At the corner of Oakton and Elmhurst.

As I was walking to Pad Thai, I noticed that the placard for the opposite plaza had something new to showcase, namely, a "Falafel Inn". When I crossed the street to scrutinize the place further, I was slightly dismayed to discover that it had not yet begun business.

I was wondering if any Des Plaines vicinity LTHers have more info about it, e.g. ownership and projected opening date.

I work quite close (near Higgins & Landmeier) and frequent Pad Thai myself. I gotta tell ya, a falafel place within my 'lunch radius' would be totally fantastic. I had't noticed the new restaurant but I await it's opening with great interest.

So how is Pad Thai anyway? I go down to that corner frequently for Indian Cuisine's dinner buffet (not stellar, but always solid -- unlimited samosas is a dangerous thing), but I could use a relatively close Thai place.

JoelF wrote:So how is Pad Thai anyway?

Here's a report from last year:
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=5803

JoelF wrote:So how is Pad Thai anyway? I go down to that corner frequently for Indian Cuisine's dinner buffet (not stellar, but always solid -- unlimited samosas is a dangerous thing), but I could use a relatively close Thai place.

Echoing LAZ's linked post, I'd rate Pad Thai as 'solid'. Nothing terribly out of the ordinary but everything done adequately or better.

I finally had an opportunity to hit up Falafal Inn last week on Friday.

The space is newly remodeled in very bright red and yellow. The decor appears to be a work in progress with a conspicuously few wall hangings. The grill and other appliances all appear new and shiney.

As I scanned the menu, I asked the smiling staff
"What's good?"
"Oh, Everything."
Eyebrow raised: "Surely you must prefer some items to others?"
"Everything is good!"
I pried and the woman behind the counter said..really more asked "The lamb kefta..?"
I ordered up the lamb kefta entree to go.

I appreciated that the man at the grill took care to ensure each piece was properly cooked, grilling and carefully flipping two larger ones one quite a bit longer than some smaller ones. My entree included ribboned lettuce and some tomato, a warm halved pita, tahini and red sauce and kefta on a generous bed of light, yellow rice.

The kefta was quite good with a mint kick that I very much enjoyed. The usual cumin and garlic seasonings were also present. The rice was adequate. The pita appears commercial and was a bit disappointing but perhaps allowed the lamb to shine through.

Overall, Falafal Inn is nice to have in the area and I look forward to trying some other items, particularly the $4 'lunch special' I didn't notice until after I'd ordered. Pita Inn has effectively set the standard for these types of fast Middle Eastern lunch joints for me and while Falafal Inn falls a bit short, I'm certain I'll still visit often and doubt I'll ever be disapointed.

I'd like to use up my first post to thank Suburbian for adding another lunch option to our office rotation. We're on our 2nd lunch outing from Falafel Inn in a week. The price is right, the food is good and it sure beats driving to Pita House in Schaumburg when we have a shawarma craving.

A solid taqueria in the area would perfectly round out our department's menu file. There are many in the area, but would love a recommendation rather than trying our luck at taco roulette. Any ideas would be appreciated!

Krasmania wrote:A solid taqueria in the area would perfectly round out our department's menu file.

I know what you mean. Las Asadas, in the same strip as Falafal Inn, is OK.. but not my favorite. They go with the onion and cilantro minimalist approach to taco dressing and I'm not particularly fond of the giant grilled meat chunk filling. Lots of people enjoy this, though, so give it a try!

I've had some good meals at Los Amigos. It's on Elmhurst between Algonquin and Dempster. This is on the fringe of my lunch radius from my Higgins and Landmeier workplace. The have several other locations, the closest being at Rand and Des Plaines River Road

Outside of my typical lunch range is Tacos Arandas. Also in Des Plaines, it's on Oakton a bit west of River Rd. I haven't explored the complete menu but perhaps it's worth a try.

Please report your findings! I'd love to find some more lunch options.

Anyone have any info on the Won Ton Gourmet is next to the Brown's Chicken right there?

Won Ton Gourmet is a Cantonese owned/operated noodle/soup house. basically, it's as if a street stand in Hong Kong moved into a really nice room with the prices quadrupled.

they serve many items that a typical Chinatown restaurant (say 7 treasures or 7 wives) would serve: duck noodle soup, won ton noodle soup, fried noodles, chow fun, stir fried stuff over rice, etc. i find the majority of the noodle soups flavorless, as if the broth is nothing but salted water. the chow fun and chow mein fair a bit better.

it's solid fair, service is extremely quick and efficient and it's usually packed during lunch time.

Went to Falafel Inn about 2 weeks ago.
Good deal.
Ordered the falafel pita sandwich and the hummus.

Hummus was decent, with the only oddity being the oil they added which was a bit dark/brownish to be olive. Almost like fryer oil.

Falafel was better than Sultan's Market in Wicker Park (more moist).

The hot sauce they offered was odd in that it was like a hot mexican salsa, as opposed to the green one I've had at other middle eastern places.

Worth another try for the shwarma and other things.

A good strip mall with Las Asadas tacos next door.

