Chickpea - new Palestinean spot on W Chicago Ave

I didn't see a thread, so here's a freshie. GF and I went to Chickpea tonight for dinner since it's in our neighborhood, new, Middle-Eastern, and we wanted to bring a bottle of wine with us. Two things first:

1) they are not BYOB. One of the owners, Jerry, told us that they don't have dram shop insurance so can't have alcohol on premise. My understanding is that we would have to bring in our own glassware, wine key, etc. No worries, we came for the food.

2) they are cash only, although they have an ATM inside.

It's a very warm and inviting interior, with enough tables to seat about 40ish. Customers order at the counter, pay, and get a number on a stick to take to your table. There is a bev cooler full of sodas, and they have a daily fresh juice as well as house-brewed Arabian tea. They didn't offer tap water, and we suggested to Jerry and Amni (his mother and partner) that they should and they replied that they're working on it, having only been open 8 days and all. The room is decorated with Egyptian movie posters and signs, and really beautiful chandeliers that Amni found. They had some groovy middle-eastern pop/house music going and also a vintage (Jerry said 1979 I think) "Genie" pinball machine in the back, which was free to play.

Anyway, we ordered and found a table. The menu offers a daily soup, dips, salads, small and large plates, sandwiches and daily specials. And desserts. Prices range from $3 to low teens. We ordered baba ghannooj, kibbeh, salatat tahini salad, dajaj mihshew (amish chicken kabob) and the Friday special of grape leaves stuffed with ground lamb and other goodies.

The baba ghannooj was delicious, creamy and smoky, served with warm pita. The kibbeh was a large ground lamb and cracked wheat shell (deep fried) full of sauteed minced lamb, onion and pinenuts and served with tzatziki-style sauce. Salatat tahini salad was refreshingly savory, tomato, parsley and cucumber tossed with tahini dressing. Chicken kebob rocked: Amish chicken breast grilled on a skewer, another skewer accompanied it with tomato, green bell and onion and all on a bed of buttery white rice. And the daily special was very addictive: hot dolmas (about a dozen finger-sized) full of savory lamb and rice...there is a vegetarian option, if you're into that kind of thing.

We pretty much wiped our plates clean and washed our dinner down with some orange sodas. The total came to about $34, and we would've had dessert if we had room.

Amni came and sat at our table and asked about us, what we ordered, how we liked it and told us about the decor and how she made everything fresh and shopped daily. It definitely shows!

Sorry I didn't take any pics, but I'm sure one of you "photo pros" will soon remedy that situation. Please go check them out before it gets too busy...or you can order for take-out.

Chickpea
2018 W Chicago Ave
773-384-9930
Mon-Sat 5pm to 10pm, closed Sundays
http://www.chickpeaonthego.com

Just ate here for the first time. I've been slacking on my LTH reading, so I hand't seen this thread, otherwise I would have made an effort to take pictures. No problem though, because I will definitely be back.

Ditto to everything wino66 said. I am SO HAPPY that this place opened up nearby. Something like this was very much needed on that strip of Chicago Ave (i.e., not some other joint emulating most of what is on Division...lots of hip hype with little substance).

What we ordered:
Kibbeh (described by wino66). Delicately crisp exterior and not greasy. Excellent. We ate three of them.

Koosa ma Laban: from the menu "Tangy homemade yogurt, zucchini, & mint purée." It was nice and chunky, refreshing, but not light (not a bad thing). This was enjoyable, but did not stand out compared to our other items.

Lentil Soup: This soup did not have whole lentils in it, but rather a nice amount of puree. The consistency was thin, thus it tasted light, but very flavorful. We enjoyed it.

Mussakhkhan (the Saturday Special): This was excellent and my favorite dish of the evening. From the menu "The Palestinian national dish! Sumac-spiced roasted chicken with sautéed onions & pine nuts, served atop traditional Arabian bread." There were three succulent pieces of thigh meat (skin on) served atop several slices of flatbread with a generous helping of caramelized onions. Nice smattering of spices all around. The skin on the chicken was blackened and super crispy. The portion-size was medium-large, and I wiped the plate clean. I'm not typically a huge chicken lover, but I will likely ensure that I am back on Saturday at some point to have this again.

