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Category: American (New) [Edit]
1625 Hinman AveBeginning February 7, Quince offers a special 3-course prix fixe dinner special on Sunday nights for $35 per person.
Announced 1 week agoDavis (Purple, Evanston Express)
Tue-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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Quince is another restaurant that is hard to find - no big signs or window-front seating to attract diners. It is open for dinner only, every day except Monday. The restaurant is dimly-lit and intimate, adjacent to the Homestead Hotel. The tables are so close together that you feel as if you have to whisper to keep the entire restaurant from overhearing your conversation.
Upon being seated, we were immediately presented with an array of bread - whole grain, baguette, and onion roll. I liked that we were served bread (yes, you could choose more than one) intermittently as opposed to having a big basket of bread plopped down on the table and leaving it at that. Over the course of the evening I tried all three, and can vouch for the quality.
The menu was very intriguing, with an obvious seasonal influence. I started my meal with Liquid Cauliflower Ravioli ($12) because it sounded so bizarre I just had to give it a try. The ravioli was made of squid ink pasta, and topped with smoked salmon and apple compote diced in perfect millimeter thick cubes. I was instructed by the waitress to eat each ravioli in one bite, and for good reason.The liquid cauliflower infusion really exploded in my mouth, and was unlike anything I had ever tasted. Each ravioli was exquisite, with the chilled salmon and apple providing a salty and sweet garnish to the steaming cauliflower broth within each starchy treasure. Normally I am a magnanimous person, but I refused to let anyone taste my ravioli - there were only three and they were too precious to share.
For my entree, I chose the Grouper ($30), served in a coconut lemongrass broth with bulgur and vegetables. The fish was tender and soaked up the creamy lemongrass broth like a sponge. The menu draws on global inspirations, with promising dishes like Lamb & Wagyu Zabuton ($31) with couscous and Pork Loin ($27) with Asian pear confit and brussels sprouts.
On the dessert menu, my eye immediately jumped to the Pumpkin Ravioli ($8), served with pecan, chocolate, gala apple and cranberry compote. However, I didn't want to overdose on ravioli so I opted for Sorbet ($3/scoop) instead. The sorbets are made in house and came highly recommended. I tried the blood orange, pomegranate and mango sorbets and loved them all. Each was tangy but sweet, with a strong fresh fruit flavor. It's tough to pick a favorite, but I would go with blood orange.
The food was outstanding, innovative and delicious with the Liquid Cauliflower Ravioli being the highlight of my meal. Quince does a great job presenting every dish - whenever I would see another table's food arrive, it looked so good I wished I had ordered it myself. My only complaint is that the waitress never offered us the five-course tasting menu. Next time, I will make sure to ask for the tasting menu upfront. I am sure executive chef Andy Motto, previously of Old Town Brasserie, would pleasantly surprise me.
Quince is the most recent fine dining establishment in this lovely rustic inn space at the Homestead. The heritage of that space is jaw-dropping: Trio, under Rick Tramonto and Gale Gand, then Shawn McClain, and finally Grant Achatz, followed by Trio Atelier. Highly experienced chef Andy Motto holds the reins here and produces perhaps the highest end food in all of Evanston, keeping the 16 year tradition of the Homestead having the best restaurant in Evanston.
The atmosphere is casual, relaxed, and intimate; there are no pressures and this is reflected in the vibe of the food. Precise, yet with a carefree touch of whimsy and delight. The flavors are very nicely handled without being overpowering or bringing that lightness down, even on heavier dishes such as the ribeye with wild mushrooms, glazed baby vegetables, and red wine sauce.
They used to be open for lunch, which was wonderful; the sunny room and open environment made it a wonderful place to just be relaxed and linger over some drinks with friends. Sadly, that ended somewhere along the way.
Regardless, though the stated intention might have been to back down to more casual fare, it's still the best restaurant in Evanston with wonderful cuisine. Yes, I miss Trio more than I can say, but this is a winner of a change.
Hidden away in Eastern Evanston, nestled within the provincial Homestead Hotel, is a French - American restaurant of uncommon quality - Quince.
Quince is a restaurant for those who take their food and drink seriously. The bar has several quality bourbon selections and the Baker's 7 year results in a superbly made Manhattan. There are the usual variations on the martini, as well, but the blueberry pomegranate concoction that Kelly ordered was not at all cloying.
