Ed & Erv's Centrella Market

So the 'spouse toddles home this morning at 7am after what clearly was a difficult night - and he's just plain sick. With sniffles and red eyes, he insisted on driving Sparky to school, came back and collapsed like a zombie. "You need soup" quoth I. Of course, we had roast chicken two nights ago, and managed to demolish the entire bird, bones and all. So, after doing everything in my wifely power to make him comfortable, I set off in search of a few good birds.

I originally intended to head out to Jerry's Meats on Dempster, where I've procured Amish chickens at not unreasonable prices, but I was also thinking about lunch along the way, so I headed out Touhy towards Ben Tre Cafe for some Pho for inspiration, intending to settle for Aaron's chickens at the Jewel. As the car turned down Touhy, I noticed the sign that always appears this time of year in Ed & Erv's Centrella Market "Order Fresh Turkeys Now." I don't know if you've ever noticed this place - it's sandwiched between a dive-y bar and a dubious-looking office building on a mostly residential stretch of Touhy. It doesn't look hopeful from the front - at least it doesn't in 2008 - in 1934 it probably looked just right, but now it's hard to distinguish from the usual chip-and-cigarette vendors in the area. Except they obviously sell meat. "What the heck," I think, and I pull over.

The first thing that struck me, other than the ancient-ness of the place, was a dubious smell (which, I had to admit to myself, I'd have ignored in an ethnic grocery) but I noticed that the fixtures appeared to be original wood, which might account for it. I pressed on past the ceiling-high shelves of canned goods. Waaay in back, there's a little deli counter/meat case and a real honest-to-pete butcher. "Whaddalya have?" he drawls, kindly. Spying the handwritten sign claiming "all-natural, hormone-free" chickens, I asked "How much is your chicken?" "$1.58 a pound" he says. I notice there are only two birds left, and take them both. He offers to cut one up for me, and since it's for soup, I gratefully accept.

While he's doing this, I notice a freezer case along the side and go to investigate - and, to my delight, spy a package of frozen beef marrow bones! "How much are the marrow bones?" I ask, to which he replies by shaking his head "Oh, they used to be cheap, but now they're real, real expensive: $2.50 a pound" I contain myself (barely) and order four. Other handwritten signs prove this place to be worth a second look: "All our meats are USDA Prime or Choice," and something about how they add or cover all their roasts in fat for better flavor. At the front, they offered T-Shirts with an ancient photo of the place, which I couldn't resist.

I did a search, and unless there's some magical combination of this name I haven't hit on, it doesn't exist on either LTH or Yelp, and barely has an Internet presence at all (feel free to merge this thread wherever if I'm an idiot and missed it!) The chickens seem to be quite high-quality; I poached the first and pulled the meat off, by God it tastes like chicken!

Ed & Erv's Centrella Grocery & Market
2210 W Touhy Ave
Chicago, IL 60645-3412
Phone: (773) 764-3610

Mhays wrote:Now." I don't know if you've ever noticed this place - it's sandwiched between a dive-y bar and a dubious-looking office building on a mostly residential stretch of Touhy.

For years my Father-in-laws office was in that building. Every year he was in charge of walking next door and getting the fresh turkey for Thanksgiving.

A good friend in the 'hood--a serious cook--loves the meat and the butcher there. I never seem to be going by at the right time to stop and check it out. Who invented the 40-hour work week?

Mhays-

I regularly have driven past that market and thought it was very quaint. Like EvA, the clock has never permitted me to stop in. I will make an effort to now because it sounds great.

I think the somewhat dubious bar next door (My Place or something like that) recently had a slight makeover. I remember brown paper on the windows. That's another place I'd like to visit because it too seems like a throwback to another era.

-Mary

Late spring of 1981, I'm in 5th grade at Armstrong a block south. My friends and I head to Ed and Erv's after school to get some Wacky Packages trading cards, those being the Pokemon of the day.

For some reason Adam Silverstein convinces me that I NEED that Chunky with raisins and I should just pocket it. I didn't make it 5 steps before the guy behind the counter (literally) collars me and proceeds to give me a verbal dressing down in front of everyone in there.

I haven't stolen so much as a pencil since then. Thanks for the life lesson, E&E counter guy

Do you know if they take credit cards?

