Eats 10/06/21

Present

Fall 2021

A guide to local dining

by Melissa Elsmo, EATS Editor

Sponsored by

Oak Park Economic Development Corporation

Mama De Luca

◆ Celebrating our 17th year on Madison Street

◆ Direct online ordering is available ◆ Sunday brunch (10am-2pm) ◆ Catering (please give 48 hours notice) ◆ Private parties on our 2nd floor

(bridal, wedding, and baby showers, birthdays, meetings)

◆ 2nd floor outdoor patio dining

(subject to private party schedule)

7427 Madison Street www.caffedeluca.com 708-366-9200

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Welcome to our table

orn in 2018 and served fresh by Growing Community Media, Eats gives you a taste of everything dining-related in Oak Park and its surrounding communities.

Berwyn, Austin, Oak Park, River Forest, Forest Park, Riverside, Brookfield and Elmwood Park are home to a rich collection of established and emerging eateries. Known for serving up healthy portions of food and restaurant news, Eats exists to connect you to the people and stories behind the dishes you love to eat.

All of us at Growing Community Media are exceptionally grateful for the support Byline Bank has shown to local restaurants and the commitment they have made to help us tell their important stories through the Eats brand—this special section would not have been possible without their support.

Not only is Byline Bank a generous sponsor of the Eats Dining Guide, Alberto Paracchini, CEO of Byline Bank, and Susie Goldschmidt, Oak Park and River Forest Market President for Byline Bank, recognize that local businesses and restaurants form the backbone of communities.

Last winter Byline partnered with the Oak Park-River Forest Chamber of Commerce as well as the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce to help Goldschmidt spread the love between communities. Of course, Eats covered this effort and shared

the story of Goldschmidt’s visits to breweries, restaurants and diners including One Lake Brewing, Robinson’s Ribs, and George’s Family Restaurant. She also stopped by coffee shops, bakeries and sweet shops including Wise Cup in Oak Park, River Forest Chocolates, and Twisted Cookie in Forest Park. In the end they purchased $15,000 worth of gift cards from more than 65 restaurants in Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park.

No matter where you look in the Eats communities, you’ll find inspirational stories of collaboration and support, but at the heart of it all there are countless delicious dishes to celebrate in the seven communities we cover. We’ve been inspired by the arrival of Oak Park’s first community “Unity” fridge at Carnival Grocery, we clamor for Popify pops crafted at River Forest Kitchens using products from Rare Bird Preserves and don’t get us started on the fried chicken sandwiches at Chubby’s Char House. We are counting the days until the arrival of Fritzi’s Delicatessen and Table and Lain all while celebrating the enduring legacy of places like Autre Monde, The Golden Steer, Chef Shangri-la, Cucina Paradiso, and Jim and Pete’s.

Enjoy this celebration of all things Eats!

Eats Editor Melissa Elsmo Staff Photographer Alex Rogals Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Designer Manager Javier Govea Designer Susan McKelvey Sales and Marketing Representatives Lourdes Nicholls, Marc Stopeck Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner Publisher Dan Haley Business Manager Joyce Minich HOW TO REACH US 141 S. Oak Park Ave. Oak Pak, IL 60302 Phone 708 524 8300 Fax 708 467 9066 Online OakPark.com. RiverForest.com @OakPark • ForestParkReview.com

Happy reading & eating.

Melissa Elsmo Eats Editor Edito

Wednesday Journal & Forest Park Review are published digitally and in print

by Growing Community Media NFP. © 2021 Growing Community Media NFP.

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Give thanks for Spilt Milk

ince opening in 2018, Meg and Molly Svec, sisters and co-owners of Spilt Milk Pastry, 811 South Blvd., have navigated the bakery business with grace and humility. When the pandemic and civil unrest caused job and business losses in 2020, Spilt Milk enacted a program designed to support and serve vulnerable community members. When a flood capsized operations at their original Oak Park Avenue location in the same year

they took the opportunity to expand their bakery and increase their local reach.

Even as the Svec sisters work tirelessly to care for our community their pies, cookies, breads and biscuits remain unwavering in their quality and flavor — the dynamic duo is already preparing for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

Heirloom Apple Pie is sure to remain Spilt Milk’s number one best seller on the 2021 Thanksgiving menu. In 2018, former Chicago Tribune dining critic, Phil Vettel, called this pie “a work of art.” It features a timeless mixture of several rotating varieties of heirloom apples from Ellis Family Farms, baked in an all-butter double pie crust.

Georgia Pecan pie joins traditional pumpkin, apple cranberry, chocolate chess and pumpkin pecan praline to round out Spilt Milk’s Thanksgiving pie selections. Homemade whipped cream in classic vanilla and chai vanilla varieties can be added to any order as well.

Pumpkin pecan praline pie from Spilt Milk.

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In addition, the Svec sisters plan

Heirloom apple pie from Spilt Milk in Oak Park. | Photos courtesy of Spilt Milk to offer pumpkin and banana breads and packs of frozen “bake-at-home” Spilt Milk buttermilk biscuits. Publican Quality Breads will also be on sale.

Pre-orders begin on Oct. 10 and can be placed in-store, over the phone or online.

Plan to order early. In years past, Spilt Milk has typically recached production capacity around Halloween.

If you are looking for some sips to enjoy with your sweets Spilt Milk Wine is

featuring half cases and full cases of wines specially sourced just for the Thanksgiving holiday from independent, family-owned vineyards in the U.S., South America, and Europe. Selections will be published Oct. 15 and Spilt Milk plans to host a tasting event.

Spilt Milk

811 South Blvd., Oak Park 708-613-4403 • spiltmilkpastry.com

Fresh, healthy, delicious: Inari Sushi

hen it comes to sushi, Inari owner, Sara Kate, learned from the best. The enthusiastic restaurateur has owned Inari Sushi, 7428 W. North Ave. in Elmwood Park, for a decade, but had a wealth of valuable experience prior to opening the Restaurant Row sushi bar.

Kate spent years in management at Tank Sushi in Lincoln Square and maintains industry ties to the folks behind Sushi Wabi — the standard-setting sushi bar located on Randolph Street in Chicago that closed in 2012.

The S.T.A.Y Rolling roll (left) and the X’mas roll are among the many colorful specialty maki offerings at Inari Sushi. to sushi for novice diners, the baked roll is stuffed with shrimp tempura and topped with delicate slices of salmon and super white tuna. The roll is garnished with black tobiko and served on a flaming platter.

Relying on the wisdom of chefs from some of the great Chicago sushi houses helped Kate establish quality ingredient sourcing practices. This attention to detail has helped distinguish the North Avenue restaurant from others of its kind in the western suburbs.

Kate credits Inari’s enduring success to a steady stream of longtime and loyal customers. As word started to spread about Inari’s “sushi first” approach to Japanese fare Kate saw customers coming into the restaurant from neighboring communities.

The Sushi bar lunch entrée features a chef’s selection of five assorted pieces of nigiri sushi and spicy tuna maki. On the day we visited we were offed dressed albacore tuna,

Tempura vegetables, California roll and salad make up an indulgent lunch option at Inari. | Photos by Melissa Elsmo yellow tail, tuna, salmon and snapper. The colorful array of fresh fish came garnished with a whimsical carved butterfly made from a carrot and a vibrant edible orchid.

Kate also encourages patrons to try their trendy Poke Bowls. Protein like sashimi tuna

and salmon or tempura tofu combined with

rice, assorted vegetables and sweet soy

sauce offers guests the refreshing fare Inari is known for. Dine-in guests looking for a

little excitement would do well to order the flaming dragon roll. A good introduction

While Inari’s sleek interior welcomes guests from near and far, Kate is thrilled with her restaurant’s Elmwood Park location. She enjoys local customers and relishes in the Village of Elmwood Park’s ongoing support of all restaurants in the area.

“This is a lovely community to be a part of,” says Kate, “we’re like family on Restaurant Row.”

Inari Sushi

7428 W. North Ave., Elmwood Park 708-583-2300 • inarisushielmwoodpark.com

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Discovering Anfora and all that wine offers

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nfora Wine Merchants, 128 S. Marion St., is a combination retail shop and wine education center, named after a two-handled terracotta vessel used in Ancient Rome to store or transport wine.

Shop owner, Adrian Weisell, was born in Italy and even attended elementary school in a working vineyard. Ultimately, through mentorship, exposure, and education he achieved sommelier status at Il Buco in New York. Il Buco, was (and remains) a notable wine destination and carried a great selection of Italian wines.

“My approach to wine is not how a standard sommelier would approach it,”

said Weisell. “Wine is about more than taste to me. I look at wine drinking through a cultural and historical lens.”

The Marion Street shop recaptures the feeling of his childhood, honors old world traditions and celebrates Italian wines. A welcoming retail space engages customers upon entry, floral murals cover walls and terracotta pendant fixtures hang from the ceiling. Wooden shelves house bottles of wine and a set of double doors give way to a tasting room with a counter suitable for hosting small classes.

Weisell wants the shop to be a festive gathering space where people come to select a bottle to open at home or enjoy a bottle of wine on the patio with friends. Anfora has limited number of wines available by the glass, but Weisell is quick to point out the entire shop is available to be enjoyed for a very modest corkage fee.

He also considers the close bond between Anfora and Carnivore, the artisan butcher shop located around the corner at 1042 Pleasant St., to be

Jassem el Mahmoud looks at a bottle of wine on at Anfora Wine Merchants on Marion Street in downtown Oak Park. | Photos by Alex Rogals one of the best kept secrets in Oak Park.

tasting experience.

“People don’t realize they can get a chefdriven steak prepared at Carnivore while they are drinking wine at Anfora,” said Weisell. “We have a few bar snacks here, but the entire Carnivore menu is available to our customers.”

“I am looking to build relationships with my customers,” said Weisell. “Ultimately we’re asking that you trust me. Let go a little and let me pick the wine for you.”

Anfora Wine Merchants is a social destination where people embrace the thoughtful approach Weisell takes to curate a wine

Anfora Wine Merchants

128 S. Marion, Oak Park 708-613-5388 • anforawinemerchants.com

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Celebrating Kribi Coffee’s hyper local coffee roasting revolution

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ince opening in January 2019, Jacques Shalo has been working diligently to carve out a unique identity for his independent coffee roastery in the congested and competitive coffee shop business. Shalo credits Kribi’s Coffee’s “four tenets,” freshness, method, sourcing, and giving back, for the brand’s quick rise in popularity.

Kribi Coffee is located at 7324 W. Madison, Forest Park and is expected to open a second location later this month. The new location will be housed at Cross Function, a flexible workspace in the Boulevard Arcade building, at 1033 South Blvd., Oak Park.

“My wife Cindy was driving down South Boulevard and saw the available café space,” said Shalo, owner of Kribi Coffee. “It seemed like a great opportunity for Kribi to enter Oak Park.”

Kribi’s Cross Function location will capitalize on the recognizable design elements popularized at the Forest Park location. The colorful palette, conceptualized by Shalo’s son Jeremiah, is a nod to the family’s Cameroonian heritage and regional coffee sourcing practices.

Earlier this year, Kribi Coffee accepted a prestigious Illinois Made Award from the Illinois Department of Tourism – Explore Illinois. Inclusion in the Illinois Makers program is highly competitive, and honorees must meet detailed criteria and are celebrated for having a compelling origin story, rich business history, and making an impact in their home community.

Kribi Coffee sources historically significant coffees with a growing focus on beans grown in Cameroon.

In addition to sourcing with regional specificity in mind, Kribi is dedicated to putting more money into the pockets of coffee farmers by

disrupting the value chain of coffee and donates to local social justice causes — a portion of every bag of Kribi’s Black Lives Matter blend is donated to Tutoring Chicago.

In May 2021 Kribi was also named among the 10 best coffee shops in Chicago by food and drink editors at Chicago Social. Though Kribi Coffee is less than three years old, the fastgrowing business joined notable Chicago coffee shops including Intelligentsia, Dark Matter and Metropolis on the tight list of 10.

Kribi will continue to serve quality coffee in their flagship Forest Park location and envisions the new Oak Park location will serve as a precursor to a larger Kribi expansion in Oak Park sometime in late 2023 or early 2024.

Kribi Coffee

7324 Madison St., Forest Park 708-689-8896 • kribicoffee.com

Jacques Shalo standing outside his Kribi Coffee location in Forest Park.

7324 w. madison street forest park, il 60130 7324 w. madison street forest park, il 60130

kribicoffee.com 708 689 8896

kribicoffee.com 708 689 8896

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La Lupita celebrates a mother’s touch in every dish

or 16 years La Lupita, 6539 W. Cermak Rd., has been a celebration of the hard work and grit it takes to succeed in the restaurant industry.

“The restaurant is named after my mother, Lupita Figueroa, and you can still find her in the kitchen,” said Salvador “Sal” Figueroa, the manager. “Our dishes are all homemade with her recipes, her seasonings, and her special touch.”

The origin-story of the Cermak Road mainstay, however, takes us far from the Berwyn thoroughfare. Though Sal is

American born, he and his family returned to Cuernavaca in Morelos, Mexico when he was just two years old.

As a boy, Sal watched his mother set up a dining table in their front yard. Friends and strangers would take a seat and Lupita would bring out an array of homemade dishes like pozole blanco and a deep dark mole with origins in her hometown located in the Guerrero region of Mexico.

The money she earned helped the family, but more importantly she was honing the recipes that would eventually form the spine of La Lupita’s menu.

La Lupita serves a mole popularized in the Guerrero region of Mexico shown here over chicken enchiladas.

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In 1992 the Figueroa family returned to the United States and settled in Chicago. While Lupita took factory jobs to support her family, she proved to be an insatiable cook and began offering her culinary services to local businesses and neighbors.