The menu is heavily favored toward American classics - duck, pork, lamb, steak - but prepared in French fashion. Our waiter raved about the pork loin prior to my order, but when I inquired about the Lamb and Waygu in Mediterranean style, he steered me there - and thankfully so! The lamb was seared. sliced, and cooked exactly to order - a pleasant bloody rare. The Waygu was braised with rich, chocolately, smoky flavors and equally divine. A superb turf'n'turf combination that I would not have considered. The wine list is extensive and pairs well with the food -- we went with the Gigondas and were not disappointed. If you feel like splurging, the Cote Rotie listed on the menu is an excellent example of the style.
Our food was very filling, so for dessert, we simply shared the ice cream - three scoops, three flavors, all delicious.
Throughout, the service was attentive and knowledgable. While they did not have a Sauternes for the foie gras of the day - seared with a pear reduction, and perfectly executed - the waiter did search for an acceptable substitute - a dessert wine from Australia, of all places. While the lack of Sauternes was a rare misstep, the substitute was more than adequate.
The only real drawback of Quince is acoustics - in both the bar and the restaurant, conversations travel fast and loud. If your dining neighbors lack volume control, your dinner will double as a fact-finding mission. If you lack volume control, you'll be baring yourself to more than just your date or dinner companions. You have been warned.
But I'll definitely be back, for the food, and the lives of others.
I have heard only good things about Quince. Never a bad review or comment. I remember when it was Cafe Provencal - Leslie Reis was the Chef and the place was out of this world wonderful. Every special event - and ordinary event for that matter - was celebrated here. Fish, chicken, beef, wine, desserts - everything was above and beyond perfect. The vegetables were prepared creatively, the salads with a hint of truffle or a bit of tart beets delectable.
When it was Trio I heard complaints about tastings being too small although the food was described as quite good. Now I hear that Quince is back to the space's original and captivating menu - of course, it is Quince's own design, but the portions sound ample and the food fresh, prepared in interesting ways and delicious. Go and enjoy this historic space in Evanston - what delightful memories you will have to take with you.
Favorite was the liquid cauliflower ravoli. sounds gross, but yuuuuum!
I came here to celebrate both my boyfriend and his grandmother's birthdays. At first glance, the building itself looks like it doesn't hold a restaurant at all, since it is some kind of bed and breakfast/hotel. Upon closer inspection, I realized that there is a small sign for Quince...i advise anyone going here to pay attention, because it can be missed!
Inside, the restaurant itself is small and nicely decorated. Many people call it "cozy", and that's exactly what it is...there is really only one room for dining and some outdoor seating on warmer days. Although we went in the beginning of June, it was cold and rainy out, so our somewhat large group was placed by the fireplace which added a nice touch of heat (I get cold easily, so I was not complaining here!).
Their wine list is HUGE, with at least 8 pages devoted to half bottle and full bottle selections. However, their glass list is given only one page, so I felt like I was misssing out on some great selections because I didn't want a whole bottle.
Our waiter was very helpful and explained everything to us...the soup of the day (which was split pea with crayfish) and told us that the menus are printed daily, so you will probably never have the same meal twice. For an appetizer, I ordered the suckling pig, while my boyfriend and his friend ordered soft shell crab, and his mom ordered the soup. The food was amazing...the suckling pig came with a side mixture of fruits and celery which added a nice sweetness to the pork. The crab was very fresh and delicious!
For an entree, I ordered the guinea hen...and I was blown away. The potatoes, the "creamed ramps", everything tasted wonderful. Others in our party ordered the scallops, teh Flat iron steak (also very good), salmon, and the pork belly. I don't think one person complained about any of the food, aside from the salmon being a tad too salty.
For desert, Moat of us opted for the simple serving of gelato. I had blueberry, and again...I enjoyed every bite. My boyfriend and his friend each odered the Peanut Butter Pudding which i claimed looked "cute" (because the presentation is absolutely adorable). It seemed to be a deconstructed version of a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich, but instead had little mini doughnuts and a small cup of a "malted milk shake".
I definitely want to come back here again. The service was good, the food was better, which made for a very relaxing experience. I do recommend making reservations here first...since their staff and space is limited. I just could not rate it five stars because of the random (and almost hidden) placement of this jewel of a restaurant. Enjoy!
We had a wonderful dining experience at Quince. We met another couple and everything that came to the table was fantastic. We wanted to enjoy some cocktails in the lounge before sitting to dinner. Our table was held without batting an eye. The waitstaff was knowledgeable and helpful. It was a cozy atmosphere and quiet. The halibut was one of the best things I've put in my mouth.
Excellent food and service. Worth the price tag. I'm looking forward to another visit!
Agh! I just couldn't give 5 stars because I felt like I was going to go visit my grandpa in his nursing home. I know this is now a bed and breakfast of some sort, but it still reeks weirdly of "assisted living facility". Please, please, please do some remodeling.
