Sept. 01--Nutella-stuffed French toast.
Oooh.
Malted waffles.
Aaah.
That's the universal reaction to reading the menu at Logan Square newcomer Catalpa Kitchen, which opened Sept. 1. And that's just breakfast -- although breakfast (also omelets, skillets and pancakes) is served until 5 p.m., so count it as lunch and early-bird dinner too.
The name behind the new restaurant, on the corner of Logan Boulevard and California Avenue, may ring a bell with longtime Chicagoans: Owner Lynn Malec ran La Tache, a darling French bistro in Andersonville, from 2003 to 2010, until it closed to make way for Vincent.
At Catalpa, she's leaving behind the candlelight and white tablecloths for a spunky, modern 50-seat dining room with massive windows, an open kitchen flanked by a six-stool bar and touches of what I can only call forestry chic (Catalpa, after all, is named for the trees that line the streets of Logan Square), from the distressed-wood wall and tables to the line of tall, skinny, knotty tree trunks that serve as a privacy barrier for a few corner tables. A painting on the back wall looks like "Aliens" meets "American Gothic."
Catalpa's menu, from chef Bryan McClaran, is similarly hard to sum up in a snappy phrase. An American (grass-fed burgers, bacon grilled cheese, bourbon syrup over chicken and waffles) with an ambitious vacation agenda (Lyonnaise salad and steak frites; queso fundido and black bean enchiladas; meatball bolognese and tomato focaccia panini)? A juice bar offers bright, nutritious blends for $5 a pop.
A back patio, shaded by bold orange and teal umbrellas, seats about 30 -- get here while it's still summer, people.
2800 W. Logan Blvd., 872-206-2856. Open Tuesday to Sunday for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
mconrad@tribune.com
Twitter @marissa_conrad