Sal would come home to find strangers eating in their apartment kitchen. Before long Lupita’s casual cooking turned into a vibrant catering business.

Then, in 2004 Sal drove past a

Cazuela de Pozole Blanco Estilo Guerrero from La Lupita. all three of her children.”

vacant restaurant on Cermak Road. More kitchen than dining room, the diminutive space held just for tables and offered the perfect steppingstone for Lupita to take her culinary career to the next level. Thanks to her loyal customer base the transition to restaurant ownership went smoothly for the scrappy cook.

Today La Lupita is going strong and keeps home-style Mexican food front and center on Cermak. The restaurant continues to offer Lupita’s complex mole and three variations of pozole daily.

“Looking back, now I can see my mother is a true example of an entrepreneur,” said Sal proudly. “She passed along that mindset to

6539 Cermak Rd., Berwyn

La Lupita

708-788-8226 • lalupitaberwyn.com

History, burgers and brews at One Lake Brewing

ne Lake Brewing, 1 Lake Street, Oak Park, is housed on three levels in the former First National Bank of Oak Park, built in 1920.

The finished gut-rehab pays special attention to the historic aspects of the one-of-a-kind building. The first floor features a beer hall inspired bar and dining room, while the second level celebrates the history of the building with preserved original dentil molding and large historical photos. A large beer-bottle chandelier anchors the space while large windows offer guests a glimpse into the working brewery. The third floor features a popular roof top dining area and outdoor bar.

also be open for lunch both days.”

The One Lake menu offers a thoughtful combination of elevated bar fare like crispy chicken wings and complete entrees including the popular stuff in pepper made with local barley, roasted seasonal vegetables, caramelized goat cheese,

roasted piquillo pepper sauce, fried shallot and herb oil. The One Lake Burger, however, has proven to be a top seller. It features two patties of local beef on a corn dusted bun topped with tomato jam, house aioli, fried pickled onions, arugula and butterkase cheese.

Shawn Stevens, head brewer at One Lake, is also excited for the upcoming release of the Been Czar, Done That stout. The beer, set to be bottled in mid--November, has been aging for a year in two 55 gallon barrels from Quincy Street Distillery, 38 E Quincy Street in Riverside. Stevens says “aging and conditioning has added a depth of flavor and complexity” he would not have been able to achieve in other ways, and turned out to be an “excellent collaboration between two local craft makers.”

The brewery is set to be featured on the Open House Chicago (OPC) tour on October 16 and 17. OHC 2021 ( https://openhousechicago.org) includes more than 100 sites in more than 30 neighborhoods across Chicago and nearby suburbs--One Lake will offer attendees a self-guided tour of their historic building.

“We want people to come in, order a beer if they want and explore the space,” said Kristen Alfonsi, co-owner. “We will

Nothing goes better with a thoughtfully crafted burger than a cold beer. Behind the bar, One Lake’s staff pour house-brewed beers including, Lando, an American IPA with a juicy fruit-forward flavor and a notable hop burst--the beer has a generous 7.4% abv and a full finish. For beer-lovers looking for a lower abv One Lake’s easy drinking, “toasty-roasty” Oscar Milde English mild ale. The beer with a grain forward profile has a manageable 4.4% abv.

The One Lake Burger features tomato jam, house aioli and butterkase cheese. Bacon can be added to make this an even bolder bite. | Provided by One Lake

One Lake Brewing

1 Lake St., Oak Park 708-434-5232 • onelakebrewing.com

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Jewish delicatessen dreams do come true

raving kreplach, pastrami, or knish?

Paul Stern, a longtime Oak Park resident with nearly four decades of restaurant experience, is bringing a menu filled with Jewish fare to 113 N. Oak Park Ave.

Stern is planning for both corned tofu and beet and labneh sandwiches to appear on the menu.

To cultivate interaction and communal feelings, customers will place orders “dim sum style” by checking off menu items on a card placed on the table. Menu items will come in a variety of sizes and Stern hopes inexpensive tasting portions will entice hesitant diners to try menu items they may be unfamiliar with.

“It has always been a dream of mine to open a Jewish deli,” said Stern.

Stern fondly remembers eating at Lou Mitchell’s with his father in the restaurant’s heyday. There were bananas for the children and Milk Duds for the ladies — every meal at the family-owned diner, complete with prune and orange slice, felt like a special occasion.

Stern hopes his forthcoming deli will bring back that same sense of personalization and attention to detail while honoring his father’s memory.

“My dad, Fritz, fled Austria when they started rounding up Jews,” said Stern. “He went to Switzerland, then London and eventually emigrated through Ellis Island where he was re-named Fredrick. He never spoke German to anyone but his mother -- she always called him Fritzi.”

Stern is clear Fritzi’s Delicatessen will be a

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Paul Stern and Lisa Stern stand together outside of the storefront that will soon be Fritzi’s, their new Jewish deli, on Oak Park Avenue | Alex Rogals/Staff Photographer “Kosher-style deli” meaning they will serve Ashkenazi Jewish fare like corned beef, matzoh ball soup, kishke, brisket, chopped liver and lox. While both pork and shellfish will not be served at Fritzi’s, it will not be a kosher establishment as evidenced by the inclusion of a Reuben sandwich on the menu.

Stern has proudly spent 10 years developing his pastrami recipe. A traditional dry cure with a blend of spices including black pepper, coriander, and cloves precedes soaking, cold smoking, and steaming. The finished pastrami will be hand sliced for sandwiches.

Vegetarians will also have a place at Fritzi’s.

“I want Fritzi’s to be a place where people put down their phones and actually dine with each other,” said Stern. “I want the place to have a buzz where people talk politics and share a bowl of something. If someone hears the person at the next table say they are an orthopedist, I want that person to ask them why their knee hurts. That is the heart of deli for me.”

Serving up “good food for the soul,” Fritzi’s Delicatessen, is expected to open this fall.

Fritzi’s Delicatessen

113 N Oak Park Ave., Oak Park

The Daly Bagel hits its stride – and then some

hen Amanda Daly opened the doors to The Daly Bagel in April 2020, she greeted waiting customers for the first time exclaiming, “We’re open!” Production in the kitchen came to an organic halt and everyone inside the shop began to clap. It was a fleeting moment, but one not easily forgotten.

The tight-knit crew baked out of River Forest Kitchen, hosting popular weekend popups at Urban Pioneer Group in Forest Park and offering Daly Bagels at area farmers markets.

Daly then set her sights on a brick-andmortar location and embarked on a buildout expected to take just months, but which in reality, took more than a year to complete.

“Everything came alive in that moment,” said Daly, shop owner.

“We opened the doors and life flooded in. Since then, The Daly Bagel has been a living thing.”

Over the past year Daly and her team of baker-employees have embraced their new reality. The first employee arrives at the shop at 4 a.m. to prepare for the 7 a.m. opening. It takes an And now the hour for the revolving boutique bagel shop tray oven, capable of has hit its stride.

A bevy of bagels from The Daly Bagel in baking 500 bagels The Daly Bagel was Oak Park. at time, to come to recently named by temperature and WBEZ’s Curious City nearly as long for the adjacent bagel boiling as one of the best bagels in Chicagoland. kettle to fill with water.

With their retail space housed in the old Zephyr building, 130 Chicago Ave., the Daly Daly, Guldin and Garcia have settled into Bagel has hit its stride. distinct roles. Daly, who remains hands on in the kitchen, handles operations, scheduling, Daly whipped up her first batch of “East social media and general catch all duties.

Coast bagels with a Midwest twist” in 2018 Guldin oversees doughs and recipe before officially teaming up with her “bagel development. Garcia is regularly in charge of partners” Adrienne Guldin and Leah Garcia.

Amanda Daly, owner of the Daly Bagel, has navigated the challenges of starting a boutique bagel business. | Photos by Alex Rogals opening the shop. Today, a total of 32 parttime employees keep the bagel boutique in business.

The shop benefits from excellent foot traffic despite their “off the beaten path location” and continues to cater to their passionate group of regular customers. Positive press and word-of-mouth have drummed up additional business. As a result, The Daly Bagel is known to have a line out the door with the most dramatic “socially distant”

queue extending more than two blocks.

“We constantly remind ourselves we need to go at a pace the preserves quality,” said Daly. “Because, let me tell you, it is almost impossible to fight the instinct to rush when you see a line around the block.”

Daly Bagel

130 Chicago Ave., Oak Park 708-613-5263 • thedalybagel.com

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(from left) Student leaders Kyndra Washington, 14, Neveah Hester, 16, and Azariah Baker show off an assortment of cut flowers and house plants available at Austin Harvest.

Austin Harvest a student-led produce market

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n June 2020, Rodney Williams, director of entrepreneurship and development at By the Hand Club for Kids, 415 N. Laramie, was sitting in a peace circle with a group of frustrated youth. In the wake of George Floyd’s murder area protests led to some violent unrest in Austin and left participants in By the Hand’s afterschool program concerned for their community.

In fact, a liquor store located directly across the street from By the Hand had been looted and burned during a night of rioting. By the Hand purchased the property and tore down the building within six weeks of taking ownership. The frustrated students saw this as an opportunity to change their community from within and raised the idea of hosting a pop-up produce market on the vacant lot left behind after the liquor store was demolished.

“Austin has a population of 97,000,” said Williams. “We had 17 liquor stores and just 3 grocery stores. This is a food desert and the kids wanted to do something about that.”

Initially the entrepreneurial experiment was supposed to last just 12 weeks, but the community responded favorably to Austin Harvest, 423 N. Laramie, and plans for a second season evolved naturally. And then in June 2021, Austin Harvest, with support from Sam Acho, a former Chicago Bear, and Athletes for Justice, received word that a WSCR-AM radiothon hosted by talk

host Danny Parkins, generated more than $670,000 in donations to help build a permanent home for the pop-up market.

“We are not going anywhere,” said Azariah Baker, Austin Harvest student-employee. “A roof is the best way to show that.”

They may be peddling produce at affordable prices, but Williams is clear the primary focus of the program is developing entrepreneurs.

Students earn a stipend for their work at Austin Harvest and oversee everything from bookkeeping and purchasing to uniform design and furniture construction.

They manage partnerships to keep the market stocked and worked closely with contractors to design the forthcoming brick and mortar. The building should be completed by the end of 2021 and has been designed to maintain an open-air market feel.

“You can only dream what you see,” said Williams. “This market shows them what is possible in their own community. The best thing people can do is come out to shop and encourage the kids.”

Austin Harvest is open to the public Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Austin Harvest

423 N. Laramie Chicago

October 6, 2021

Cookies Soft Serve Ice Cream Dipped & Stuffed Brownies Milkshakes Coffees Gift Boxes & Baskets

7401 Madison St, Forest Park (708) 689-8029 TwistedCookie.com

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The evolution of Takeout 25

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akeout 25 started as an online initiative dedicated to supporting restaurants through the COVID pandemic and recently marked its transition to an official non-profit organization.

made a difference during the pandemic — some establishments were able to rehire furloughed employees while others created special offers and discounts specifically geared toward the Takeout 25 community.

“We are very confident in our ability to provide value to restaurants” said Ravi Parakkat, Takeout 25 founder and now an Oak Park village trustee. “Everything y g we are hoping to do will enhance the top-line for member restaurants.”

Takeout 25 went on to host a trio of Taste the Town fundraising events that benefitted multiple restaurants and non-profits like Beyond Hunger, y g The Day Nursery and New Moms. The Takeout 25 model has been replicated on a national scale with similar efforts popping up from California to New York and the initiative is currently being turned in to a business school case study.

When Takeout 25 started, Parakkat, a 14-year Oak Park resident, was a candidate for the village board. He teamed up with local leaders to inspire residents to spend $25 per week on carryout fare in Oak Park and the surrounding communities. And Takeout 25 was born.

Today, the Takeout 25 Facebook page boasts more than 9,000 members who share photos of takeout fare, ask for dinner recommendations, and interact with restaurant owners. Restaurant owners made it clear the Takeout 25 Oak Park initiative

Ravi Parakkat, Village Trustee and founder of Takeout 25. | Alex Rogals/Staff Photographer

And now the organization has achieved official 501c6 status.

As Takeout 25 grows, programs will be staffed by paid interns or part-time paid staff members as needed. Parakkat will stay on as founder and board president and will not be paid for his ongoing efforts.

In addition to increasing revenue and lowering costs for restaurants, the non-profit model aims to facilitate relationships with local delivery services, introduce collaborative initiatives to aid restaurants in bulk ordering eco-friendly take-out packaging and reduce retail food waste by marketing local food overages in inventive ways.

While all local restaurants will continue to have universal access to the free marketing engine Takeout 25 has become, the new 501c6 is designed to outlive the pandemic and will rely on a membership model to help support dining establishments and enrich the local economy in a variety of ways.

Parakkat acknowledges the not-for-profit is in its infancy but envisions the Takeout 25 membership cost being $25 per month or $300 per year for participating restaurants. The fees will give members the “right of first refusal” on future Takeout 25 events and access to cross community collaborations designed to strengthen the local economy.

Takeout 25 takeout25.org

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Taco Mucho brings chef driven tacos to Harrison Street

ouse-made tortillas, salsas, tacos and tortas as well as a thoughtfully curated cocktail menu featuring seasonal margaritas have arrived in the Oak Park Arts District. Ron Aleman, owner of Taco Mucho, 220 Harrison St., was drawn to the district because of its “cool feeling and walkability.”

“I love Val’s, Buzz and Happy Apple,” said Aleman. “I think Taco Mucho will fit right in with all the great things already happening on Harrison.”

