Hyde Park Lunch Option: University Market

Hyde Park Lunch Option: University Market

Though Hyde Park is hardly without places where one can have lunch -- some of them pretty good -- there aren't that many alternatives in the southern, especially southwestern part of the area, that is to say, round about the UofC.

A lunch option I came upon a few weeks back is the University Market at 1323 E. 57th street (between Kimbark and Kendall).* I don't remember seeing any mention of this place here and thought it would be worth reporting on.

I've gotten sandwiches there a couple of times. To my mind, a good sandwich starts with good bread and UM makes sandwiches with bread from the next door Medici Bakery, which is itself an excellent reason to visit this stretch of 57th street (57th Street Books is another). UM carries some nice things to put in that bread, e.g. decent (not special) fresh mozzarella, Westphalian ham, mortadella, etc. Today I had a demi-baguette (Medici made, fresh and delicious) with ham, munster cheese, lettuce, tomato, mustard. A very fine lunch. Nothing to go far out of one's way for, but a nice option in Hyde Park, especially for the captives of UofC café fare.

Sandwich: $5.59. Napkin: free. Time to reflect on geopolitical issues: priceless.

Antonius

*Edited addition: E. Druce has pointed out below that the streets in question are in fact Kimbark and Kenwood.

I think that's Kimbark and Kenwood... and you're forgetting the other clear reason to visit that part of Hyde Park during the "off-season," an even more amazing bookstore, the Seminary Co-Op on 58th/University.

Also, what's the deal with the al pastor at our only authentic Mexican joint, Maravillas? It seems to be seasoned differently than the version at other places around the city, although it's not necessarily worse. Is Maravillas making something else entirely and calling it al pastor, or is their twist on it just something else to enjoy in the Chicago Mexican food landscape?

Evan B. Druce wrote:I think that's Kimbark and Kenwood... and you're forgetting the other clear reason to visit that part of Hyde Park during the "off-season," an even more amazing bookstore, the Seminary Co-Op on 58th/University.

Evan:

Thanks for the correction on the street names... I knew I was off but was in the middle of things and got lazy about looking them up... I lived in Hyde Park for too many years and, aside from the opportunity to visit the book stores whenever I felt like it, miss not too much.

I was talking about that stretch of 57th. The Sem. Co-op is a few blocks away and a different sort of a beast altogether. I once was, I believe, one of their top customers if not numero uno of the year (a frightening amount in dollars), the result of stopping in almost every day on the way to a bar after work. Now I'm half-blind and don't read anything but STD's blog anymore.

Also, what's the deal with the al pastor at our only authentic Mexican joint, Maravillas? It seems to be seasoned differently than the version at other places around the city, although it's not necessarily worse. Is Maravillas making something else entirely and calling it al pastor, or is their twist on it just something else to enjoy in the Chicago Mexican food landscape?

I haven't been there but I used to go to a related place (the mother-ship, I believe) on circa 63rd and a good bit west. It's next to a police station. Unfortunately, I was never there in an unaltered state or before "Tiki time", so details of seasoning and nuances of preparation have not remained in the memory banks.

Oh, to be middle-aged again...

Buen provecho,

Antonius

Antonius wrote:Now I'm half-blind and don't read anything but STD's blog anymore.

My sympathies, sir.