The restaurant area itself was fantastic. The decor in there is subdued, pretty and very cozy with the fireplace. We went here for my boyfriend's work Christmas dinner and had a great time.
The food was excellent for the price. Boyfriend had the sweetbreads appetizer (very good, even though it was our first time eating sweetbreads) and I had the amazing butternut squash soup with the apple pie a la mode in the center. Pretty big portions on all accounts here as well.
I got the duck for my entree which was very good, but not mind-blowing. The creamy orzo was what I remembered the most. My boyfriend got the lamb and that was very good from what I tasted.
For dessert I had the cinnamon sugar doughnut with apple cider. Very cute and very good. Since my birthday was the next day, they also sent out a beautiful plate with "Happy Birthday" drizzled in chocolate and a dish of chocolate truffles to share. Those were heavenly. If I lived in Evanston rather than the city, I'd go again, but it's too far to go when there are more and better choices around me.
Very good, fine-dining food for very decent prices. The service was adequate. I'm not picky, but my boyfriend and I were the last to show up and sat without drinks or menus for 10 minutes before someone noticed us. Otherwise, it was great!
Quince was a great place...the service was wonderful and the food was good. The actual dining room is very small and the environment seems a little aged. We ordered the soup of the day, which was a sweet corn with duck confit. It was a very comforting beginning to the meal. For the main courses we had the pork belly and the flat iron. Don't go with the beef on this one. The pork belly was really soft and tender. Quite the dish.
For dessert we got the peanut butter pudding, a scoop of corn gelato and a scoop of cucumber sorbet. Unless you really dig your peanut butter and jelly and doughnut, don't go with that. The corn gelato tasted really good, much like cream corn with a little bit of vanilla just to make it sweet and not savory. The cucumber sorbet was really refreshing and light, very worth it.
This would have been a four star-er, but the steak was just very poorly done. However, for a quiet night out, it's attentive service and quaint.
I tried Quince for the first time last night. The restaurant was cozy and charming. I'm a sucker for pumpkin (and butternut squash soup) so I started with the pumpkin soup. The flavors of the soup were amazing. As a bonus there is an apple pie a la mode in the center of the bowl. Dinner and dessert in one bowl...how can you beat that? I decided to stick to the vegetarian theme and had the ricotta gnocchi for my entree. The ricotta gnocchi is basically a fancy mac & cheese but with gnocchi instead of noodles. The top was perfectly crispy and the inside was cheesy and wonderful. It was pretty rich so I wasn't able to eat all of it. It was served with onion rings and swiss chard. The onion rings were amazing and not greasy. The swiss chard was a bit salty for my taste. I can't wait to go back.
(extra info: Quince has a "kitchen table" that can accommodate up to 5 people. You get a special tasting menu and watch it be prepared by the kitchen staff.)
What a wonderful experience. The Quince Restaurant is tucked in the Homestead Hotel which is tucked away by the Lakefront. I've been wanting to try this restaurant and with a recent visitor in town, we treated her out to a nice dinner here. Apparently, they no longer serve brunch (except for Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day and NU Graduation weekend) but dinner only.
We opted for a customized tasting menu with wine pairings and the whole experience was amazing. I started with the Hamachi Tartare which included crispy shallots and moved onto the Grilled Whitefish. All this paired with a glass of Breussin Demi-Sec - a French off-dry white wine. Another is our group started with Cucumber Carpaccio which included shrimp and then, ended up with Lamb Spare Ribs and her lamb was succulent and perfectly done. The last in our group had the wedge salad and his entree was the Red Wine Braised Short Ribs. However, his glass of Cabernet was perfectly paired with his food.
Service was fabulous - helpful, friendly, and timed perfectly. We polished off our dinner with their cheese plate and their Milk & Cookies specialty which is an ice cream sandwich with a glass of chocolate milk. A wonderful location for a special dinner. We can't wait to come back for another special occasion.
This was my second visit to Quince. The first time I went during the summer with a friend to try the 3-course fixed price menu (not offered now that it's fall) and was blown away by the flavors and presentation.
This second time I went with my husband and in-laws. We had early reservations (5:30) on a Sunday evening, but the place filled up completely by 7:30 (on both occasions) - so reservations are helpful.
Service was great. Fairly attentive but not overbearing. A little sloppy on the dish place down/pick up from the busgirl (I was taught in catering to serve from the left, remove from the right - but that's just me being anal ;) and ditto on the water, but not a big deal. Our server helped with wine pairings and answered all of our questions about the menu.