Taco Mucho existed as a pop-up in the Fulton Gallery in Chicago for six months in 2019. The successful stint left Aleman ready to transition to restaurant ownership, but the pandemic delayed his dream. The south Oak Park resident and father of two spent quarantine cooking for neighbors, family and friends to hone his skills in anticipation of opening Taco Mucho when the time was right.

Mucho inspired mural announcing “share your tortillas” draws focus in the second dining room.

Aleman was drawn to the building on Harrison because it was already a functional restaurant. He completed significant cosmetic updates to “brighten and freshen” the dining room. Warm string lights hang in the first of two dining rooms and a galvanized metal bar grounds the space. A vibrant Taco

Aleman, who had a hand in opening seven restaurants over the years, brings 20-years of culinary experience to his first ever solo restaurant venture. He also benefits from a formal culinary school education and uses his knowledge of French cooking techniques to enhance his Mexican fare rooted in family

Ron Aleman, owner of Taco Mucho, is ready to welcome guests to his arts district taqueria.

A colorful mural welcomes guests and urges them to “share your tortillas” at Taco Mucho at 220 Harrison St.

recipes from Guadalajara, Jalisco.

also attracts customers.

Taco Mucho’s menu features a rotating array of tacos and tortas with fillings like ribeye steak with house made asada seasoning, chicken al pastor or vegetarian poblano con queso. Aleman has given serious consideration to making vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options standouts on the Taco Mucho menu. A beverage menu highlighting classic and creative margaritas

“No matter what I am cooking, ingredients will always get the best respect from my hands,” said Aleman. “I want to help every ingredient meet its full potential.”

Taco Mucho

220 Harrison St., Oak Park tacomucho.net

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Decades of dedication: Take a stroll down Restaurant Row

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Armand’s Pizza:

lmwood Park’s beloved “Restaurant Row” boasts a vibrant and bustling collection of eateries that lure customers with a diversity of cuisines, ample parking, and an honest sense of camaraderie. The Village of Elmwood Park tirelessly supports the restaurants lined up on North Avenue—that ongoing commitment is one of the reasons why many Restaurant Row establishments have endured for decades.

Any Armand’s pizza can be customized, but the restaurant offers some approved “classic” combinations like one especially devoted to the Village of Elmwood Park.

The Elmwood Park combo suggests topping your pie with Italian beef, Armand’s signature sausage, and giardiniera. Armand’s has been serving up pies for more than 60 years. Located at 7650 W. North Ave.

A fresh hot pizza from Armand’s in Elmwood Park

Chef’s choice: an assortment of nigri sushi and spicy tuna maki from Inari Sushi.

Alpine Food Shop:

An assortment of gelato from Massa Café Italiano.

Massa Café Italiano: Angelo and Giovanna Lollino prioritize sourcing the freshest ingredients available to craft a variety of authentic house-made Italian dishes at Massa, 7434 W. North Ave.—including colorful salads, Sicilian pizza, and decadent pastas. The quaint eatery entices guests to indulge in dessert-Massa’s award-winning gelato and fresh sorbettos are made fresh daily using timehonored Italian techniques.

Spizzico/Senor Jefe:

“It’s not just a sub—it’s an Alpine.” Few places have a truer tag line than Alpine Food Shop—the sandwich shop has been a part of the Elmwood Park neighborhood since 1955. Perennially popular, The Alpine” is a sub with a loyal following and features ham, salami, capicollo and Provolone cheese. Located at 7538 W. North Ave.

Johnnie’s Beef: A counter-service force of nature, Johnnie’s Beef, 7500 W. North Ave., is a standard setting joint for blissful beef in Elmwood Park, the western suburbs and beyond. Our very own David Hammond said, “I ate the Johnnie’s beef (sandwich) in one continuous gobble” of the sandwiches first served in 1961.

New Star: New Star, 7444 W. North Ave., had been serving up Cantonese cuisine since 1954, but Jinny Zhao’s ownership has brought fresh life to the North Avenue mainstay.

Zhao is proud to carry on the New Star traditions started by the Moy family, but she has expanded the menu to offer Thai, Japanese and Hibachi dishes.

Gringo and Blondie offers a colorful assortment of Mexican dishes

For 25 years the Spizzirri family has been offering baked clams and crispy calamari to set the stage for an array of entrees including pastas, sandwiches and pizza at Spizzico, 7446 W. North Ave. Right around the corner, Senor Jefe, offers Mexican favorites like hand-made pork tamales, fajitas and flautas. Senor Jefe opened nearly six years ago and the model makes is simple to have tacos with your next pizza!

Gringo and Blondie: An assortment of tacos, cemitas, and burritos await at Gringo and Blondie, located 7514 W. North Ave. in Elmwood Park. The Mexican street-food spot is brought to Restaurant Row by Massa Café Italiano owner, Angelo Lollino and his wife and business partner Giovanna Lollino.

The Alpine is the quintessential sandwich from the food shop of the same name.

Johnnie’s has been a restaurant row mainstay for decades.

Fried rice at New-Star

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A steak jibarito from Café Cubano has been a restaurant row favorite for years.

The 8am burger from Burger Moovment.

Café Cubano:

Inari:

For 20 years owners of Cafe Cubano, Mayra and Javier Fernandez Jr., have been honoring Javier Fernandez Sr. by bringing authentic Cuban fare to Restaurant Row. Located at 7426 W. North Ave., Café Cubano uses nostalgia and comfort as key ingredients in every dish pushed out of their kitchen—including lechon, oxtails, jibaritos and empanadas.

Sara Kate has owned Inari Sushi, 7428 W. North Ave., for a decade, but had a wealth of valuable experience prior to opening the restaurant row sushi bar. She takes a “sushi first” approach to turn out a creative assortment of maki, nigiri and poke. Bento boxes, ramen and kitchen entrees complement an array of cocktails and sake options.

Jim and Pete’s: Since 1941 this Restaurant Row outlier has been serving up old world favorites with a modern twist.

The well-appointed North Ave. location, 7806 W. North Ave., is the second home for the restaurant known for serving reliable arsenal of traditional Italian dishes like bruschetta, chicken Parmigiano, and linguini with clam sauce. Specialty menu items like giant house-made rigatoni with pinenuts, spinach and ricotta and Italian Pork Chops with peppers and potatoes make a unique splash on the thoughtful menu.

Baked clams set the tone for any meal at Spizzico.

Burger Moovment: This quick-service establishment flips every patty to order using locally sourced bakery buns, 100-percent Angus beef and locally grown produce. For the past decade, Burger Moovment, 7512 W. North Ave., has been setting the burger standard in Elmwood Park.

Owner Anthony Gambino has helmed Oak Park’s Italian mainstay, Cucina Paradiso, for more than 25 years and has found the balance between fine dining and casual fare at his Elmwood Park burger joint.

Jim and Pete’s can be found of the far west end of Elmwood Park’s Restaurant Row.

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#Berwynstyle wings and turkey at Babygold Barbecue: Elmwood Park has a long standing reputation for being home to outstanding restaurants. As a Village we are proud to share this reputation and work hard to promote it.

Alpine

Donny G’s

McDonalds

7538 W North Ave

7308 W North Ave

7217 W Grand Ave

Armand’s Pizzeria

Eggsperience

New Star Restaurant

7650 W North Ave

16 Conti Pkwy

7444 W North Ave

Ashleys Café & Tap

Great American Bagel

Old World Pizza

7500 W Grand Ave

7230 W North Ave

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Bon Vivant Juice & Smoothie Bar

Gringo & Blondie

Panera

7514 W North Ave

7400 North Ave

7334 W. Diversey Ave

Happy Wok

Russell’s Barbecue

1742 N Harlem Ave

1621 Thatcher Ave

Inari Sushi

Slice Factory

7428 W North Ave

1732 N Harlem Ave

Jim & Pete’s

Spizzico& Senor Jefe

7806 W North Ave

7446 W North Ave

Burger King 1750 Harlem Ave

Burger Moovement 7512 W North Ave

Café Cubano 7426 W North Ave

Caputo’s Fresh Markets 2400 N Harlem Ave

Chi Taco 7530 W. Grand Ave

Circle Tavern 18 Conti Pkwy

Culvers 7542 W Grand Ave

Jimmy John’s 1702 N Harlem Ave

Johnnie’s 7500 W North Ave

Subway

2836 N. Harlem Ave 7230 W. North Ave

Trattoria Peppino’s

Lotus

7440 W North Ave

7230 W North Ave #210

Union Tap 7707 Westwood #1A

Massa Café

Wing Stop

7434 W North Ave

1740 N Harlem Ave

Chef John Manion considers Babygold’s thick-sliced smoked turkey to be a “menu workhorse.” Diners will appreciate its subtle smoke and Thanksgiving vibe. My fellow food writer, David Hammond believes the deliciousness of the turkey was “slightly eclipsed by the uber-deliciousness of the chicken wings.”

And Hammond was clear he almost never orders wings but would gladly order them at Babygold again and again. 6615 W. Roosevelt Rd., Berwyn.

A Mangonada from Neveria Naranja Dulce: Adventurous sorbet lovers should check out a mangonada. This sweet and sour dessert treat is made from mango sorbet, Tajín, and piquant chamoy. Fresh mango and a tamarind coated straw finish this memorable Berwyn dessert. 6252 Ogden Ave., Berwyn.

The Midland from Burger Antics: Fresh steak burgers cooked to your desired degree of doneness star at Burger Antics.

Here The Midland, topped with house made Dijon, house made pickles, English cheddar and caramelized onions is served up in the family friendly joint. 3740 Grand Blvd., Brookfield.

The Obvious from the Daly Bagel: Obviously, we made room for “The Obvious” from The Daly Bagel. Folks line up daily for these East Coast style beauties, and bagel maven, Amanda Daly, clearly knows how to pile lox, cream cheese, onions and capers to make a perfect sandwich. 130 Chicago Ave, Oak Park.

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The lobster roll at Poor Phil’s is a sidewalk sandwich favorite. | Photos by Melissa Elsmo

A seafood lovers paradise at Poor Phil’s

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ince 1985 the Murphy family has been offering the “ultimate neighborhood pub experience” at Poor Phil’s, 139 S. Marion St. Savvy locals know the mainstay establishment offers more than 30 beers on tap and a wide array of American, Cajun and seafood dishes. The family friendly establishment boasts an idyllic sidewalk patio suitable for a date night, quick weeknight meal or workday lunch.

After entering a temporary closure known as a hibernation in January 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Poor Phil’s reopened in spring to the delight of longtime regulars.

happy to enjoy Poor Phil’s unpretentious fare once again. As snow melted patrons could be seen savoring fish and chips with an ice cold beer, weekday “two buck shucks” and a bloody mary, or a “barroom” pickle burger with piles of crispy tots.

Other notable menu items include Poor Phil’s Maine lobster roll featuring chilled lobster salad brimming with celery, onion, pepper, fresh dill, mild wasabi mayonnaise and butter served on a toasted bun. The Fishn-Cheddar is a refined version of a fast-food classic featuring beer batter fried Atlantic cold-water cod — the shatteringly crisp fish served in a brioche bun is thoughtfully dressed with cheddar, lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce.

Hibernating restaurants like Poor Phil’s, consciously The Poor Phil’s bloody mary. chose to close at the height of the pandemic winter with the intention of It is the goal of every member of Poor reopening when the weather was warm Phil’s cheerful and dedicated staff to enough for patio dining, or as soon as ensure patrons experience “the comfort pandemic related restrictions lifted. of enjoying a day with fresh food, rejuvenating beer at an exciting location Though it was a difficult decision to with family and friends.” hibernate, Poor Phil’s customers celebrated their reopening by expressing joy on Poor Phil’s social media and flocking to the restaurant.

139 S. Marion St., Oak Park Hungry locals came clamoring back to 708-848-0871 • poorphils.com the outdoor patio in the spring and were

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Learn, sample and socialize at Kinslahger tirelessly to train their taste buds to recognize subtle flavors and differences between beers. The goal of any beer judge is to support and inform other homebrewers on how to brew better beer.

large wall clock freezes time at 3:11 p.m. in the well-appointed Kinslahger Taproom, 6806 Roosevelt Rd., in Oak Park. The hands stand still to honor the production brewery’s opening day in 2016 and the exact moment Keith Huizinga’s dreams of brewing beer for a living came true.

The Home-brewers Club of Oak Park introduced Huizinga to Steve Loranz River Forest resident and and Neal Armstrong.

Michigan native, Huizinga traveled Friendships emerged to the Netherlands during his and the three passionate college years. While there he lived brewers began to with Dutch students who exposed discuss making their him to a new world of beer. A Keith Huizinga, owner of Kinslahger Brewing, walks through the back shared hobby their fulltypical college student, Huizinga, and shows the beer-making process in the brewery. | Alex Rogals time life. Dreams turned to drank whatever was cheap and conversations and those of variety in the available beer had Huizinga available when he was state side, but conversations morphed into concrete feeling a beer void of sorts. He knew what exposure to artfully crafted beer proved to plans. Armed with a strong collective was out there but couldn’t get his hands be transformative for the young man. knowledge and clearly defined roles, the on it. To combat this longing, the curious “We are living in a completely different beer student began brewing his own beer. trio opened Kinslahger Brewing Company world today,” says the brewery-owner. “There on March 3, 2016. Loranz serves as chief A career in finance supported Huizinga’s is an amazing array of beer styles just lining brewer, Armstrong handles the finances, brewing hobby for years. His passion even grocery store shelves today. That was not the and Huizinga spreads the word about led him to become a certified beer judge. case in 1991.”

Kinslahger’s unique products.

These devoted beer-aficionados are the In today’s market, logic dictates producing Upon returning to the United States the lack sommeliers of the beer world and work

IPA’s or stout beers would lead to success, but Kinslahger runs counterculture by solely producing lager-fermented beers.

