-Grubbing in Chicago
Five of a Kind: Albany Park Eats
Somebody on Twitter (I’m not calling it X) recently tweeted that “ethnic food” is better in the suburbs than it is in the city. There’s not many (if any) people out there more qualified than me to speak on this and it’s not. It's only true of a few cuisines. Chinese, Mexican, Thai etc is still way better in city. Some burbs do have some good mom + pop spots but it’s all scattered. Bridgeview has great Middle Eastern food but it’s nowhere near Wheeling where people think Pita Inn is the same thing (it’s not). What’s true is that there’s a ton of interesting spots to be found in the burbs but it’s so spread out to where it’s not really comparable. Somebody that lives in Chicago Heights doesn’t have the same options as someone from Morton Grove. But people in Highland Park don’t have close to what the folks of Niles have. You can do the same with the city in terms of the there being more options on the North Side than the South Side but the city is much more condensed when it comes to restaurants. Albany Park alone clears any suburb in a one on one matchup which takes us to this week’s post. Here’s five semi recently opened international dining options I’ve tried in Albany Park of late.
Xotikka
First stop is a very new spot at 4749 N Pulaski. It’s so new that Xotikka doesn’t have a sign up yet (Mahi’s Kitchen was the previous tenet). This is an efficient one man operation making some fantastic Indian sandwiches. The first menu item listed is Vada Pav, a Mumbai favorite that spread across India and has really started to take the States by storm too. Vada Pav is a spiced potato patty in a fluffy bun, accompanied by chutneys and sometimes cheese if you please. The potato patty, or vada, is mashed potatoes, herbs, and chickpea flour batter, and deep-fried until golden brown. It's placed in a pav, a soft, savory bun similar to a kaiser roll. I had to get one of these on my first visit as it’s the most mentioned menu item in the few online reviews and I always like a Vada Pav when I get one. This was bigger than any other I tried but still a very good deal at $8 with Amul cheese. The potato fritter was perfectly fried to where the exposed part was crunchy while the inside was soft and super flavorful with a nice and spicy profile. Mint chutney and the option to add cheese plus a well roasted sesame seeded bun round it all out. This was a very good version that filled me up right. I chose to add cheese but it’s shredded and not melted and didn’t really give off any clues that it was being used so I’d skip it. I’ll be going back for one of their Indian chicken sandwiches made in a variety of ways.
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Tikal Sabor Chapin
Next we’ll shoot over to 3216 W Lawrence street which is home to one of two spots serving the cuisine of Guatemala in these parts. The Central American country has a very interesting cuisine revolving around Mayan and Spanish traditions characterized by hearty stews, corn-based staples, and mild spices. The menu here is a what's what of Guatemalan favorites including ceviche, fried chicken and even stir fried chow mein noodles as “Chino-Chapin” food is very popular with Guatemalans. The trend began with Chinese immigration in the late 1800s, with immigrant-run food stalls, known as kodores chinos, becoming popular at local fairs. But first things first was an order of the Garnachas - a popular Mesoamerican dish found in both Mexican and Guatemalan cuisine, with distinct regional variations. The ones at Tikal Sabor are made with little puffs of fried masa topped with carne molida, sauteed onions, salsa and a sprinkle of cotija cheese with a vinegar cole slaw. These delicious one bite snacks pack a big punch of flavor. I could’ve easily ate two more plates. The chow mein was also tasty though pretty much something most people can make at home.
Garnachas at Tikal Sabor Chapin
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Zaab E Lee
Zaab-E-Lee Thai Street Food opened at 3121 Lawrence last winter and immediately started to garner buzz. I visited on one of the coldest days of the year in hopes of warming up with some Isan style Thai food but it was a bit of a mixed bag. First we’ll start with the duds which were a bowl of seafood Tom Yum that had nothing distinct in taste and only came with shrimp. I felt like we might’ve been gringo’d (given the milder version) which sucks is still a thing. A plate of Crying Tiger wasn’t any better in fact it was worse. The steak was a cheap and chewy cut served at room temp. The winners were a very good plate of Sai Oua that was some of the better Thai style sausage I’ve had in Chicago and an order of the Moo Ping with Sticky Rice which was served piping hot off of grill with a very nice smokiness going for it. I might go back and try a few other things that have been propped up at places like Infatuation and r/ChicagoFood but for now I have to agree with Steve Dolinsky - it’s a mixed bag.
Moo Ping at Zaab-E-Lee
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My Doner
Let's head west to 3806 W Lawrence where My Doner has been serving spit sliced Doner since last summer. Turkish style Doner is the original spit roasted meat traced back to the Ottoman Empire (modern-day Turkey) during the 19th century, when vertical cooking was common in the 1830s-1850s. I stopped in around the time they first opened and got a pretty good beef Doner wrap. Not the best not the worst. They’ve since added a “Berlin style Doner Sandwich” to the menu but it’s not going to change your mind there’s not any great Berlin style Doner options in Chicagoland. It’s a good sandwich but it’s lacking in the toppings department and is far from stuffed like the ones in Europe.
Doner Wrap from My Doner
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Katkout
Last stop takes us to 4734 N Kedzie for more spit roasted meat. Katkout opened last winter in a packed little strip mall that also houses a new Yemeni coffee shop. The menu here has some typical things with shawarma and falafel being popular on top of options like a zinger sandwich and even some less typical dishes like Middle Eastern offal sandwiches. I asked the friendly guy about the offal but he didn’t have any ready to go yet. So instead I tried the “Krispy Shawarma” which is a bit of a viral dish at the moment. Unfortunately what I got was typical “Arab style” in that it was sliced into bite sized pieces and served with fries. I believe the owner is Syrian making this a Syrian style shawarma. It hit the spot but didn’t stand out outside the pricing which was $10 with fries and a drink - good deal.
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See ya next time @chibbqking
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