After we were done, Amni brought us a small serving of Fattoosh, as she said it was one of her favorite things on the menu. I'm glad she brought this salad our way, and I can imagine craving it during the Summer. It consisted of finely chopped cucumbers, scallions, tomatoes, some fresh herbs, and crispy (small) pieces of pita with a "pomegranate vinaigrette" that was delicious and reminiscent of sweet balsamic vinegar.

So, in my opinion, the food delivered, which is the most important thing. I will definitely return soon. However, the icing on the cake was Amni and her family. The place has a very "young" and "hip" feel to it (not in a bad way); however, it has a very "old-world" charm. The two have been integrated very well together. You are made to feel right at home. Amni could not be more warm and welcoming. I felt as if we were guests in her dining room, mutually enjoying our company, around some wonderful food. I can't comment on the "authenticity" of the food, because I lack reference points for authentic Palestinian cuisine. That said, I enjoyed what they served. I'll look forward to hearing others chime in on the authenticity. If someone doesn't beat me to it. I hope to have pictures on my next planned visit.

r2g wrote:Just ate here for the first time. I've been ...
Mussakhkhan (the Saturday Special): This was excellent and my favorite dish of the evening. From the menu "The Palestinian national dish! Sumac-spiced roasted chicken with sautéed onions & pine nuts, served atop traditional Arabian bread." There were three succulent pieces of thigh meat (skin on) served atop several slices of flatbread with a generous helping of caramelized onions. Nice smattering of spices all around. The skin on the chicken was blackened and super crispy. The portion-size was medium-large, and I wiped the plate clean. I'm not typically a huge chicken lover, but I will likely ensure that I am back on Saturday at some point to have this again.

Myself and two of the girls had lunch here yesterday. Our only disappointment with this place was the lack of the Saturday special at lunch. Otherwise, we very much enjoyed the experience.

As mentioned above, some of it stems from the great room, its combination of retro tin ceiling, Arab street posters, well spaced tables, interesting plates, etc. The pinball machine certainly convinced my daughter to love the place.

We had the trip of dips: the hummous, yogurt and baba. All had a very engaging home made quality to them, with the hummous being especially well made, while the baba suffered slightly from its out fo season eggplant. I wish there were more of the pickled onions on the baba though.

I liked my lamb kabob sandwich a lot; the taste of the meat enhanced with two house hot sauces, one green and one red--I would not be able to pick which one I liked better. I also liked my sample tastes of my wife's falafal and daughter's chicken. I would warn that the sandwiches were a bit on the high side, pricewise, but given the overall experience (including no service fees), I did not feel things too pricey.

I'm not so keen on the Middle Eastern places in Oak Park. All the rest of my favorites range from say a truck (Semeramis, Al-Khayamih) to a real truck (Steve's, Mizrahi); this place for me is more like a drive away, and will easily feel a need for this kinda food.

(They do need, however, to ditch the lousy tomatoes!)

Beth and I were pretty pleased on our (separate) maiden voyages a couple weeks ago. The memories are too faded to detail, but the flavors were lovely. It's the best middle eastern food I've had within an easy drive of my office (North and Damen) or my home (17th and Damen), so I'll for sure be back.

I've been to Chickpea a few times, and I'm a fan. The first afternoon we went,
we arrived before they opened, but were warmly greeted and given tea and good company while they finished prepping for service. (They're now open for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

The menu has been fine-tuned from my first visits, so these dishes/notes may be different (or non-existent) on the current menu...my overall impression: The space and family-run atmosphere is immediately endearing. The food is deceptive in its simplicity—the beauty in the details.

Hummus, a staple dish, with a twist: striped with a jalapeno and garlic mince. Yogurt, zucchini and mint dip (koosa ma laban) so rich, the “homemade” yogurt is no menu superlative. Kufta—grilled, pungent nuggets of ground lamb and beef—served on top of cumin-y rice punctuated with fat raisins and more toasty pine nuts than a stingier hand in the kitchen would ever allow. Koosa mihshee (stuffed zucchini) in a light, bright tomato broth we sopped up with pita. (Dull pita was a minor glitch, but they can’t do everything in-house.) Braised lamb with slender green beans and tomato (fasoolya), remarkable in its fresh, clean flavor. A bowl of lentil soup, brightened with a warm slice of lemon.