I went to Falafel Inn a couple of weeks ago and really liked it. The menu's basically the same as Pita Inn, and I got the combination plate with the chicken added.

I like Pita Inn, but Falafel Inn uses a great mixture of spices (cumin, cinnamon and nutmeg, mainly) that Pita Inn doesn't.

It took a little while to get my food, but I ordered for several people, and there was no one else in the place, so they had to start up the spits and everything.

I hope this place survives!

I was there just today picking up a lunch order (my office now has a Falafel Inn "problem"), and the place was hopping. My plan is to stop in the next two weeks to pick up dinner, so I'll update on busy-ness after the lunch rush. It's exactly what our esoteric -- and cheap -- office is looking for in a lunch place.

Love LTH for introducing us!

I've been going to I Falafel Inn for lunch there for the past couple weeks now. They get pretty busy during the week lunch times.. I found the meat to be tastier and more authentic flavor than Pita Inn.

Positives:
-Meat cooked and tastes better than Pita Inn (Especially the Shawarma)
-Falafel tastes great
-Lunch Special more generous than Pita Inn

Negatives:
-Baba ganoush is tastier at Pita Inn
-Sauce is a little watered down at Falafel Inn
-Not enough staff at times during lunch time and wait times could be long (I attest this to growing pains of new business)

Article from Daily Herald on Falafel Inn:
http://homedir-b.libsyn.com/podcasts/a1 ... alafel.pdf

Krasmania wrote:A solid taqueria in the area would perfectly round out our department's menu file.

If you're ever looking for a finer-dining steakhouse in that area, I've eaten numerous times at the Black Ram, and it's always been outstanding. The steaks are superb, the fish dishes are fresh and perfectly cooked, and even the desserts are to die for. (I particularly recommend the banana bavarian cream, and if you enjoy creamy-style rice pudding, theirs is THE BEST.) The service is excellent, also, very friendly and gracious. They're open for lunch and dinner.

Black Ram
1414 Oakton St.
Des Plaines, IL 60019
847.824.1227

I grew up just a couple blocks from the Black Ram and didn't go there until a few years ago for a wedding reception. It was pretty good! I just looked on their online menu and didn't see the Banana Bavarian Cream, though- do they not always have it? I'd go there just for that!! I'm a banana fiend.

They often have the banana bavarian cream. I'm not sure if they had it every time I've been there, but more often than not. It's very light, and sinfully good.

BrendanR wrote:[Outside of my typical lunch range is Tacos Arandas. Also in Des Plaines, it's on Oakton a bit west of River Rd. I haven't explored the complete menu but perhaps it's worth a try.
Please report your findings! I'd love to find some more lunch options.

Wasnt sure whether this was the thread to write into, or maybe the
Glenview one... but the official address is Des Plaines, so here it
shall go

This isnt quite close to Oakton and River Road.. but still in Des Plaines,
near the intersection of Ballard and Potter. For all the flak the burbs
take (especially in the Glenview thread, where I was first going to
put this post ... the area is teeming with ethnic choices that would
put several areas of the city of shame. Near this intersection, for
example, within 50 yards there were at least a couple of Mexican
tacquerias (havent tried em, just got one menu), 2 Mexican grocery
stores, a couple Chinese places, and a couple of Indian places.Almost
all of them relatively new.

The one I'll mention is the one place Ive actually tried so far That
would be the *very* new "Tandoori Restaurant", at 9344 West Ballard.
(At first I wondered if this place, that my friend wanted to try, was
actually the Tandoor in Park Ridge that has been mentioned elsewhere,
and I wasnt too keen to try it.. but it turned out to be completely
different. There is no permanent sign up yet, BTW, just a cloth
one, so you have to look hard to find the place).

The "Tandoori Restaurant" is a Pakistani place, in the tradition of
Usmaniya and/or Sabri Nehari on Devon. (In fact, there is a plaque
with an article extolling Sabri Nehari.. but this is the Sabri Nehari
in *Dallas, Texas*, from whence has apparently come their chef
The menu is very Usmaniya/Sabri-ish - no more than a half dozen
veggie dishes (the usual "daal", "daal palak", "aloo palak" etc). The
meat of the menu is, obviously, in the meat - Kadai (gosht and
chicken), Qorma (gosth and chicken), kababs (sheekh and chapli),
chicken (boti, tandoori, tikka, frontier, makhani), Haleem, Nehari,
Paya, Kheema, Biryanis etc.

Tried the Kadai Chicken - on the day, a nicely solid version. Tried
the Sheekh Kabab - flavourful, spicy, nice kick to it, not dumbed
down at all.. but maybe just a touch dry (we had taken the food
to go, however). Tried the goat biryani.. to me Usmaniya and
Sabri are the gold standard; this goat biryani was a little different
from them in style, but a very very good biryani anyway. IMHO Id
still rather get the Usmaniya biryani, but this would be a very fine
substitute even if I was on Devon (and not far away in Des
Plaines). Decently spicy, very flavourful, the goat not as plentiful
(or as perfectly succulent) as Usmaniya - but again, very good indeed.
And a decent-looking little spot, just opened, fairly obviously
family-owned, with some nice pictures of city-streets in Pakistan up
on the walls.