Kinslahger beers balance tradition and creativity by relying on a slower fermentation process. The resulting beers have a less yeast-forward flavor profile.

Lagers are prized for their fresh flavor and appreciated for bringing malt and hops to the forefront on the palate.

Today, despite Kinslahger’s limited footprint, the production brewery sells the bulk of their product through wholesale distribution and hopes to have an even broader reach in the future. The Kinslahger tasting room, however, is reserved for our local community where beer lovers can stop in to savor a thoughtfully crafted beer and some lively conversation. It is clear, Huizinga and his partners bring unique passion to Kinslahger and have managed to establish the spot as both a business and great local gathering place where beer lovers can learn, sample, and socialize.

Kinslagher

6806 Roosevelt Rd., Oak Park 844-552-4437 • kinslagher.com

CELEBRATING 45 YEARS!

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7930 W. 26th Street • North Riverside • (708) 442-7080 • Chefshangri-la.com

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Jim & Pete’s always new even after 80 years

ince 1941, Jim & Pete’s, 7806 W. North Ave. in Elmwood Park, has been serving up old-world favorites with a modern twist. Jim & Pete’s stands as one of oldest Italian restaurants in Chicagoland. Originally located at Chicago Avenue and Pulaski in Chicago, the eatery moved River Forest before landing at its current location in Elmwood Park.

Current owner, Michael Bucchianeri, worked as a busboy at Jim & Pete’s as a teenager and subsequently filled every role imaginable at

the restaurant before taking an ownership role in 1999. Since then Bucchianeri has been fiercely committed to honoring the legacy of the nearly 80-year-old restaurant. Expanding on the shared vision of former owners Jim Sorce Jr. and Vito Brunetti, the enthusiastic Bucchianeri completed an extensive remodel of Jim & Pete’s in 2017 making the well-appointed restaurant a stand-out on Restaurant Row in Elmwood Park.

Jim & Pete’s has a warm ambience and fine finishes including exposed brick walls and a covered multi-season patio and state-of-the-art party room suitable for hosting an array of special occasion events. The flexible indoor/outdoor space is well-loved under normal circumstances but has become especially valuable since outdoor dining space is at a premium in Chicagoland. Thanks to thoughtful design choices, Jim & Pete’s is suitable for both casual family dinners and special occasion celebrations — the restaurant appeals to couples Salmon Salad from Jim & Pete’s in Elmwood Park. looking for a date night, businesses

Mixed seafood from Jim & Pete’s in Elmwood Park | Photos provided looking to host a meeting, and people looking to host baby showers and birthday celebrations.

and ricotta, and Italian Pork Chops with peppers and potatoes make a unique splash on the thoughtful menu.

Every dish served at Jim & Pete’s is designed to honor the legacy of the mainstay restaurant. A reliable arsenal of traditional Italian dishes like bruschetta, chicken Parmigiano, and linguini with clam sauce keep regulars coming back to Jim & Pete’s, while specialty menu items like giant house-made rigatoni with pine nuts, spinach

Hot Holiday Tip: Jim & Pete’s offers fullservice catering for on-site or off-site events of any size in Elmwood Park and the surrounding communities. Book early!

Jim and Pete’s

7806 W. North Ave., Elmwood Park 708-453-5204 • jimandpetes.com

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Autre Monde celebrates a decade of neighborhood dining

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fter a 7-month pandemic related closure, Autre Monde, 6727 Roosevelt Rd., Berwyn, reopened in time to mark a milestone anniversary and introduce a menu designed to honor a decade serving their unique brand of approachable Mediterranean fare.

and has executed myriad pop-up events over the years including an elaborate ode to the foodie film “Big Night.”

Autre Monde aims to transport diners, and the perfect storm of dining room closures and delayed PPP loans forced the owners to pause and reassess a path forward. Closing Collage of dishes from Autre Monde. | Provided the “experienced based restaurant” was a calculated Autre Monde opened 10 years ago to decision for the veteran ownership team — immediate accolades including a notable they closed to control their future. three-star rating from the Chicago Tribune.

Chef Pancake earned a coveted Jean Chefs Dan Pancake and Beth Partridge Banchet nomination for Chef of the Year along with Christine Tully, general manager in 2013 and the restaurant has achieved and John Aranza, sommelier who met in Green Seal Certification. They recovered the early 90s, took the time off to reflect on all the years the business has been on from a significant fire in 2012, hosted a Roosevelt Road in Berwyn.

James Beard Foundation dinner in 2015,

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The team settled on a slimmed down menu designed to capture Autre Monde’s spirit by honoring the past while allowing room for bold specials. Classic Autre Monde dishes like fried oyster salad, pork belly pintxos and Tunisian chicken thighs appear alongside new offerings like Chef Pancake’s reimagined octopus a la plancha. And now the enduring Berwyn restaurant is updating their seasonally driven offerings for autumn.

Customers will find Chef Dan’s “legendary pappardelle Bolognese,” a new “amped up” mezze platter, and eggplant Parmesan with whipped ricotta on the fall menu. Specials like seared black bass with burnt orange buerre blanc should keep menu offerings fresh. Aranza, a level two sommelier, has tightened up the wine program to

complement the menu offerings suitable for enjoying on Autre Monde’s heated patio.

The quartet behind Autre Monde set out 10 years ago with the intention of building a restaurant they would want to visit. Today, despite having more than 120 years of combined restaurant experience between them, their simple objective remains the same.

“Going back to where we started has helped us figure out where we want to be now,” said Tully. “We want to be an approachable and comfortable neighborhood restaurant where everyone feels welcome.”

Autre Monde

6727 Roosevelt Rd., Berwyn 708-775-8122 • autremondecafe.net

Sips of significance at Quincy Street Distillery

he cozy tasting room housed inside Quincy Street Distillery, 39 E. Quincy St., Riverside, boasts a bold black and white checkered floor and bottle-afterbottle of artisanal spirits. Speakeasy visitors would do well to order a classic prohibition cocktail called the Bees Knees — a tart and satisfying combination of Old #176 Railroad gin, lemon juice and honey syrup.

Derrick Mancini, owner-distiller at Quincy Street Distillery, is quick to share the gin in his Bees Knees cocktail was distilled off the same corn mash used to produce Quincy Street whisky based on a method dating

back to the 1800s. Old #176 Railroad Gin, is single distilled in a copper pot and has dominant juniper flavors, but additional botanical elements including both coriander seed and licorice root add to the spirit’s complexity. To make matters more interesting, “#176” honors the first custom designed engine to roll through Riverside on the tracks located within view of the establishment.

It is clear Quincy Street Distillery serves sips of significance.

Cocktails, including the Bees Knees, from Quincy Street Distillery in Riverside.

Mancini earned a PhD The Bees Knees from Quincy Street Distillery in Riverside. | in Physics and worked at Photos Provided Argonne Laboratory when dreams of opening a winery morphed into developing a hyper-local, lead him down a new career path, but a spirit-focused operation honoring the series of serendipitous events brought history of his hometown. As a scientist, him to the front door of a 1912 Arts and Mancini, considered himself a creative Crafts influenced space in the middle of and his career change allows him to marry Riverside, Illinois. his love of science with his interest in food and drink, history, and his beloved A 20-year resident of the OlmsteadRiverside community. designed community, Mancini’s dreams

Mancini acknowledges the artistry behind their approach to craft spirits lies in looking to the past to drive the process. Quincy Street Distillery honors classic formulas, from as far back as the 17th century, to coax their historically significant gin, vodka, and whiskey assortment into existence. In the speakeasy, the bar-manager turns out a balanced array of retro and innovative highend cocktails using their array of grainforward, small batch spirits.

Wednesday: 5 to 7 p.m. (retail shop only, no cocktails) Friday: 4-10 p.m.

Saturday: 3-10 p.m.

Tours: Wed., Sat., Sun., reservation required

Quincy Street Distillery 39 E. Quincy St., Riverside

708-357-7414 • quincystreetdistillery.com

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Veah Larde garnishes Two Sisters crunch cake with coconut and pecans.

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An Austin homecoming for Two Sisters Catering and Restaurant

eah Larde, owner of Two Sisters Catering and Restaurant, proudly celebrated the opening of her first brick and mortar establishment, 4800 W. Chicago Ave., earlier this year. The counter service restaurant dishes up comfort foods with a healthy twist.

Larde grew up just six blocks from Two Sisters new home and fondly remembers the walkable shopping district formerly seen on Chicago Avenue.

“This is an Austin girl comes home story and I am excited to be part of a revitalization effort,” said Larde. “As a business owner I want to speak to the community that I sit in and be an example of what can exist in the Soul City Corridor.”

Two Sisters Catering started in 2012 after Larde’s husband, Johnny Larde Jr., recognized “a light” in his wife whenever she helped people plan parties. Larde began taking on small to medium sized catering events and never looked back.

Today, Two Sisters Catering and Restaurant, keeps caloric value down and prioritizes healthier eating. The business is located in the same building as a dialysis center and Larde’s husband is a dialysis patient himself.

After his treatment began, Larde focused on taking meat out of her recipes and opted

to focus on lean proteins and creating vegetarian versions of popular soul food dishes. Two Sisters is known for their ground turkey meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and corn — a slimmed down version of Johnny’s favorite meal.

“He was mad until he tasted it,” laughed Larde who also makes her well-loved collard greens without meat or vinegar.

Despite a series of healthconscious twists, there is still plenty of room for indulgence at Two Sisters. Fans clamor for classic banana pudding, crowd pleasing caramel apple cheesecake and lesser-known treats like Louisiana Crunch Cake.

“We understand the community we serve, and we’ve got a little something for everybody,” said Larde. “We invite everyone to come and discover a new food memory.”

Two Sisters Catering and Restaurant is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will be open on certain Sundays for special pop-up events. Follow Two Sisters on Facebook and Instagram for menu and event details.

Two Sisters

4800 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago

773-887-5625 • twosisterscatering.com

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The Depot District Feel at home at Connie’s Family Restaurant: Breakfast is always a good idea and always available at Connie’s Family Restaurant, 3271 S. Harlem Ave. The home-style restaurant serves up steak and eggs, benedicts and pancakes. Don’t worry; you can also get delicious lunch and dinner at this casual and family-friendly spot known for a daily menu of homemade soups and diner sandwiches. The triple decker turkey club comes with fries, coleslaw and a cup of soup and will bring the taste of tradition to your next lunch.

Turkey club, a cup of soup and fries from Connie’s Family Restaurant.

Local love at Lavergne’s Tavern: Lavergne’s Tavern, 6546 Windsor Ave., opened in 2016 and has grown to be a favorite destination for a fine meal in Berwyn and beyond. Known for serving up some serious burgers, street food inspired tacos and a mighty fine brunch-worthy bloody mary.

And people should believe the hype behind the Italian beef eggrolls served at Lavergne’s Tavern — the appetizer has a near cultlike following for good reason. Brimming with beef, giardiniera, and cheese, these crispy rolls are sliced on an extreme bias and served with au jus for dipping. Grab a napkin and indulge!

Lavergne’s Bloody Mary: Looking for a delightful way to stary the day? Try coffee and bloody mary from Lavergne’s Tavern

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Discover a perfect pairing at Flapjack Brewery: If you are looking for a perfect pairing check out the wood-fired pizza and small-batch beers at Flapjack Brewery, 6833 Stanley Ave. The Depot District hot spot is owned by brothers Paul and James Macchione who were raised in Berwyn. The duo keeps eight beers on tap including the Fantasmo Vanilla Cream Ale -- Flapjack’s flagship offering made with Mexican vanilla beans.

Flapjack’s also serves up both Neapolitan and tavern style pizzas. The thin Neapolitan pies cook in a 750-800 degree wood-fired oven for just two minutes. The resulting pizza has a raised airy rim, is thin in the center and light on toppings.

Two tavern style pizzas also grace the menu. They bake slightly longer, are rolled flat across, and topped generously to the edge of the pie. The “Beerwyn Supreme” is a notable offering featuring San Marzano tomato sauce, sausage, cremini mushrooms, shallots, and green peppers.

Fantasmo Vanilla Cream Ale and Hugo Luh-Layn Juicy IPA Citra & Mosaic Edition as poured at Flapjacks are also available in 16-ounce cans and 32-ounce crowlers.

The Depot District Connie’s Family Restaurant & Cocktails 3271 S Harlem Ave Berwyn (708) 484-3447 • conniesberwyn.com

Familia Fresh Market & Danesi Caffe 3308 S Oak Park Ave Berwyn (708) 956-7026 • familiafreshmarket.com

La Borra del Café Berwyn 6801 W Stanley Ave Berwyn (708) 317-5629 • laborra.us

N-Joy II Asian Cuisine 7140 W Windsor Ave Berwyn (708) 484-5310 • njoy2.com/

El Fogon Restaurant 3244 S Oak Park Ave Berwyn (708) 317-5760

Gaia Italiano

Lavergne’s Tavern 6546 W Windsor Ave Berwyn (708) 956-7405 • lavergnes.com

Taz Deli 6932 W Windsor Ave Berwyn (708) 956-7583

Flapjack Brewery 6833 W Stanley Ave Berwyn (708) 637-4030 • flapjackbrewery.com

6822 Windsor Ave Berwyn (206) 234-9239

The Garage Smokehouse & Bar 3202 S Grove Ave Berwyn (708) 956-7274 • facebook.com/Thegarageberwyn

Media Noche Berwyn Cafe 6836 W Windsor Ave Berwyn (708) 317-5093 • medianochecafe.com

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Happy Apple serves top pie in Illinois

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he Happy Apple, 226 Harrison St., focuses on crafting meticulous apple pies. In fact, workers in the shop have been known to peel more than 150 pounds of apples each week. This “apple first” establishment does feature an assortment of fruit pies in addition to their signature apple pies and relies on seasonal produce to drive their rotating menu. Savvy pie-

lovers know the Happy Apple makes a wicked chocolate pie, too.

earned top honors among Illinois pie offerings.

