Photo: courtesy mourad hannin

Chez Simo serves traditional bistro bites like the steak frites shown above. 

Some openings tout small-plate twists on classic dishes and throwbacky-yet-somehow-new craft cocktails, and some content themselves with presenting the classics, on big plates. Chez Simo (1968 W. Lawrence Ave., 773-334-7466), a French bistro that opened this past Friday, falls into the latter category.

The Moroccan native Simo Ely Yacobi and his wife, Rashida Kechab, created a casual, BYOB Parisian-looking bistro, which dishes from chef George Vega (Mon Ami Gabi) such as steak frites, steak au poivre, coq au vin, moules Provençal, escargots, et plus comme ça.

That makes us wonder: Is something retro if it never left?