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

Taylor Ham / Pork Roll in Chicago

-Grubbing in Chicago(land)
Where to find the Jersey Specialty  

The history of Pork Roll or Taylor Ham is unclear. Most food origin stories are just that. Hard to figure out exactly by who or where it was first created. What's very clear is that people from New Jersey love it. The popular breakfast meat is a regional specialty prized by those who come from the Garden State. So the story goes it's history can be traced to the Revolutionary War at the Battle of Trenton. When the Continental Army needed food that could withstand travel so they carried rolls of salted, cured ham around to each battle. There's nothing that proves this to be true. The story that a man named John Taylor created pork roll in Trenton, New Jersey in 1856 does have historical evidence. He originally sold his pork roll product under the name Taylor Ham, which is what people in North Jersey still call it today despite Taylor being forced to change the product’s name when the Pure Food and Drug Act passed in 1906 and his product no longer met the new legal definition of ham. In order to meet the new legal regulations, Taylor Ham was rechristened as pork roll, but in North Jersey the old name stuck. These days everyone in New Jersey has a favorite spot for a Taylor Ham / Pork Roll Sandwich. You can sometimes even find it in other parts of the country like here in Chicagoland.

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Latin Fuego (Lakeview)

You'll find our first stop located just off the CTA brown line station on Wellington. This space has housed a handful of places over the years and the latest is an arepa shop called Latin Fuego. The owner moved to Chicago from New Jersey and he's doing arepas with Mozzarepas which are arepas made with mozzarella cheese. Just like Taylor Ham these Mozzarepas are popular in New Jersey and Latin Fuego offers them together as one. They put a couple pieces of sliced Taylor ham along with some scrambled eggs and American cheese in between a Mozzarepa and it makes for a real kick ass breakfast sandwich. They also offer a Taylor Ham , Egg and Cheese served on a roll. 

Pork Roll Arepa at Latin Fuego 
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The Daly Bagel (Oak Park)

This bagel shop housed in an old Oak Park dry cleaners just celebrated it's one year anniversary. The Daly Bagel has been welcomed by it's neighbors with open arms. It seems to be a place that people in the neighborhood have really embraced and from what I've read DB has done the same in the form of helping build community bonds and such. The Daly Bagel makes bagels fresh every day and offers them as is or dressed as breakfast sandwiches such as the early riser which consists of a bagel of your choosing with scrambled egg and the option to add both cheese and Taylor Ham aka Pork Roll. 

Pork Roll, Egg, and Cheese on a Sesame Bagel

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Where to buy loaves of Taylor Ham / Pork Roll 

Out in Jersey you can buy Taylor Ham at pretty much any deli or place that sells deli meats. You can get it whole or even by the slice / pound. Many folks in New Jersey enjoy their pork rolls on a Kaiser bun and just like any breakfast sandwich they're pretty easy to make at home. So for anyone looking for a place where they can purchase a roll of Taylor Ham you can find it at Fresh Market Place on Western located on the border of Logan Square / Bucktown. They also offer the previously mentioned Kaiser rolls as well as eggs, and sliced cheese at their deli counter. It's a pretty good little grocery store that has a few items sourced regionally and the Taylor Ham Pork Roll is one that stands out. 

Taylor Pork Roll at Fresh Market Place (2134 N. Western)

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See ya next time @chibbqking

L&M Fine Foods

-Grubbing in Chicago

Local Grocers across from Welles Park

So I have quite a few spots that were supposed to be shared during the previous months of quarantine. Hopefully we've seen the worse of the virus and the second half of 2020 doesn't mimic the first half. For now we're allowed to go out and eat but I'm still not there. Especially anywhere inside. I imagine I'll have a few outdoor meals at restaurants before the summer is done but I don't blame anyone for staying home completely. That said you still have to get groceries and today's post is about a spot you can get some of those as well as a delicious sandwich and such. L&M Fine Foods opened within the last year and it's gone relatively uncovered. It sits on Lincoln and Montrose kitty corner from Welles Park. With L&M, Menya Goku, and Asadero the eating is good over there. 

 Newly Opened across from Welles Park 

I've been to L&M twice now after having to put my initial second visit on pause due to corona. Aside from local produce and sandwiches they also sell deli meats, encased meats, and grilling meats like sausage, steaks and such. The aisles are packed with the typical "gourmet" groceries of the 90's in the form of Italian food and wine imports and such. They're an upscale corner store so to say. My wife likes the cheese department and we're both fans of the sandwiches. They make a roast beef in house that I still haven't had the chance to try but from the looks of the picture I saw it's getting ordered sometime soon. For now I've tried the fried mortadella which is pictured below. It's a pretty simple sandwich made from mortadella fried on a flattop with cheese until both are hot. They also lightly fried some red onions which worked great with dijonaise, mortadella, and cheddar. Good bread pairing too.