A few items on the menu are not available yet—including shawerma, which I’m fingers-and-toes crossing will be the example I’ve been searching for in Chicago.

The food is reason enough to go, but this place is what it is by no other means than the incredibly warm and friendly hosts—brothers and veterans of swankier, trendier spots in Chicago, and their gracious, charming mother, who sat and talked to us for a while about love of food and family.

I happily join the chorus of praises for Chick Pea- an immediately endearing place and a super welcome addition to my 'hood. The room itself has to be one of the best designed casual eateries in town, attention paid to every surface in a sort of "arab pop" postmodern free for all, amazing. The food was great- standouts the smokiest baba I've ever had, a what-month-is-this? freshest of fattoush (a dish that I usually find quite bleh), and crunchy, multi-dimensional kibbeh. I immediately bit into a cardamon pod from the sauce of my braised lamb with green beans- for me a sign of good luck and good food when whole spices are used with flourish. The tea was fantastic as well- delicate and brewed perfectly. The plating was smart and portions appropriate but not north-Kedzie-sized ample. Pricing is reasonable, again- maybe twice the food for the price at Salam, but proportionately on the cheap side for this rapidly hipifying stretch of Chicago Ave. I am just elated to have a new alternative down the street- this kind of food not only has a homey character, but also a well balanced, healthful aspect that the usual suspects of carne asada tacos and jibaritos don't offer on a late-night-at-the-office Monday night. Amni spent the duration of the meal chatting with us and charming us, not only selling us on her restaurant, but engaging us in conversation. Looks like the neighborhood has a new unofficial matriarch. The sum of the experience was homey, hip, tasty, and heartwarming in a way. Rarely is a business run so passionately that it beams with love in every detail. It almost has a Leo's vibe, but definitively Middle Eastern (and cleaner). I look forward to spending long food filled evenings sipping tea, tripping out on the crazy decor, and enjoying company at Chick Pea. Tell your friends, I am already spreading the good word to mine!

Basking in the overflowing glow of a good deed (I was Santa's helper tonite) and driving down Chicago Ave, hungry, Chickpea called forth. So reindeer's parked, we stopped in for a very enjoyable evening. As previously stated, the feel of the room is quite special. Mama's spirit is in the house. She talks to you, explains and recommends things and when they're no longer available, steals food off of plates for you. Too cool. She cooks like it's her home and you're part of her family. The love radiating from her is infectious. There were apologies for running out of things (understandable, being that it mainly comes from this woman that has been in the business one month) interspersed with well wishes and hugs to ex-strangers leaving that are now part of her extended family.

Everything sampled was good to very good, but to my tastes a bit under seasoned. Not certain if that's the intent and authentic Palestinian cuisine is mildly seasoned or maybe she's toning it down a notch for western tastes? If the latter is the case, I hope that changes soon. As good as Tuesdays @ Salam? No, but more than respectable and a great addition to the neighborhood.

We really liked the look and feel of the room with the old genie pinball machine (free), the tin ceilings, the Arabic movie posters of Superman, King Kong, Death Wish and Batman, a mannequin head of Lawrence of Arabia under glass etc... but it's all about Mama. She alone is worth going for. The embodiment of hospitality that's lost in so many restaurants. That personal touch from someone who so obviously loves what she does and sharing it with her newly designated children. She puts the restorative back in restaurant.

It was a pleasure to be in her company and a pleasure to eat her food (even if it needs a bit of salt).

Jazzfood wrote:
Everything sampled was good to very good, but to my tastes a bit under seasoned. Not certain if that's the intent and authentic Palestinian cuisine is mildly seasoned or maybe she's toning it down a notch for western tastes?

It was a pleasure to be in her company and a pleasure to eat her food (even if it needs a bit of salt).

I found this to be the case as well with the salt. My dining companions are less salt addicted than I am and were pleased with the seasoning of everything. But again, really a minor glitch in an overall wonderful experience. I found that other seasonings were used with flourish- sumac on the baba, garlic enhanced olive oil on the soup, tons of parsley in the fattoush, and whole cardamon pods in my fasoolya. I did notice that Amni noticed my continual reach for the salt shaker.

