Pasteur

So disappointed, I wanted to like this place.

Like another reviewer, I was part of a large group for a dinner event.  We got to sample a wide variety of the menu, and my table just wasn't impressed by much of it.  Here's the breakdown in order of yumminess:

-can't remember the name of this drink, but it was raspberry vodka base with a hit of sriracha - a surprisingly delicious twist!

-Beef Pho - you can get pho anywhere on Argyle, but the the beef was so tender, this might be the best one I've had.  If only it were hotter.

-Claypot Salmon - the salmon was cooked nicely and the fresh sugar cane was a nice preparation, this was a real crowd-pleaser

-Fried Banana with Green Tea Ice Cream - this was a tasty and refreshing dessert

-Curry Beef - I enjoyed the coconut curry sauce, but otherwise it was unremarkable

-Appetizers: Spring Roll, Egg Roll, Dumpling - these were all pretty good, but they tasted just like the frozen ones I bought from Whole Foods.  Again, unremarkable

-Shrimp Papaya Salad - I have a shrimp allergy, so I appreciated that they were able to substitute chicken for me.  The dish, however, was so-so.  I'm surprised it's papaya, I don't think I tasted any

Service was really spotty.  They started off really welcoming and prompt (I loved the "Pasteur 85" welcome drink - their take on a gin-based French 75), but went downhill from there.  Timing between servings really lagged, which is weird because it was a snowstorm so we were pretty much the only patrons in the restaurant.  The other frustrating part was that sauces and dips were not served with the accompanying meals.  We would be halfway through a dish and they would come out with a sauce we *should have* eaten it with.

The food was ok, but not great; but the service really detracted from the experience.  Sigh.

We came here as a group of about 28 for a dinner event.  It was during a big snow storm so the restaurant was pretty much empty to just us. It was nice! The restaurant has great ambiance, colors and beautiful decor. I felt fancy just sitting in this restaurant!

Now onto the food. Here was our tasting menu:

Plated selection of small appetizers
Spring Roll, Egg Roll, Dumpling

Goi Vu Du Tom (Shrimp Papaya Salad)
Shredded green papaya topped with poached shrimp, fresh herbs, sprinkled with brown roasted peanuts.

Pho Bo (Beef Soup)
Ha Noi beef noodle soup, with eye of round beef and brisket, served with bean sprouts and fresh herbs.

Ca Salmon Kho (Claypot Salmon)
Salmon baked in a claypot, with fresh sugar cane, tomatoes, and scallions

Bo Xao Lan (Curry Beef)
Tender beef marinated and sautéed in a light coconut curry sauce, with woodear mushroom, angel hair noodles, baby okra. Topped with ground peanuts and fresh kaffir lime leaf.

Fried Banana with Green Tea Ice Cream

Overall the food was good. The spring roll, egg roll and dumpling were similar to other restaurants I've eaten.  The papaya salad lacked flavor unfortunately. It was pretty bland to me.  The pho bo was good but the broth was a little too salty for my taste.  The salmon and curry beef dishes were good. I thoroughly enjoyed them both.  The dessert of fried banana and green tea ice cream were also delicious.

Service was outstanding. But then again, we were a large paying group and the only  customers there so I'm not quite sure if its usually this way. But for us, service was awesome!

The restaurant is supposed to have Vietnamese French cuisine. I was not able to figure out how the food was french. Overall the food was good and I would recommend coming here at least once to try.

P.S. Their bathroom doors do not lock. If you lock the door, and someone jiggles the handle trying to enter the bathroom (because they dont know you are in there), the lock automatically pops out to unlock itself! Not sure why they opted for that type of lock. Hopefully they can fix that.

I loved the old Pasteur and even Viet Bistro.  I went back to the new one for the first time last week, and it was as good as I remember.

Nem and Chao Tom to start
Pho
Bo Luc Lac and Ga Xao Sa Ot for mains

Wow, this place remains one of my Chicago favorites.  The waitstaff was attentive without hovering, the food was delicious (especially the Pho, which many places simply phone in), and the prices were reasonable.