By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
December 4, 1994
You gotta wonder about a restaurant named after an illegal drink. So it was with curiosity that I ventured to the oh-so-hip Cafe Absinthe.
I loved it.
But a little history first.
Once lovingly referred to as the Greek Goddess, absinthe is the notorious liquor that was banned as lethal more than half a century ago because its flavorings included wormwood, an allegedly poisonous plant. Popular with French artists and poets at the turn of the century, absinthe acquired a reputation as the cause of everything
from sterility to insanity. To this day, it’s banned in most countries. (Modern wormwood-less versions of absinthe include ouzo, pastis and arak. But Cafe Arak doesn’t convey quite the same ambience as Cafe Absinthe, now, does it?)
You wouldn’t know that it was perfectly legal to eat at the 10-month-old cafe, judging from its hidden doorway just off the six-corners intersection of North, Milwaukee and Damen avenues. Hint: Walk into the alleyway from Damen and turn right.
Was this subterfuge intentional? You bet.
“That’s kinda the charm,” said general manager Michael Nahabedian. “You need to know how to get in.”
Before you can gag out “precious,” the cafe delivers on its goods. The decor at the 65-seat restaurant is half plush, half raw. Luxurious drapes frame the entranceway. There is a vintage ad for Pernod (which makes a modern-day version of absinthe) on the west wall. Diners have a view of the chefs cooking at the open kitchen in the back.
It’s no coincidence the small space is next door to Borderline and downstairs from Red Dog. Sam and Don Mehmetti own all three businesses, and regulars at Absinthe often run into each other at the other two establishments.
“I heard about (Cafe Absinthe) from a dancing buddy at Red Dog,” said Laura Morgan of Villa Park, waiting for her lobster bisque. “I don’t eat here all the time ’cause it’s a little more expensive than what I can afford. But it’s fun here. It’s also a cool date place ’cause the food’s always good and the ambience is just kinda neat.”
Absinthe offers nothing on its menu as lethal as its name, but chef Victor Gechrit’s dishes are intriguing. (Appetizers range from $5.50 to $7.50; salads run from $3.50 to $6, and entrees can be as low as $12.50 for a plate of pasta to up to $25.50 for seared veal chops.) My dining partner gagged when I went for the country pate
with cornichons and marinated apricots ($6.50), but I loved it. Also tasty was the pan-roasted salmon in leek cream sauce ($18.50).
Don’t get too used to a favorite, though, because the menu changes often. “We wanted to establish a place where our regular clientele could come in and eat something different every week,” Nahabedian said.
Note: Don’t be an idiot like me and wait to park at a meter after 6 p.m. Cafe Absinthe offers complimentary valet parking.
