LaSalle Café Luna (Pictures)

LaSalle Café Luna, at the Howard Johnson Inn



I wandered N. on LaSalle St. at lunchtime today (after a short detour to have a look at Xoco) to check-out a café I’ve passed by more times than I can remember, but one I’ve never stopped at to have something to eat: LaSalle Café Luna, at the Howard Johnson’s Inn at the SW corner of Superior St. and LaSalle Drive.

It was the signs in the window of the café I’ve noticed recently, advertising its menu of Mexican dishes that caught my eye.

Walking into the restaurant I felt as if I’d been transported back in time to the early-1960’s – if the décor has changed since the café opened I’ll be surprised. It’s a larger space – probably 3 or 4 times as large as the café at the Ohio House Motel down the street. As soon as I walked into the restaurant I noticed, after noticing the décor, “old” friends of mine I hadn't seen in a while. The friends had just ordered their lunch and I joined them, and ordered mine.

Torta de Pollo



Mexican-style tortas were a feature on the “special” menu list today and I chose the torta de pollo – the chicken sandwich. As one encounters at the Ohio House Restaurant, “specials” at LaSalle Café Luna include a cup of soup. I chose one of the two available soups – chicken with pasta. The soup didn’t compare favorably with what I regular have at the Ohio House Restaurant – tasting like it had been on the stove for a couple of days . . . mushy pasta, not much in the way of pieces of chicken . . . and way too salty.

The waitress returned to the table to tell me there were no more torta rolls. She asked if it was okay to make the sandwich with white bread. “White bread!” We settled on “French” bread. The sandwich arrived – a milanesa of chicken breast with lettuce, tomato, a white cream sauce of some sort, maybe some bacon . . . I was uncharacteristically distracted and engaged in conversation with the friends and didn’t pay much attention to what I was eating. I wasn’t impressed with the sandwich, though.

I plan to return to the restaurant in the future to explore the menu – in particular the Mexican food items, and I'll pay closer attention.

LaSalle Café Luna
Howard Johnson Inn
720 North LaSalle Dr.
Chicago, IL
(312) 951-5001
Hours: Mon-Fri: 6am-5pm; Sat-Sun: 7am-3pm
Menu: http://tinyurl.com/ye2gc2h