Ifra Waris

ShwOb DoG EaTs

By Shoaib Syed

It’s hard for me to consider myself a foodie.

When I think of a food critic, I think of someone nitpicking everything they eat. Too salty. The cow is still mooing. The texture feels weird in my mouth.

But when I think of my relationship with food, “critic” isn’t what comes to mind. I was taught to appreciate what Allah gave me. Whatever my mom made, I ate with a smile. When my younger brother wouldn’t eat his vegetables, they were sent my way. I was the resident trash can. So it’s a little strange for someone who has never been picky with his food to run an Instagram page dedicated to reviewing restaurants.

There must be a genetic component to my passion for good food. My dad is a notoriously picky eater. It seems like whenever my mom makes any dish, he has some small issue with it. His taste buds are just too sensitive to fool. Or maybe they’re just nostalgic. At the dinner table, he would tell me tales of the food from our homeland: Bangalore, India. He loved the food from Indiranagar, a popular neighborhood for young adults to satisfy their cravings. He would salivate recounting the juicy kebabs, the flavorful biryanis, and the decadent curries. None of the food here in the States can ever compare. Every time he’s brought a dish now, his mind instantly recalls what he used to eat as a kid, a death sentence for the poor meal in front of him.

Fast forward about forty years and his son is doing the same thing, traveling across Chicago – neighborhood to neighborhood – in search of halal eats. Trying new cuisines is one of my favorite pastimes. I rarely order the same thing when I revisit any restaurant. The rush I get from unlocking new flavors motivates me looking for new places and I want to share the experience. That is what inspired me to start @shwobdogeats and I hope you find inspiration within it to expand your culinary palette. Oh My Gourd w/ Vegan Chai Donut

The first thing you notice is the immaculate vibes. Sprawling plants adorn the walls. Repurposed coffee sacks dim the ceiling lamps. Old-fashioned lightbulbs and rustic spice jars complete the look. So you can only imagine the disappointment I felt when the coffee did not meet expectations. When the barista explained the drink, I saw the vision. It was supposed to be like an elevated pumpkin spice latte. The drink boasted pumpkin extract and curried spices. I was excited. But when the drink hit my throat, I could barely keep going. The spices assaulted the back of my throat, each gulp leaving a lingering reminder that I made a mistake ordering this.

The only thing that managed to save my taste buds from being completely ravaged was intermittent bites of the donut. Full disclosure: whenever I see a vegan version of something, I get a little worried. Normally the flavor is fine but the texture is usually lacking. This vegan donut was no exception, but I actually loved the different texture. It was the beautiful love child of a donut and a cake pop. It was soft and fell apart in your mouth. The flavors were prominent but not overpowering, like the coffee. Would definitely recommend staying away from the Oh My Gourd, but there are plenty of interesting options to try on the menu! I had a few sips of this fig based drink that was a lot better. Maybe you can give that a shot instead.

Fried Lobster from Roka Akor, circa 2021. Photo courtesy of Shoaib Syed.

Robata Grilled Diver Scallops from Roka Akor, circa 2021. Photo courtesy of Shoaib Syed.

Ever since I came to Northwestern, Roka Akor has always been at the back of my mind. Halal meat at a fine dining experience is a rare find. But after a friend got into medical school, we decided to finally look past the prices and check it out. And we couldn’t just try a few things. We had to go all in. We got the decadent omakase with 5 courses and 9 dishes. I’m not going to describe every single one because this would turn into a novel, and if you’re illiterate like I am, you’d quit after the first paragraph. So get ready for a series of random thoughts. First thing I want to highlight is the exceptional service. Shoutout to Leo, my waiter. He answered all of my questions about what is and isn’t halal, and the chef made sure to serve me dishes that did not contain alcohol or non-halal meat. Every time my non-Muslim friends received a dish which used alcohol, I would receive a completely different one to accommodate my faith. Not only that, but the chef often sent us complimentary dishes for our palates to explore. I was blown away by the service.

Moving onto the taste: it is an experience. The first was a raw fish and vegetable salad that radiated freshness, accentuated by the ponzu. Next came the scallop bites. The lime in the scallop dish beautifully cut through the caramelization on the top. Since the scallop was perfectly cooked, my teeth sliced through like it was butter. Next came fried toro wrapped in shisho leaves. Toro refers to the rich, fatty belly of the tuna and it was DELICIOUS and incredibly crisp. The accompanying sauce was light but still had a subtle salty, peppery flavor that adds to the tempura. The first entree was the sushi platter. The raw toro tuna actually just melts in your mouth; I’ve never experienced anything like it. You know the accompanying wasabi is made with premium ingredients because it feels like a spice cloud ascending to the roof of your mouth and as it exits your mouth. You feel like a dragon breathing fire. It was absolutely magnificent, even though it was slightly uncomfortable. Next came the lobster tempura. Lobster was just barely overcooked and the hint of truffle in the aioli is divine. The last of the entrees was grilled beef and lamb. The beef was a little more rare than I usually like but the quality of beef is so good that I thoroughly enjoyed it regardless. The gaminess of the lamb was hidden but peeked out every now and then to remind you that you’re still eating lamb. Last came the dessert. The chocolate lava cake wasn’t anything special, but I appreciated the lack of numbing sweetness. The ice cream was fresh but could’ve used a little more sugar, in my opinion. The cheesecake felt like chewing a cloud in the best way. But the ube pot de créme? To die for. Beautifully rich and made me feel like a prince.

A must try experience if you can look past the price.

Overall price: ~$150 9.7/10

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