Michael Taus is back. Not that he was ever gone for long. But the veteran chef—who got his start at Charlie Trotter’s the year after it opened before embarking on a nearly 20-year run at Zealous—became a bit of a ronin when he closed that restaurant’s second incarnation two years ago. Oh, he’d opened Duchamp before that, but he was long gone by the time it closed the same year. Since then there have been a few low-profile consulting gigs (Da Lobsta and the ill-fated Coppervine), but Taus, by his own account, has spent much of his time traveling.
Some dishes taste as if all they need is a hit of acid or salt to bring out their natural flavors. A veal cheek pot-au-feu is just so: the meat is silky and tender, but awfully bland wallowing among roasted root vegetables in its wan stewing liquid. I expect that the ricotta tart with arugula pesto will overcome a similar dullness this summer when heirloom tomatoes and greens can actually come from somewhere nearby. In a few cases not even bacon can save the day, as when big chunks of crispy pork belly overpower delicate scraps of hamachi crudo.
Taus himself is gregarious and ever present in the dining room, a vibrant figure who warms up the large but segmented dining room. It’s a presence at odds with flavors that just aren’t popping the way the menu promises. v
1846 W. Division 312-561-4500tausauthentic.com
