Ukraina Deli

I was at the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art today, and not having any promising leads for Sunday pollo chon, decided to stop into the newish Ukraina Deli just up the block for a late take-away lunch. Ukraina has been open just about two months, but the owner Sergio has been in the deli business, he told me, for nine years. His previous deli was on Staten Island; "life," he said, brought him to Chicago.

Ukraina caught my attention because of the bright lettering on its awning, a colorful sign of life on a stretch dominated by the cold facade of the Institute of Modern Art. The inside turned out to be equally charming, offering more warmth and personality than, say, Ann's Bakery and Deli up the street. Ukraina offers a relatively wide selection of deli meats, cheeses, bread, eastern European canned and jarred goods, candy, dairy (one of the largest selections of Kefir I've seen anywhere in Chicago) and soda.



I made note for gleam and other folks interested in unusual soda that Ukraina carries a tarragon carbonated beverage, which I know Erik M. and d4v3 have discussed before. They also had other interesting-sounding varieties by the same soda-maker. Anyone know what bouratino is? I would have taken one for the team, but I was on foot and not quite in the mood to carry home liters of soda.







Most of the prepared food at Ukraina looked pretty familar to me--goulash and different salads--so I asked Sergio to pack me up a little of all of the main dishes. I then asked him what he liked most from the prepared food, and he jumped to the stuffed eggplant. My lunch ended up being pretty pork heavy, but everything was good and cheap. I got three times the amount of food pictured here for just under $10.



The highlight of my lunch was indeed the stuffed eggplant, which was dense with carrot, onion, garlic and mayo. I really enjoyed the textural contrasts and seasoning of the filling.



Next time, I'll branch out more and perhaps ask Sergio to translate some of the board menu, which I think was written entirely in Ukrainian.

Ukraina Deli
2304 W Chicago Ave
Chicago IL 60622-4722
773-252-5233

Bouratino (or Buratino) isn't a flavor but a character--an old Russian take-off on Pinocchio. And there are a number of products, if memory serves, trading on his name (you'll note his well-known picture on the label). This one happens to be a sweet, toffee-ish concoction. Sorry I wasn't there to help transliterate (or, if lucky, translate).

Tarragon is, indeed, a popular flavor for Russian soft drinks and actually works quite well. I like it a lot and find it refreshing. One nice thing is that it tends not to be sickly sweet and the slight amount of sweetness brings out the flavor of the tarragon very nicely. Think licorice, or the licorice note in tarragon, and you've got it. (I've actually had a photo of a liter of Russian tarragon drink that I've been saving for a post that I haven't had time to write... Thanks for giving me the chance!)


the front


the back

I also have a "Birch Juice" carton to post on (think maple syrup BEFORE it's boiled down. Very watery with a slight hint of sweetness. Not something I'd recommend though it's certainly inoffensive enough.)



I must admit to curiosity about a Ukrainian deli run by a gentleman named Sergio, though your pictures give every indication of homemade things. And I must say, they look pretty good. It's been more than a long time since I was in Ukrainian Village and it looks like it's time for a return visit. Maybe even a dinner at Saks.... Thanks for the informative post!

Gypsy Boy wrote:Bouratino (or Buratino) isn't a flavor but a character--an old Russian take-off on Pinocchio. And there are a number of products, if memory serves, trading on his name (you'll note his well-known picture on the label). This one happens to be a sweet, toffee-ish concoction.

How funny that a fairy tale character is tied to a particular flavor! Perhaps I should have made the effort and brought home some Pinocchio and tarragon drink...

Gypsy Boy wrote:I must admit to curiosity about a Ukrainian deli run by a gentleman named Sergio...It's been more than a long time since I was in Ukrainian Village and it looks like it's time for a return visit.

It's very possible that his name was Sergei or a completely different name (though when he told me, I think I repeated it, and he didn't correct me). I've done a fair amount of exploring in the years I've lived on and off in and around UK Village, but I still very much operate on a point and nod basis in the Ukrainian and other eastern European shops. I've thought on several occasions that a crash course in food Polish and/or Russian would probably help my explorations immensely. Unfortunately, the closest I've actually come to eastern Europe outside of Chicago has been Vienna, where all I did was walk around the Kunsthistorisches and go to the opera, subsisting on pastry and not practicing my German. In other words, it was probably Sergei and not Sergio.

happy_stomach wrote:

Gypsy Boy wrote:Bouratino (or Buratino) isn't a flavor but a character--an old Russian take-off on Pinocchio. And there are a number of products, if memory serves, trading on his name (you'll note his well-known picture on the label). This one happens to be a sweet, toffee-ish concoction.

How funny that a fairy tale character is tied to a particular flavor! Perhaps I should have made the effort and brought home some Pinocchio and tarragon drink...

Gypsy Boy wrote:I must admit to curiosity about a Ukrainian deli run by a gentleman named Sergio...It's been more than a long time since I was in Ukrainian Village and it looks like it's time for a return visit.

Unfortunately, the closest I've actually come to eastern Europe outside of Chicago has been Vienna, where all I did was walk around the Kunsthistorisches and go to the opera, subsisting on pastry and not practicing my German. In other words, it was probably Sergei and not Sergio.

No, I don't think that the character is tied to the flavor. I think that the makers of this drink, like the makers of many other products simply "adopted" him as a popular character well-known throughout the country.

And, frankly, I prefer to think of him as Sergio, not Sergei.

(Walking around Vienna in general subsisting on pastry strikes me as an eminently wise thing to do. I, on the other hand, spent more time noshing on pretzels and sausages. I could happily imagine a trip emphasizing pastries and sausages on alternate days, though! 0)

Hey, I tried that Birch Juice too! Neat. It really isn't bad, a little like watered-down apple juice. I wonder if there's any Vitamn C in it? I found mine at Fresh Farms.

Very good to see new Ukrainian blood in the old neighborhood. I really miss Andy's (Polish) on Division. This place would seem to have a similar vibe and set up, at least so far as the prepared food goes. (No bakery and smokehouse, I assume.)

JeffB wrote:Very good to see new Ukrainian blood in the old neighborhood. I really miss Andy's (Polish) on Division. This place would seem to have a similar vibe and set up, at least so far as the prepared food goes. (No bakery and smokehouse, I assume.)

No bakery or smokehouse.

I think I always have it in the back of my mind when I go walking in the neighborhood that I might find a new place like Andy's. There's no hope on Division, but I think there are still real possibilities on Chicago Avenue, which basically from Halsted to Western is my Main Street. Chicago Ave. already has some excellent food, but I have a fantasy that it could become the city's international restaurant thoroughfare, with the best food examples from Chicago's major ethnic groups...and pie.

I still make a trip up to the "big Andy's" about every other month to get my Polish grocery and prepared food fill which, combined with a visit to Smak Tak, is entirely worth the travel time--just a very different endeavor than a stroll to a neighborhood deli.