Central Street, Evanston (VERY long)

For several years I’ve been working in the north end of Evanston which has given me the opportunity to try a number of area foodaterias. Here are short summaries of Central Street, North Evanston’s main shopping area. Listings are arranged geographically east to west. I didn’t bother listing the few big national chain outlets.

CENTRAL STREET EAST OF GREEN BAY

-- Mustard’s Last Stand. 1613 Central Street. 847-864-2700
Hot dogs, burgers, etc. Cute name, great location next to Ryan Field (nee Dyche Stadium). Prices are modest - the most expensive menu item is the steak sandwich at $5.95. Fries ($1.40/$1.80) are the best thing here. Hot dogs are just OK. They come in junior ($1.99), regular ($2.49) and jumbo ($3.25). Service is uneven. Once I ordered a standard plus a junior but when I opened the bag found two juniors. Depends who’s behind the counter. Fries are slender and crisp when “fresh from the grease.”

The Italian Beef is average. The beef is from Scala, but needs better handling as it’s only moderately flavorful. My IB came with a reasonable amount of juice even though I forgot to ask for it dipped. The giardinera was OK with some heat. The sweet peppers were cold. After a number visits results have been consistently uneven.

Note: There is disagreement over Mustard's. Eat Chicago likes it. Sadly, I'm inclined to take a pass.

GREEN BAY ROAD

-- Top of the Tracks. 1826 Central Street. 847-869-7080
In the Metra station. Coffee & rolls for commuters. My wife prefers their coffee to the big chain. M-F: 6am-10am

-- Jilly’s Café. 2614 Green Bay Road, Evanston, IL 60201. 847-869-7636
A quiet country bistro, well-liked by locals. Charming atmosphere; good service. The first time we were there for dinner the salads, appetizers and desserts were very good; the entrees were average. Several people told me that evening must have been an off night and I should try it again. We followed this advice and were very happy we did so. Every time since the food has been outstanding; clearly the first visit was not representative. We also enjoyed carry-out lunch from Jilly's a number of times. Lunch items (salads, sandwiches) run about $9 - $13. The Mediterranean salad (their version of Nicoise) is very good, the chicken salad excellent. Their zucchini bread is outstanding. The tomato soup with fennel is flavorful.

-- Café Luciano. 2676 Green Bay Rd., Evanston, (847) 864-6060. Note: There is now a sign on the front of Luciano which says that it is closed for remodeling and will re-open in October! The sign has been up there for many months.
Italian. A branch of Luciano’s on Rush Street. Our first experience was as part of a large group so the main courses were steam-table type, but still had flavor. Appetizers were very good. A nice crisp bruschetta, toasted ravioli with a peppery coating, and tender fried calamari – not a hint of chewiness.
A subsequent dinner experience was positive. Good service, large helpings, tasty. The crusty bread had a dense interior, the way I like it. Entrees come with soup or a decent house salad. Soups were either a daily special or their flavorful sausage, bean and escarole. My pepper-crusted salmon was grilled hard so the exterior was crunchy, but the inside remained moist. A minute less on the grill and it would have been perfect. Wife #1 had the veal Marsala which she thought was quite good. Accompanying spinach w/garlic was fine. Each of us had a glass of wine; my merlot was very smooth. We could barely finish the meal and skipped dessert. Total cost with tax and tip was about $60.00.

WEST OF GREEN BAY

-- Prairie Joe’s. 1921 Central Street, Evanston. 847-491-0391. Mon-Fri: 6:30a-3p; Sat: 7a-3p; closed Sunday.
Eclectic American, Middle Eastern, Mexican diner. Funky surroundings; the chairs and Formica tables look as if they came from a 1950's kitchenette set. Old toys and cameras are on display along with art-covered walls and humorous signs. Great for families. Sometimes the noise level gets high, but kids are generally well-behaved.

The printed menu has standards on the front – burgers, hot dogs, BLT, grilled cheese, etc. Flip it over and you find salads and Mediterranean dishes – falafel pita, hummus.

