We had a Bonsoiree gift certificate to use and noticed they were now calling themselves TD&S. Â Thankfully, they still accept the certs. Â We called on a Saturday night on a whim and were told they were booked for the next two weeks. Â Whoa. Â They called us back 10 min later and said someone cancelled - we were impressed with the waiting list and call back so we were intrigued.
We started off with the "wanderteller" (meats) and tried the Schweinekopf (pig face, but seriously delicious) and smoked venison. Â We also tried 2 really good cheeses.
For the small plates, we tried the salmon (amazing), polenta, and sausage. Â We were a little disappointed that the poached egg on one of the dishes was cooked all the way through. Â What's the point?!
For the larges, we tried the sturgeon and the veal. Â Both great, though I liked the veal better. Â It was so tender, melt in your mouth, which I didn't expect.
At this point our waiter disappeared. Â Not sure what happened. Â The table next to us actually sat down, waited for a bit, then walked out. Â It was strange. Â Finally the host came over and we just asked for some coffee and the check. Â -1 star
In all, it was very good and we liked trying something different (they told us they were considered "alpine" food - german / austrian / northern italy / etc.)
I really didn't understand the name until I read this: "Table, Donkey and Stick is named for a Brothers Grimm tale in which one of three brothers earns a table that magically sets itself with rustic delicacies." Â So just fyi if you're wondering...
67/365
The food was AWESOME. Â The service was OUTSTANDING. Â Great, cozy ambience.
Food:
Our party of 4 ordered about half the menu. Here's my ranking of Best to Not-the-Best:
-Polenta with bacon and gorgonzola dish was absolutely fantastic (we ordered two); the "bacon" is actually a large thick-cut slice of pork and the creamy polenta, gorg, and pickled peppers were an amazing combo.
-Duck liver, pheasant, and schweinekopf Wandertellers, and 3 non-blue cheeses were tasty appetizers (but extremely small portions). Â
-The pork sausage, pork-fat pretzel, braised beef shank, and sturgeon dishes were each a tie for excellent flavor combos and all prepared perfectly (although all were also quite small).
-Shaved celery root salad was decent
Service:
I have a bad habit of usually only noticing the service when it is bad. In this case I remember it being perfect. Â Attentive without being a nuisance. Water glasses and drinks constantly topped off without me even noticing. Excellent recommendations. Informative and knowledgeable but not pretentious.
Deducted 1 star because this "small plate" thing that seems to be dominating the new restaurant scene is kinda driving me nuts... portions are misleadingly small -- especially for the price. Dinner, 2 rounds of drinks, and a shared dessert for 4 was $250 before tip.
However, if you are prepared for that... awesome experience.
I love the small plate trend with fancy pants restaurants in Chicago, so you can still enjoy some gloriousness, food wise, even if you are not prepared to throw down $60+ for a meal (but really, you should have an emergency fund for that. Seriously.)
More importantly, you all need to go eat there RIGHT NOW because that chunk of Palmer/Logan/Humbolt/neighborhood confusion deserves to have something this wonderful. The food is amazing, staff is attentive and knowledgable, drinks selection is impressive as well. Carmel chicharrones. I shouldn't have to say anything else, even though I think i spelled it wrong...
Reading other reviews it does not sound as if I was at the same place. Perhaps because it was Friday, the place was crowded, and the portions were so small. The service was fine, although we had to wait quite a long time to get served even our wine. we were a party of six, and  decided to share some of the dishes. we ordered one of the cheeses expecting enough to go round, but it seemed to be about an inch square, enough for one person. We also ordered  three of the small dishes, again expecting this to be sufficient, but there was barely enough to go around. The food tasted good, if a little greasy. The tongue was fine,. Each dish was enough as an appetizer for one person. The server ( owner) recommended three large dishes. we ordered two sauerbraten and one veal breast. Again, food was O.K. but not enough for six I have tasted better sauerbratten in Germany and Austria,  With wine the dinner was expensive what what we received. Perhaps the owner should describe what  is really an appetizer, and  what constitutes a main  course.
