Oliver's

-Grubbing in Chicago  
Retro Fine Dining in the South Loop

You may have noticed a slight shift in my published posts this past calendar year. For starters I no longer post up to three times a week. I’m also posting less reviews of recently opened Chef driven and restaurant group type of openings. There’s a simple explanation for the latter and that’s the price of going out has skyrocketed over the last couple years. Honestly I can’t afford to eat at higher end spots as regularly, not when the mom and pop spots are also getting expensive (I recently paid $26 with tip for a bowl of noodles just the other day). That said we still go out just not nearly as much. But we recently celebrated an anniversary and decided to go out for a celebration dinner. We ended up at Oliver’s - a newish spot in the South Loop reminiscent Hollywood’s golden age (the 1930’s). 

Recently Opened in the South Loop

Oliver’s is a Jason Weingarten production. If the name sounds familiar it might be bc he was recently in the news when former Alinea co-owner Nick Kokonas sold his stake in the restaurant group to Jason, a tech entrepreneur. Weingarten calls Oliver’s a passion project while others call it the best new restaurant in Chicago. It’s in a weird location in that there’s not a ton of other businesses on the block but that makes for easy parking. Once you enter you’re immediately in the bar area where they also have a handful of tables. I was surprised how big the space is as it includes a few dining rooms.

a peek inside

The food menu at Oliver’s is short…and expensive. It consists of six starters, five mains, and five sides (plus dessert). The drink menu looked good and considering the mixologist came from Scofflaw I bet they are. I don’t drink cocktails as often because I’ve cut down on sugar and also bc the prices are getting kind of silly. Since I had a few High Life’s earlier in the eve I decided to have another one as they were just $6 each. Erica tried a few of the wines but didn’t find one she liked. We knew we wanted to try the truffle gnocchi in Comte cheese sauce and we added the fried artichoke side for starters. The gnocchi ($23) was on point during our visit - I’d read mixed reviews as far as the texture goes but it hit both the buzzwords when it comes to good gnocchi - it was soft and pillowy. The black truffle mixed well with the Comte and it was much better than it looks. The fried artichoke ($18) starts with two whole Roman braised artichoke hearts fried naked and dressed with preserved lemon, black pepper aioli, and rosemary. The taste was there but they were a bit greasy from the deep fry. 

truffle gnocchi black truffle, comté, aged parmesan

fried artichoke preserved lemon, black pepper aioli, rosemary

The choices among the mains are limited but there’s still something for every type of eater ranging from a NY Strip Loin for two to a meatless tomato risotto plus a roast chicken and seafood selection. I went to Oliver’s knowing what I was going to get which is pretty much always the case when I eat out. But I switched my order last second and decided to try the Millers Half Chicken ($46 as is) instead of the burger ($27 with fries). Erica got the risotto ($27) and I added on a side of the house made fries ($9) for us to share. The risotto was good though I only had a small bite but it was cooked al dente and had a nice tomato and cheese flavor. My roast chicken was bigger than just about any half chicken I’ve ever seen and that kind of turned me off but the skin had the perfect shade which really turned me on. So I was told they rub fat all over the skin as it roasts which in turns creates a beautiful lacquer. It’s served atop a delicious crème fraîche made with dill and shallots plus the fat drippings of the chicken. It was cooked to perfection but I should’ve got the truffle mashed potatoes to go with it. Better yet the truffle mashed potatoes should’ve came with it at that price. I did get two meals out of it and it was better than any grocery store bought rotisserie chicken so don’t get me wrong, it was very good. But I’m still not sure the price is totally justified as is. I probably should've got the burger. 

tomato risotto smoked olive oil, aged parmesan, pimentón de la vera

miller's half chicken shallot, dill, crème fraîche, roasted chicken fat

We finished with a slice of the housemade Key Lime Pie ($13) which like the chicken was a big portion which does help justify the overall prices just a little bit, I’ve paid equal for lesser sized portions elsewhere. The pie was perfectly tart with an awesome gingersnap crust and whipped chantilly and pistachio praline. I’d be leaving out the biggest plus of this meal if I didn’t mention the fantastic service. Oliver’s is supposed to be like a spot you’d find in 1930’s Los Angeles meaning it’s rich and elegant with lots of ambiance including some world class service. It really did remind me of a previous era in that everything about the service was perfect. Expect to hear this place mentioned when what's left of local media starts mentioning Oliver’s among the year’s best restaurant openings.

