Lake County Soulfood Roundup

Hi,

A few months ago, there was a Chicago Tribune article in the Metro section on the 23rd annual Profiles in Excellence. The 2006 theme was 'Soul Food, Our Roots, Our Heritage, Our Connection.' They were soliciting recipes for a soulfood cookbook to be given out at their event on February 5th. What I learned in the article was the presence of soulfood restaurants in Lake County.

At today's Soul Food conference, Aunt Obie's Ribs & Soulfood Restaurant served fried chicken wings, ham, greens, yams, red beans & rice, cornbread and rolls. Desserts were banana pudding, sweet potato pie, coconut cake and yellow cake. This small sampling of their food has me quite interested in trying their menu items of ham hocks, pork steak and their 25 side dishes.

I have tried once before on a Saturday to go to Aunt Obies. All could do was look into a closed restaurant. They have been closed Saturdays because downtown Waukegan is very quiet and to accomodate parties and Weddings. Starting this week, they will be open Tuesday - Saturday.

***

The first time I went to Aunt Obies, I didn't have an address just an approximate location. I stopped by a gas station where I learned Aunt Obie's coordinates as well as a second soulfood restaurant on 10th street. I found the 10th St. soulfood restaurant: Harvey's Sweet G's Cafe and Carryout with promises of cornbread dressing, St. Louis Jack Salmon fish, chitterlings, collard greens, peach cobbler, catfish Louisiana style, pork chops, macaroni and cheese all over the facade. I jotted down the phone number to find it disconnected. I learned today it has been closed for two months.

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Across the street from Harvey's is a soulfood takeout-only called Honey Bay's Kitchen, which is definitely operating. They did not have any take out menus presently. Their soulfood is mainly daily specials, which many clients phone in to learn, then order. If you need to eat on the premises, they have maybe 4 stools with a lean to counter. I bought some banana pudding to take home and hope to return for their specials soon.

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I was also advised there is a soulfood restaurant in Zion. When I asked some customers at Honey Bay's, they advised there was a soulfood restauant. It closed and it is now a Mexican restaurant.

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There is a 24-hour restaurant on Sheridan Road in North Chicago, which recently changed hands. The tease you off the street offerings are about as eclectic as they get: soulfood, pizza, hamburgers, be-bim-bap. When I passed this evening it was closed tighter than a drum. I don't know if they are closed for the high holiday of Super Bowl Sunday or a shuttered business. I checked the phone number of Sheridan Restaurant to find it has not been disconnect, which is a sign of some life.

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Waukegan is also blessed with a Harold's Chicken, which great for me. While I have no resistance to drive to Chicago, it is much easier to drive to Waukegan. It's great knowing soulfood is just so much closer!

Aunt Obie's Ribs & Soul Food Restaurant
16 N. West Street
Waukegan, IL 60085
(across from new city hall)
Tel: 847/775-0121
Tuesday-Saturday: 11 AM - 8 PM
Closed Sunday and Monday

Harold's Chicken Shacks
2941 Sunset Avenue
Waukegan, IL 60087
847-596-4374

Honey Bay's Kitchen
506 10th Street
Waukegan, IL
Tel: 847/244-4711

Sheridan Restaurant (?) (CLOSED AND BUILDING DEMOLISHED)
Sheridan Road just north of Martin Luther King Drive
North Chicago, IL
Tel: 847/688-9656

Cathy,

There was an article in Newsweek recently that mentioned Aunt Obie's. There is a movement among chefs who specialize in Soul Food to cook it in a more healthful manner, and chef Charlie Black of Aunt Obie's is one of them. Originally he designated one day a week to be "heart healthy" day, but it went over so well with his customers that he will soon be permanently adding these dishes to the menu.

HI,

At the Profiles in Excellence: Soulfood program was Ms. Toby Smithson of the Lake County Health Dept who discussed Healthier Cooking. She was behind Aunt Obie's conversion of part of their menu to make it heart healthy.

The demonstration menu consisted of fried chicken, greens, cornbread, beans and rice and yams. The regular menu items of the same had roughly 860 calories whereas the revised menu was around 680 calories. What was most dramatic was the reduction of sodium, 5% from the original, and fat, 9 grams. The food served yesterday was not from the heart healthy menu.

Ms. Smithson in her presentation commented how people approached her before about, "Not changing their food." The same resistance was met at Culinary Historians program, Grits, Greens and Everything Between. In the audience was Wilbert Jones, a Chicago based food writer and PR, who wrote a book on healthy soul food. At the podium was Jessica Harris, who is the dean of African-American cookbook writers, talking directly to Wilbert Jones, "There is no such thing as low-fat low-salt soulfood."

I intend to go to Aunt Obie's sometime soon and find out if the heart healthy menu is still present. While it was discussed yesterday, their take-out menu does not reflect it.