I would certainly rate it $$$ or more.
I definitely dig this place, the old Bonsoiree spot. Â From the buckwheat baguette with delicious (lardy) butter to the whimsical fairy tale of a decor, Table offers a really unique take on the Alpine foods. Â I enjoyed the menu because it was different! We ordered artisan cheese plate, eggplant and thyme, local lettuce salad, sunchockes and squash (never knew what sunchokes were before Table!), trout and buckwheat pasta! Â Everything was delicious. Â
...and i totally love the name!!!  Super cool!  I have written a more detailed review of Table, Donkey and Stick in my blog with pictures and all, check it out if you're interested: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fthetravelingfoodster.com%2F2013%2F02%2F13%2Ftable-donkey-and-stick-restaurant%2F&s=7d552209ce79a39f20d111cf210a2c3ff1213922338fde35cf206430b58f5f05" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://thetravelingfoods…</a>
This place is very unique. Â The bacon/Gorgonzola/polenta dish might be the best thing I have ever eaten.
They are open until 2am. Â It's a great alternative to a bar late night. Â Good atmosphere, drink selection, and music.
Also: I don't really understand the $$$ rating. Â It seems more like $$ to me.
I guess this is a combined review with spouse and college age daughter. Place only open several months and I selected as a go to restaurant on our return to Chicago for a long weekend (we are25 yr  Chicago citizens but temporarily working outside of city. can't wait to return). Actually never went this far west on Armitage before for fine dining but told an up and coming area..having lived in Wicker Park 20 some years ago I understand. We went with the Valentine lineup and paired wines.  I hope the a la carte menu has larger portions if ordered from.  Started out with an oyster...I got 2 as daughter passed... had a foam on it which didn't like as am oyster purist.  The rabbit terrine next..good..no crackers or bread. Smoked sturgeon very good. Venison loin also good.If I remember correctly, then a small meteorite fragment of cheese.  Desert fine.  I like the place and co-owner met (do all young men now look like Abraham Lincoln anymore?..must be a thing).  Waiter superb and made special drinks for us although I wished I would have had one of their craft drinks...did not see till later). Wines were paired OK..alone to me some were railroad boxcar weak but somehow ended up matching the food.  Would recommend  a try and best thing is that this place has room to grow and explore. Wish them best.
Review Source:Had a great time at Table, Donkey and Stick this past week. Â Hard to find because of the lack of signage but once you're inside the smell beaming from the kitchen has you ready to eat. Â We ordered a cheese and meats plate that was great (smoked veal was awesome). Â The braised beef was so tender and the chocolate cake desert was on point. Â The drinks are not to be looked over, especially the special warm punch they offer on request. Â Definitely a good time here!
Review Source:Yum! Â We were so pleasantly surprised by this meal; it was the best I had in months in terms of service, food quality, and creativity. Â I am deducting a star because based on my personal preference, the food was a little too rich for my taste, and the place is pretty small, like you will know more than you want about some of the other patrons... Â
My husband's entree especially was rather fatty but otherwise delicious; he ordered the veal breast. Â We actually had to ask what the heck a veal breast was! Â It was tasty, but I don't think he felt too well after eating it if you know what I mean. Â
The service was great; our waiter was very nice. Â The atmosphere was pretty good. Â They have quite a few 'communal-type' tables, though. Â We were able to get a private one, luckily, because sitting so close to people makes me nervous when I am eating.....
Overall, it was a great meal and experience for a completely appropriate price. Â The portion sizes were just right, but I would definitely recommend ordering a few courses. Â The flavors were extremely unique, and our food was served hot and in a timely manner. Â I also give them props for utilizing local vendors for their food and even for their whiskey! Â For the life of me, though, I can never remember the name of the place (i.e., Donkey, Table, Stick; Table, Stick, Donky??).
I admit: At first, I was concerned about the name. Â And this place didn't have very many Yelp reviews.