There were no salt shakers in plain site and as she was sitting/mingling with us, I would have been reluctant to use it anyway. I couldn't help thinking how much better it would have been though with just a bit of salt. My sister took it home for just that reason. As you said, a minor glitch in a very nice evening.

Oddly, one thing I really enjoyed was the use of fried pita as crouton in the soup. I thought baked, but I asked her and she said fried... and the freshly juiced apple/carrot juice. Nothing was a revelation but good solid food. I'll be interested to see how it evolves.

Had a very nice (long) lunch at chickpea today. Here are a few pictures.

Fattoosh & Baba Ghannooj


Kibbeh


Kharoof

grilled lamb, grilled veggies, and hummus

The food was fresh, hot, simple, and yummy. The company of Amni and her husband was warm, wonderful, and generous. I'll let a reporter document it some day, because I cannot do it justice, but the two of them have an incredible life story (with much tragedy and success) that culminates in their love of friends and family, which comes through in their hospitality. It's a treat for me to dine there. I spoke with Amni's husband at length. He commented that he goes out to shop for the veggies every day and handles the meats. Amni manages the specials. They note it's tough work. They are closed on Sundays, but work all of Sunday at the restaurant as well. Business has been good and they are very grateful for what they have and for their customers.

Of note: They will begin serving the shawirma today. They are giving their supplier a test drive and will change if it doesn't come out to their liking. It wasn't ready during lunch, but would be ready during dinner. I also found out they were originally trying to move into a larger location in Logan Square, but ended up where they are.....with aspirations of a second location in Logan Square if all goes well....which I think it will.

Jazzfood wrote:Not certain if that's the intent and authentic Palestinian cuisine is mildly seasoned or maybe she's toning it down a notch for western tastes?

Almost forgot. For whatever its worth, I asked Mr. and Mrs. Suqi if they make any modifications to their recipes to please more Western pallates. They said that they make the food just like they would make it at home for their Palestinian friends and family.

we couldn't decide where to head for dinner last night, and when the boyfriend suggested reza's, i convinced him to try chickpea. we had a tasty meal, and i'll be back soon to try more dishes (in particular the falafel, which looked delightful), as they have a ton of vegetarian and vegan offerings, all helpfully marked on the menu.

the atmosphere inside, as many upthread have already mentioned, is cozy and fun, and the service was very warm. it was pretty busy for a monday night, but there were a handful of empty tables available, and turnover seems pretty fast, due in part perhaps to counter service and the lack of alcohol.

i had about 3 glasses of arabian tea, very tasty, and the boyfriend tried the arabian soda, which was vimto, an extremely sugary soda within which it is nearly impossible to distinguish any real fruit flavors, though ostensibly they are blackcurrent and rasberry. (my favorite part? it also contains "permitted colors".)

we split the trio of dips - hummus, baba and koosa. the baba was very good, as was the koosa. i might try the hummus spicy next time - it was well-made, but didn't stand out as much as the baba or the koosa.

for my main, i had the monday special, koosa mihshee, which was cored zucchini (2) stuffed with savory rice, onions and tomato in a tomato broth. it was excellent, and the perfect portion size. the boyfriend had the laham mihshew, tenderloin and veggie kabob, which he liked but definitely used a bit of hot sauce on. the hot sauce was REALLY spicy, and took quite a bit of vimto to wash down.

then the boyfriend kicked my ass at pinball, and we headed out. our total bill, after tip, was probably about $40. the portions aren't huge - if you're really hungry, i would suggest splitting three dishes like we did - except for the trio of dips, of which i have leftovers of all three.

Just to update the hours from the original post, Chickpea is now open for lunch (from 11:00 a.m. daily) and is now also open on Sundays.

My wife and I went with our two young sons (3 and 1) Friday evening and everything we ordered (hummus, falafel plate, kefta, some sort of chicken kabob) was great. I did not notice anything lacking in the salt/seasoning department, for what its worth. Arabic movie poster for Stir Crazy elevates this from a very nice place to have in the neighborhood to destination dining.

We went on Wed around 8pm and it was about 90% full.

They had my favorite middle eastern dish mujaddara (lentils and rice) on the menu, so I naturally ordered that. The SO ordered a falafel sandwich, which at $4, remains a phenomenal bargain. Total tab for those 2 items plus hummus and 2 drinks was $20 even.