 Fried Mortadella at L&M Fine Foods 

So far from what I can tell, the signature sandwich is the porchetta. The Roman favorite is probably underrepresented in Chicago so when I see a place dishing out a homemade version it catches my eye. L&M makes a nontraditional version at least by Rome standards. They seem to thinly slice their porchetta almost into deli style sandwich meat and or Philly style roast pork. I like it. Especially the way they dress it with roasted garlic aioli, fried capers, and arugula. I'm not sure where they get their bread but it's also pretty good. I'll be getting this sandwich now and then when the craving calls. It's close enough to where I can justify stopping by for cheese or whatever and get a sandwich too.

Porchetta Sandwich at L&M Fine Foods 

L&M Fine Foods
4363 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 825-2370
Website

Especialidad de la Casa Pt. 8

-Eating like a Mayan King in the Windy City

My apologies that it's taken so long to get to the next chapter in my 'Especialidad de la Casa' series where we zoom in on house specialties at Mexican restaurants around Chicago. It's a good way to showcase the wide range of regional Mexican food that can be found in the Chicagoland area.

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Peke's Pozole

Archer Heights

This past winter on what was one of the coldest days ever in Chicago I warmed up with some pozole. Me and a friend took the ride out to Archer Heights with the heat on blast. I had been wanting to check out this new specialist in the neighborhood located just down the block from the beloved specialist that is Birrieria Zaragoza. As I later learned from a comment on an instagram post this place was opened by a local mother who had long wanted to open a spot of her own. She's serving family recipes with an emphasis on Pozole. The traditional Mexican hominy stew being what she made a name for herself with selling out of her garage to neighbors. The Pozole here is made fresh daily and the maiz is not canned. This makes it different than most others. From scratch for real. Pozole comes served rojo, verde, or blanco. Just what I needed on what was one of the coldest days of my life. Plus some flautas bc those are good in warm weather, rain, sleet, or snow. Small menu also featuring platters of Patitas de Puerco aka pig trotters for those that like to get gelatinous.

Pozole at Peke's Pozole

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 Favela's Burgers

Archer Heights

I once did a little roundup on Mexican burgers which I'm a fan of now and then. I also long ago did a roundup on Southside tacos (also a fan). In that taco roundup I featured the fantastic guisado tacos from the now gone Favela's which was at Pulaski and Archer. They were replaced by a place called Leah's Pancakes. Well since Leah's closes after lunch the people at Favela's have been able to use the kitchen for dinner service where they're serving what was their most popular item almost exclusively. Lots of locals loved Favela's for their Hamburguesa estilo Santiago Papasquiaro. It's wider than your average burger and served with the typical toppings plus bacon, jalapeños, avocado, and Muenster cheese. They also do Micheladas and wings from 4-9p weekdays and 2-9p on wkds.

Hamburger at Favela's

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Tamaleria Oaxaca

Melrose Park, IL

The colorful facade at this tamale shop caught my eye. I went in hoping to find Oaxacan antojitos and instead found a Tamal de Torta. The tamale sandwich has taken off in spots like DF where popular vendors have started drawing lines of people for their product. I watched as who I presumed was the owner make me a torta paying special attention to each aspect of the sandwich. He lightly toasted the bun and made sure the sour cream and beans were spread on perfectly. Then he placed two rojo tamales (my choice) in between each bun and sliced it down the middle. This is a Carb bomb and a good one considering how well made the tamales were. Which were being made by whom I presumed to be the sandwich makers wife. I'll be stopping back here for tamales next time I'm around.

Tamal de Torta at Tamaleria Oaxaca

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Carniceria Maribel

Pilsen 

Here's a low key great spot for carne asada. Though it's not a total secret as I had a handful of people suggest it to me over the years via DM's, emails, and live human interactions. Carniceria Maribel sits on the corner of Cermak and Wood street. On the Wood side you'll find a full out mural painting of the late great Selena in different poses. Inside you'll find all the stuff a corner grocer carries including beer and in the special case of Maribel a full fledged butcher/taqueria in back. I haven't had a chance to explore the menu in-depth and that's bc the steak is sensational. They grill skirt steak to order so anything with it is most likely going to be really good. Including what are some of the best steak tacos anywhere in Chicago. I'd put these in my top 5 for sure. The meat is higher quality than most.

Steak Taco at Carniceria Maribel 

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Restaurant Y Taqueria Guerrero

Back of the Yards

Jalisco and Michoacán are the dominant Mexico states repped in Chicago. But Guerrero isn’t far behind. Here you’ll find a great little Guerrerense spot helmed by a lady from Guerrero originally. Her Picaditas estilo Acapulco are awesome. They’re beautiful too in that they display the colors of the Mexico flag in the toppings. As far as tacos go at spots helmed by those from Guerrero - always go with a cecina. More times than not it’ll be one of the house specialties served on made to order corn tortillas spread with beans as is the case here. I feel lucky to live in a city with strong connections to Mexico. The food, the culture, and the people are a major part of what make Chicago so great.

Picaditas (and cecina taco) at Restaurant Y Taqueria Guerrero

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Previous Posts from this Series 

Especialidad de la Casa Part 1

Especialidad de la Casa Part 2

Especialidad de la Casa Part 3

Especialidad de la Casa Part 4

Especialidad de la Casa Part 5 

Especialidad de la Casa Part 6 

Especialidad de la Casa Part 7