coconut key lime pie whipped chantilly, pistachio praline, gingersnap

Oliver's
1639 S Wabash Ave
Chicago, IL 60616 
(213) 320-3100
Website

Balkan Food in Chicago

-Grubbing in Chicago(land)  
A Balkan Food Tour

Today’s post is a special one because it’s unlike any I’ve done before. In fact the Balkan restaurants in Chicagoland have gone largely overlooked by not just me but everybody. This is despite the fact that the Chicagoland area is home to the largest Serbian and Bulgarian communities in the country and along with St. Louis we also have the largest Bosnian population in the country (and the largest outside of Bosnia at that). There doesn’t seem to be complete agreement on exactly what countries make up the Balkans but Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia are typically included. Each of these countries has its own cuisine but their proximity to each other means it’s similar from one to the next. Many dishes across the region are referred to using a similar vocabulary but with national variations. If you had to focus in on one thing they do particularly well in the Balkans that would probably be grilled meat in all its various proteins which is also why this post is at least a few years in the making - as much as I like Balkan cuisine it’s not one I want to eat every day. But over the last few years I’ve really started to seek it out thanks to places like Balkan Treat Box in St. Louis popping up. Or then there was Kiosk Balkan Street Food which was a great ghost kitchen setup in Avondale that I hope one day returns as it’s only a matter of time until Balkan food takes that next step as more and more places follow in the footsteps of a restaurant like Rose Mary on Randolph. Just for the record I've featured a handful of Chicagoland Balkan establishments over the years but never in a special blow out post like this one. 

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Stefan Grill (Hodgkins)

We’ll start in the Southwest Suburbs with a Serbian breakfast at a restaurant hidden in the bowels of Hodgkins. Stefan Grill sits in the middle of an industrial park where 18 wheelers are commonly parked and picked up but they have a serene outdoor setting that puts you in a much nicer place. Its location is a strategic one though in that a large chunk of Balkan immigrants are truckers and many of them stop in Stefan Grill upon completing their jobs for the day. The breakfast plate at Stefan Grill comes with two eggs and two slices of extra thick and chewy bacon plus feta, kajmak (fresh, unripened cheese), ajvar (red pepper spread), toasted bread and fresh vegetables - nice way to start the day.

Serbian Breakfast at Stefan Grill 
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Coffee Slasticarna Drina (Chicago)

Head to this strip mall find on Lawrence in Lincoln Square for freshly baked burek (25 min) by a Bosnian grandmother type. If it’s not the best in town let me know what is because ‘tis the season for these savory flaky pastries found throughout the Balkans - best enjoyed on a cold and grey day. The fillings can vary but I've always preferred the beef and potato mix. I don’t know how she gets it so crisp on the outside and so soft and fluffy within but I bet lots of time and practice has been put into it.

Burek at Coffee Slasticarna Drina
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Toscana Grill (Chicago)

About a mile south of our last stop in Lincoln Square is where you’ll find this next one. Toscana Grill might low key serve one of the best grilled chicken sandwiches in town. One thing I love about food culture is you’re always learning something new and the last few years I’ve come to learn that when it comes to good bread for making tip notch sandwiches, the Balkan baked stuff is outstanding. Nothing about the fillings in this sandwich are special - the chicken is cooked well and the toppings are fresh but it’s the bread that sets this chicken sandwich apart from so many of the others around town.

Grilled Chicken Sandwich at Toscana Grill 
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D-4 Cafe & Bar (Chicago)

It’s possible that the best cevapi outside of the Balkans are found in the Chicagoland area - where the largest Bosnian community outside of Bosnia itself resides (if not here then maybe St. Louis where there’s also a big Bosnian community). So with that it’s also possible that the cevap at this nonchalant Bosnian bar next to an auto repair shop in Arcadia Terrace is the best cevap not just here but anywhere outside of the Balkans. D-4 Cafe is way up north on Western and has no menu nor a geotag but their skinless sausages are some of the best I’ve had thanks to the matriarchs family recipe which the patriarch told me is made with mostly beef and “just a little lamb.” But it’s the texture that sets these apart from many others I’ve tried. It’s said the combination of sparkling water (or beer) plus baking soda on top of a lot of kneading is what results in the most texturally pleasing cevapi but I bet there’s more to these than just that. The Lepinja bread is also made on site and along with raw onions and kajmak it all makes for a great snack paired with a beer and some Bosnian banter.

Cevapi at D-4 Cafe & Bar 
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Rosewood Tavern (Chicago)

Next stop is only about 500 feet from the last one. Rosewood Tavern is a low key bar with a bomb ass burger. At some point smashed burgers joined hot chicken, quesabirria, and poke among the trendiest foods of all time which means they’re no longer distinct as so many of them are all the same. I had thought I was done with smashed burgers outside of the classics but the Balkan Smashburger at Rosewood Tavern pulled me back in. It’s not smashed crispy but it's dressed in a unique way that works really well - spicy red pepper sauce (ajvar), feta, and grilled onions are a fantastic match with high quality organic beef. This is a chill bar ran by a mother and son team with Montenegro roots.