The mujaddara was done very well with the both lentils and rice soft and fluffy. The onions were nicely caramelized. The falafel was moist without being greasy and nicely seasoned. The accompaniments in the sandwich weren't watery nor overwhelming the falafel itself. The hummus had a good flavor with a nice streak of jalapeno "chutney" for some added heat.

The only thing that wasn't great was the pita bread itself which was standard bready pita. Not super warm either. It's asking a little too much for a small operation, but if you could get warm freshly baked pitas that puff up like round pillows, that's a true home run.

Service is friendly and simple. Order at the counter and take your number to your table and they'll bring out the food. Cash only. Set your own table from the silverware trays.

The overall space is very nice as well. Middle eastern swag lamps hang from the corners , and the tables all have nice patterns on them. All the food is served on plates with pretty floral and other patterns, adding a more rustic feel than the normal white oval institution plates. The wall decor is a mix of arabic posters of American movies. Not sure what's up with the pinball machine in the back corner, but it lends it an air of style too.

I'd say it might not be worth a 30 minute drive if you have decent middle eastern alternatives near you, but if you're under that range, it's a worthwhile trip. For those living in the neighborhood, it's a definite add to the regular rotation of affordable places to eat.

Just wanted to add that a group of about 6 of my friends tried Chickpea two Fridays ago, and the place was overflowing. They told us that the wait would be quite long, so we went down the street for fried foods at Cleo's. Glad they're doing such good business.

I went to order pick-up from them this Sunday and pulled up their website menu and saw that they were offering delivery. I asked about delivery times and they said it would take about 20 minutes to make my order and 10 to deliver. It took just about that. Delivery charge was $2.

They are still apparently figuring out the whole delivery thing, since I had to give them directions to get to my place, not just an address.

Also, they have made a few changes. The Mussakhkhan special is now available on Saturday AND Sunday.

I keep asking about the Shawirma every time I go and keep hearing different stories. It seems they served it for only a day or two. They said they were not happy with the quality of the product and decided to axe it rather than serve something they were not happy with. This Sunday they told me that they are waiting for business to pick up more before they start serving it, since they want to make sure that the product will move quickly, since it doesn't sit well. Who knows!?

tex888 wrote:The only thing that wasn't great was the pita bread itself which was standard bready pita. Not super warm either.

I couldn't agree more. I have had more success with picking the food up, since I can warm/toast the pita in my toaster oven prior to eating. It would be so wonderful if they could make their own pita, or just heat up the thing before serving them.

I took my first visit to Chickpea today for dinner and was generally impressed. If that sounds like damning with faint praise, I'll say that the food I had ranged from good to excellent, so all in all a very good meal.

The highlights were the dips. The hummus was aggressively garlicky, pleasantly coarse (just a bit), swirled with good olive oil and garnished with hot peppers. Very successful, one of the finest I've had in Chicago and a nice change from the over-Tahina'ed versions found about town.

Baba was as good as you'd get on Kedzie - smoky and slightly chunky, again, not too much tahina (good thing).

Koosa ma' laban ("zucchini/squash with yogurt") was a nice little revelations. I've never seen this offered at a Chicago Arabic place and was glad to be able to order it. Not overly creamy, good zucchini flavor, and a few pickled onions for garnish made for a unique appetizer. Quite authentic as well. (Cafe Orchid sometimes has a similar dish on deck, though it is warm, contains al dente zucchini and is loaded with dill - it is excellent; ephemeral).

Bread was nearly room temperature, just a bit warmed. This is bullshit. Salam does the same thing. That is bullshit. Every Palestinian I know toasts their bread on a gas stove over an open flame, with great care to achieve the perfect mix of slightly chewy, gently browned, and dotted with small char. It is the only way to approximate a fresh out of the furun flavor. Why no Arabic place I've been to in Chicago can manage this simple feat is beyond me. No wonder my money goes to the Pakistanis - bai sab, ek nan! (well in South Asia only) in Chicago it's more like "amigo, un pan mas!"

But I digress. We also ordered fattoush (salad with fried bread) and musakhan (chicken with bread) over my protests that the lady was ordering too much bread. A brief moment of reflection later: what is bread to a Falastini? We gorge on the inverse Atkins - no bacon and all bread. Potatoes with rice with bread and some macarona thrown in. Just drown it in olive oil. And we are all doin arright. Bring it on.

