clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile
An upscale bar and dining room inside a round building.
LeTour plays on aesthetic and culinary contrasts.
Kim Kovacik/Eater Chicago

Filed under:

Tour LeTour, Amy Morton’s Latest Evanston Adventure

Chef Debbie Gold weds classic Parisian style with whimsical pop-art energy

When Amy Morton and chef Debbie Gold began making plans for LeTour, their new French American brasserie with major Moroccan overtones, they decided on a shape — geometric and symbolic — around which they could build their restaurant: the circle.

LeTour’s most obvious circle is its building, a 1960s-era rotunda bank building at 625 Davis Street that is, quite literally, round. Its unique architecture and 360-degree space struck Morton, the restaurateur behind the recently shuttered Found Kitchen + Social House, and Gold, a James Beard Award-winning chef. It was an ideal representation of the venue’s second circle — their friendship and business partnership, which began 30 years ago at Mirador, Morton’s first restaurant. Though they followed separate paths in the intervening years, the pair reconnected after Gold departed Tied House in early 2020.

Two women pose and smile while seated at a round table inside a restaurant dining room.
Amy Morton (left) and chef Debbie Gold (right).

“There are a lot of full circle things about us,” Morton says. “Our first restaurant together was French. We’re cut from the same cloth, which makes everything fun and collaborative. We’re both perfectionists, so we understand each other.”

They’ve designed a space full of nooks and niches that aims to evoke a sense of discovery, a key component of Morton’s philosophy about restaurant aesthetics. LeTour seats 150 between two dining rooms and a bar-and-lounge space and also features both private and semi-private event areas, as well as a spacious courtyard set to open in the spring. Inside, designers have opted for a look that Morton describes as “Andy Warhol on the French Riviera,” a blend of classical French style and the whimsical boldness of pop art that manifests in surprising juxtapositions — think Louis XVI-esque toile wallpaper beside abstract contemporary textiles.

An upscale bar and restaurant space. Kim Kovacik/Eater Chicago
An upscale bar and restaurant space.
An upscale dining room with bold pop art on thew walls.

Amy Morton turned to pop art icon Andy Warhol for design inspiration.

That approach is echoed in Gold’s menu, which marries Midwestern ingredients and sensibilities to the of-the-moment French cuisine she and Morton encountered while traveling over the summer, which often included Moroccan cuisine. LeTour patrons can err on the side of tradition with options including steak frites with red wine demi-glace and a classic Lyonnaise salad, or try an impressive-looking chicken tagine with green olives and apricots.

“[The contrast is] very intentional because we want to shake things up, but we want people to feel comfortable and relaxed,” she says. “And yet, it’s about tomorrow, and everything being a new day.”

Look around inside LeTour and explore its menu items in the photos below.

A long black bar with a large light wood arched back bar and striped stools.
LeTour’s owners describe it as “unconventionally French.”
An upscale bar and dining room inside a round building.
Bright colors and plant life make the space a warm retreat from winter temperatures.
Kim Kovacik/Eater Chicago
A small brass bar cart holds bottles of liqueur and colorful glasses.
The bar features many pre-dinner cocktail selections.
A private dining space with grey banquettes and toile wallpaper.
Private dining and event spaces can add an important revenue stream.
A round black plate holds rounds of duck liver mousse toped with cream sauce.
A round white plate holds a round baked camembert cheese.
A small metal bowl with handles holds a deconstructed ratatouille.
A round, shallow black bowl holds a small mound of eggplant salad.

Moroccan eggplant and chickpea salad (tomato, preserved lemon, harissa vinaigrette).

A hand lifts a cone-shaped lid off of a tagine filled with braised chicken.
Tagine of chicken (green olives, apricot, preserved lemon, side of couscous).
A dessert made with puffy layers of lemon cream and white meringue.
Crispy ‘meringue’ pavlova (lemon cream, chocolate and caramel sauce).
A round, shallow white bowl holds a small round cake in a pool of orange sauce.
Caramelized apple “tarte” cake (almond flour, apple cider sauce, creme fraiche).

LeTour

625 Davis Street, , IL 60201 (224) 999-7085 Visit Website
Chicago Restaurant Closings

Full Shilling in Wrigleyville and Eight More Bar and Restaurant Closures

News

In an Upset, Chicago Gourmet’s Best Burger Came From a Seattle ‘Top Chef’ Alum

Eater Scenes

Chicago Gourmet, the Fancy Food Fest That Celebrates Chefs, Adds Composting