A refreshed, less formal version of the Northwest suburban French favorite still cooks up classic haute cuisine.

The Scene
A mature crowd frequents this quaint free-standing oasis with plush booths and wall murals in a pastel grapevine motif. Formal service has relaxed to a more casual, though less efficient, style.

The Food
Owner Michael Maddox's (original owner Pierre Pollin's protege) menu reads in a lighter, user-friendly format, though his French fare consists largely of traditional preparations and rich sauces. Velvety lobster bisque is as creamy-decadent as butterscotch pudding; a starter of braised short ribs melts in the mouth with balsamic-grilled onions and truffle-tinged potatoes. The sauce is a bit heavy on the traditional Dover sole amandine, but a hearty game trio titillates with venison in puff pastry and red wine reduction, pheasant sausage spiked with green peppercorn sauce and tender quail with sweetbread stuffing and mushroom sauce. The sorbet, torte and pot de creme components of the ''chocolate symphony'' harmonize nicely, overshadowing an odd, chewy fold of unpleasant-tasting chocolate.