Regards,

Cathy,
Just wanted to send you a hearty two thumbs up and thanks on the rec for Auntie Obies in Waukegan. After you posted, I mentioned it to my wife, who works in Bannockburn. On Tuesday she and three others (1 s.f. afficionado and 2 neophytes) took a field trip to Obie's for lunch. Between the four of them, they had the ham hocks (3) and catfish (1) lunch specials which ran $5.99 for a meat, two sides and corn muffin. Quite a deal. All four of them raved about their lunches. That evening, I dined on a tip dinner with mac n cheese, collard greens and yams. The sides were the stars of that meal. The greens and yams in particular were cooked to perfection. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for the tips. They were pretty dried out and had limited flavor, suggesting they may have been left overs from another day. Despite this, Obies will definitely be a return place for us, particularly given the dearth of soul food on the north side and north suburbs. At any rate, thanks again for enlightening us to Lake County soul food - it's definitely on the map for us now.
John

HI,

Another addition to the soul food opportunities in Lake County:

Mama's Southern Style Fish and Chicken are take-out with just a few seats to accomodate those who are not homebound. They offer fried chicken, catfish, buffalo, cod, perch, white, oyster, frog legs and shrimp. Side orders of spaghetti, mac n cheese, okra, hush puppies, ect. Desserts are banana pudding, peach cobbler, cake and cookies.

Mama's Southern Style Fish and Chicken
2056 Sheridan Road (CLOSED AND BUILDING DEMOLISHED 3/08)
North Chicago, IL 60085
847/473-9677
Tues-Thurs: 11 AM - 11 PM
Fri-Sat: 11 AM - 2 AM
Sun-Mon: Closed

Mama's Southern Style Fish and Chicken
910 Glen Flora
Waukegan, IL 60085
847/249-5743
Mon-Thurs: 11 AM - 10 PM
Fri-Sat: 11 AM - Midnight
Sun: 11 AM - 5 PM

Mama's

Aunt Obie's reviewed @ RoadFood.com

E.M.

HI,

Sheridan Restaurant is alive and well, it simply closes on Sunday. Otherwise it is a 24 hour a day operation who observes the Sabbath.

A few weeks ago, I took my Mom to Sheridan Restaurant. The first impression to greet us at the door was the clean odor of bleach. Spotlessly clean I could easily be convinced eating off the floor may be a suitable activity. Hot food hot and cold food cold is ever vigilantly pursued by the owner who wears an instant read thermometer tucked into his jacket.

This restaurant is run like a tight ship, which is further evidenced by the take-out menu. If you want food delivered to you, then you must meet their criteria:

Who can First Delivery?
1. Group orders (5 order or more)
2. Every day order (same time)
3. Membership registration by phone or fax

If you pass the admissions test, then you pay $2 for delivery within 2 miles and $2,50 outside of 2 miles.

Caterings? Yes and No More Asking Please! - No Space

Sheridan Restaurant has an East meets West, then head a little South menu. The owners are Korean, which neatly explains the Korean presence. They also offer American food ranging from steak to meat loaf to fish as well as a Gyros plate. They also offer a small selection of soul food: ham hocks, beef neck bone, fried catfish, smothered pork chop, fried chicked and BBQ ribs. There is also nod to Mexican food with variations of tacos burritos and quesadillas filled with steak, chicken or gyros. This may be the first gyros taco ever offered.

Creative repackaging of food is not reserved for Mexican, they also offer a Bulgogi sandwich, which is uniquely called Bull-Go-Ki. My Mom had her Bull-Go-Ki sandwich served with works: mayo, tomatoes and green peppers.



This was really a pretty good sandwich from the few nibbles I was allowed.

I decided to try their soul food offers, where I ordered the Ham Hock which promised "two smoked tender ham hocks with vinegar and onion." I was allowed two sides and ordered three: mac n' cheese, greens plus red beans and rice.



The ham hocks, while braised, had never seen any smoke in their processing. The ham hock was served with a generous quantity of cooking liquid, which blended into all the sides. Unfortunately for me this was not a very flavorful cooking liquid. The red beans and rice were not cooked together but introduced to each other when the beans were dumped on the rice. The mac n'cheese tasted fresh from a mix. The greens tasted strong with no long cooked mellowness one comes to love.

I do plan to return sometime soon for their briefly offered lunch specials from 11 AM to 1 PM (Mon-Fri) Only:

Bull-Go-Ki: rice, yellow radish, salad and dinner roll for $6.95 or off the dinner menu for the same price I just might introduce myself to Bi-Bim-Bob.

While I cannot be coaxed to try the ham hocks again. I won't mind trying the chicken wings, which might be pretty good given our other experiences at Korean restaurants.

Sheridan Restaurant (CLOSED AND BUILDING DEMOLISHED)
2030 Sheridan Road just north of Martin Luther King Drive
North Chicago, IL
Tel: 847/688-9656

HI,

Finally made it up to Aunt Obie's for their $5.95 lunch of a main course item, two sides and your choice of corn bread or roll.

Remembering the fried chicken wings sampled at the Soul Food program, I ordered fried chicken (choice of breast or leg), sweet potatoes and B & J mashed potatoes with parmesan and butter plus corn bread:



While I really liked their wings the first time I tried them, my fried chicken wasn't quite as thrilling this week. You can see in the photo a bit of the breading fell off during cooking exposing the skin directly to the hot oil. I think if it had stayed nicely encased in its crust it would have improve the flavor on this visit.

