Chef Jason Paskewitz, who left the Lincoln Park restaurants Gemini Bistro and Rustic House this past winter, has already planned his resurfacing—he'll be opening a French brasserie with about 140 seats at 1944 N. Clark Street.

The space hasn’t housed a restaurant before. “It’s in a great old building,” he says. 

Paskewitz cites the menu of the New York restaurant Balthazar as an inspiration, with classic-French dishes such as coq au vin, blanquette de veau, coquilles St.-Jacques, cassoulet, steak frites, trout almondine, and the less prototypical but no less classically flavored concoction in the photo above: seared scallops, poached Prince Edward Island mussels, yellow beet confit, fennel, and Pernod cream. Another detail he hopes to borrow from Balthazar is its attractive bar area, with a zinc bar and brass taps.

Paskewitz hopes to open around Christmas. Joyeux Noël, Parc de Lincoln.