Still more interesting is the clipped-on hand-written menu which changes often. One day it included country-fried steak with grits, smoked sausage and sauerkraut, crab cakes, a seafood taco platter, eggplant quesadilla, and several vegetarian dishes. On another day there may be Swedish meat balls, mushroom dobladitas, chicken fried steak, guacamole tostados or whatever else owner Aydin Dincer comes up with.

Breakfast has a full range of standards + Mexican dishes. Also grits, though Cathy2 and Brent Brotine thought they were on the dry side.

Service is friendly. Oh yes – prices. Everything on the menu is under $10, even the specials. Good food, fun and value.

-- Royin. 1930 Central Street. 847-332-2204-; fax: 847-332-2219. M-Th: 11a-9:30p; Fr-Sa: 11a-10p; Sun: noon-9p
Japanese/Sushi/Pan-Asian. Like their neighbors at Pinto Kitchen across the street, a small friendly place using fresh ingredients. We’re not sushi people so we can’t comment on that aspect.

-- Pinto Kitchen. 1931 Central Street. 847-328-8881?
Thai/Chinese. Small (20 seats), friendly place. Food was good from the start, but has gotten better over time. It’s become a favorite of ours. At first dishes were overly mild, but they’ve added heat. The curries have some oomph as does the spicy basil, though not enough for dedicated chili-heads. If you like it really hot be sure to ask.

-- Bluestone, 1932 Central Street. 847-424-0420
A popular casual bar/restaurant. Despite being part bar, it’s a family place and many people bring kids. Besides the usual appetizers, soups, sandwiches, etc. there are full dinner entrees. Everything we had tasted fine. Service may be a little slow when it gets crowded. It can get loud at times. The owner is in some way related to Candlelight in Chicago so thin-crust fans should check out the pizza. Outside dining in warm weather.

-- Jacky’s Bistro. 2545 Prairie Avenue (½ block south of Central Street). 847-733-0899
French. Lunch M-F; Dinner everyday. Founded by chef Jacky Pluton who has moved on. He sold the Bistro and the new owner followed the principle of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” It’s a favorite of many, and nearly everyone we talk to speaks highly of it.

The room is handsome with floor-to-ceiling windows. We found service to be friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. Everything we had was quite good. Dinner started with crusty French bread accompanied by roasted garlic. For starters my wife had a tasty bean soup while I ordered a salad. My braised ribs came with a very rich sauce, while my wife’s veal medallions were tender as could be. For dessert the wife ordered an eclair which was served with a mocha pot-a-creme. I generally dislike anything with coffee in it, but did try the pot-a-creme and was impressed by the rich flavor. We’ll gladly return.

Dinner entrees run $19-26. At lunch sandwiches, salads, omelettes & pasta dishes are $10-14 + there is a selection of dinner entrees.

-- The Spice House. 1941 Central Street. 847-328-3711
A food institution. The place to go for fresh high-quality spices. A large selection of spices and spice mixes as well as gift baskets. Knowledgeable, friendly staff (a number are culinary students). Celebrity chef sightings have been known to occur. Other locations of this family-owned business are in Old Town and in Milwaukee. Another is coming in Geneva, IL.

-- Symphony's. 1945 Central Street. 847- 475-1200
Italian, American. BF, lunch, dinner everyday. Nice variety of dishes including pasta, vegetarian, and sandwiches as well as meat and fish entrees. I like the portobello sandwich. Most dinner entrees are priced in the teens and include soup or salad + sides. The consistently good, reasonably-priced food and pleasant service make this a dependable choice and a fine value. Breakfast can get crowded on Sunday mornings.

-- Tag's Bakery & Pastry Shop. 2008 Central Street. (847) 328-1200
Long-established bakery. The cakes are quite popular. They have hot coffee available for less than many coffee shops. It’s supplied by Casteel Coffee (see below).

