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Dining

D & J Bistro, opened in 1987, was the first authentic bistro in the Chicagoland area.

For over 20 years its cozy atmosphere and exquisitely scrumptious dishes have been enticing diners from near and far. Guests step into the bistro and become enveloped in the “warm and cozy atmosphere,” said owner Dominique Legeai that “definitely gives a European flair.”

D & J Bistro, 466 South Rand Road, Lake Zurich, presents a “diversified menu. The cuisine has a French base but with local American influences and oriental influences.” Co-owner Chef Masato Suzuki brings his education and training in French cuisine and his native Japanese background to the table. Legeai noted, “We change our menu offerings with each season.”

Diners will be amazed by the new and inventive variations on classics and the introduction of bold new dishes. The bistro’s wine list is revamped every four months to provide the perfect complement to any dish.

Classic le steak frites accompanied by home-cut fries is a Parisian delight. Chef Masato’s Japanese influence can be tasted in the ravioli of crabmeat and shrimp farcies, which is laid over black pasta, baby bok choy and fumet of tomato. The nut crusted Alaskan halibut is a fresh take on fresh seafood. The braised leg of rabbit in herb white wine demi-glace with tomato and mushroom or the lamb shank en casserole created with a domestic lamb shank braised with onionade and ratatouille offer diners the chance to try something out of the ordinary.

Dominique Legeai, a long-time veteran of the restaurant business, has learned over the years that “any type of business venture is an everyday lesson.

I have learned that you have to keep reinventing yourself. What we are now is not what we were in ‘87.” When the bistro first opened people were decked out in suits and ties and more formal attire, but Legeai has worked to instill a more casual atmosphere, while maintaining a sense of sophistication.

Owners Dominique and Jacqueline Legeai and Chef Masato have gracefully transformed D & J Bistro over the past two decades to coincide with the times while continually upholding their mission to bring the best of French cuisine to their customers at a great value. Delightful classic dishes still appear on the menu, accompanied by new creations with innovative adaptations and influences.

Patrons can rest assured that dining at D & J Bistro will always be delicious.

“This is the type of place that has a lot of personality. We are casual yet sophisticated. We are friendly and genuine.”

D & J Bistro is open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. Dinner is served Tuesday through Sunday starting at 5:30 p.m. D & J Bistro is closed on Mondays.

The New Face of Brunch

Brunch has never been better! The meal that is not quite breakfast, but not quite lunch has found a home in the Brunch Café. Opened only months ago at 931 IL Route 22, Fox River Grove, the café is thriving under the ownership of Andy Zatos, Ted Zatos and Peter Revel. These three entrepreneurs have also owned Kojak’s, located in Cary, since the 1990s.

After mastering the burger and hot dog scene at Kojak’s, the Zatos brothers, along with their brother-in-law have branched out into brunch. The Brunch Café has an “upscale, modern, comfortable and trendy” atmosphere according to Andy Zatos. This is no burger joint! Burgers are available, however they are of a more refined breed.

Zatos described the café’s menu to encompass “traditional breakfast items and trendier twists” on favorites. When it comes to pancakes, options run the gamut from traditional buttermilk to Nutella® banana. So, either the adventurer or the conservative can enjoy these hot, sweet cakes. The stuffed Belgium waffle is a decadent delight, stuffed with a cream cheese filling, bananas, fresh strawberries and crowned with whipped cream.

The Brunch Café prepares both savory and sweet crepes. “Route 22” crepes are filled with mushrooms, onions, spinach and cheddar cheese with a rich hollandaise sauce drizzled over the top.

On the sweeter side, taffy apple crepes are overflowing with apple slices and pecans, then covered with caramel. Biscuits and gravy, frittatas, oatmeal, skillets and smoothies are just a few of the other choices for breakfast, brunch or lunch.

Late brunch eaters can enjoy fresh salads, steaming soups, flavorful wraps, warm paninis, gourmet sandwiches and juicy burgers. Bite into a veggie panini grilled to perfection, the chicken salad chock full of pecans and apples or the black and blue burger accented by a smattering of Cajun spices and blue cheese.

Stop by and taste some old favorites or try something new. The Brunch Café is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.