Note: The menu changes daily/seasonally, so don't be sad if dishes mentioned in other reviews or on Qunice's online menu are nowhere to be found. Even the bread basket/accoutrements were different from other reviewers.
Everyone LOVED their food. My in-laws and hub were blown away by the flavors and presentation. Their entrees (ricotta gnocchi, salmon served 2 ways, lamb with chocolate-hazelnut sauce) were SO delicious.
I had pork osso-buco over white beans and spinach. It fell off the bone and was SO tender and the presentation was gorgeous. However, it was completely, and I mean completely, devoid of flavor. It was as if the kitchen forgot something in the dish. I have never been so confused about an entree in my life. It was really quite disturbing, especially since my first visit was so positive. I had to ask the server for salt. And I never, NEVER salt ANYthing!!! Hence, minus one star.
Dessert was to die for (we shared three). The ice cream must surely be made with a dozen egg yolks and pure cream, it was that rich. A lovely little plate of chocolates, lemon marshmallows, and almonds arrived with our check. As if we had room. Oof.
Will I back despite the unfortunate osso-buco affair? You betcha! *wink*
This is my favorite restaurant in Evanston. The food is amazing, and endlessly creative without being too precious. It is easily on par with the best of restaurants in Chicago proper. Their wine pairings are also excellent, and the service is top notch. They even opened half an hour early just for us without batting on eye when we explained we had a group of about 9 people, and we were on a tight schedule.
It is adjoined to the Homestead, which is a residential place for long-term guests (often associated with the university) so the walk through the ground floor does feel odd, but the restaurant itself is nothing to do with that and should not be penalized on that count.
I went to Quince over the weekend for a late group dinner. I found the service to be quite good and we didn't feel rushed, even though we were basically closing the restaurant for the evening. Anyway on to the food... since I was spending more money than usual I was a bit more critical of my meal, but on the whole everyone was very satisfied with their orders.
I started with the Chilled Cucumber Soup, which was presented as an empty bowl with a bed of julienne cucumber "noodles" and the soup was poured into the bowl at the table. I found the portion size to be a bit too small...considering it was $12. My only other complaint was that there was a bit too much mint infused into the soup.
For my main course I went with Curry Scallops, which came with four giant scallops, each resting on a small bed of curry couscous and topped with julienne cucumber strips (theme of the night!) More tableside prep as a curry sauce was added to my dish once it was set down. I enjoyed the scallops but thought the overall curry flavor was a bit overpowering - maybe there was too much sauce? I couldn't exactly pinpoint it but the dish just tasted a bit overworked or overthought.
We did a lot of plate-passing to try the other dishes, so if I were to go to Quince again, I would probably go for the Short Ribs or the Skirt Steak. The Lamb Chop with chocolate sauce was also very delicious. My favorite thing I sampled, however, was the "forbidden black rice" that came with the Yellowtail Snapper. Wow, I'd never tried anything like it. It was an amazingly aromatic rice, almost floral or perfume-like, and just very unique.
For dessert I went with profiteroles and a cappuccino - nothing extravagant but a nice way to end the meal. The wine list was pretty extensive too; I went with a reasonably priced Gewurztraminer that I enjoyed.
The contemporary theme of the menu stands in contrast to the sort of quaint, classic feel of the Homestead Hotel. But I found the overall experience to be quite lovely and would choose Quince again for a special occasion dinner.
Quince is located on a quiet street a block from the lake. It's in this place called The Homestead, which is a quaint medium-sized B&B. The restaurant is divided into a couple sections: 1) main dining room , 2) small terrace dining room, 3) outdoor seating under a portico 4) two booth seats by the front door (avoid these if possible).
The main dining room probably has the most ambiance, but is also a tad more hectic when things get busy. The small terrace dining room looked a little more private and the outdoor seating looked pleasant, with a well-manicured hedge of bushes separating you from the sidewalk.
What I must say first is that the service is superb. When its not busy, you'll have two servers waiting on you, and when its busy, they hand off the orders to each other in a really efficient way. (Note: We noticed that the appetizer our neighbor ordered was inadvertently forgotten by the waiter, however the manager came and personally apologized)
The food was superb. From the bread basket, try the kalamata olive or sourdough bread. It comes with a side of truffle-butter which is super fragrant. The shaved asparagus salad is also good (which was ordered by virtually everyone else in the dining room). We ordered the pork tenderloin and seared scallops. The pork slices was cooked just right with a tasty honey-glazed sauce and the seared scallops were absolutely delicious; soft on the inside but semi-firm on the outside. We finished off with white chocolate bread pudding and coffee which was also good. (Note: we were utterly stuffed by the end of the meal.)