Fattoush was great. Someone on this forum recently asked about good fattoush. Anonymous internet person: go to Chickpea in Bucktown, there you will find a fine salad filled with cubed radish, seasonal tomato, big heads of Italian parsley, pomegranate vinaigrette and well toasted and olive-oiled pita bits (at least they got this bread right).

And then there was musakhan. Musakhan is sometimes referred to as the Palestinian national dish. Musakhan in its purest form is chicken, chicken fat, chicken stock, olive oil, sumac, turmeric and caramelized onion pizza. It is like flammenkuchen, only without the austro-franco-whatever syllabics and surrounding by stinking near-east shepherds who've eaten nothing but beans and guava all day (don't sleep in that rock shack tonight buddy) or a middle class Palestino-American family in Palos Heights. Mushakhan is not the Palestinian national dish. The Palestinian national dish is a plate of dabasha (throwing/maiming rocks) served cold. For sustenance, the musakhan will have to do. Literally meaning "warmed-up" the paucity of language reflects the paucity of ingredients. Let me repeat: Chicken, it's fat, water, olive oil, turmeric, sumac, onions, bread, almonds for garnish.

(I am sorry Chicago, Italy, Faransa, there is no bacon in mushakhan, no khanzeer. It cannot be ordered on the side. The scope of our devotion to your way of life - to your welcoming country and eager hands full of green dollars ends at the khanzeer. We can't sell it, and we can't eat it. Our children can, and will, but only until they realize.....)

What I am trying to get at is that this stuff is special and its good. It is as Palestinian as rocks, except people only know about the rocks.

What I had tonight was not the musakhan of Falastin. It was not even the musakhan I make in my home or I eat any mom's house (who is Hungarian). Instead, it is the first musakhan I have ever eaten in a restaurant. It was musakhan made by Palestinians for Chicagoans. It was one of the true tastes of Palestine in Chicago (along with Salam's mensef, but that is another diatribe). But it wasn't....it was too sweet. The bread wasn't oily enough. It didn't make my stomach moan afterward. I didn't require two glasses of syrup coffee and half a pack of cigarettes after. I didn't stay up all night in a hot fever of withdrawal, listening to goats braying, birds singing, mosques ringing. I didn't eat it for 2 days afterward, cold, savoring every oily bite.

But it was pretty good. And unless you know someone who can make musakhan for your, I suggest trying it at Chickpea.

Mushakan, Abwain, Ramallah, Falastin.

Habibi-
you crack me up w/ you cultural
references!

Nice review.
I found the "vibe" of the place very appetizing - but, personally, have fared better on North Kedzie....
Yet - your comments made me think, perhaps, I should give this "nightclub kid"s place,
a second chance.

Great writeup!

Hombre de Acero wrote:Habibi-
you crack me up w/ you cultural
references!


Great writeup!

+1
The passion-filled candor is a breath of fresh air.

My Bride and I happened to be in the area around lunchtime and this place was fresh in my GPS after getting a mention in a recent Chicago Magazine article, The 50 Best Sandwiches In Chicago (map)

Ordered (to go) the Kufta as mentioned in the article and a Chicken Shawarma as recommended by the waitress.

Man! Those were some tasty sammies! The Kufta had a full two sausages with grilled vegetables and a generous amount of hummus. Creamy, a bit sloppy. Filling.

We have had several Chicken Shawarma sandwiches recently and my bride had to proclaim this was the best in a while. The nicely roasted and spiced meat mingled well with the tangy pickled vegetables which included a heavy hit of garlic which she enjoyed the rest of the afternoon.

A small and quiet restaurant along Division. Parking at lunch was available and they are still cash only.

Sadly, Chickpea has closed.

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140113 ... s-shutters

A pity about Chickpea: the vibe of the place reminded me of eating at an Arab restaurant in Nazareth, with the Arabic pop motif, and they were a cut above the ordinary with their daily specials. Where else can we find mussakhan in the Chicago area? .

It does seem that they weren't particularly busy on weekends, though.

No offense, but other than adding more ethnic to Wicker Park/Bucktown, Shawarma Garden strikes me as the same old, tried and true standards, with the exception of having mujaddara.

That is sad! We really liked Chickpea.