-- Linz and Vail. 2012 Central Street. (847) 475-1381.
Espresso Bar & Gelateria. Also a small selection of panini. Opened recently. A neighbor tried the coffee and said she no longer needed to go to a well-known chain. You can mix up to four flavors of gelato. It’s terrific; I like chocolate and hazelnut.

-- Foodstuffs. 2106 Central Street. 847-328-7704
Gourmet goodies. Prepared foods, fish / butcher shop (they carry Tallgrass beef), salad / sandwich bar, etc. Everything is high quality. Interesting variety - from frozen veal stock to their own dips to Hecky’s Barbeque Sauce. Well worth the price when you want to go first class. Hot soups available in cold weather (I like the chicken tortilla). Good crusty breads and rolls. The half-sandwiches are big enough for most people and a good deal at $3.49. Small sit-down area to enjoy your purchases. Good catering service – many choices and very accommodating.

-- Home made Pizza Company. 2122 Central Street. 847-492-1100. They prepare ‘em you cook ‘em when you get home. Nice idea.

-- Great Harvest Bread Company. 2126 Central Street. 847-866-8609
Popular for their wide variety of breads, some quite unusual. At lunch they have soups and will make custom sandwiches. Breads are of the soft crust type. If you want a crusty Italian or French bread (requires a different type of oven), they’ll send you to Foodstuffs (see above)

-- Hartigan’s Ice Cream Shoppe. 2909 Central Street. 847-491-1232
Excellent family-run place. We thought the ice cream was as good as Homer’s, another local favorite of ours. Located three-quarters of a mile west of the main shopping area on Central, Hartigan’s may not be as well-known as other ice cream places, but it matches them in quality. Worth a visit if you’re in the area.

-- Casteel Coffee. 2924 Central Street. 847-733-1187. M-F: 9- 6:30; Sat: 9:30 - 5:30
They supply coffee to Tag’s (see above).

-- The Little Island. 2600 Crawford Avenue. 847-866-8670
This funky hot dog stand bookends the western end of Central Street as does Mustard’s at the eastern end. It’s a cute place in the middle of the triple intersection of Central, Crawford and Gross Point Road. Grilled foods are the way to go – we liked the chicken sandwiches and the char dogs we’ve tried. Others have recommended the chicken teriyaki or grilled salami sandwiches and the cheddar burger. We thought the boiled hot dogs were average and the “special” fries weren’t that special – stick with the regular fries which will do nicely.

This is a great guide, George. Thanks for putting it together. I'm usually down in the Central St. area once or twice a week and there are some outstanding stops along the way, all of which you listed here.

Thanks again,

=R=

George, I'm almost never up that way, but the next time I go, I'll be sure to review your notes.

Got to ask: why label your post VERY long? Is this a kind of netiquette -- if not, it seems like it could be a discouragement. Just curious.

Thanks again,

Hammond

Excellent guide. I'm pretty much in agreement, although I'm probably a bit more of a Mustard's fan, I'd deem it fairly consistent, even comparing it to when I worked next door ten years ago.

Here's my latest meal there - about a week ago - a Polish, which they dunk in the frier.



I always liked Symphony as a consistent place for casual dates and such. I've been wanting to go back to Jilly's - a had a great meal there, the only turn-off was I felt squashed into a crowded, tiny, busy place.

As for Royin, here's their Orange Chicken, which they claim to be the best in town. It was good, but didn't impress me as the best - I like a more flavorful dark meat, although the batter and sauce was very tasty, with out being too candy sweet, like many versions. For some reason I liked it better last time I had it - which was delivery. I'd put Koi's orange chicken above them.



What's the story on the Italian place that moved when the tore the theater bulding down? Anyone ever been there or know where it went? There was a sign in Mustard's about the move, but I didn't note it.

Great guide, George! I always wind up going to the same couple of places when on Central, now I have several places to check out.

David Hammond wrote:

Got to ask: why label your post VERY long? Is this a kind of netiquette -- if not, it seems like it could be a discouragement. Just curious.

