Quince
1625 Hinman Avenue
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 570-8400
Quince 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. 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.
Food: 5/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Overall: 13/15