My friend Helen had spare ribs, black-eyed peas, fried okra and corn bread:



Helen estimated the spare ribs were boiled, then baked with BBQ sauce added. She wasn't too fond of these, though she thinks the tips will be better. I suspect the rib tips will receive roughly the same treatment, though we shall eventually see. We also ordered another side dish of macaroni and cheese, which was portion from an oven baked pan.

We were dreaming of banana pudding, which was out, though we were talked into a chocolate cobbler. This was a warm brownie-ish dessert with ice cream and fudgy sauce, which really hit the spot:



If there was any mistaking the southern roots of this restaurant, then the sweetened tea puts it front and center. I look forward to returning for their catfish.

Aunt Obie's Ribs & Soul Food Restaurant (CLOSED)
16 N. West Street
Waukegan, IL 60085
(across from new city hall)
Tel: 847/775-0121
Tuesday-Saturday: 11 AM - 8 PM
Closed Sunday and Monday
(they are not open every Saturday, so call in advance)
http://www.obiesribs.com/

Cathy2 wrote:HI,

Finally made it up to Aunt Obie's for their $5.95 lunch of a main course item, two sides and your choice of corn bread or roll.

Cathy,

Price is sure right, and the chicken doesn't look too bad at all, at least to me, but those ribs, a nightmare, yikes. Dessert appears very tasty, but I think I'm simply in the mood for something sweet.

Nice round-up, looking forward to the next installment.

Enjoy,
Gary

Helen estimated the spare ribs were boiled, then baked with BBQ sauce added. She wasn't too fond of these, though she thinks the tips will be better. I suspect the rib tips will receive roughly the same treatment, though we shall eventually see.

Don't get the tips. When my wife brought me my take out order, the tips were pretty bad. They were smoky but dried out and tasted like they might have been reconstituted from the freezer or the weekend bbq. Do however order the ham hock. When my wife went, everyone in her group raved about it. The soul food afficianado in the group gave the hock two hearty thumbs up.

Cathy2 - have you had a chance to make it back to Sheridan restaurant? I am really curious about the Korean/Soul Food fusion - though it certainly makes sense to me as I think about it. My wife and her group are going out again this week in the Waukegan area and if the Soul Food was better, I might steer them to Sheridan so I can get that bulgogi sandwich. Otherwise it's Auntie Obie's.

Thanks,
John

HI,

I have been twice to Sheridan Restaurant. The second time I came for the lunch special, between 11 AM to 1 PM only, I had the bulgogi lunch, which includes a bowl of homemade chicken soup:





While I would have preferred more panchan, it was a fine lunch for $6.95. Other lunch specials are Hoagie Steak, Shrimp Fried Rice and Spicy Wings, which if you don't find it on the regular menu, then ask for the take-out because it is listed there.

If you felt there was a soulfood-Korean fusion from my earlier statements, then I would forgo any notion of fusion. The only fusion evidenced are items like the Bulgogi sandwich or the curious Greek-meets-Mexican in their Gyros burritos and tacos.

Soulfood is treated as a distinct section of the menu featuring ham hocks (which I didn't happen to like), beef neck bone, fried catfish, smothered pork chop and fried chicken. Given the good experience at Korean-Chinese restaurants with fried chicken, I estimate it should be pretty good.

I'm glad the pork hock was well received at Aunt Obie's. I don't know the hours of Honey Bays, which is take out soul food, but if they are open for lunch then picking food up and picnicing would be a good option on a nice day.

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An observation only: Both Aunt Obie's and Honey Bays are named to honor dead relatives who were excellent cooks. Mrs. Johnson's on the south side is named after the owner who is here and now. I guess this is just a coincidence in Waukegan.

Regards,

Hi,

I was up in Waukegan this evening, I passed Aunt Obie's to find a 'For Rent' sign in the window.

Only recently I got an e-mail from Aunt Obie's about a feast at C&J's restaurant in Zion. I have sent them an e-mail inquiring if they have merged efforts with C&J or if they are catering instead. I have no information on C&J Restaurant, though I intend to check the next time I am up there.

Aunt Obie's Ribs & Soul Food Restaurant - RIP
16 N. West Street
Waukegan, IL 60085
(across from new city hall)
Tel: 847/775-0121
Tuesday-Saturday: 11 AM - 8 PM

C&J'S RESTAURANT
2109 LEWIS
ZION, IL
847-731-3290
Closed Sunday and Monday

Regards,

Hi,

Sunday I drove up to Waukegan via Sheridan Road. When I came to intersection of Martin Luther King Drive and Sheridan Road in North Chicago, there was nothing there. All the seedy tatoo parlors, billiard parlors, bars with cheap strong drinks and porn on the televisions, the chicken shacks, Sheridan restaurant, the scrap metal businesses, classic 1920's gas station and rusty factories behind them are all gone. There is going to be a shopping center installed in this expansive space.

The dream of overhauling North Chicago is finally coming to be. North Chicago has been without a major grocery store for a long time. I have a hunch there is one intended for this new development.

While I am happy for the city. It sure does gut my post on Lake County soulfood. I have updated all the places that have closed. This thread is almost a what-was than what-is.

Regards,