Aboyer

Aboyer Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant & décor: After a 14-year run with Restaurant Michael, chef Michael Lachowicz opened this brasserie in 2019. Aboyer, French for "bark," is catered to those looking for a sexy urban experience in the ’burbs. A raucous dining room creates the sense of a house party hosted by the chef himself. He is highly present, circling about to check on service and take selfies with patrons. Subtle brasserie décor keeps the focus on the food and the company. High-top and low-top tables host dates and groups, while a small bar is the perfect setting for post-work bites. Globular lighting fixtures, subway tile and warm woods lend a feel of intimacy and place.

Likes: Unpretentious vibe and responsive service.
Dislikes: Diners are asked to put in full orders at one time.

Food & Drinks: Guests are able to have a drink and a meal in under an hour. That's by Lachowicz's design. He sought to create a space where locals might unwind after work without the time commitment of having to sit through multiple courses. Open with the cheese board, whose confit fig and Sexy Bleu Cheese are winners. Addictive agnolotti (escargot) is moist and full of earthy flavor thanks to its black garlic and beurre monté. Of the two brasserie standards --- chicken or beef --- chicken reigns. Poultry gets its impossibly tender profile from being brined and sous-vided for many hours and stuffed with wild mushroom barley. The hanger steak is bit tough on the chew. For dessert, stick with the tropical Soupe Anglaise “Chinois,” a sponge cake brightened up by saké syrup, kiwi brûlée and matcha powder. Reds, whites and sparkling selections from France and beyond account for the well-edited wine list.