Lunch Off The Ike

I'm going from the Palmer House to 290 and Austin today - looking for an interesting take out lunch not very far off of that path at all. I'm thinking Mary's BBQ on Pulaski (never been.)
Anyone have any other thoughts/suggestions? Really need it to be close to the ike.

Those pictures in the other thread from Mary's Bar BQ look great. A little farther west but also close to the Ike is Nola's Cup for New Orleans food. There's also GNR Bistro American Diner, not that that's the kind of lunch place you're looking for.

Moon's

seebee wrote:Anyone have any other thoughts/suggestions? Really need it to be close to the ike.

Initially I thought Tropical Time Jerk in Maywood, but they are farther west than Austin and not answering their phone, though they don't open for another half hour. Depot Diner is a good choice.

Mary's is a good call.

Felony Frank's (more for the story than the cuisine).

Ja's Jerk Chicken (it's on Lake, but the stretch of California heading there from the Ike flies).

I'm a reg at the Depot Diner, and it's a thought for a rueben and a piece of bread puddding to go, but I have a hankerin to try something new today. I'm never driving this stretch around lunchtime.


ooooh! Ja's. Now we're talkin!

freddy's pizza is pretty close.

seebee wrote:ooooh! Ja's. Now we're talkin!

If it's your first time I recommend the jerk wings with hot on the meat and mild on the side (for the side of beans and rice). Then some jerk tips to go (you won't finish 'em), ginger beer or Ting, and the peach cobbler. Some great cuisine in this neighborhood under the El tracks at a neat wholly non-subliminal restaurant.

Ja's Jerk Chicken
Jamaican & Soul Food Restaurant
2806 W. Lake Street
Chicago, IL 60612

Thanks for direction - I already perused the thread, and thought about getting each 5 dolla holla.
Tips and wings might be the ticket tho.

NOLA's cup is closed.

Thanks for the replies. Wound up at Mary's, tip wing combo. Eating it now. Tips are the thinner cut variety, very nicely cooked - no leather here. The rub has some nice hits of black pepper. I'd say that most of them so far are borderline salty, but a few have been nicely seasoned for my taste. The wings, are fried well, cornmeal in the coating, but much less salt in the seasoning. The fries are an afterthought. Asked for sauce on the side. If this is their sauce, um, well, I'll stick with what's in my fridge. Seems like open pit satered down with ketchup and tomato sauce? They do pretty good work on the tips and wings tho. I'm not immediately planning on a trip to 69th for therapy, so it's all good, I guess.

OT: I love that you call it the Ike like it should be. I came across some recent transplants who wanted to know what is "ike". I had to explain to them that the Ike referred to the Eisenhower and they still didn't get it until I said 290. Try explaining what 40 minutes strangler to the post office means. They actually thought it was some criminal activity. It's been a weird day.

seebee wrote:Thanks for the replies. Wound up at Mary's, tip wing combo. Eating it now. Tips are the thinner cut variety, very nicely cooked - no leather here. The rub has some nice hits of black pepper. I'd say that most of them so far are borderline salty, but a few have been nicely seasoned for my taste. The wings, are fried well, cornmeal in the coating, but much less salt in the seasoning. The fries are an afterthought. Asked for sauce on the side. If this is their sauce, um, well, I'll stick with what's in my fridge. Seems like open pit satered down with ketchup and tomato sauce? They do pretty good work on the tips and wings tho. I'm not immediately planning on a trip to 69th for therapy, so it's all good, I guess.

So glad to hear that someone else made it to Mary's! I really do think it is a worthwhile stop, although I agree the sauce is *not* ideal. Try the links if you make it back over there, I found them to be pretty enjoyable.

For future purposes, there is also this place:
Taste of Brasil
906 S. Oak Park Ave.
(between Garfield St & Lexington St)
Oak Park, IL 60304

It's right off 290. You can grab snack-y type food to go and eat in the car while stuck on the Ike. I tried a chicken and olive croquette. The nice lady said they serve fejoda on Wednesdays and Saturdays(for my next visit).
Here's a link to the thread,
http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=248651

na wrote:OT: I love that you call it the Ike like it should be. I came across some recent transplants who wanted to know what is "Ike". I had to explain to them that the Ike referred to the Eisenhower and they still didn't get it until I said 290. Try explaining what 40 minutes strangler to the post office means. They actually thought it was some criminal activity. It's been a weird day.

I believe 'strangler' only refers to The Hillside Strangler which is the junction of the Ike and the Tri-State and not the traffic backup leading into The Post Office (which incidentally is going up for auction tomorrow starting at the low, low price of $300K).

Panther in the Den wrote:

na wrote:OT: I love that you call it the Ike like it should be. I came across some recent transplants who wanted to know what is "Ike". I had to explain to them that the Ike referred to the Eisenhower and they still didn't get it until I said 290. Try explaining what 40 minutes strangler to the post office means. They actually thought it was some criminal activity. It's been a weird day.

I believe 'strangler' only refers to The Hillside Strangler which is the junction of the Ike and the Tri-State and not the traffic backup leading into The Post Office (which incidentally is going up for auction tomorrow starting at the low, low price of $300K).

Yes, the Hillside strangler. 40 minutes travel time to the old P.O. from mi casa. I'll give 'em a dollar for it:)