Nile Restaurant (63rd & Spaulding)

I had my second visit to the Nile Restaurant near 63rd & Kedzie today.
I teach at a school nearby and was just looking for something good to eat before my class began.

I remember the falafel sandwich being pretty tasty from my previous visit (it seemed to have a hint of cinnamon in it) but I was looking forward to trying something different. Today I ordered a spinich pie and some baba ghannouj. Both were very delicious and freshly prepared. The baba ghannouj was very garlicky, slightly smokey and very creamy. Accompanying my order (as you can see in the photo) was a small dish of marinated carrots and pickles, pickled turnips (homemade) and pepperocino. It made for a delicious meal and I left much more full than I wanted to be.

I don't eat meat, but they had a refrigerated display case full of kabobs and other marinating flesh ready to be grilled. It looked to be fine quality and my impression was that they do a little extra to make their food stand out. I'd love to hear other impressions of this place and encourage everyone else to check it out.


Notice the minced celery in the middle of the baba ghannouj and the dusting of sumac and parsley. Yum.

Nile Restaurant
3259 W. 63rd
773-434-7218

Thanks, Joel. I find it much more convenient to head south for middle eastern than up to Albany Park, and I've been mourning the loss of Steve's Shish a few blocks west. Nile has been mentioned a few other times on LTH, but it doesn't have its own thread, so thanks for starting one.

As an aside, do you think you could reduce the width of your images? It's making all the text pretty hard to read because of the scrolling. (edit: thanks!)

Sorry about that. I guess I was trying to make the
baba ghannouj look as succulent and lifelike as possible


I've reduced it now, so it should be a little easier to
view.

JW,

Thanks for the post. Amata and I were just on 63rd this past Saturday and were missing Steve's -- I was particularly in the mood for a meatless Middle Eastern meal. Anyway, somehow, we passed by Nile without seeing it and ended up at a Mexican place (needless to say, the meal was not meatless).

Antonius

Is this Nile related to the one in Hyde Park?

Thanks for the report, Joel. It reminded me that I need to get back to Nile. At one time, not too long ago, the hummous at Nile was my favourite version in Chicago. I should see if I still feel the same way. And, with the closing of La Baraka, I am now on the lookout for another superior version of baba ghanoush. Your picture and description has me hopeful.

E.M.