The Happy Apple was recently singled out by “Eat this, not that” as having the best pie in Illinois. The website partnered with Yelp to name the best pie in every state based on user rankings and reviews mentioning pie. The Happy Apple’s chocolate chess pie

Michelle Mascaro, owner of the Happy Apple, was “stunned by the honor and found it refreshing to be honored for something other than apple — their chocolate chess pie had a fan club right from the start, so bakers make it every day. The pie is prized for its dense fudgy filling with a cracked crispy top layer. The Happy Apple’s Chocolate Chess pies are on the daily menu at the signature flakey crust makes the Happy Apple. | Photos by Melissa Elsmo simple pie deceptively complex.

Happy Apple staff shows off their pies: (From left) Gina Rivera, front of house manager, Michelle Mascaro, owner, and Renner Eschenroder, pie maker pose with a trio of pies.

The honor is particularly sweet given the pandemic forced the shop to put their staff on paid leave from March to September of 2020. The shop relies on a unique blended work environment where people with and without intellectual and development disabilities work together, but Mascaro could not risk keeping her staff in the shop at the height of the pandemic. Once the vaccine became readily available, Mascaro was able to bring her eager pie-bakers back to the shop in smaller groups and delighted in seeing friendships renewed between staff members.

This is the second time the Happy Apple has been surprised by national recognition for their pies. In 2019, USA Today named Happy Apple Pie Shop the top place to get pie in the state of Illinois in its “Road Trip Guide: The best pie shop in every state.”

“My goal is to make excellent pie and serve it with kindness,” said Mascaro.

Happy Apple Pie Shop 226 Harrison St., Oak Park

708-606-0037 • happyapplepie.com

Cracking the egg code at Michael’s Pancake House

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ichael’s Pancake House, opened during the pandemic at 25 E. Burlington St. in downtown Riverside. The unassuming restaurant proudly serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

23 E Burlington St, Riverside 7am - 4pm (708) 442-1251 • michaelspancakehouse.com

Breakfast, Lunch and Early Dinner

“When we finally got the green light, we were ready to go,” said co-manager Edgardo Guadalupe.

The owners are not strangers to the restaurant business – the Guadalupe family are also owners of the original A family affair: (Left to right) Chef Michael Guadalupe helms Michael’s Pancake House—the restaurant the kitchen at the Riverside location. His wife Clara, and has been thriving in south suburban children, Edgardo and Sandra are the management team behind the pancake house on East Burlington Street in Worth for nearly 20 years. The Brookfield Riverside. residents had been looking to expand for some time and settled on Riverside everything is made fresh at Michael’s Pancake as it became clear there was no other House. The expansive menu includes classic breakfast-focused restaurant in the community. breakfasts, creative crepes, diner sandwiches, Michael’s Pancake House is known for their soups and evening specials like pork chops, generous portions including “football sized liver and onions and roast pork with sauerkraut. omelets” and fluffy plate-sized pancakes. They The space is humble and unassuming, but also have a curious egg-doubling policy.

Michael’s Pancake House offers high value “Eggs are always doubled at Michael’s meals served with a smile. Pop by for an egg or Pancake House,” said co-manager Sandra eight.

Guadalupe. “If the menu says two eggs, you’ll get four. If you order three eggs, you’ll get six.”

Despite the potential for an egg overload,

Michael’s Pancake House

Lunch items like the Patty Melt, shown here served with seasoned fries, come with a choice of soup or salad.

10% off

dine in customers only Expires 12/31/21 Cracking the egg code: The Popeye Skillet, brimming with bacon, spinach and mushrooms came topped with a whopping four eggs despite the fact the menu says it is served with two eggs.

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Carnival Grocery delivers

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descendant of Italian grocers, Arthur Paris has worked in the grocery business for nearly 25 years. After purchasing Carnival Grocery in 2014, he has been busy building up a positive reputation in Oak Park. Now Paris hopes his thoughtful approach to ordering, re-stocking and customer service is setting the standard for grocery stores in the Oak Park vicinity. Today, Carnival, 824 S. Oak Park Ave., offers an intimate in-person shopping experience, personal shopping services and reliable delivery options.

Responding to customer desires, the fiercely independent grocery store successfully introduced a new way to shop last winter.

After working out some kinks over the summer, Carnival is proud to offer a userfriendly website and personal shopping to get groceries to residents as efficiently as possible.

Carnival’s new e-commerce services are designed to be more affordable than Instacart.

Carnival’s staff will personally fill orders meeting a $35 minimum and local delivery via Door Dash is available for $8. (The app is available via Google Play and the App Store) “The Carnival team and I are really excited to be launching the app and new website. We

try to always listen to our customers, and felt this was needed, especially considering how shopping for groceries has changed over the last year,” said Paris. “These additions are also part of our efforts to ensure Carnival is as strong and stable as possible in anticipation of a second Pete’s Fresh Market opening in Oak Park.”

Users of the app and delivery service have made virtual shopping a habit and more than half of the customers using the online ordering service select the in store pick up option. The most frequent user of the service just placed their 53rd order and the largest order placed to date rang up at $1,500. All users can expect Carnival to begin offering online specials including winter squash for $0.59/pound, organic milk for $5.99/gallon and ground beef for just $2.99/pound.

People utilizing the delivery service during October should put “Oak Park Eats” in the delivery instructions to have fees waived for the entire month.

Carnival Grocery

824 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park

708-848-1340 • carnivalgrocery.store

Arthur Paris, owner of Carnival Grocery, is taking steps to make it even easier to support his independent market with a new app. | Melissa Elsmo

CELEBRATE FALL WITH EVERYDAY LOW PRICES! Carnival is offering great prices on seasonal items to make your autumn special.

With free off-street parking, hassel-free in-and-out shopping, and every day low prices, we’re proud to be your convenient locally-owned neighborhood grocery.

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A bevy of burgers at Burger Moovment

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or 10 years Burger Moovment, 7512 W. North Ave., has stayed true to their brand. For a solid decade they have been slinging top quality burgers, fresh cut fries and milk shakes in an unpretentious fast casual environment. Owner Anthony Gambino has helmed Oak Park’s Italian mainstay, Cucina Paradiso, for more than 20 years and has found the balance between

fine dining and casual fare.

“Besides fine dining Italian, I have loved pizza and burgers my entire life,” says Gambino. “I’ve done pizza for many years, so when the time and location was right, it was natural to do a burger joint.”

In fact, the Classic Moov, featuring American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise on a brioche bun, was recently named among the top 20 suburban burgers by the Chicago Tribune. Earlier in 2019, their fries were named among the top 20 in Chicagoland by the same publication.

Anthony Gambino credits quality, value and service for the long-term success of his quick service restaurant. | Photos by Melissa Elsmo

Gambino and the Burger Moovment team focus on using quality ingredients to

build a better burger. The quick-service establishment flips every patty to order using locally sourced bakery buns, 100-percent Angus beef and locally grown produce.

In addition to serving up 3-ounce griddle-smashed beef patties (think single, double or triple depending The Classic Moov, shown here, has had top billing on on your appetite), the Burger Moovment’s menu for a full decade.

Elmwood Park shop offers black bean veggie burgers, is the most popular menu item because healthy turkey burgers and an all-natural its covers everything a burger aficionado chicken option. longs for: meat, cheese, pickles, grilled With four fresh buns to choose from, onions and bacon with special Moov including a gluten free option, 20 topping sauce. and sauce options, five cheeses to choose “We hope to be an institution to the from and four premium toppings like fried neighborhood for many years to come, egg or applewood smoked bacon, the where families can always come and enjoy menu at Burger Moovment holds limitless great American fare,” says Gambino. possibilities.

For burger lovers looking for a more complex offering, Burger Moovment has more than a few menu options to choose from. The Elmwood Park Burger

Burger Moovment

7512 W. North Ave., Elmwood Park 708-452-7288 • burgermoovment.com

Hungry for Breakfast?

7426 W North Ave., Elmwood Park, IL 60707 Mon-Thu: 11am - 9pm • Fri-Sat: 11am - 10pm • Sun: 12 - 9pm

Call 708-456-6100 to make a reservation.

Follow @forestparkeats on Instagram for more tasty morsels!

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A whirlwind of emotion behind Oak Park roastery

hirlwind Coffee, 513 Madison St., is up and running in the old Gilchrist Hardware building and donating a portion of profits to local organizations. The craft roastery was designed to honor the memory of David Silverstein’s late wife with a philanthropic twist.

beans before the roasting for efficiency purposes. The resulting blend boasts dark chocolate, almond, citrus and floral notes and comes in a bag featuring whimsical images of fruits dressed as showgirls created by Elana Ernst Silverstein.

Trained as a roaster in Minneapolis, Silverstein fell in love with the chemistry of roasting coffee. A refurbished Sanfransican Roaster, designed for artisan coffee roasters, is at the heart of Silverstein’s business. The environmentally friendly small batch roaster has the capacity to roast 25 pounds of green coffee beans every 15 minutes.

Silverstein has spent the last several years primarily focused on stabilizing his family. Silverstein and his elementary school aged daughter Maya have been constant companions since Elana Ernst Silverstein died tragically in 2012 due to a medical error.

“My wife was an amazing artist. She was an actor, singer, and voiceover talent with a heart of gold. She was always helping everyone she met,” said Silverstein. “After such a horrible and tragic loss, I wanted my work to reflect her values, celebrate the way she lived her life and surround my daughter with an example of her kindness.”

Whirlwind Coffee, structured like Newman’s Own, is technically a for-profit business. After covering expenses and salaries, however, all net-profits will be

David Silverstein, owner of Whirlwind Coffee, is ready to roast and serve your next cup of coffee. | Provided donated to local charitable organizations.

Silverstein, who is a fan of salvaging and revitalizing, was excited to purchase the former home of Gilchrist Hardware because of its rich history as a communityfocused business. The former plumbing and hardware store has been remodeled to include a roastery as well as a café.

Whirlwind offers single origin beans and three signature coffee blends. The signature blends, High Kick, Shake a Leg and Killer Diller, aim to capture the spirit, moxie, and energy of the Whirlwind Brand.

High Kick features a custom blend of Guatemalan, Brazilian, Columbian and Ethiopian beans. Silverstein combines the

Jerusalem Cafe

Award winning and Voted best Middle Eastern restaurant in west suburbs. We are open for business and continue to take orders for pick up and delivery. We are taking steps to follow the latest CDC guidance to help minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus for our staff and guests.

1030 Lake St. Oak Park, IL 60301 (708) 848-7734 11:00 am – 9 pm JerusalemCafe-OakPark.com

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Silverstein says the act of roasting puts him at peace. He is confident Whirlwind Coffee will bring him closer to his daughter and the community all while generating ways to give back in thoughtful ways.

“Coffee is an emotional elixir,” said Silverstein. “A frequent companion throughout the highs and lows of life, it can be a kick in the ass when you need it most.”

Whirlwind Coffee Co 513 Madison St., Oak Park

708-613-8448 • whirlwindcoffee.com

Vision-impaired baker loves selling sweets

y goal is to help others conquer the kitchen with poise, patience and perseverance,” said Keelie Banks, 35, owner of Suga Bakers, talking about her blog and her love for inspiring others.

But that statement takes on extra meaning when you learn about what Banks refers to as “a unique set of challenges.”

Eight years ago, she was diagnosed with retinal pigmentosa, a rare genetic disease that causes vision loss.

“With the help of God and my amazing support system, I remain committed to making my dreams a reality,” said Banks.

Banks started baking 14 years ago. “What started out as a way to make extra money during my college years turned into a full-fledged passion,”

Banks said. But she’s always enjoyed creative endeavors and hobbies, like sewing, decorating and entertaining.

She lives nearby in Bellwood, so she’s familiar with Forest Park, where she frequents restaurants, including Shanahan’s and Scratch Kitchen. Creativita is another favorite: “Painting and wine have become one of my new birthday traditions,” Banks said.

In her blog The Sweet Life, at sugabakers.com, she talks about her love of baking and shares recipes, like Ultimate Pumpkin Muffins and Pumpkin Praline Pie. Decadent desserts, including German chocolate cake, red velvet cake, and a variety of cookies are for sale at sugabakers.com

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Victory Italian brings comforting fare to the Pleasant District

n array of classic Italian dishes made a mid-pandemic arrival in the Pleasant District when Chef Joe Farina opened Victory Italian at 100 S. Marion St. in Oak Park in April 2021.

Farina brought the next establishment in the Victory brand to Oak Park in hopes his special brand of Chicago-Italian fare would complement the robust mix of culinary venues within the community. It was a dream come true for Farina to be able to open a location alongside local favorites such as Poor Phil’s and Peterson’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream.

Chef Farina and his team are serving confident, flavorful, and familiar fare in a well-appointed space with a generously sized, dog-friendly outdoor patio. The interior embraces a sleek, yet welcoming black and white color palette that gives Victory Italian its distinctive throwback charm. A soundtrack including old-timey

favorites like “Fly Me to the Moon” enhance the retro vibe. Kind service and generous portions are standard fare at the family friendly restaurant.

Farina is committed to keeping Italian food simple by letting the flavors of local and seasonal ingredients shine through. In addition to offering an array of signature dishes like burrata salad and crispy brick chicken, Victory Italian is known for serving up Italian inspired menu items with distinctly American origins, like spaghetti and meatballs and chicken parmesan.

