Carrie Nahabedian (pictured above, on the right), a star chef from the early aughts, spends five nights a week in the kitchen at this French restaurant she owns with her cousin Michael Nahabedian (on the left), her black curls subdued under her signature head wrap, her hands in a busy dance of immeasurable craft. If French restaurants were your gateway to a love of dining, this is your place — one that doesn’t challenge you to leave your comfort zone so much as reexplore it. Carrie Nahabedian’s palate is as finely tuned as it gets. Marvel at the way a flutter of crisp Brussels sprout leaves focus the flavors in a rich gratin with tender shreds of braised rabbit. When French white asparagus had its brief moment this spring, hers was the best, set in an herbaceous salad with Bayonne ham. The elegant dining room, with its swaths of monochrome fabric, serves as a respite from the increasingly hectic vibe of River North. Your heart lets out a gasp of relief when you walk in. 

Price: $$$
Address: 534 N. Clark St.
Website: brindille-chicago.com