New Concept: Indian Leftovers! (Showtime Cafe)

Along that strip of Thai restaurants on Western south of Lawrence that includes Spoon and Opart, as well as Miranda's Albanian Cafe and House of Spirits ("We Cater To Your Spiritual Needs"), I was struck a while back by signs for an Internet cafe called Showtime. What struck me was not the name as much as the multicultural fare-- even with Dunkin' Donuts being increasingly Indian-run, there aren't many places that advertise Cappucino, Donuts and Samosas. Actually, the one that enticed me the most was the prospect of biryani on the weekends, as yet another sign in the nearly covered-over window promised. Perhaps fine homemade food (the place didn't look like it could support a whole kitchen). But a weekend to sample it didn't present itself until today.

Going in with my two sons, I found the place empty-- until the owner came running from the video store next door. A microwave prominently on display behind the counter did not promise greatness. But maybe it was prepared at home and reheated. Nor did the total absence of any electronic device other than a TV quite live up to the "Internet Cafe" signage. But it was too late to back out without embarassment, so I ordered some samosas, chicken biryani and spinach paneer.

If I hadn't seen the guy spoon stuff out of big aluminum trays and reheat it, I might have been fooled-- it wasn't the worse for wear, indeed seemed a bit fresher than the usual buffet stuff under a heat lamp. Samosas were the best of it, bright yellow and spicy inside. Much better than the Americanized, tame ones I'm used to from buffets (on the rare occasions I dabble in them any more). The biryani was decent but pretty conventional, missing the little chunky spices or whatever that would make it distinctive (maybe less authentic, but more distinctive). Spinach paneer was salty but quite good. All of it came with more rice than I could eat, considering that the kids pretty much stopped at one bite of each. I was just about finished making it look like we'd eaten most of everything when he showed up with a free sample of beef kebab, which was actually maybe the best thing-- like spicy meatloaf.

As I was paying up, and just thinking of complimenting him on his wife's cooking, somehow it came up that the food was actually all catered, by some outfit that serves the Indian banquet halls. (Not Malabar, I'm sure-- it wasn't that unusual, although it is worth noting that there were beef samosas on offer.) So my vision of having just had very homemade food was replaced by the reality of having just had very institutional food, which makes it hard to say anyone else needs to go very far to try this place. But, on the other hand, if you live nearby you could certainly do worse than grabbing a couple of samosas here. You won't be able to check your email, but you might be able to rent a couple of tapes.

<i>Note: subject header altered per post below.</I>

For a short time, there was an Indian/Pakistani restaurant in downtown Skokie where Lincoln and Niles Center merge for a couple of blocks, and they were the same way: Big frozen aluminum trays of whatever they had for the day, rewarmed on the stove when ordered.

Seeing as many of my indian recipes say, "Allow to cool for four hours or overnight and then reheat before serving for best flavor" it really shouldn't be bad.

Someone told me this particular little shop (better known as the Death Restaurant, only because nobody could ever stay open there for more than a year or so) was owned by someone who had another restaurant, and the food came from there. In any case, they had terrible problems getting open in time for lunch (the couple of times I was in there, they didn't open until close to noon, and rice wouldn't be ready for another 20 minutes minimum), and they were gone within about four months. Last I checked, it was Thai there.

aaron, it's not suprising about the cool and reheat part on your recipes. Many, many indian dishes taste better the next day, mostly the wet meat dishes, or some of the daals, though with daal you should add the tarka (the fried onions, ginger and fresh cilantro) before serving. IMO biryani would be one of the dishes that would least benefit from being left over

Yeah, I guess it's especially off the mark when referring to a place that has beef on the menu.

Signed,
Rudyard K. MikeG

JoelF wrote:For a short time, there was an Indian/Pakistani restaurant in downtown Skokie where Lincoln and Niles Center merge for a couple of blocks, and they were the same way: Big frozen aluminum trays of whatever they had for the day, rewarmed on the stove when ordered.
<snip>
Last I checked, it was Thai there.