Tandoori Restaurant (9344 West Ballard, 847-824-6550) is open
10-10 M-Thu, 10-11 Fri.. and if youre in the area and craving
good meat-centric Pakistani food, it would be a fine option.
Heck, I think I might actually go on a weekend morning.. on Saturday
and Sunday they open at 8am, and will apparently be serving
the ubiquitous Halwa-Puri-Breakfast (usually available at
Tahoora, King Sweets, and Shan on Devon, but, at least at
Tahoora, only availble after hellish parking followed by standing
in line for 30 minutes or more).

Oh, and the prices are *very* reasonable - only one veggie dish
- Palak Paneer - exceeds 4.99 - and that only by 50 cents! No
meat dish exceeds 6.99, most coming in at 5.99 (only the
Whole Tandoori Chicken comes in at 12.99). The prices are
actually *cheaper* than Usmaniya or Sabri Nehari (which was
very surprising to me).

In the same strip mall there is a little Mexican grocery store (which
was closed, so I could not venture in), as well as Los Sombreros
Taqueria (which I only picked up a menu from.. looked decent
enough, they have the usual Al Pastor, Chicken etc, but also
Carnitas, and Tripe and Tongue Tacos), plus Chilaquiles, Shrimp
Cocetel etc.

About 50 yards away, in the strip mall at the very intersection of
Ballard and Potter, is another restaurant called "Chilli.. something".
Unfortunately I couldnt stop here - I wanted to, to at least pick up a
menu (will do so next time). This might be a very interesting spot.. it is,
from what I hear, an Indian restaurant, but one that is owned by
either Kerala or Andhra folk! Given that, and also given the
name, Iam curious to look at the menu - was told second-hand
that they did actually have a few dishes from those regions of
India. If they do, it would make them one of the only such
restaurants in the entire Chicagoland area that do.. and actually
Iam somewhat hopeful because the largest number of Kerala
Christians from India apparently reside (and attend church)
nearby in the Niles/Morton Grove area.

Anyway. This is the Ballard/Potter area.. not *that* close to
Oakton/Elmhurst etc, and not quite as far as Fredhots in
Glenview, but somewhere in between. Potter/Ballard may not
be as familiar streets to some people - but if you know Cid's
Ma Mon Luk on Golf Road in Niles (which has been mentioned
often on this board), the Tandoori Restaurant, for example, is
all of 1.1 miles away from it! This is a spot which is nominally
Des Plaines.. but which is pretty much right near the border of
Niles and Glenview as well.


c8w

Too funny. I drove right past all of these places less than 24 hrs ago while on my way from one of those Asian mkts on Milwaukee to the on ramp of 294 s at Rand / Nw Hwy. I remember thinking "Los Sombreros...Could it be any good?" Similar thoughts on the Indian places as well.

P.s. Ballard W to Bender. Bender to Rand. Rand W to Des Plaines. JUST south of Rand and Des Plaines (next to the Motorcycle dealership) is a taqueria that I'll pimp to anyone who will listen. Las Asadas. 10 min from where you were if you are ever around there on a regular basis. It's a place for Char grilled skirt steak. Barbacoa is ok. Other offerings seem just standard to me although many of the latin customers order a lot of lengua.

I am sad to report that Falafel Inn has closed.

LAZ wrote:I am sad to report that Falafel Inn has closed.

Yes, GF was very sad to hear this since she really enjoyed it (her office is close by).

She does give high marks to Won Ton Gourmet, though, and having had left-over BBQ pork & won ton noodle soup (with greens added) that she's brought home, I am a fan without having been there.

She wants to know if anyone has tried the Guatemalan place just west of Elmhurst on Oakton...

wino66 wrote:

LAZ wrote:I am sad to report that Falafel Inn has closed.

Yes, GF was very sad to hear this since she really enjoyed it (her office is close by).

She does give high marks to Won Ton Gourmet, though, and having had left-over BBQ pork & won ton noodle soup (with greens added) that she's brought home, I am a fan without having been there.

She wants to know if anyone has tried the Guatemalan place just west of Elmhurst on Oakton...

If the Guatemalan place is (or, was) located in the strip mall on the south side of Oakton just west of Elmhurst, then it's not there any longer. That entire row of stores burned to the ground recently. My Mom lives at the Asbury Assisted Living facility nearby and she says it was quite the event for the residents!

Very sad to hear.

Very sad. The family was really nice and they had been in business there less than a year. I hope there was insurance.

Here's a news account of the fire.

I went past there tonight and there's almost nothing left except the sign advertising the pupusas. The pupusas were very good.

LAZ wrote:I am sad to report that Falafel Inn has closed.

Falafel Inn has been closed for some time now (since at least December), but they just put out a "Coming Soon" sign a few days ago. It is possible that there is a change in ownership. I'm hoping they revive the $3.99 lunch special, but that may prevent the new owners from staying in business.