Bavette's with a Side of David Byrne & St. Vincent

Tuesday night turned out to be one of those perfect nights out in the City - the kind you plan and then endlessly anticipate - and if you're lucky, it all comes together in the most magical way. Enter: Bavette's Bar & Boeuf and David Bryne (with St. Vincent) at the Chicago Theater...

On the cusp of fall, the air was crisp & fresh as I walked off the train and into Bavette's - the newly opened steakhouse and oyster bar from Brendan Sodikoff. The first to arrive of my friends, I waited in a large tufted leather booth, taking in my surroundings. The dimly-lit space boasts loads of exposed brick (love), big & beautiful chandeliers, antiqued mirrors and a Parisian/speakeasy vibe. Jazz music permeated my subconscious as I gazed over the cocktail menu, settling on the Lillet Rosé Martini to start - an easy mix of Russian vodka, St. Germain & Litllet Rosé. As I waited for my dining companions to arrive I couldn't help but grin as I stared back at the beautiful little antique plates in the center of the table, just waiting to assist with our meal - they were near replicas of the antique tea saucers my grandmother had given my sisters & I many years ago.

Bavette's | Lillet Rosé martini

Bavette's | View from our booth

Bavette's | Interior

The portions at Bavette's were hearty - from the appetizers & salads to the entrees - so I'd suggest a sharing approach to get the most out of your experience. We started out with the garlic shrimp de jonghe, which was served in the most incredible, savory sauce - we used the accompanying side of Texas toast to soak up every last bit of goodness. We also ordered the crab stuffed avocado from the salad list. The dish was light and refreshing, but to me it lacked flavor. The crab itself needed a bit more seasoning and the presence of dijon-sherry vinaigrette on the large mound of bibb lettuce next to the avocado was so lacking it could have been absent. Next time I'm in I think I'll opt for the bacon roasted tomato salad - an item that's been spotlighted in other reviews of Bavette's.

Garlic shrimp de jonghe

Crab stuffed avocado

Moving onto the entreés, we decided to go in a few different directions, all the while promising tastes of each dish to one another. As soon as I spotted it, I couldn't resist the Southern style fried chicken - and I'm so happy I didn't! I was presented with about 8 pieces of perfectly fried chicken: legs, wings, thighs & breasts - the whole kit & kaboodle - perfect for sharing! Sides included a bottle of Crystal hot sauce and a housemade buttermilk ranch for dipping - I am such a dipper (is that a term?) that I happily utilized both, but not for every bite - the chicken absolutely did not need either to be tasty.

My sister ordered the petite duchess cut filet mignon, medium rare - it was cooked to perfection, and you could have cut that little beauty with a butter knife. The meat came with a side of herb butter (again, not necessary but a nice little addition) and two perfectly roasted, sliced tomatoes. Rounding out the dishes for the evening was the flawlessly prepared double bone Berkshire pork chop that our friend ordered, per the recommendation of our server - he was not disappointed.

Southern style fried chicken

Before leaving Bavette's to head to the Theater we were surprised with a whiskey gelato sundae topped with a chocolate drizzle that hardened into a shell, compliments of the hostess. Although we all felt too full to even look in the dessert's direction, the idea of whiskey gelato was too intriguing not to give it a go. Between the three of us we nearly finished it...just in time to hop in a cab & head to the Chicago Theater!

Whiskey gelato sundae

SOLD OUT

We arrived at the Theater just after the show started - as we raced to hit the bathroom before our seats, we suddenly heard David Byrne begin to sing the words to my ALL TIME FAVORITE song: This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody) - all of a sudden we were screaming & sprinting to our seats. As soon as we burst through the doors into the main theater, the energy was intoxicating - every one was dancing & singing along with the legendary Talking Heads lead singer - his voice powerful & authentic as ever.

Although the concert was technically David Byrne and St. Vincent, Mr. Byrne did oblige the crowd by performing several of the hits from his Talking Heads days, often with the help of St. Vincent singer Annie Clark. I was not at all familiar with St. Vincent prior to the show, but I have to say I would consider myself a fan of hers now - particularly in the context of their collaboration, which is brought to life on their first album together, Love This Giant.

The entire show was made up of quirky choreography set against a barrage of various horns (their sound is quite brassy, but totally works) and the unique & individual sounds of David and Annie's voices, at times making it feel more like a theatrical play than a concert. Closing out the show, their rendition of "Road to Nowhere" had everyone on the stage marching around in figure eights, leaving you to feel like you just exited a big-top tent at the circus, one in which David & Annie took turns as the mesmerizing ring leader. It's a show I would see over & over again - and one that I will never forget.