Cheesy garlic bread and a Caesar salad provide a reliable start to any meal at Victory Italian. Expect them to deliver a bright, lemon-forward Caesar salad dressing with a few anchovy notes. “Joe’s Mama’s Meatballs” served with marinara sauce and whipped ricotta are also a popular menu selection.

If meatballs are your kryptonite, you’ll be pleased with these.

Joe’s Mama’s Meatballs | Melissa Elsmo Chef Farina also delivers a noteworthy house-made ravioli -- the unassuming cheese-filled parcel packs bold flavor and comforting texture. Diners are advised not to skip the pork chop Calabrese; the dish will make you a Victory regular. Pounded thin and lightly breaded, the uncomplicated entrée is enhanced by the addition of whole Calabrese peppers, pepperoncini, white

So glad to be here...

wine, sage and lemon.

Victory’s Wine Spectator Award winning wine list and classic cocktail assortment round out the menu offerings.

Victory Italian

100 S. Marion St., Oak Park

708-434-5766 • victoryitalianoakpark.com

THANK YOU,

OAK PARK! IT’S BEEN A GREAT HALF A YEAR, YOU DESERVE HALF OFF ON AN ORDER OF JOE’S MAMA’S MEATBALLS AS OUR THANKS! JUST MENTION THIS AD. THROUGH 10.14.2021

WWW.VICTORYITALIANOAKPARK.COM 100 S. MARION STREET • 708.434.5766

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Delivery First offers on-demand drivers

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he pandemic pitted many restaurants against third party delivery services, but now Delivery First, a restaurant focused food delivery start-up, has entered the Oak Park market and aims to disrupt the gig economy and do away with percentage-based fees.

Delivery First was started by restaurant owners who were trying to win the delivery battle, but they could not make the math work. Anthony Gambino, CEO of Delivery First, tried to find a reliable thirdparty delivery service for his restaurants well before the pandemic hit.

“All the services compromised our cashflow. Even though we were doing more deliveries our profits were down overall,” said Gambino. “It was clear we needed to get out of the delivery business or get way more in.”

Disillusioned with the expensive, ordergenerating, mark-up machines delivery services had become, Gambino chose to dive into the business with a solution-

oriented approach.

Delivery First is structured more like a courier service than food delivery services like Grub Hub or Door Dash charging a flat fee per order. The newcomer aims to be a breath of fresh air to restaurant owners who have been at the mercy of companies like Grubhub and DoorDash who take more than 30% of every delivery order in fees.

Unlike the independent contractors affiliated with some services, Delivery First is employee based. Drivers are paid an hourly wage plus tips with a guaranteed threshold. Drivers can contribute to a 401K and are eligible for workman’s compensation should they be injured on the job.

the Delivery First app in 2017 and took on their first client in Elmhurst in 2019.

Though small, the company is now in a growth phase and actively expanding into what Gambino refers to as the “parks region.” The area includes Oak Park, Forest Park and River Forest.

Gambino and his team began building

The Oak Park area is an emerging hub

with a current team of 10 “on demand” drivers. As more restaurants join the program Delivery First is committed to hiring drivers from inside the community.

Delivery First deliveryfirst.com

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Celebrating Cermak Hungry folks can curb just about any craving on Cermak Road in Berwyn.

Old Fashioned Candies Sisters Lynn White, Sandra Figatner and Donna Greenwald are carrying on their parents’ legacy at Old Fashioned Candies, 6210 Cermak Rd. Established in 1969 by George and Theresa Brunslik, their daughters now keep the 50-yearold business going strong. Assorted nut clusters, cordials and cream filled candies await at the shop that is also part museum — Old Fashioned Candies has their original cash register on display — it maxes out at a sale of $3.99.

An assortment of filled chocolates and nut clusters from Old Fashioned Candies in Berwyn

Anthony’s Pizza Looking for an Italian treat? Anthony’s Pizza, 6237 Cermak Rd., has been serving up pizza slices and other Italian fare for 34 years.

The unassuming shop relies on foot traffic and top pizzas with quality ingredients like Grande cheese and house made red sauce to keep pies flying out the door. Pizza may be the star of the show, but according to Anthony’s manager and co-owner Anthony Cosmano, the Italian beef sandwich is one of the best things on the menu.

Owner manager, Anthony Cosmano, is all smiles as he welcomes customers to his Cermak Road Pizza shop.

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Las Islas Cermak Road is no stranger to its fair share of wellloved Mexican restaurants, but folks looking for a seafood fix should swing by Las Islas, 6516 Cermak Rd. Guests are quick to order a refreshing michelada to enjoy alongside tilapia ceviche and serrano chili salsa.

The spicy tomato juice-based beer cocktail spiked with lime and rimmed with tamarind paste is Las Islas’ signature drink. Just like the michelada, people eagerly order langostinos. The small crustaceans — much smaller than a lobster and larger than a crawfish – are served in the shell for an indulgent hands-on eating experience.

Langostinos are a signature dish at Las Islas in Berwyn

The Cermak District Anthony’s Pizza 6237 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 749-1100 • anthonyspizzaplace.com

Home Run Inn Pizzeria 6825 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 317-8877 • homeruninnpizza.com

El Nuevo Vallarta Sports Bar and Grill 6801 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 317-5929 • elnuevovallarta.com

Buffalo Wild Wings Grill and Bar #330 7130 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 749-2319 • buffalowildwings.com

Jelly Jam Pancake House 6300 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 484-9840 • facebook.com/jellyjam02

Canton8 Sport Bar & Grill 6312-14 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (312) 208-6270 • canton8sportbarandgrill.com

La Lupita Restaurant 6539 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 788-8226 • lalupitaberwyn.com

Las Quecas Berwyn 6311 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 956-7371 • facebook.com/pages/Las-QuecasBerwyn/107897849595109?fref=ts

Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins 6601 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 749-0906

La Michoacana Prime 6224 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 956-7697

Flight 22 Wine Bar 6518 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 956-7648 • flight22winebar.com

La Michoacana Classic 6533 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 637-4075 • lamichoacanapremium.com

Guadalajara Grill & Bar 6814 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 788-2600 Herbalife Happy and Healthy 6628 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 473-4492

La Parra Restaurant - Bar 6710 W Cermak Ave Berwyn (708) 317-5339 • laparrarestaurantandbar.com

La Quinta de los Reyes Restaurant #2 6431 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 484-4689 Los Tarritos Restaurante 6241 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 317-5842 • facebook.com/lostarrito LongHorn Steakhouse 7115 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 484-6350 • longhornsteakhouse.com Old Fashioned Candies 6210 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 788-6669 • oldfashionedcandiesinc.com

Overseas China Restaurant 6846 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 484-5447 Starbucks 7124 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (312) 877-0464 • starbucks.com

Vesecky’s Bakery 6634 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 788-4144 • facebook.com/VeseckysBakery Waldo Cooney’s Pizza 6733 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 749-7997 • waldocooneyspizza.com Wanda’s Chinese Kitchen 6301 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 788-2868 Zacatacos - Cermak 6212 W Cermak Rd Berwyn (708) 484-8460 • zacatacos.net

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Boutique meal service at Angie’s Pantry

ttention to detail, determination, and adaptability are just a few of the key ingredients that helped Angie Montroy, chef-owner of Angie’s Pantry, build a thriving business. She credits a steady, but manageable growth trajectory for the long-term success of the food-focused business she officially started in 2011. Thanks

to perseverance, creativity, positive word-ofmouth, business is booming at Angie’s Pantry, 809 South Blvd.

Angie’s Pantry started when Montroy offered her personal-chef services to four clients in the mid-nineties and grew to include small catered events. In time she started operating out of The Nineteenth Century Club before moving into the brick-and-mortar on South Boulevard where the bulk of her business now revolves around providing a vast array of heat-and-eat meals for individuals and families.

Angie Montroy owner of Angie’s Pantry, 809 South Blvd. in Oak Park. | Photos provided

Montroy has spent nearly a decade building her recipe repertory while steadily increasing her customer base.

Today, Angie’s Pantry has a client list of more than 1,200 people and offers a weekly menu of healthy ala carte meals and devilish desserts for pre-order and pick up.

Special Advertising Section baker at heart and lets her “devil horns” show when she makes dessert. Massaged kale salads and “creamless” cream soups are an easy way to justify enjoying a slice of Montroy’s decadent streusel-topped apple bars or signature “baby cakes.”

The three-layer cakes are just six inches in diameter, serve eight and come in festive flavors like mint, Oreo, and peanut butter.

An insatiable love of flavor, respect for global Signature dishes at Angie’s Pantry include parmesan crusted cuisine and curiosity about chicken and light tomato cheese pasta. cooking methods form the foundation for the Angie’s Angie’s Pantry prepares 200-300 meals a Pantry menu, but the diversity of dishes has week featuring signature dishes like parmesan aided Montroy in keeping her customers crusted chicken and light tomato cheese satisfied. pasta, spicy basil chicken with veggie fried “I have spoiled my customers because I do rice and roasted salmon salad. everything I can to make them happy,” said In the kitchen Montroy sticks to an 80/20 Montroy. philosophy--80% of Angie’s Pantry offerings are prepared with health and wellness in Angie’s Pantry mind while 20% are designed to be a true 809 South Blvd. Oak Park indulgence. All dishes at Angie’s Pantry are free of preservatives, artificial ingredients 708-434-5742 • angiespantry.com and trans fats, but Montroy admits she is a

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10 Things Going Right with Food in Oak Park The Oak Park Economic Development Corp. is a quasi-government organization funded by Oak Park’s village government. It focuses on driving investment and development activity in Oak Park.

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Fresh Oak Park Dining Options:

Despite an unprecedented pandemic the Oak Park community is welcoming new restaurant into its diverse and delicious fold. Notable newcomers include La Borra del Cafe, a chain of coffee shops with roots in Guadalajara and more than 70 locations in Mexico. The burgeoning chain opened its third US location on Lake and Marion in July. Brewpoint Craft, a womanowned purveyor of coffee, cocktails and charcuterie, debuted on Oak Park Ave. this summer. Housed in the former home of L!VE Café, the transition happened with the full support Reesheda Graham Washington who trusts Melissa Villanueva, Brewpoint owner, will continue use the shop to address issues of community development, equity and antiracism started at L!VE. Blackout Baking Co. and its arsenal of tiny cookies are making their way to the pleasant district and the highly anticipated Kyuramen is expected to start serving slurp-worthy noodles in Downtown Oak Park in the coming months.

Takeout 25 transitions to a Non-Profit:

In a show of support of local restaurants Takeout 25 called on the community to spend $25 a week on carryout to ensure no Oak Park restaurant would close because of COVID 19. The relentlessly positive online community of more than 9,000 members rose to the challenge and now Ravi Parakkat, founder and Village Trustee has transitioned the group to a non-profit designed to out live the pandemic. In addition to increasing revenue and lowering costs for restaurants, Parakkat aims to facilitate relationships with local delivery services, introduce collaborative initiatives to aid restaurants in bulk ordering eco-friendly take-out packaging and reduce retail food waste by marketing local food overages in inventive ways. What started as reaction to an industry crisis is now a permanent part of the Oak Park restaurant community.

Oak Park Economic Development Corporation

Unity Fridge opens outside Carnival Grocery:

Oak Park’s first Community fridge arrived in Oak Park last May and continues to offer 24/7 access to free food including perishables and canned goods. Residents and political candidates, Anthony Clark, Chibuike Enyia (current village trustee) and Juanta Griffin joined Arthur Paris, Carnival Grocery owner, and representatives from the Oak Park Chamber of Commerce to unveil the refrigerator nestled against the grocery store’s exterior. The initiative outlives the elections and promotes a “take what you need, leave what you can” philosophy. Differing from a charity, the “unity fridge” operates as a mutual aid system where members of the community work together to support the needs of people living in the community. The public refrigerator, with a clear glass door, roof and walls protecting it, is powered by Carnival Grocery and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

A return to normalcy for the Oak Park Farmers Market:

The Oak Park Farmers Market was radically changed by the pandemic in 2020 with weekly producer-only market being fully relocated to allow for proper social distancing; strict capacity limits and a U-shaped footprint also impacted the market feel. Though traffic still flows in a single direction at the weekly market, a laid-back atmosphere and return to the Pilgrim Church parking brought a sense of normalcy back in 2021. Shoppers are pleased the farmers market band is back together, doughnuts are being sold inside the market once again and the popular corn roast event returned as well. On opening day of the 2021 market, village staff and volunteers welcomed 3,239 shoppers over the six hours the market was open. This represents an 85% increase in attendance over the first market last year.

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Restaurants make good neighbors:

Chefs and restaurateurs are known to be generous and kind people. Despite myriad industry-wide struggles that giving spirit is alive and well in the Oak Park food community. Jimmy Chen, owner of Poke Burrito, struggled to keep his business afloat during the pandemic, but Takeout 25 helped buoy his business enough that he was not only profitable, but also able to rehire furloughed workers. When Chen, his wife, and son each received $600 stimulus checks from the federal government they all agreed to use the money to purchase $1,800 worth of gift cards from The Book Table. Chen opted to buy 180 $10-dollar gift cards to give away to customers in hopes of driving business to the struggling shop.

When Kristen and Jason Alfonsi, co-owners of One Lake Brewing accidentally over ordered outdoor heaters in anticipation of winter outdoor dining they turned their unintentional hoarding into an act of goodwill by sharing the hard-to-find equipment with at cost to Exit Strategy in Forest Park, Flapjack Brewing in Berwyn, Kinslahgher in Oak Park, Armand’s Pizza in Elmhurst and George Street Pub in Chicago.

