Evanston catering options?

My office is in the process of completing a catering comparison--a review of all of the caterers we've used in the last couple of years. The review is almost done, but I think our list could definitely stand to grow. We've gotten somewhat tired of the caterers we've really liked on the list (see astericks) and have been disappointed too many times with the majority of places. I'm looking for additional caterers to consider.

The List:
(I can add our existing comments if people are interested.)
Olive Mountain
Jimmy John's
Lou Malnati's*
Rollin 'n Dough*
Kim's Kitchen
Potbelly's
Einstein Bagels
Panera
Whole Foods
Pita Inn
Thai Sookdee
Papa Johns
Hel's Kitchen
A Tray to Remember
New York Bagel & Bialy*

Our criteria: I work for Northwestern University in Evanston. The events we have catered range from undergrad-only informal breakfasts and lunches (hence the Jimmy John's and Potbelly's) to receptions and dinners for senior university administrators and external stakeholders. We usually have about $10/person to spend for lunch (all inclusive). For the dinners, we have more flexibility in spending, but our budget overall is very modest. Besides the quality of food and price point, ideal caterers will also know how to read a map. This sounds petty, but we've had the problem repeatedly of caterers getting lost in delivery to campus. Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

The Celtic Knot does catering and has done so in the past for the university. (e.g. we had the entire Biochemistry department in the snug a week ago) However 10/head is pretty darn cheap; not sure they are in that low of a price bracket.

Disclosure: I do work for the Knot on a part time basis and have been friends with the owners for many years.

Heckys will deliver but I'm not sure about them setting up, worth giving them a call though.

The Lovely Dining Companion and I hired a company called Pear Tree Catering (out of Buffalo Grove) when we had a reception here (in the city, at our home) for all the Chicago friends who didn't come to the wedding in L.A. We were very happy with their professionalism, the service, and the food. They worked closely with us on the menu and I wouldn't hesitate to use them again; 'course, our budget was substantially higher than yours and they may be a little pricey for you, but I would urge you to talk to them; one never knows!

Pear Tree Catering, Ltd.
1310 Busch Parkway
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
847-459-1100

P.S. We worked with Bonnie Katz. One of the things I liked about her--personal preference, I guess--is that she wasn't shy about telling me that X was a bad idea and then explaining precisely why. We ended up quite pleased with the items we chose and would be happy to rely on her/their expertise in the future, too.

I'd give Foodstuffs a shot. Their ingredient quality is excellent and their service really is outstanding, too. I think you'll probably find their pricing to be comparable to those in the upper tier of the list you provided above.

=R=

Foodstuffs
2106 Central St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 328-7704

I've used Kim's Kitchen on Noyes Street quite a bit, with very similar budgets, and been very happy with their creative, wholesome and very tasty foods. Like you, the non-profit I work for got very tired of the usual options, and after awhile, you just can't look at a sandwich or pizza for a catered event. Kim will throw out a couple of options for your price range, and you can choose what you like.

Kim's Kitchen
815 Noyes St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 475-5467

We had a graduation get together for my daughter and a number of her sorority sisters from NU at Bat 17. Really good sandwiches and salads and I think they were reasonable.

http://www.bat17evanston.com/

The Lucky Platter does catering. Although most of the things on their menu are designed to be a little different than standard diner or pizzeria fare, and might be unappealing to certain kinds of eaters, in the past I've seen them make turkey sandwiches for catering events. I'm a big fan of their salads, which could be a good lunchtime option (disclosure: I was a server there a few years ago).

Back in my undergrad days I often ordered catering from Lulu's. I always enjoyed their food, whether ordered for groups or not, and I remember them giving us really cheap prices for catering orders.

The Lucky Platter
514 Main St.
Evanston, IL 60202
847-869-4064

Lulu's
Dim Sum and Then Sum
804 Davis
Evanston, IL 60201
847-869-4343

What's the (relatively) new place at Chicago and Davis? My impression was that it's an all-catering/carry-out deal.

cilantro wrote:What's the (relatively) new place at Chicago and Davis? My impression was that it's an all-catering/carry-out deal.

That would be The Corner Chef, and your description is correct.

http://www.cornerchef.com/

Not sure if I was just lucky, but I was once at a holiday party catered by the guy who owns Chef's Station. Don't know his name but it was one of the great meals of my life.

i think most places will do catering even if they don't advertise it. I have done a few jobs in the past just from organizations calling and asking.

So if u like the restaurant, call em up, talk to the manager and see what they can do for u.

HB wrote:Not sure if I was just lucky, but I was once at a holiday party catered by the guy who owns Chef's Station. Don't know his name but it was one of the great meals of my life.

Chef's Station is owned by Peter Mills.

Jenn_in_RoPa wrote:I've used Kim's Kitchen on Noyes Street quite a bit, with very similar budgets, and been very happy with their creative, wholesome and very tasty foods. Like you, the non-profit I work for got very tired of the usual options, and after awhile, you just can't look at a sandwich or pizza for a catered event. Kim will throw out a couple of options for your price range, and you can choose what you like.

My office wants to love Kim's, we really do. She's local, very close to our office, a small operation, knows the campus and has worked with us to fit our budget. However, we've found them to be inconsistent and just not reliable. Last spring, we ordered lunch from Kim's for a small faculty retreat. We got two pasta salads, both of which were clearly made with fresh ingredients, but the flavors somehow didn't work for either salad--just didn't taste good. For that same event, they forgot all of our desserts, and we actually had to go pick them up ourselves.

Our most recent experience with Kim's was just last week. They catered a reception for us on Friday. The first problem was that they delivered all of the food on Thursday. We checked all of our correspondence. It was supposed to be Friday. They just got mixed up. Kim and her team came back on Friday with the same food. Some items were fine, e.g. the hummous, but the chicken crostini? Day-old crackers topped with chicken are going to get soggy. It was not good. We also contacted Kim's to reduce our order a week before the event, were told that the change wouldn't be a problem. They forgot about the change and brought too much food.

We'll probably still use Kim's for breakfasts (we like their scones) and afternoon snacks (we love their shortbread), but I think we've finally learned our lesson. We've had too many debrief meetings where the first question is, "Why did we use Kim's again?"

A friend of mine runs, and I am a minute investor in http://www.gourmet2go.net

They cover the whole city, and while lunch is the main part of their business, they do evenings too. They cover all price points, and have a very diverse menu. I believe that they will do free tastings for new customers.

-Will

So, Gus - are you saying that you cater if we ask nicely? (WASC does deliver...)

RonnieSuburban said:

I'd give Foodstuffs a shot. Their ingredient quality is excellent and their service really is outstanding, too. I think you'll probably find their pricing to be comparable to those in the upper tier of the list you provided above.

I'll second that. Our experience with Foodstuffs was very positive.

J&L Catering has outstanding food at affordable prices, and made their bones catering on the North shore. You should give them a call, they've developed a box lunch program for a collection of businesses in Chicago that has been very well received.

In the intrest of duplicity I must admit this is my brother-in-law's business, but that doesn't diminish the fact that it kicks ass!

http://www.jandlcatering.com/