Yes, I thought of it as a kind of netiquette. Sometimes I only can skim a few things, and try to save longer posts for when I have more time. I certainly didn't want to discourage anyone, only let them know what to expect.

Kiplog wrote:

What's the story on the Italian place that moved when the tore the theater bulding down? Anyone ever been there or know where it went? There was a sign in Mustard's about the move, but I didn't note it

Trattoria Trullo moved to Lincoln Square in Chicago. Here's a thread on it:

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=14500&highlight=trullo

I really liked it when it was in Evanston. From the tone of the thread it seems they're having trouble getting back up to speed.

Thanks also for the pix of Mustard's Polish. Looks enticing. I'll give them a try again.

I recently read (evanstonnow.com 8/27/07) that Bluestone is moving into the old transmission shop across from the old theater in the 1800 block and that the owners are going to open a mexican spot in the old Buestone space.

Also, a new place is on the verge of opening in the old New Day Cafe space across from Hartigans. It's called Taylor Street and I've always assumed that means it will be Italian, but I haven't seen a menu or spoken to anyone to confirm that.

I've heard the rumors re Bluestone too. Don't know how true they are.

Have seen the signs for Taylor Street also and made the same assumption. Don't know any more.

Impressive Evanston guide but I have to disagree with your Mustard's review. I grew up about a mile from the place and I still crave their char cheesburgers and hot dogs/polish. I have never had the Italian Beef or steak sando. Just a solid hot-dog stand that has been around forever.

I'll back George on Mustard's. I worked across the street for a while. Very inconsistent, and on average -- well, average. When everything comes together, it can be excellent, but I could never figure out when that was most likely to happen.

I'm partial to the scones at Great Harvest, especially the lemon poppy seed.

Tag's has above-average pastries and good cakes.

The crab cakes at Prairie Joe's were very disappointing. Almost all filler. I didn't go back to try anything else.

Jacky's almost always does a great job. They use interesting combinations of ingredients in their entrees that are both creative and harmonious.

The Spice House alone makes this strip worth the trip.

Is Daruma still there on Central about halfway between Caldwell and Green Bay? That was our go-to Japanese casual for many years, but I know it had gone downhill a bit.

I did Mustard's Last Stand a couple weeks back on my way to the Nevada vs. Northwestern game. I intentionally went inside as I thought that the food would be better. The hot dog was just OK, the french fries were pretty good.

Not bad, but really not very special either and for $5, I guess that I expected better.

JoelF wrote:Is Daruma still there on Central about halfway between Caldwell and Green Bay? That was our go-to Japanese casual for many years, but I know it had gone downhill a bit.

Daruma has been gone for a year or two (but there's another one in Schaumburg) Pinto Thai Kitchen is now in that space.

I live on Central and have dinned many times at most of the places reviewed.

The two best are Jilly’s Café (I like the entrees more than the George) and Symphony's (I agree with George's review, consistently good quality and reasonably-priced). The worst of all has to be Bluestone, from the average greasy bar food to the unpleasant staff, and stuck-up patrons, what Central doesn't need is another place (Mexican) run by this group.

Prairie Joe's crab cakes are not their best dish. The Middle Eastern and Mexican dishes are much better.

Daruma was about 3/4 mile west of Green Bay Road, a few doors from Hartigan's Ice Cream. After Daruma closed a Japanese/Thai place occupied the space for a couple of years. They closed many months ago. The last time I looked it was empty.

Pinto Thai Kitchen is one block west of Green Bay (next to the branch Post Office) in the space that was a Cantonese Restaurant for many years (IIRC it was May Wah).

Daruma was my favorite sushi place under a sushi chef named Masa who was really generous to his regular customers. He was a dedicated golfer and moved to the Carolinas to play more golf. Evanston's loss will hopefully be someone else's gain.

