Any guesses on this Skokie restaurant?

Going through some Restaurants for Sale classifieds, I came across a listing for one in Skokie on Dempster. I take Dempster part way home and I can't figure what restaurant they are talking about.

Here are the clues:

1. Presently operating as a very FAMOUS established Mediterranean restaurant.
2. Large rotary pizza oven up in front.
3. Seats 90 in dining room and 30 in the outdoor patio.
4. 4,000 sq ft
5. Hot Hot location on Dempster

Larsa? I'm wondering about the outdoor patio, though.

stevez wrote:Larsa? I'm wondering about the outdoor patio, though.

Gotta be Larsa's. They have a rear patio. There's a pic on this page:

http://www.mealsanddeals.com/larsas/

Too bad. I like it there.

Best,
Michael

yea..sounds like the one. I didn't think they had an outdoor patio from the looks of it.

eatchicago wrote:

stevez wrote:Larsa? I'm wondering about the outdoor patio, though.

Gotta be Larsa's. They have a rear patio. There's a pic on this page:

http://www.mealsanddeals.com/larsas/

I just realized that the pictures change every time you go to the page.

Here's the pic of the patio:
http://www.mealsanddeals.com/uploadedfi ... mage-5.jpg

Now if we could only get something in the Ronnie's space ...

eatchicago wrote:

stevez wrote:Larsa? I'm wondering about the outdoor patio, though.

Gotta be Larsa's. They have a rear patio. There's a pic on this page:

http://www.mealsanddeals.com/larsas/

Too bad. I like it there.

Best,
Michael

It might well be Larsa's, with the pizza oven and the above patio (which I
didnt know existed).

But I must say, the first one I thought about was...um. The other Middle-Eastern
place, the name Iam blanking on. On Dempster and Skokie Boulevard. Was
a slightly upscale Middle-Eastern place, and appears quite big (thus
probably capable of seating 90 etc). I do think Ive noticed it closed when
Ive passed by the last few times as well.

Anyone know the one Iam talking about? Its sort of between a Mcdonalds
and a Tire Store, just about on Dempster, behind a gas station. Used to
be Skokie Club for several years until this Middle-Eastern place took it
over a couple of years ago. Its more expensive than the other Middle-Eastern
spots in town, but with a much more extensive menu as well.

c8w

c8w wrote:

eatchicago wrote:

stevez wrote:Larsa? I'm wondering about the outdoor patio, though.

Gotta be Larsa's. They have a rear patio. There's a pic on this page:

http://www.mealsanddeals.com/larsas/

Too bad. I like it there.

Best,
Michael

It might well be Larsa's, with the pizza oven and the above patio (which I
didnt know existed).

But I must say, the first one I thought about was...um. The other Middle-Eastern
place, the name Iam blanking on. On Dempster and Skokie Boulevard. Was
a slightly upscale Middle-Eastern place, and appears quite big (thus
probably capable of seating 90 etc). I do think Ive noticed it closed when
Ive passed by the last few times as well.

Anyone know the one Iam talking about? Its sort of between a Mcdonalds
and a Tire Store, just about on Dempster, behind a gas station. Used to
be Skokie Club for several years until this Middle-Eastern place took it
over a couple of years ago. Its more expensive than the other Middle-Eastern
spots in town, but with a much more extensive menu as well.

c8w

I know exactly the place you're talking about, but the name escapes me too. I don't remember a pizza oven in there, though.

eatchicago wrote:I know exactly the place you're talking about, but the name escapes me too. I don't remember a pizza oven in there, though.

It just came to me, c8w: La Baraka. You wrote about it here.

Best,
Michael

(delurking)

Ate at Larsa's yesterday. No "For Sale" signs or any other indication of impending demise. Although I can't think of any other place that fits the above description, so I am still a bit worried.

As an aside, I have eaten at Big Buns & Pita, which offers the same cuisine and while I wish them every success (and the prices are amazing), I much prefer Larsa's. The much raved-about lentil soup, for example, cannot compare to Larsa's in my estimation (I would put the lentil soup at Sayat Nova second). I don't know how the pita is at BB&P nowadays (I got the crappy prepackaged thick kind, unlike some of you), but Larsa's is constantly cranking out their delicious thin bread -- having a pizza oven does offer certain advantages. For that matter, their laham ajeen is excellent (especially with a squeeze of lemon).

