ChicagoBestSteak News: Boeufhaus and Fabulous Freddie’s

ChicagoBestSteak News: Boeufhaus and Fabulous Freddie’s.

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Ukrainian Village gets a steakhouse and a Bridgeport beef staple gets extra meaty in May.

When most people think of steakhouses in Chicago, they think of the seasoned downtown juggernauts. They think of the modern slate of steakhouses popping up around River North and the West Loop. What they probably don’t think about is a diminutive European-accented steakhouse on the fringes of Ukrainian Village and Humboldt Park. One of the most offbeat and surprising steakhouse additions in recent years is Boeufhaus, a tiny newcomer on Western Avenue along a stretch that is rapidly undergoing a hip gentrification influx. The order of the day at this slick eatery is meat, specifically beef. The name is a portmanteau of sorts between French and German names, with beef serving as the common ground. Chef Brian Ahern runs the kitchen at Boeufhaus, which is situated in a space that once contained a butcher shop. Unlike most anything else in the neighborhood, Boeufhaus boldly goes into new territory with a menu that skews expensive and hefty. There are crudite platters, short rib beignets, stuffed fried onions, French onion gratinee, rye spaetzle, creamy polenta with escargot “tapenade,” and other dishes that are unabashedly decadent. This all sets the pace for steaks like a 55-day dry-aged rib-eye, a New York strip, steak frites, and filet mignon. The menu, much like the space, is concise yet rich, providing the neighborhood with a much needed dose of higher end dining.

In less formal steak news, there’s a casual Bridgeport staple that is celebrating National Beef Month (spoiler alert: this month) by beefing up their menu offerings. Head to Fabulous Freddie’s this month to partake in their special mini all-beef platters, which feature three versions of Freddie’s most popular sandwiches. Stocked with three two-inch sandwiches, the platters feature Italian beef, breaded steak, and beef tenderloin. The platters are available through May for dine-in, carryout and delivery.