Foodies, locavores and aesthetes rejoice! Indulge your senses at Found Kitchen and Social House, a novel new restaurant in downtown Evanston. The food is delicious and all freshly prepared in interesting and unusual combinations. The decor is creative and homey flea market chic: cozy chairs, settees and banquettes to sit on and plenty of eye-catching repurposed items to view. The people-watching by the bar is terrific and the place is crowded for dinner by six every evening.
Found turns the traditional model of how a restaurant operates upside down. A server presents the menu and explains the chef encourages all dishes are meant to be shared, which frees those at the table to try items slightly out of one’s comfort zone. The portions are larger than tapas plates. The server also alerts you that items arrive at the table as they come out of the kitchen as opposed to when the entire table’s course is ready. The pace is leisurely yet constant; the service is attentive and plentiful.
The menu is fascinating with daily specials added to enhance the standard fare. My parents and I shared a kale and Swiss chard salad tossed with nuts, seeds and cranberries and creamy polenta with almonds, mushrooms, blue cheese and a slow cooked farm egg. Two very different dishes, both delicious. The two grilled fish dishes we chose were fresh, healthful and filling. Desserts were too good to pass up–we treated ourselves to three and passed each eagerly around the table. Even the coffee served with dessert was satisfying in taste, aroma and temperature.
Found is a culinary pleasure. We loved each of the dishes we ordered and felt comfortable dining in its ambience. Go and please your palate: try Found soon.
Found holds court at 1631 Chicago Avenue close to the Northwestern campus. Open every day except Monday; no reservations.
Everything Evanston 