Joel,

There was a branch of Ghareeb Nawaz on Lincoln Ave, 3-4 storefronts North of Oakton for a while, actually, it may still be there, but I strongly doubt it. While I quite enjoy the Devon Ave Ghareeb Nawaz, this was, ummmm, how can I put it politely, suffice to say there was much less attention to detail at the Lincoln Ave Ghareeb Nawaz than there is at their flagship on Devon Ave.

For a while, as in up to a few months ago, there was a combo Thai restaurant, American coffee shop Desiree, on the Northwest corner of Oakton and Lincoln Ave. I ate there a few times for Thai and it was ok, nothing earth moving, but edible. If that is the Thai you are thinking of, it's now closed.

Enjoy,
Gary

Ghareeb Nawaz
2032 W. Devon
Chicago, IL

Desiree Restaurant
8000 Lincoln Avenue
Skokie, IL
(Closed)

Gary,
When I was last in downtown Skokie last December, (before I was downsized from the pharma company there), the Indian place had closed, after failing to be open half the time we went there, and was Thai -- and pretty good for a quick lunch. Their lunch was whatever soup and appetizer they had for the day with a choice of a fistful of fresh-prepared entrees, versus the usual buffet-limp stuff you see at other thai places for lunch (although Ruby of Siam on Skokie Blvd does a buffet much above average).

Desiree, so far as I know, has not reopened either. I really really liked having to choose between green curry and patty melt.

Joel

I think the thai place being referred to is called "Marco Polo".

I liked desiree a bit better than Gary, possibly because the really kindly old guy serving you in that time warp atmosphere would make it sufficiently spicy for me. Also it was nice to be able to eat jungle curry while the kids ordered chocolate chip pancakes.

No, Marco Polo is a couple doors south, and shares an entrance with a bar. It's got serviceable chinese and a couple of thai dishes.

The place I'm thinking of is a half-width storefront (originally an alley decades ago), with an orange awning, I think.

JoelF wrote:No, Marco Polo is a couple doors south, and shares an entrance with a bar. It's got serviceable chinese and a couple of thai dishes.

The place I'm thinking of is a half-width storefront (originally an alley decades ago), with an orange awning, I think.

Yes, I also think Marco Polo is next door basically - and I cant recall the name
of this Orange place either. But this Orange place used to be Ghareeb Nawaz
for a very short time.It has rotated between lots of different restaurants
in the past couple of years (it was Middle-Eastern for a while too IIRC,
before it was Ghareeb Nawaz). It might be some kind of "healthy Thai"
now, which is why I think Ive always ignored it

BTW, Ghareeb Nawaz on Devon is no longer 24 hours I think - they always
told me they were when I asked, and I had always seen it open, but
saw it closed at about 4am with lighs off a couple of mornings ago. Not
sure what their timing is - Iam sure its still very late, till at least 2 or
3am, but it doesnt look like its 24 hours anymore.

Also (since Iam on a tangent and talking Indian places on Devon instead
of in Skokie ... the corner of Devon and Western has yet another
resident (which makes about 19 dozen new places i the past couple
of years). This new place is "Jewel of India" - and is now the only
place on Devon offered "Indian Chinese food" along with their
other actual-Indian dishes (now that Manchow has closed). It opened
last week apparently. We got there at closing time (after being turned
away at Bhabi's, my third time failing to make Bhabi's, it apparently
being my destiny to never eat there), one vegetarian who asked for
a veggie hakka noodle and was brought a chicken hakka noodle
instead. (But they were amazingly good for a Devon spot - they
brought the veggie hakka noodle out a while later, allowed the chicken
hakka noodle to stay for the others, and didnt charge for it, shocking
for a Devon spot). The couple items I tasted (off the Indian Chinese
menu) seemed ok enough - probably not Hot Wok level on this one
tasting, but better than Manchow I think (which always was quite
poorish when I ate it, strange since they were a branch of Hot Wok).


c8w