef Tenderloin, Mushroom and Anchovy Duxelle, Sea Lettuce and Wasabi Crêpes, Beef Sauce Périgourdines).
Moving from savory to sweet, guests can enjoy desserts like, Pâte à Coquette (Pâte à Choux, Herbs de Provence Ice Cream, Roasted Foie Gras Ganache, Baguette Craquelin, Blueberry, Pecan Praline, Crème Fraîche Caramel), Entremet (Pomme Frite Mousse, French Emmental Swiss Cremeux, Cured Ham Jam, Field of France Rooibos Tea, Apricot Glaze, Croissant), and Fromage (Brie & Truffle Ice Cream, Gem Lettuce Coulis, French Vinaigrette Gel, Pain d’épices).
Coquette is located at 165 N. Ogden Ave., Chicago, IL 60607. Hours are Tuesday to Saturday 4pm to 2am and Sunday 4pm to 11pm with Brunch coming soon. Reservations are available through Resy or by calling 312.929.3448.
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