The wine list is diverse and economically priced. A glass of Chardonnay runs about $13 and you can get a half bottle of Gewurtztraminer for less than $30.
My family went to Quince because I found them on Open http://Table.com. We were very satisfied with our experience.
The food was excellent. I had the corn chowder to start, which was excellent and beautifully served. For dinner I had the ricotta gnocchi which was really creamy but surprisingly not to heavy. My sister had the scallops and my parents had the duck and the pork tenderloin. Everything was excellent and really beautifully plated. (We noticed during the meal that all of our dishes came on differently shaped plates.) The dessert was really good as well, I had the powdered donuts. Also their coffees are very good, they are french pressed and brought to the table which I think makes them just a tad bit better, definetly worth it.
The ambiance in the resturant is warm and homy, with comfortable chairs and a firelplace with candles in it. Tthe food is modern and delicious, and the service was very attentive. Altogether it was an excellent dinner and I would reccomend Quince to anyone.
Really nice restaurant! The location is really nice. It's an old hotel with a really homey and calming atmosphere. The restaurant decorations are a little out of sync with the overall feel of the place though -- it's almost as if they are trying to be hip cool, but traditional and classic at the same time. That was my old issue with Quince.
Otherwise, the food was tremendous. Servers were very good. Chef Mark even came out and chatted with us. They have a wine tasting event next week 2/28/08 that I'm planning to take my girlfriend to. I definitely recommend this place.
I really appreciate the culinary innovations shown by this place.
HOWEVER, I thought the menu offerings that included mysterious recipe ingredients primarily served to make Quine look pretentious. And the Land, Sea, Air menu categories were precious. The creaky, olf-time surroundings just didn't mesh with the nuvo food stylings.
BUT, my main complaint was the service. We went on an evening when the restaurant was about 1/3 full. But every time our waiter came over he just banged in, interrupting table conversation each and every time. Not cool.
We've never been for dinner but went for brunch recently. It was a bit on the pricey side (which we expected) but the food was nicely presented and really tasty. It was a two course meal with 3 or 4 options for both courses. There were more servers in the restaurant than patrons but I guess brunch hasn't "taken off" yet. I hope they are busier at dinner!! Anyway, the servers were really great, attentive and nice.
I was really happy with the nice French press coffee presentation, nice touch. There were several coffee options and LOADS of tea options. My husband prefers the classic iced tea, which they obliged him with. But they charged us for a refill ($3.50!!)!!
Hope to go back for dinner eventually.
Great place to celebrate a special occasion. We dined here to celebrate a birthday and the food was spectacular. We enjoyed a rabbit appetizer and salads to start. Our entrees which included veal loin, halibut, and lamb were all excellent. Our server helped us select wine by the glass to compliment each entree. We enjoyed a variety of desserts, but the hot chocolate cake with cracker jack was the best. The dinner also included coffee and cappucino at the end. We dined in the small porch area which was nice because the tables have a good distance between them so you are nhot sitting right on top of other diners. My one suggestion is that the portion sizes be increased just a little bit and that bread be offered more often. Our meal, including the entrees, appetizers, wine, and coffee was $240 with tip. Not cheap, but a great place to go for a celebration.
I recommend the shrimp appetizer, and for an entree the lamp chops.
Really yummy, great service, limited, but inventive menu on the affordable side for what you get. The duck confit was remarkable. The pork tenderloin was tender and tasty. 3 cheers for broccolini. I always enjoy monkfish. They gave a complimentary glass of wine. The space was intimate. The pace was perfect. The check came in a handmade card-type holder.
What a wonderful restaurant! For full disclosure, my step-brother is an intern in the kitchen, but I do not think it clouded my opinion. I took my fiance here for his birthday and we had the pleasure of sitting at the "kitchen table" which really created a unique experience. It was amazing to see how this kitchen runs. The most interesting fact was how young all the chefs are, my fiance and I were by far the oldest people in the kitchen (27 and 28 respectively). The head chef is only 25 but he handled himself like a seasoned veteran and ran the kitchen in a very hands-on manner. Since we were sitting in the kitchen, we felt it appropriate to opt for the Chef's Tasting and we definitely made the right decision. I honestly loved all of the dishes, but their were a few standouts. We had a great hamachi salad and I loved the oyster soup. My favorite entree had to be the snapper. It was served over black rice and had the most amazing sauce. I was tempted to ask for bread just to soak up the remaining sauce. We had a couple of desserts, but my favorite was a hand made donut. I was completely stuffed by the time it arrived but I had to taste it. Overall, I had wonderful dining experience and I can't wait to go back.
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