BUT: In my quest to break out of the stagnant gastro-scene, I was drawn to their unique menu when it was date night with my boyfriend. Â (Finally: a restaurant who isn't passing off pan-fried brussel sprouts as interesting cuisine!)
The service was overall very friendly and the atmosphere was festive without being overly loud. Â Our server was very accomodating, but relatively new and could not speak very thoroughly to the wine selections. Â Table, Donkey and Stick has mostly Northern Italian wines that we were unfamiliar with and needed a helping hand -- we decided on the Pinot Noir and it was a great choice.
All of their charcuterie is made in house, and it is amazing. Â I'm not usually into it but I will want to order one of everything next time we go (and yes: There WILL be a next time!!). Â We also ordered the cheese plate, which was great (especially the creamy blue cheese), the pretzel, and a few other small plates. Â All were great.
For dessert we shared the chartreuse hot chocolate -- my only issue is they heat the mug, and obviously the drink is really hot, so this was way too hot to drink for several minutes, which isn't good when you're wanting to wrap things up. Â
Overall, we had a great experience and love the concept and execution of Table, Donkey and Stick! Kudos!
I went to Table, Donkey, Stick last night with a group of 5 girlfriends, and had an amazing time! First of all, we had a reservation for 7 but only showed up with 5, and they were incredibly accommodating and didn't mind at all. We still were able to eat at the gorgeous communal tables in the back of the restaurant, which is glassed-in like an atrium. Despite being surrounded by glass on a freezing January night, we were incredibly warm and cozy in TDS, and there was a firepit roaring in the patio that created a lovely ambience. The hostess, Â waiter and owner couldn't have been nicer and more attentive. They offered multiple suggestions for our gluten-free and vegetarian guest, as well as delighted the 3 meat eaters. The pork fat pretzel was probably my favorite, followed by the sunchokes, fresh baked bread to start (some sort of meat butter thing that was awesome!), and a yummy whitefish polenta dish. The dishes were all beautifully plated, delicious, interesting, and surprisingly light despite the heavy "alpine fare" theme. We will definitely be back again to try other entrees (we stuck to the small plates for the most part) and desserts!
Review Source:This place really nailed it! Â This was one of the better meals I've had since moving to Chicago in Feb 2012. Â Definitely a top five. Â The service was laid back but highly knowledgable, attentive and friendly. Â The flavors were fantastic and the people were great. Â I'd highly recommend the smoked venison app. Â It really blew me away. Â The polenta was delicious too and the pizzocheri and veal entrees were amazing.
Review Source:We had a large group (with more than a couple dietary restrictions) for New Year's Eve and the crew at Table, Donkey and Stick made it a special evening. Good service, good wine, and great food. Â The pork & polenta dish was the star of the show, and quite possibly the best plate of food I've ever had the pleasure of eating. It would be a tragedy if it doesn't find heavy rotation on the normal menu.
We were always fans of Bonsoiree, but the last two times it felt like they were going through the motions. The new direction seems to have reinvigorated the kitchen, and it really showed in the cuisine.
Many reasons to enjoy this spot!
- Great atmosphere. It's an inviting space with modern decor and a cozy gas fireplace in the back room. The back room has a wall of windows that let you look out to the outdoor patio and fire pit while dining. It's a great place for an intimate dinner.
- Excellent service. The waitress took time to go over the menu and gave good suggestions regarding wine and food suggestions.
- Unique menu. Overall it's upscale American food but I have never seen a menu with a category called "Meat Snacks" before! What exactly are "Meat Snacks?" Basically multiple options of charcuterie using various meats (beef, pork, trout, peasant, venizon) and a vegetarian option (eggplant and thyme - actually this was the one item I didn't particularly like). I loved the smoked trout "meat snack," the turnip soup and the pizzocheri pasta.
- Veg friendly. The waitress asked about our food preferences and allergies right away. They were attentive to my avoidance of pork and beef, but also helped my meat-lover husband pick his meals choices.