A few more recommendations: I like the shawarma a lot, but you should be prepared to occasionally get a reheated portion, especially at off hours. It's still very good and makes me sad for all the people getting under-spiced gyros meat at Pita Inn down the street. (Pita Inn has its charms, but I think we all agree that the shawarma is not among them.) The combo plate has shawarma, kifta, and chicken kabobs; at $12.95 it's the big-ticket item, but it's a lot of food. The falafel is fine and the sandwiches are huge. I can personally vouch for the veggie sandwich, filled with potatoes and cauliflower.

I like the kibbee (in the large fried disk version, à la BB&P), although I prefer to share a couple of pieces as an appetizer rather than eat the whole thing as an entree. When we first ordered it a couple of years ago, the waitress brought over a small container of sauce that went with it perfectly. When we asked her the ingredients of the sauce (vinegar, of course, but what else?), the waitress, somewhat sheepishly, replied, "It's eshpee!" Asking for more information about this exotic Middle Eastern herb/spice/essence resulted in "Eshpee! Eshpee!" repeated in an increasingly exasperated tone. Finally, realizing that verbal communication may not necessarily be the best way to reach the two dullards in her charge, she announced, "Here, I'll show you!" and ran off... to return with a bottle of HP Sauce. Much embarrassed hilarity ensued.

Anyway, I hope the speculation upthread does not keep people from going here. I know business got a boost after the Trib review, but that was some time ago and the Pita Inn juggernaut is hard to fight. Pita Inn is great for what it is, but I really hope Larsa's survives as well. Just go, people!

Here's an earlier thread on Larsa's: http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=2254

cilantro wrote:(delurking)

Ate at Larsa's yesterday. No "For Sale" signs or any other indication of impending demise. Although I can't think of any other place that fits the above description, so I am still a bit worried.

Here's an earlier thread on Larsa's: http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=2254

Havent been to Larsa's in a while, maybe I should just in case. I do like
Big Buns and Pita, however - only been once so far, but it was very good
I thought. (And I like Pita Inn too, BTW

However... was driving down Skokie Blvd a day or two ago, and it is definite
that La Baraka *is* closed. The parking lot was empty, and place looked
closed as I drove by, and I think I saw a sign too (one of those "available
for rent" type signs).

So, it really is possible that the above referred to La Baraka IMHO. It was also
Middle-Eastern, they are probably calling it Dempster (though it is about
20 yards back of Dempster, on Skokie Blvd). It was a big place, probably
could seat 90. And they probably had a patio - looked like an indoor
one, maybe it was open during summers, Iam not sure?

At least, there's still hope that it may not refer to Larsa

c8w

Larsa'a was open when I drove by this weekend.

gp60004 wrote:Going through some Restaurants for Sale classifieds, I came across a listing for one in Skokie on Dempster. I take Dempster part way home and I can't figure what restaurant they are talking about.

Thinking of expanding your wiener empire?

La Baraka has been closed for months. At least 3-4, possibly 6 or more.

nr706 wrote:Larsa'a was open when I drove by this weekend.

Just because they're open doesn't mean they're not trying to sell the restaurant. In fact, trying to sell an ongoing business would seem to be easier and more preferable than trying to sell a place that has failed for one reason or another and has been shuttered.

cilantro wrote:As an aside, I have eaten at Big Buns & Pita, which offers the same cuisine and while I wish them every success (and the prices are amazing), I much prefer Larsa's. The much raved-about lentil soup, for example, cannot compare to Larsa's in my estimation (I would put the lentil soup at Sayat Nova second).

Although I have not been to Sayat Nova for years, I did like the soup. As a child, My first experiences with lentils were in the homes of Armenian friends, so I am partial to the Armenian interpretation of the dish. However, as far as Assyrian lentil soup goes, I much prefer Big Bun's soup to Larsa's. I thought Larsa's had too much rice, and was not as flavorful. They also serve a very good lentil soup at Venus on California and Touhy (another assyrian restaurant). Anyone up for a lentil soup-a-thon?

I find the gus (shawirma) and the kufta at Big Buns (and at Venus) to be superior to Larsa's also. In fact, without going into details, the gus I once had at Larsa's was very bad (however, like BBQ, Shawerma is all about timing). That is why I prefer the beef shawerma at Basha down the street, where you can watch it being cut from the cone. I like the fried kubbah mosul at both BB&P and Larsa's (but I like big bun's mango mustard sauce better than the HP). I don't really like the Baba Ghanouj at either place, again preferring Basha's.