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Great Beer for Great Causes:

Both Kinslahger Brewing Company and One Lake Brewing joined more than 1,000 breweries worldwide to brew a beer under the Black is Beautiful label and donate the proceeds to a social justice cause of their choosing. Kinslahger’s lead brewer, Russhane Dawkins, created a tropical stout with sales benefitting The Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights while Shawn Stevens of One Lake Brewing crafted a black German lager whose sales benefitted Chicago non-profit, My Block My Hood My City.

During mental health awareness month last May, Jim Cozzens, owner of Oak Park Brewing company joined forces with Kinslahger and One Lake to collaboratively brew a beer under the Things We Don’t Say IPA label. a beer crafted to aid in smashing the stigma around mental health struggles--100% of profits went to Hope for the Day, a Chicago based non-profit focused on suicide prevention.

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Beyond Hunger Delivers:

Under Michele Zurakowski’s leadership in 2020 Beyond Hunger shifted its in-person shopping experience to a drive-thru/ walk-up model designed to mitigate health risks while still getting healthy food into the hands of people who needed it most. Additionally, Beyond Hunger tripled the size of its home delivery program dedicated to providing food to people who could not otherwise get to the pantry.

Creative thinking in the face of increasing need led to a collaboration with Oak Park Township. The expansion of Beyond Hunger’s delivery program was hampered by driving needs, but the township allowed the pantry to utilize its vehicles and drivers to deliver food to those in need.

After dealing with the critical needs brought on rapidly by the pandemic, Beyond Hunger worked swiftly to formalize its expanded home delivery program.

A grant from the Greater Chicago Food Depository specifically targeted toward addressing food insecurity on Chicago’s south and west sides, helped Beyond Hunger open a permanent home for their home delivery program in the Soul City Corridor. Expanding services beyond the Oak Park pantry and headquarters permanently solidifies Beyond Hunger’s ability to deliver wholesome groceries and pantry staples to housebound people in Oak Park and Chicago’s Austin neighborhood.

Oak Park Economic Development Corporation

Iconic Turano lands HQ in Oak Park:

While the smell of baking bread still comes wafting into Oak Park from Turano Baking Company’s expansive Berwyn baking facilities, Oak Park is now home to Turano’s headquarters.

The $10 million, 25,000 square foot, two story building covering the 6500 block of Roosevelt Road is now open and operating. It includes both office space and an expansive test kitchen for new products.

“It is such a well-known and wellrespected brand. Turano has a lot of cachet in the food industry,” said John Lynch, executive director of the Oak Park Economic Development Corp.

“This is a big deal. When you can replace underutilized real estate with a gleaming new building, it is a feather in Oak Park’s cap to be headquarters for such an iconic brand,” said Lynch.

Turano recently purchased the former Salvation Army resale store on Roosevelt Road and is expanding its parking on that site.

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October 6, 2021

People love outdoor dining:

As the weather turns toward fall and winter, Oak Park restaurants will need to move back indoors after a second COVID summer of improvised outdoor seating across the village.

John Lynch, executive director of the Oak Park Economic Development Corp., credits village hall with being flexible and innovative in finding ways to support outdoor dining as many consumers were reluctant to dine indoors.

“All of our restaurants did a phenomenal job during the pandemic,” said Lynch.

“OPEDC was only in support of the work of the village. We’re fans of it.”

Lynch, who follows dining trends carefully, believes demand for outdoor dining will outlast the pandemic and more permanent options will need to be explored.

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Pete’s great for food and for commerce:

Pete’s Fresh Market II is coming. John Lynch, executive director of the Oak Park Economic Development Corp., says the preliminary work continues on such largely invisible projects as rearranging utility lines while Pete’s works to wrap up construction of an other new store in the Chicago area.

The second Pete’s – the original is on Lake and Harvey – will be built on long vacant land on Madison Street and Oak Park Avenue. Lynch says the fullservice grocery store will generate more commerce off of Madison Street than any other possible use.

“The Pete’s plan is already responsible for the new senior housing project coming across the street and for other commercial interest along Madison,” said Lynch.

“Pete’s is going to be the catalyst for growth in the center section of Madison in Oak Park,” said Lynch, “just as the new community rec center will be the catalyst for the eastern stretch of Madison Street.”

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A vacation feel at New Rebozo

s much as fans crave New Rebozo’s Fiesta Mole dish — a whopping six enchiladas individually topped with six unique Moles — they also visit the 30-year-old Oak Park restaurant to interact with chef and owner, Francisco Lopez, known to all as Chef Paco.

The effervescent chef is known to exclaim “oh my god” when greeting customers or describing his authentic Mexican fare.

The veteran chef aims to highlight sweet, spicy, and sour flavors through complex and creative menu offerings. Paco’s aims to stay innovative while honoring his traditional roots, seasonal ingredients and old family recipes that have made New Rebozo, 1116 Madison St., an Oak Park destination for three decades.

And now he uses his catchphrase to express gratitude for support during a global pandemic.

“I love my customers — they are my family,” said Chef Paco. “Oh my god, my customers have helped me through this terrible situation.”

Chef Paco took time to establish a plan to give more control over the dining experience to his customers and create a sense of calm in the restaurant during the global pandemic. He replaced the flooring and ceiling in the entire establishment to give it a fresh look and a new level of cleanliness.

The back patio was also freshened up and reorganized to ensure proper spacing between tables, but the vacation feel is alive and well at New Rebozo.

Red umbrellas cover well-spaced tables.

Plants and art hang on the colorful walls enclosing the space. Originally the patio had a capacity of 50, but now holds 20.

Positive word of mouth about New Rebozo’s thoughtful modifications began bringing more people to the restaurant.

Chef Paco is honest that most customers still prefer to dine outside, but more are opting to utilize the dining room to enjoy dishes from all regions of Mexico.

No matter if customers dine indoors or out, Chef Paco’s 26 moles and New

Chef Paco stands proudly on the patio of New Rebozo. | Alex Rogals Rebozo’s Chile Nogada have drawn a loyal following. The Chile Nogada has roots in Puebla, Mexico and is traditionally available between September and January. The seasonal dish features a poblano chile stuffed with beef, dried fruits and nuts and covered with decadent walnut cream sauce before being garnished with fresh pomegranate seeds. Paco recommends pairing the noteworthy dish with a delicious

New Rebozo margarita.

“Visiting New Rebozo means you can forget your problems, put this situation out of your mind, relax and enjoy my food.” said Chef Paco.

New Rebozo

1116 Madison St. Oak Park

708-445-0370 • newrebozos.com

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October 6, 2021

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Lechon from Pig and Fire: Chef Roel Estanilla of Pig and Fire slices up decadent Filipino lechon at private events and pop ups across various communities.

The crispy roasted pork belly is stuffed with aromatics before being rolled and roasted until it is crispy and tender. Visit their website to learn how to get your hands on some.

Oak Park and Chicago.

The Fog Horn Leg Horn from Chubby’s Char House:

d ea u r S! yo EAT m he in ll t m te t the d an ou ab

Slap two perfectly Nashville hot chicken tenders on a bun and top it with jalapeno slaw, dill pickles and “sauce sauce” and you are in for a treat at Chubby’s Char House. The Foghorn Leg Horn is a spicy delight, but folks looking for a milder meal can order the Fog Horn. 5963 W. Madison, Chicago.

Maki for Mora Asian Kitchen: A slice of “Let it Rain” maki from Mora Asian Kitchen in the Harrison Street Arts District is as colorful as it is delicious. Filled with snow crab, the roll is topped with rosy-hued fish, avocado and poke sauce. Oishi! 201 Harrison St, Oak Park.

Chicken Shawerma Sandwich from Petra Falafal: Head to Forest Park where Petra Falafel takes pride in serving authentic Mediterranean fare like Kebabs, hummus and Lebanese salads.

The Chicken Shawerma sandwich comes tightly wrapped in flatbread filled with charbroiled chicken breast, garlic sauce and pickles. 7314 Madison St, Forest Park.

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Memorable Mexican Savor a Side of Sparkle at Crepas Culichi: As soon as a customer takes a seat at Crepas Culichi in the delightfully decorated diminutive space, a glass of pink lemonade and chocolate dipped marshmallows magically appear on the table. What follows is a dining experience worthy of such a sweet start.

Sisters and co-owners, Yency and Estefany Garcia, who are also in business with their mother, took inspiration from coffee shops and crepe stands located in their hometown in Mexico when they opened Crepas Culichi in April 2019.

Hand-milled flours form the base for an array of crepes served at Crepas Culichi. Special flavorings are added to the flour that result in colorful batters. Elaborately decorated shakes are also stand-outs at Crepas Culichi. A glittergarnished churro shake or whipped-cream topped cake shake are sure to make any day feel like a special occasion.

No sweet tooth? Savory poblano crepes are festive and filling.

Confident cooking at Tacos Y Salsa The Caldo de Cameron offered by Tacos Y Salsa, at 6346 W. 26th St., is an enchanting shrimp soup made with a mother’s touch — it was love at first spoonful. Ms. Laura Guerrero, mother of six and owner of Tacos y Salsa honors her ancestors by preparing her family’s traditional home-style recipes.

A single bowl of this deceptively complex and highly satisfying soup includes a dozen shrimp.

Special spices like bay leaves and oregano help elevate the warming tomato-based soup, while a garnish tray filled with onion, cilantro, avocado and lime allow diners to customize their meal.

The flautas de pollo from Tacos Y Salsa are crispy and delicious. The mild dish can handle a little heat from their house-made salsas.

Tacos y Salsa is a local favorite for authentic Mexican fare and their piping hot Flautas de pollo come four to an order with rice, beans, guacamole, and sour cream while the chicken soup, served with warm corn tortillas, features bone-in chicken in a broth brimming with chunks of zucchini and carrot.

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October 6, 2021

Takeout fare from Torres Fresh Market: No exploration of Mexican fare in Berwyn would be complete without a visit to Torres Fresh Market, 6227 W. 26th St. While grocery shopping, you’ll discover gorditas and fajitas and tacos (oh my).

In addition to serving up memorable tacos Torres also offers a chicken fajita plate, steak tortas and house-made beef gorditas. Every dish remained piping hot while we traveled home and the fajita plate may have looked unassuming, but the boldly flavored meat was a 26th St. standout.

Each taco is more satisfying than the next and the gordita — a thick corn tortilla pocket filled with beef — proved to be a filling and tasty lunch selection. Torres Fresh Market is a notable place to source a memorable meal and you can do some grocery shopping, too.

A quartet of Torres tacos—chicken, steak, beef and pork—each as flavorful as the next.

Misc. Districts Avito Caffe 6510 W Ogden Ave Berwyn (312) 388-8486 • avitofilm.com/caffe

Crepas Culichi 2713 S Ridgeland Ave Berwyn (708) 637-4998 • crepas-culichi.com

Lalo’s Restaurant 3011 S Harlem Ave Berwyn (708) 484-9311 • lalos.com

Baby BBQ Fire 6715 26th St Berwyn (708) 637-4236

Dolci ChoccoLatte Caffe 6508 16th Street Berwyn (708) 691-6265

Benny’s Pizza 6806 W 26th St Berwyn (708) 749-1771 • bennyspizzaberwyn.com

Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins 2945 S Harlem Ave Berwyn (708) 749-0689

Jelly Jam Restaurant and Pancake House 3205 S Harlem Ave Berwyn (708) 777-1967

Berwyn Tap Room 6330 W 16th St Berwyn (708) 317-5067 • facebook.com/Berwyntaproom Bob’s Belgian Hot Chocolate 6412 W 27th St Berwyn (630) 430-4730 • bobsbelgianhotchocolate.com Cake Bros Bakery 6737 W 26th St Berwyn (708) 749-2504 • cakebros.com Cien 100% Naturalisimo 2709 S Ridgeland Ave Berwyn (708) 317-5679 • 100naturalisimo.com Cigars and Stripes BBQ Lounge 6715 W Ogden Ave Berwyn (708) 484-1043 • stripesbbq.com

Harlem Ave Lounge 3701 S Harlem Ave Berwyn (708) 484-3610 • harlemavenuelounge.com The Healthy Spot 2211 S Highland Ave Berwyn (708) 315-1349 Juice Vibe Bar Berwyn LLC 2137 S Oak Park Ave Berwyn (708) 232-3385 • juicevibeco.com La Flor de Michoacan 6316 W 26th St Berwyn (708) 317-5052 La Michoacana & More 2707 S Ridgeland Ave Berwyn (708) 477-8117 • lamichoacanamenu.com

Junior’s Bar and Grill 7011 W Ogden Ave Berwyn (708) 484-9465 Las Delicias De Michoacan 6807 W Ogden Ave Berwyn (708) 484-5357 Los Corrales Taqueria & Restaurant 6713 W 26th St Berwyn (708) 484-9063 • loscorralesberwyn.com Lucky Dog III 7151 W 16th St Berwyn (708) 749-0330 Michael Anthony’s Pizzeria & Bar 6434 W Ogden Ave Berwyn (708) 484-2222 • michaelanthonyspizzeria.com My Uncle’s Place 2615 S Ridgeland Ave Berwyn (239) 777-5382

Nuevo Poncitlan Inc. 6322 W 26th St Berwyn (708) 484-5944 Nicco’s Bar and Grill 6300 W Ogden Ave Berwyn (708) 670-2042 Neveria Naranja Dulce, Inc 6252 W Ogden Ave Berwyn (708) 714-0074 Novi’s Beef 6746 W Ogden Ave Berwyn (708) 749-0895 Nonno’s Pizza 6969 W Ogden Ave Berwyn (708) 788-1100 • nonnospizza.com Paisans Pizzeria & Bar 6226 W Ogden Ave Berwyn (708) 484-5325 • paisanspizza.com Parrilla Express 6401 W 34th St Berwyn (708) 637-4799 • parrillaexpress.com Primos Lounge 6510 16th St Berwyn (708) 317-4442 Skyview Restaurant 6334 W Ogden Ave Berwyn (708) 795-0088

Slice Factory 6900 W Ogden Ave Berwyn (708) 788-1700 • theslicefactory.com/berwyn Tacos Y Salsa 6346 W 26th St Berwyn (708) 749-3581 • tacosysalsarestaurant.com Taqueria El Meson Express 6831 W Ogden Ave Berwyn (708) 484-1470 • elmesonexpress.com Tastee Freeze 6621 W 26th St Berwyn (708) 749-7377 Viva La Frida 7117 W Ogden Ave Berwyn (708) 788-4333 • palace regency.com Wok N Roll Express 6969 W Ogden Ave Berwyn (708) 788-0088 • woknrollberwyn.com Zacatacos - Harlem 3837 S Harlem Ave Berwyn (708) 484-1300

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Yaya’s yogurt at Eggsperience: Served on its own or as part of Yia Yia’s Waffles, Yaya’s yogurt is a standout at Eggsperience. The flavorful homestyle Greek yogurt is airy and tart and pairs beautifully with assorted berries, oat granola, and a drizzle of local honey. 16 Conti Parkway, Elmwood Park.

