Salad nicoise: Shoppers can find a respite at Fred’s Chicago, perched on the sixth floor of Barney’s New York on the Gold Coast. If it’s too hot and humid to withstand one of the prized outdoor tables, the light and airy dining room is also inviting and chic. An ultimately refreshing and classic favorite for lunch is the salad nicoise. There’s a generous 4-ounce lightly seared yellowfin tuna steak surrounded by splashes of flavor and color: al dente haricots verts, tiny farm-fresh fingerling potatoes, crunchy cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and boiled eggs. The mixed baby greens are tossed in an ultimately balanced mustard-shallot vinaigrette that gives the whole dish a pop. A few luscious strips of anchovies top off the salad but are easy to push aside for the anchovy averse. Chef Jean Tippenhauer’s French orientation and lightness of hand shine through this simple, composed salad. It’s one of about a half-dozen entree salads on the ladies-lunch-oriented menu and just the fuel needed to forge on to an afternoon of more shopping. 15 E. Oak St., 312-596-1111
— Laura Levy Shatkin, special to the Tribune