Where Larsa's does shine is in its baked items. They really know how to work that pizza oven. The Lahim Beajin is among the best I have had in Chicago (again, I prefer the Armenian version). The Lahim Beajin at BB&P and Venus are pretty pathetic in comparison. Larsa's pita bread is indeed excellent (BTW, at BB&P, you have to ask for the thin pita), and the manna eesh (sp?) and other dishes served on "crusts" are all fantastic. I am amazed at how they can get so many different textures of bread, out of the same oven at the same time. After my initial experience at Larsa's, I have been back for just the baked items and soup. It would be a real shame if Larsa's closed, what they do with that pizza oven is truly special.

Fujisan wrote:

gp60004 wrote:Going through some Restaurants for Sale classifieds, I came across a listing for one in Skokie on Dempster. I take Dempster part way home and I can't figure what restaurant they are talking about.

Thinking of expanding your wiener empire?

Dempster can always use more hotdog stands.

If it is bought, I doubt the concept would change. Why mess with a good thing? The only negative that I see is the limited parking.

d4v3 wrote: However, as far as Assyrian lentil soup goes, I much prefer Big Bun's soup to Larsa's. I thought Larsa's had too much rice, and was not as flavorful.

The soup at BB&P has a really complex spicing that the version at Larsa's seems to lack.

d4v3 wrote: . . I prefer the beef shawerma at Basha down the street, where you can watch it being cut from the cone. I like the fried kubbah mosul at both BB&P and Larsa's. I don't really like the Baba Ghanouj at either place, again preferring Basha's.

Basha's babaghanouj is nice and smoky. In fact, everything there is very fresh -- no tabbouli or fattoush from yesterday sitting around.

d4v3 wrote:Where Larsa's does shine is in its baked items.

Spot on assessments on all counts, Dave. I have to say that I also prefer much of Basha's cooking over Larsa and Pita Inn. However, Larsa has a nicer atmosphere for dinner than all of the other options including BB&P. On the other hand, for my money, the lamb shank at BB&P wins out every time.

A few quick replies:

1. I was hoping it might be La Baraka, but the ad said "Presently operating" and La Baraka has been closed for some time now. Plus, did they have a pizza oven?

2. I didn't mean to cast aspersions on anyone eating at Pita Inn -- I've done so many times and will gladly do it again.

3. Re lentil soup: I found precisely the opposite -- I found nothing particularly complex or flavorful about the bowl I had at BB&P; it was decent, but did not compare to Larsa's soup for me. However, this is in no way a fair comparison, since I've eaten at Larsa's many times but at BB&P only once. I definitely need to give them at least one more shot*. I don't think I'll be getting the lamb shank though -- it was certainly tender but not very interesting beyond that. I'm much more intrigued by the kibbee. Thanks for the tip about the thin pita, by the way.

4. Fujisan said "expanding your wiener".






*This may prove difficult if Salamera reopens with the same level of cooking as before.

cilantro wrote:Pita Inn is great for what it is, but I really hope Larsa's survives as well. Just go, people!

My love for Larsa's is well documented here, but I would like to remind folks that there is yet another (better and even more directly comparable) alternative to Pita Inn just down the street, namely, Basha.

Pita Inn has its place in my rotation, perhaps too much so, but it is often a quick and easy option for me après-pool when I require sustenance, and lots of it, with the absolute minimum amount of cerebration.* So, my impromptu lunch at Basha on Monday, and after a long absence, was the reminder of an alternative which I myself required. The hummous was light and creamy, and topped with good quality olive oil and juicy mixed-meat shawerma. [The hummous at Pita Inn is very often paste, and the all-beef shawerma is often dry and bland.] The tabbouleh was fresh and vibrant, with the distinctive fine, uniform mince that marks a good version. [The tabbouleh at Pita Inn, while tasty, is, quite frankly, overly vibrant from the inclusion of a Vegeta-like seasoning mix.] And, the kibbeh was fried-to-order, with a wonderfully moist, nutty filling and a greaseless shell. [The kibbeh at Pita Inn is very often old, dry, and leaden.]

Did I just happen to hit Basha a good day? No, I don't believe so, because these are precisely the sorts of distinctions that I have appreciated on my previous visits.