The Dr. Fong at Chef Shangrila: Chef Shangri-la remains one of the few Tiki bars that also offers a full menu and no meal is complete at the 45-year-old restaurant without Dr. Fong by your side. The recipe for the family namesake cocktail is a closely guarded secret, but it is considered a “safe” choice because of its lower alcohol content. A whimsical ceramic glass can be purchased to hold the rum-based umbrella drink prized for its citrus and peach flavor. 7930 W. 26th St., North Riverside.

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Crudo at White Crane Creative Thai and Sushi: Subtle twists on tradition are at the heart of White Crane’s menu. A vibrantly colored crudo featuring an assortment of sashimi grade fish also includes the additions of both crunchy black salt and bright green edible seaweed called wakame. 819 S. Harlem Ave, Forest Park.

Fried shrimp po’boy at Surf’s Up: Lovingly toasted bread and piping hot cornmeal coated fried shrimp in this near perfect sandwich. The generously sized sandwich served in the North Avenue District comes dressed with house-made remoulade sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickles and onion. Cut it in half and share it with a friend. 6427 W. North Ave, Oak Park.

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October 6, 2021

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A culinary passage through India The Back That Thang Up Omelette with a side of cheesy grits. | Photos by Alex Rogals

All day breakfast and a few surprises at Butter and Brown Bistro

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he Brown family has resided in Austin for a decade and Lanell and Tiffany Brown proudly opened Butter and Brown Bistro, at 420 Austin Blvd., earlier this year. Located in the heart of the Lake and Austin business district, Butter and Brown Bistro was built to be a hands-on, family-run enterprise.

We specialize in Dumbuc Khana (cooking in pot with steam) and Tandoori Khana (roasting over charcoal in a clay oven). We offer a variety of vegetarian options.

Come and experience this exotic and unforgettable cuisine.

Both children and adults will appreciate the customizable sandwiches featuring a choice of meat and come on a unique jam-filled bread making the offering an unexpected sweet and savory delight.

Most breakfast dishes come with a side of Butter and Brown’s signature “pimpin’ potatoes” and grits. The fresh spuds are cube cut and cooked with onions, red and green peppers, and are topped with cheddar, while the well-seasoned grits are served plain or with cheese in generous portions.

The welcoming eatery offers all-day breakfast, but the expansive menu covers lunch and dinner as well. Full of fun touches, the menu, is designed to appeal to the masses and provides niche Customers clearly selections found clamor for Butter on few, if any, local and Brown’s grits menus. Every menu making them item is cooked to An order of the apple cinnamon pancakes. popular at breakfast order at Butter and and at other times Brown. A sign clearly of the day. Shrimp and grits have proven to states customers should expect to wait be the single most popular offering on the 15-20 minutes to receive their order to broad menu. allow for proper cooking time.

Since opening, the Browns learned from Expect to find a vast array of classic locals that 30 years ago the very same breakfast fare like biscuits and gravy, chicken store front operated as a neighborhood and waffles, and egg dishes to appeal to restaurant. Now, in addition to welcoming breakfast purists. Butter and Brown’s “Back first-time patrons, Butter and Brown Bistro that Thang Up” omelet comes brimming is serving up a sense of nostalgia to with bacon, sausage, ham, sauteed peppers longtime residents with every meal. and cheese while more innovative offerings like sweet potato infused waffles spiked Butter and Brown Bistro with coconut, cinnamon and vanilla and an 420 N. Austin Blvd. Oak Park assortment of “OMG Buss it Baby Butter Sandwiches” keep things creative in the diminutive restaurant.

The Khyber Pass is a mountainous region peopled by hardy nomadic Pathans. In keeping with their nomadic lifestyle, simplicity is the essence of their cuisine. The secret of Pathan cooking lies in the excellent quality of the meat and the chicken, and just a light touch of spices. The food is cooked in a “tandoor,” a hollow, barrel-shaped clay oven.

708-928-8837 • butterbb.com

Celebrating 26 Years in our Current Location!

Dine-in, Take out, Delivery, Catering 1031 Lake St, Oak Park • (708) 445-9032 • khyberpassoakpark.com Mon - Thurs: 3:00 pm - 9:30 pm; Fri - Sun: 12:00 pm - 9:30 pm

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Take a ride on the Veltway Time for freestyle Thai: Bodhi Thai Bistro, 6211 W. Roosevelt Road, is a quaint eatery that flies low under the radar of the local restaurant scene, but food-lovers in the know are regulars at this affordablypriced gem on the “Veltway.”

Since opening in 2009, Bodhi Thai has been turning out reliable Thai dishes using passion-driven freestyle cooking techniques.

This in-the-moment cooking style makes use of seasonal ingredients and ensures quickthinking cooks can create all dishes to order.

As a result, most of Bodhi’s dishes are easily adaptable to vegan, vegetarian and glutenfree diets.

The well-appointed dining room offers a tranquil setting to explore an array of Thai specialties. Steamed and pan-fried Gui-Chai dumpling, colorful tofu salad and indulgent chicken satay are menu standouts. Diners can round out their meal with an array of curries, noodles, or rice-based dishes. Classics like Pad Thai are complemented by a secret menu, rotating specials, healthy salads, and warming soups.

Pad Thai is a renowned Thai dish. Stir-fried thin rice noodles are served in Bodhi’s unique tamarind sauce with choice of protein and bean sprouts, scrambled egg and ground peanuts.

More than fast food at Big Guys Sausage Stand Carryout-focused Big Guys Sausage Stand, at 7021 W. Roosevelt Road, serves up more than sausages—in addition to churning out a creative array of sandwiches the dimuitive restaurant offers robust family-style meals, slow cooked soups and hearty fare to welcome autumn.

Brendan O’Connor and his cooks are known for turning out creative sandwiches like a bone in shortrib sandwich called the Fred Flintstone, mile high patty melts, and $5 burgers every Monday. Folks in the know also turn to Big Guys for award-winning chili, full Thanksgiving meals and special event catering

Big Guys Patty Melt is griddle cooked on marble rye with Swiss and American cheese, grilled onions, and side of Dijonaise.

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Feeding generations at DiNico’s For more than 35 years, DiNico’s Pizza, at 6627 W. Roosevelt Road, has been serving up giant pizza slices and assorted Italian fare. A mainstay in the Berwyn culinary community, the pizza-focused establishment has cultivated generational loyalty.

Cooks at DiNico’s turn out more than 500 pizzas every day brimming with freshly shredded cheese and both house-made crust and sauce — portions sold by the slice are equivalent to one quarter of an extra-large pizza. Stuffed pizzas and specialty pies like taco and BBQ chicken pizzas complement newer menu items like gluten-free and cauliflower crust.

Pad Thai is a renowned Thai dish. Stir-fried thin rice noodles are served in Bodhi’s unique tamarind sauce with choice of protein and bean sprouts, scrambled egg and ground peanuts.

The Veltway District Autre Monde Cafe & Spirits 6727 W Roosevelt Rd Berwyn (708) 775-8122 • autremondecafe.net

Berwyn’s Culver’s 6943 W Roosevelt Rd Berwyn (708) 788-8000 • culvers.com

Rachel’s Café 7001 W Roosevelt Rd Berwyn (708) 317-5852 • rachelsdeli.net/

Turano Baking Company 6501 W Roosevelt Rd Berwyn (708) 788-9220 • turano.com

Babygold Barbecue 6613 W Roosevelt Rd Berwyn (708) 637-4364 •babygoldbbq.com

DiNico’s 6627 W Roosevelt Rd Berwyn (708) 749-9900

Sushi Junki 6639 W Roosevelt Rd Berwyn (708) 788-3888 • sushijunki.com

Vinny’s Cafe 7005 W Roosevelt Rd Berwyn (708) 317-5833 • facebook.com/pg/VinnysGamingCafe

Big Guys Sausage Stand 7021 W Roosevelt Rd Berwyn (708) 317-5213 • bigguyssausage.com Bodhi Thai Bistro 6211 W Roosevelt Rd Berwyn (708) 484-9250 • bodhithaibistro.business.site/?m=true Buona Restaurant 6745 W Roosevelt Rd Berwyn (708) 749-2555 • buona.com

Gina’s Italian Ice 6737 W Roosevelt Rd Berwyn (708) 484-0944 • ginasitalianice.com J Wok See Thru Chinese Kitchen 6641 W Roosevelt Rd Berwyn (708) 788-3888 Pasquale’s My Way Cafe 6905 W Roosevelt Rd Berwyn (708) 743-9006

Taco Yo Inc. 6629 W Roosevelt Rd Berwyn (708) 749-2300 Tasty House Restaurant 7101 W Roosevelt Rd Berwyn (708) 788-1800 • tastyhouseberwyn.com Travy’s Tavern 6907 W Roosevelt Rd Berwyn (708) 317-4118

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Byline Bank surprises restaurants with gift card purchases $15,000 in spending a welcome surprise for local eateries

by Melissa Elsmo

Goldschmidt, who has more than 40 years of experience in the banking industry, also understands the struggles restaurants are facing firsthand. She and her late husband owned and operated the now closed China Night Restaurant in Forest Park for 15 years.

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ecognizing that local businesses and restaurants form the backbone of communities, Alberto Paracchini, CEO of Byline Bank, tasked Susie Goldschmidt, Oak Park and River Forest Market President for Byline Bank, with purchasing $15,000 in gift cards from local restaurants.

“I know about the plight of restaurants after running China Night on my own for seven years,” said Goldschmidt. “It is great Byline wants to make a difference locally and preserve the feeling of a true community bank.”

Byline Bank committed the funds in hopes of making a difference at a critical time for many restaurants struggling because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The hope is this effort, and similar ones in Evanston and Lakeview, will gain momentum and inspire others to participate in showing support for local establishments.

In December, Goldschmidt operated like a jolly elf paying surprise visits to 68 Oak Park, River Forest, and Forest Park restaurants to purchase gift certificates on behalf of the bank.

“I had my fill of lunch, coffee, dinner and desserts over the five days spent buying the gift cards than I have had in quite a while. It was a great change up to my week,” said Goldschmidt. “One restaurant said they were wondering and waiting to see if I would end up at their business.”

Byline Bank has accumulated a collection of hundreds of gift cards and the impact of the considerable spend has not gone unnoticed.

Byline Bank’s Susie Goldschmidt bought $15,000 in gift cards from local restaurants including this purchase from Charlie Robinson at Robinson’s #1 Ribs on Madison Street.

Byline partnered with the Oak Park-River Forest Chamber of Commerce as well as the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Oak Park to help Goldschmidt spread the love between communities. She visited breweries, restaurants and diners including One Lake Brewing, Robinson’s Ribs, and Georges’ Family Restaurant. She also stopped by coffee shops, bakeries and sweet shops

including Wise Cup in Oak Park, River Forest Chocolates, Twisted Cookie in Forest Park as well as Oak Park’s, Spilt Milk.

“I think this program is so amazing, and as a small business owner I cannot tell you what an impact that makes and how truly grateful we are for the support.” said Meg Svec, co-owner of Spilt Milk Pastry of the Byline Bank effort.

Courageous Bakery in Oak Park donates a portion of their proceeds to cancer research and sent an appreciative email to Goldschmidt stating the following: “Every purchase makes a difference in these difficult times. We are so grateful we have been able to stay open, both to be here for our community and also give back to a good cause.”

Donna Fantetti-Slepicka. owner of River Forest Chocolates, is all smiles under her mask after a gift card purchase made by Susie Goldschmidt.

Donna Fantetti-Slepicka. owner of River Forest Chocolates, is all smiles under her mask after a gift card purchase made by Susie Goldschmidt.

William Quick, owner of Trattoria 225, poses with Susie Goldschmidt after a purchase on behalf of Byline Bank.William Quick, owner of Trattoria 225, poses with Susie Goldschmidt after a purchase on behalf of Byline Bank.

Shivangi Khetarpal, co-owner of Wise Cup, give a thumbs up alongside Susie Goldschmidt of Byline Bank.Shivangi Khetarpal, co-owner of Wise Cup, give a thumbs up alongside Susie Goldschmidt of Byline Bank.

Hungry for more?

Follow @oakparkeats on Instagram for more tasty morsels!

Committed to Oak Park and River Forest Byline is privileged to be a part of the Oak Park River Forest community for more than 20 years and since 2020 has committed over $65,000 to organizations in Oak Park and River Forest. Our team looks forward to continuing our commitment to customers and businesses in the Oak Park and River Forest community.

To learn more about our commitment to Oak Park and River Forest, visit bylinebank.com/oprf

©2021 Byline Bank. Member FDIC.