- Wine on tap? A nice wine selection, reasonably priced and actually really good wine on tap - surprised me! Also they have brandy flights, yum. I wish the cocktail list was bigger though; they had maybe 3 on the menu and they were pretty basic.
All and all, Table, Donkey and Stick was a fun and delicious dining experience. Still trying to figure out the name though... they don't serve donkey ;)
First, this is great winter food. Well prepared meats, breads and root veggies. Also, pork fat pretzels. The service was impeccable. The sommelier explained the wines, beers and cocktails.
Specifically: the bacon polenta dish was phenomenal. The beef shank has the best sweet potato and kale dish. The beef it self was succulent, perfectly cooked and amazing.
Best of all is the atmosphere. It was modern, comfy and welcoming. The fire pit in the back was a fantastic end of the night. Yeah, it is a bit cold, but you have a drink and a blanket and you don't feel
It.
This place is also open to 2. So come
By for a late night dinner and drink!!
I was at Table, Donkey, and Stick tonight for the first time with my husband, and was so impressed by the delicious food, and inviting atmosphere. Â We started with the eggplant and thyme terrine to go with the house bread. Â Then, I ordered the sunchoke salad and my husband ordered the polenta for appetizers. Â I ordered the trout, and he ordered the veal as a main course, and we finished with the apple pudding for dessert. Â I tasted everything, and enjoyed it all. Â Would recommend any of those dishes. Â Especially great presentation of the trout, and unbelievably good creme fraiche ice cream to go with the dessert. Â Also, although it was a bit cold outside, they kept a wood-burning fire pit with full on flames running on a patio behind the restaurant, and had a smaller fireplace in the back room, making it particularly inviting for a cold Chicago evening.
Review Source:This may be a bit preemptive as we only participated in the preview dinner last week and the meet and greet night with rillettes and baguettes, but the preview dinner we had, which was essentially the current menu, was excellent.
If you're vegan, don't bother. Vegetarian, even, your options are very limited. I tend to look at a menu from that standpoint as I've done both lifestyles, and menus can be tricky for you, and that can spoil an otherwise very pleasant dining experience. To be fair, a vegetarian meal may be possible, but any menu that lists the first items as "meat snacks" may be a bit of a turn off for the average vegetarian.
That being said, our meal was very well-compiled and diligently explained by our server. The beverage selections are impressive and I love that I now have a place where I can have some European cider, much richer and less sweet than I can often find. The aperitifs are great as well, featuring the local Koval distillery brandy selections that really just stand out in taste and quality.
Here is what we had:
charcuterie plate- pork rillettes (not my fave as a food, but that's personal preference), pheasant galantine (complex flavor, definitely recommend) and the pigs head (again, a bit fatty for me, but flavor was great). I'm going to try the other offerings next time we go, because they sound fantastic.
smoked chicken maultaschen- the maultaschen was delicious, consomme had great flavor but lacked any salt, really didn't love that. We gave that feedback, so it may have changed... otherwise it was very good
Polenta- my God this was flavor town and it was an absolute treat. Bacon, gorgonzola, picked peppers and trumpet mushrooms. Almost overwhelmingly good, I practically stole the dish from my man. We fell in love with it, this will be ordered every time.
pork sausage, pretzel roll, cauliflower- tasty and well presented. the comte really added to the dish and the cauliflower was a smart complement as well. slagel farms provided the sausage when we went, and fresh is what comes to mind after flavor. we were big fans.
sauerbraten of veal breast, braised red cabbage, bubespitzle- STAND out best dish of the meal... the veal was tender but similar to a pulled meat consistency, so not overly buttery, which I prefer. cabbage was perfect, not too overwhelming but very complementary to the veal and the bubespitzle was great, I've never had it before but its essentially a German gnocchi/pierogi style dumpling. the best party of this dish, though, for me, were the very slight amount of crumbled ginger snaps sprinkled on the dish. You are doing a disservice to yourself if you don't order this.