Basha
3445 Dempster
Skokie
847.329.8855

EDIT: I drafted and posted the above commentary before taking note of the ongoing discussion of Basha.

E.M.

* After logging 3000-3500 metres in the pool, I often consider a burrito from Chipotle to be a mere means of "tiding me over" until lunch or dinner.

Not that this information is in any way useful to anybody, but I would like to note (sadly) that Larsa's currently occupies the space which formerly was LaRosa Pizza. This was the major pizza of my youth and remains in my memory the best thin crust I ever had in Illinois, bar none. Their beef on garlic bread was pretty fantastic as well.

kuhdo wrote:Not that this information is in any way useful to anybody, but I would like to note (sadly) that Larsa's currently occupies the space which formerly was LaRosa Pizza. This was the major pizza of my youth and remains in my memory the best thin crust I ever had in Illinois, bar none. Their beef on garlic bread was pretty fantastic as well.

Amen to the beef on garlic bread!

kuhdo wrote:Not that this information is in any way useful to anybody, but I would like to note (sadly) that Larsa's currently occupies the space which formerly was LaRosa Pizza. This was the major pizza of my youth and remains in my memory the best thin crust I ever had in Illinois, bar none. Their beef on garlic bread was pretty fantastic as well.

Isn't there a La Rosa Pizza at Golf and Crawford? Is that something different?

kuhdo wrote:Larsa's currently occupies the space which formerly was LaRosa

By the way, it seems like they could have really saved a few bucks on new signage.

cilantro wrote:Isn't there a La Rosa Pizza at Golf and Crawford? Is that something different?

Yes. (Was confusing it with franchised operations under the same name in Ohio and environs.)

I'm not sure of the current situation, but back in the day, the LaRosa on Dempster and the one on Golf were only vaguely related. The story at that time was that they were owned by relatives, who had initally started together and then split apart. I have no idea if this is actually true. What I do know is that the Dempster store was always much better, and much busier than the one on Golf. The food was similar but significantly different in quality between the two locations. There was also a LaRosa on Touhy, but that was an entirely different menu. As far as I know, none of these locations was really a franchise.

There's a La Rosa in Lincolnshire too, right on Milwaukee.

And there used to be a LaRosa on Main Street in Evanston. Then the owner decided to open a little place next door with the food of his native Afghanistan. One move and one Check Please appearance later, he's out of the pizza biz and running the popular Kabul House.

Kabul House
3320 W. Dempster St., Skokie

nr706 wrote:And there used to be a LaRosa on Main Street in Evanston. Then the owner decided to open a little place next door with the food of his native Afghanistan. One move and one Check Please appearance later, he's out of the pizza biz and running the popular Kabul House.

Kabul House
3320 W. Dempster St., Skokie

Actually, it wasnt even next door He had a room and a little foyer for
La Rosa, and after a while started making the odd Afghan dish and
selling it as well. It proved popular...so he converted the room into
"Afghan House", and kept the foyer for purely takeout La Rosa!
Thus you could have kababs and palau for dinner, and get some
(pretty poor) tiramisu for dessert while still in the same seat - which I
actually did on a couple of occasions I kept threatening to have
palau and pizza in th same order, but my friends wouldnt let me

After doing very well in Evanston for a year or two (this was on Main,
between Judson and Chicago), he moved to Skokie on Dempster,
changed the name to Kabul House, and opened his Afghani
restaurant... the week before September 11th, 2001! Basically nobody
showed up for a couple of weeks after - and then supposedly some
in the neighbourhood community decided to show up to demonstrate
support. And then more showed up (often fueled by curiosity about
Afghanistan in general, apparently). *Then* it showed up on Check
Please... and raised prices by 50%, opened a new outpost on Belmont,
and the rest is history

That stretch of Evanston has changed quite a bit - a wonderful old
curio shop (also run by an Afghani emigre, Saraj) was bang opposite
the old Afghan House, and was around for 20-odd years, I think. It
sadly shut down only a month or so ago, supposedly with the owner
raising rents thru the roof to drive them away (there is talk of a new
tea-shop or some such opening in the spot soon).

c8w

c8w wrote: opened a new outpost on Belmont,
and the rest is history

IIRC, the second location was on Halsted, approx. across the street from Steppenwolf - it was one of my favorite pre- or post-theater places, one of the few BYOBs on that strip, and probably too adventurous for that area.