Prairie Joe's was always my favorite spot when I lived near Central Avenue. It's a family-owned place and the chef, Aydin, is originally from Turkey, though his wife, Diane, is from Long Island, NY. One of the draws there is the outsider art and Aydin's own art work and collections of old cameras, lamps and other cool stuff. It's a great place to keep the kids occupied with games of I Spy.

Aydin's menus are each unique, peppered with political and philosophical quips and retro art. Their soups are a strength: house-made, and generally quite good. I also appreciate their 30's style burger on an ever-so-nicely toasted bun. Sometimes I ordered a double, though, when I was really hungry. They do nice, thick shakes, the kind that you can stand a spoon up in. Another point: they are open early and have some creative breakfasts like potato, egg and and cheese burritos, Southern breakfast with grits and ham, and Texas toast. (I'm not a big fan of the biscuits and gravy.) The coffee is standard diner coffee, but last I checked they had real tin creamers and not those horrible plastic things I shudder to use.

Prairie Joe's is open Wednesday through Friday for dinner, and is rarely crowded, making it a great option for dinner with kids, who are well-tolerated. [Edit: I was mistaken about the dinner service, which is no longer an option with a 3 PM closing. However, what I said about kids being well-tolerated stands.]

In lots of ways, this is a diner the way it should be. Awhile ago they added pie, and it was pretty good, but sold out early. I wish they had a better source for baked goods, but they do a lot of lunch specials very well. Get the Mexican chicken stew if it is offered: nice chunks of chicken in a broth studded with tomato, posole, peppers and potatoes, seasoned with cumin. The stew is served in a large cup with rice and corn tortillas on the side.

If I had to choose one place to eat on Central Avenue, it would be Prairie Joe's. But avoid the place on Northwestern football days when they are just slammed.

Prairie Joe's is closed Sunday, which is a shame, since they would get most of the Walker Brothers overflow and the Evanston church crowd.

I would advise the typical LTH-er to avoid Bluestone unless beer and sports TV is all you consume there. Not a good burger. If you must eat there, stick with the mediocre quesadillas, and don't expect much from the service. Seriously, the only reason this place has made it is that Evanston, with its WCTU heritage, lacks those dark paneled places that serve beer and TV to guys over 30 whose manhood would be threatened by eating in any other sort of establishment. The younger dudes are served by the Keg and places nearer campus.

A far better choice than Bluestone all around is UBAA, though technically, it is in Skokie, and a block south of Central Avenue.

Josephine wrote:

Prairie Joe's is open Wednesday through Friday for dinner, and is rarely crowded, making it a great option for dinner with kids, who are well-tolerated.

Dinners there were a great option when we worked late, but Prairie Joe's has changed their hours and now close at 3 pm.

----

We gave Mustard's another go today. My son had the jumbo hot dog and I had the Polish (Kiplog's picture made it irresistible).

I quite enjoyed the Polish. It wasn't at the exquisite level of The Weiner and Still Champion or Wolfy's, but it was definitely a good one. My son thought his dog was OK, though he expected it to be a tad larger. The skinny fries were fine.

We agreed that our opinion of Mustard's had moved up a notch. Certainly an acceptable place. Based on previous experience I think it still can be variable.

Thanks for the correction on Prairie Joe's new 3 PM closing, GeorgeR. I have edited my earlier post to reflect this.

I grew up in Evanston and while I'm disappointed the theater isn't still around, I'm glad there are still good restaurant choices. I love Prairie Joe's. It's totally unique and down to earth. And where else can you get excellent egg salad sandwiches, as well as as hummos and chicken.

[Full disclosure: I waited tables at Prairie Joe's on and off for two years.]

The place is not to everybody's taste. You either love it or hate it. There are very few people who are indifferent to the food or decor.

I think what Ayden has been doing since 1991 is completely and utterly unique. Where else can you get, say, lamb kofta, meatloaf (seasoned wonderfully with allspice), a veggie burger (made from homemade hummus and tabbouleh) and a real chocolate shake (made with vanilla ice cream) in one sitting? Not to mention Ayden's great takes on Mexican.

