May flowers

The stretch of Grand Avenue once only visited by adoring fans of D’Amato’s Italian breads is suddenly hot. True, the stalwart red-sauce-and-chops joint Bella Notte is always packed, but it’s packed with regulars. It’s the heat-seekers who are headed for May Street Market, and that means walk-ins can expect a two-hour wait.

Sure, any place with potential is going to be hopping just after opening, but the one-two punch of owner Rebecca Blayden and chef Alex Cheswick ensures that early visitors will become repeat customers. Their game plan seems simple: Cook tasty, fresh, creative food and offer good-value wines to match. Yet restaurants that pull it off are few and far between. Wine is given as much attention as food here, with Blayden teaming up with Artisan Cellar wine shop to offer a great list that novices can understand and afford.

Cheswick keeps up his end of the bargain with a seasonal, contemporary menu that makes choosing a good dish like shooting fish in a barrel. Yukon Gold potato “risotto” isn’t risotto at all, but it shouldn’t be missed. The tiny cubes of tender potato are joined by roasted chestnuts and crispy duck-leg confit in a frothy sweet-potato emulsion. Beautiful pistachio-crusted venison is perfectly roasted and plated with flavors of carrot, lingonberry and chive spaetzle, but it’s the trout entrée that stands out: Its skin is crisped like bacon and placed atop the tender fillet that’s flanked by buttery white beans and roasted fennel.

Desserts are skippable, but with the comfy, amber-tinted room and the Bible-size wine list to explore, there are other reasons to linger. Just ignore those trolling would-be diners angling for your table.

May Street Market
1132 W Grand Ave at May St (312-421-5547). El: Blue to Grand. Bus: 8, 9, 65. Open: Lunch, dinner (closed Sun). Average main course: $17.