I thought the cheese plate was great, obviously it will change really I'm sure, but the cheeses were all really very friendly no matter how adventurous you are with cheese, none were overtly string, even the blue we had. great post-meal, pre-dessert option. Â my only request would be to use a wildflower honey instead of clover, it would make the plate really complete ... maybe even a house-infused honey? that would knock it out of the park.
and dessert. wow. I don't like chocolate much but the pave with pine nut brittle was rich and satisfying. the sourdough apple pudding was rich but light at the same time, and the apple flavor really stood out.
this place is worthy of much of the hype. honestly, I expected it to be pricier when the official menu came out, and it isn't nearly as much as expected. great romantic atmosphere, the patio looks really promising for the warmer months, and the staff is welcoming and helpful. if you like east French, west German cuisine, it's a must! We will be back soon for sure.
Table, Donkey and Stick occupies the space formerly known as Bonsoiree; Owner Shin Thompson is embarking on a new restaurant in the West Loop and is currently hosting a series of pop up dinners at Table, Donkey and Stick where several different chefs will have the chance to create their own menu and run the restaurant for a night. Shin hopes to name a winner by the end of November and have the restaurant open in December. The winner will be in charge of the kitchen as Shin will be focusing on his new West Loop venue. While Shin is permitting the chefs lots of flexibility during these pop up dinner, the overarching theme to Table, Donkey and Stick is to be reminiscent of the cuisine and ambiance that typifies what one would find at inns around the Alps in Southern France, Switzerland and Italy. The name comes from a Brothers Grimm fairy tale Each chef has a budget of how much they can spend on food ($750 per night not including staples), must include bread service with rillettes, have at least three additional courses and somehow reflect the traditions of the Alps. There is also an emphasis on whole animal butchery. The pop up dinners are offered at a reduced price of just $15 and seats announced on their Facebook page.
Tonight was the first night of the competition and Chef Jon Keeley (former sous chef at Bonsoiree who has also worked at Blackbird as well as in Boston, MA at Toro) manned the kitchen. He delivered an outstanding five course meal; the food was complex, interesting, aromatic, flavorful and delicious. Tonight's courses included a hearty salad featuring elements such as poached trout, Mascarpone snow, sunchoke puree, beets.; this was really a fun, tasty salad. Next came a Charcuterie platter with homemade pretzel rolls, bacon-wrapped terrine, rillettes and pork sausage (the only thing missing here was some nice cheeses, but the terrine and pretzel bread were phenomenal). Â This was followed by an heirloom squash soup with sweetbreads, chili oil and IPA foam; my least favorite course of the night but not bad by any means. My favorite course was the squid ink pappardelle with braised rabbit, rabbit loin, Brussels sprouts and toasted hazelnut crumble; interestingly this looked and tasted somewhat like a fancy, upscale tuna casserole (with the squid ink imparting a pleasant fishy aftertaste to the rabbit). Dessert consisted of olive oil cake, some potent creme fraiche ice cream, espresso gel, ganache and the most delicious honeycomb candy.
The ambiance at Table, Donkey and Stick is quite nice other than that it can become loud when full; it is a cozy space with nice, decor trying to mimic an inn at the Alps. A very cool, unique feature is the  fire pit in the backyard where you can enjoy an after dinner cocktail around a bonfire; this was not yet operational but is supposed to be up and running by the second pop up dinner. Service was a bit off at times, but that is totally expected under the circumstances (opening night and brand new concept of a series of pop up dinners each with a different chef) - in the past Bonsoiree has always had stellar service so I do not foresee this as an issue once there is some stability.
For now I am awarding a provisional four star ranking, but Table, Donkey and Stick has five star potential. It is still a complete work-in-progress as there will be several more chef auditions, each with it's own unique menu and style before a winner is selected and a regular menu developed. It will be very interesting to see how everything unfolds; be sure to follow them on Facebook as they are very active and provide lots of updates as well as information on upcoming pop up dinners if you want to partake.
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