What I've seen over the years is Ayden's eclecticism come to the fore in both his cooking and art. Let's be honest: it's pretty much hell to run a restaurant, let alone a diner. Ayden manages to do it, day in and day out, year after year, all while injecting PJ's with a very human character all its own.

Are you actually posting that from Tokyo? If so, that's just another reason to love this forum...

Haven't been to PJs in ages, and need to go back - the decor can be problematic if you've got a very grabby and easily distractable toddler (which we did) However, we should have been back well before now...

George R wrote:Daruma was about 3/4 mile west of Green Bay Road, a few doors from Hartigan's Ice Cream. After Daruma closed a Japanese/Thai place occupied the space for a couple of years. They closed many months ago. The last time I looked it was empty.

I happened to be driving down Central today and noticed that there are now signs in the windows of the old Daruma space announcing the impending arrival of "Rose's Wheat-Free Bakery Cafe".... or maybe that was Bakery AND Cafe. I was trying to keep my eyes on the road....

tarte tatin wrote:

George R wrote:Daruma was about 3/4 mile west of Green Bay Road, a few doors from Hartigan's Ice Cream. After Daruma closed a Japanese/Thai place occupied the space for a couple of years. They closed many months ago. The last time I looked it was empty.

I happened to be driving down Central today and noticed that there are now signs in the windows of the old Daruma space announcing the impending arrival of "Rose's Wheat-Free Bakery Cafe".... or maybe that was Bakery AND Cafe. I was trying to keep my eyes on the road....

Yeah, we were discussing this in my yoga class this past Sunday. It's supposed to be a gluten-free place.

Surely there's more to say about Casteel Coffee than that their coffee is served at Tag's! The store is a little out of the way, but it's worth the trip as their beans are among the best in the Chicago area.

fj123 wrote:Surely there's more to say about Casteel Coffee than that their coffee is served at Tag's! The store is a little out of the way, but it's worth the trip as their beans are among the best in the Chicago area.

Agreed! I often go out of my way for beans at Casteel's and a properly made cappuccino. They also have a nice selection of coffee and tea brewing machines and accessories, as well as a little toy shop for the kiddies.

Glad to hear positive things about Casteel's. I don't drink coffee so I wasn't in a position to comment.

Hi,

A few years ago, George R and I met a few early birds for breakfast at Prairie Joe's. I seemed to recall ordering the corned beef hash though it didn't quite hit the spot that day.

Just before Thanksgiving, I stopped in for lunch. I ordered the very same corned beef hash with two sunny side eggs. This time the corned beef hash made fresh on the premises really hit home. I guess my tastebuds are more awake at noon than at 6 AM.



Afterwards I walked over to Spice House to buy Gary's rub:



Regards,

Really loved reading your review of Central Street dining. I had to let you know that the seating at Prairie Joe's is probably original. When I was a little girl in the fifties I remember being there. Fun when some things don't change!

I just had an odd, fairly tasty lunch at Symphony's. I wanted a dish that I saw on the online menu but was not on their printed menu; I didn't feel like asking about it so I ordered the coconut shrimp. They were tasty, and they came with roasted veggies that I had no room for so I took them home with me. The salad was okay; nothing special, but there were some unusual greens in there that I liked (dandelion?).

However, the service was odd. The waitress seated me. When I walked in, I told her I made a reservation, but she looked at me oddly, stating that it didn't matter. True, the place wasn't that busy, but it was a legit remark, I thought, especially since it was through Open Table and they keep track of whether or not you show up. She continued to give me strange looks during my entire visit and was cold and kept grunting one-word responses and questions at me, with nary a smile or pleasantness in her voice. Even the busboy gave me a disapproving look when he brought me water. What? Is my ass showing? Do I look like a ho in this skirt? Do I have cookie crumbs on my face (yes, that was breakfast)? I was getting really uncomfortable.