Balkan Smashburger at Rosewood Tavern
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Zimi's Pizza & Grill (Chicago)

We’ll continue along Western Avenue to our next stop - Zimi’s Pizza and Grill is an Albanian owned pizzeria in West Ridge. It’s not a one off as pizza is very popular in the Balkans resulting in lots of Balkan born people in the States that run pizzerias. Zimi’s serves up NYC style pies and grilled meats like Qebapa and Qofte. The former is how Albanians spell Cevapi and the latter is how they spell and pronounce Kofte which is a type of meatball or meatloaf dish popular in a variety of cuisines including those in the Balkans. The Qofte at Zimi’s are well charred and dripping with flavor. They come five pieces to an order with cabbage, tomatoes, raw onions, kajmak, ajvar, and fresh baked bread.

Qofte at Zimi's Pizza & Grill
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Lazic Deli (Chicago)

Up next we head west towards O’Hare to Norwood Park and the Serbian owned Lazic Deli. This place doubles as a butcher and a restaurant as most everything in the display case can be cooked to order.  They have a specialty gourmet Serbian burger called the 'Gurmanska Pljeskavica' which comes stuffed with cheese and bacon and spicy peppers and served on homemade lepinja (Serbian flatbread) with lettuce, tomato and cucumber and includes fries, raw onions and creamy kajmak.

Gurmanska Pljeskavica at Lazic Deli
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Sofia Grill (Des Plaines)

There’s two predominant forms of dining in the suburbs these days - one is franchised chains and the other is independent eateries serving some form of international cuisine to the diaspora it represents. You’re pretty much always going to eat better going with the mom and pop spots like Sofia Grill in Des Plaines. They serve a surplus of grilled meats to a mostly Bulgarian speaking clientele as there’s a big Bulgarian community in the Des Plaines area where there’s also a handful of Bulgarian dining options. Sofia Grill is a full fledged family run spot where they have a daily changing menu of home cooked Bulgarian comfort food and a surplus of Bulgarian grilled meats available daily. I recommend that all first time visitors try the Kebapche which is a must at any Bulgarian barbecue. Sofia serves one that’s a mixture of  pork with a little bit of beef and it has hints of cumin and black pepper with lots of juicy liquid released each time it’s cut or bitten into. Both the cabbage slaw and the potato salad are mixed with dill which along with a cup of spicy feta really freshens everything up. The Karnache Sausage is another item from the grill menu worth getting. Ground pork is seasoned with Bulgarian spices and encased and it goes great with a chargrilled chicken thigh, a big pile of fresh cut fries and an addictive red pepper spread called Lutenitsa. Sofia Grill is easily one of my favorite food stops out by O’Hare.

Grilled Meats at Sofia Grill
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Broosters & Babba Grill (Darien)

One of the things you might notice about the Balkan communities in Chicago is there is no set area where they settled. There's pockets like the strip along Western avenue we just hit but Balkan restaurants in Chicagoland no know bounds which is why our next stop is way out in DuPage County. Broosters & Babba Grill is a two for one restaurant by which I mean it’s two restaurants in one. Babba Grill and their unique Macedonian hamburger was previously featured on here but they’ve since moved into a new space that they seem to share with a Romanian grill. Lots of the online reviews of Broosters mention the shawarma which very much caught my eye. The Middle Eastern favorite is a favorite in many countries including Romania where they tweaked it to their own liking. The shawarma at Broosters comes with your choice of fries inside the wrap or on the side - I tried them inside but took them out after a few bites. I'm not sure what makes it Romanian other than the fact it’s served in a Romanian owned spot with a non spicy sauce but it was a filling lunch nonetheless. Click HERE for my complete review of the Macedonian hamburger at Babba Grill which I tried back in 2022.

Romanian Shawarma at Broosters 

Macedonian Hamburger at Babba Grill 
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Europe 22 Grill (Westmont)

Well I just learned that Europe 22 has closed. The Balkan food stall was running out of the International Mall Food Court which houses a handful of Asian restaurants and what used to be a single Serbian one. But I'm still posting it bc you may come across a dish called Leskovački Uštipci aka Beef Pillows and if you do you should try them. From what I can gather beef pillows are little balls of beef that are mixed with bacon and cheese and grilled until oozing. The order of "beef pillows" that I got at the now defunct Europe 22 in were more like sliders in size but similar to Pljeskavica in taste. I may attempt to make these one day as they seem like they would be a popular party appetizer.

Beef Pillows at Europe 22 Grill (RIP)
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Fresh Farms (Niles)

Last stop takes us back to the Northwest Suburbs and Fresh Farms on Touhy in Niles. I shop here semi regularly and when I do I often grab some Serbian Čupavci from the bakery display case. Čupavci is a soft moist cake dipped in a milk chocolate sauce and rolled in coconut flakes. They’re said to be a Euro version of the Australian Lamington. I guess the biggest difference between the two is in Australia they commonly have a filling in the middle while the Balkan version usually does not.

Homemade Čupavci at Fresh Farms
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See ya next time @chibbqking