Pie Lady wrote:Do you know if they take credit cards?

Pie Lady -

In the time it took you to post your inquiry, you could have called the market and asked them. (The phone number is in the first post, per LTH custom.)

However, they do, indeed take credit cards - or I'd have walked out with chicken, but sadder and without marrow bones and t-shirt.

aschie30 wrote:In the time it took you to post your inquiry, you could have called the market and asked them. (The phone number is in the first post, per LTH custom.)

You may be correct, but in the time it took you to post your snarky rebuke, you probably could have done something useful, no? Or at least friendly?

Ed and Erv's has been my local place to obtain grilling materials for quite a while. The beef is good, but it ain't Zier's. They used to carry aged prime, but not for a long time. Still, the butchered products are certainly miles better than the processed pre-cut flesh Dominick's has to offer, and they do order fresh turkeys for the holidays. Besides, it's the kind of indy neighborhood grocery that deserves support.

Someone's got to post a picture of the Ed & Erv's exterior--it's a classic, though somehow I've never gotten around to taking that photo. I did, however, get around to having a beer at the "divy" bar next door. On Halloween two years ago they were giving out candy to the neighborhood kids. It's not a dive at all on the inside, more of a comfy corner tavern--the crowd was a cross-section of neighbors having a beer after work. I'd go back.

I just came back from buying half a pound of ground lamb. For $1.84. $1.84!!!

I immediately decided to call up for a fresh Thanksgiving turkey. As for the smell, it smelled pretty tasty in there to me. A little like roast chicken and, indeed, 70 year old wood.

Called Ed & Erv's today to inquire about a rib roast and got an answering machine - apparently they're offering fresh turkeys for the winter holidays as well. I will be checking the rib roasts out tomorrow when they're hopefully open.

Found this shot of the marketon Flickr.

So, Monday I braved the snow (though I might have walked there faster) and, deciding to forgo the delicious irony of getting my Christmas Rib Roast at Romanian Kosher, opted instead to head up Touhy to Ed & Erv's. A short discussion with the butcher produced this beautiful three-bone "semi-boneless" trimmed choice meat, somewhere between $9 and $10 a pound, I don't remember exactly, but conversing with the guy while he hacked it apart was worth the money. Apparently they've been insanely busy for the holidays, but business otherwise has been difficult.

For your holiday pleasure:


I also picked up a pork roast which I made into a kind of pulled pork in the crock-pot, which was lovely as well. Not to mention that my purchase came with the free Centrella Market Calendar Of Meat.

Mhays wrote:For your holiday pleasure:

Gorgeous!

In the interest of honesty, though I've been enjoying my trips to Ed & Erv's, I feel compelled to mention that small places sometimes don't have the turnover we hope for - and remind everyone to use common sense when buying protiens. Still, one miss and two out of the park isn't a reason not to go there; I hope this was an anomoly.

In preparation for our New Year's Day chili and football extravaganza, I called Ed & Erv's to see if I could get the meat from them. Denny, who I believe might be the owner, was very helpful. Although he didn't have skirt steak on hand, he was going to check with his purveyor and let me know the next morning if he could get it. Given that I was doubling YourPalWill's excellent chili recipe, I needed 5 pounds of skirt steak, 5 pounds of meatloaf mix and 2 pounds of ground chuck. Denny informed me the next morning that he had the skirt steak and even cut it into the chunks I required. (It takes a long time to brown over 12 pounds of meat. I was thankful to have one step done for me -- even if I paid a premium for it!) The meat counter selection on New Year's eve was pretty slim because he wasn't stocking much because of the holiday. Denny did show me a number of frozen, seasoned fish selections that looked worth trying. I also picked up a package of Italian meatballs in the freezer section to go with my book club dinner a few days after New Year's Day. I hope to visit Ed & Erv's Centrella again to try more of their offerings.

Mhays -- did you contact the store about your product problem? I suspect they would like to know about anyy problems and might offer something in return.

I did not, and probably should - I'm certain they would make good on it - but decided to just chalk it up to rushing out the door without checking what I was getting. Wanted to remind folks not to do that. I've certainly gotten worse at the local Jewel.

LTH,

What a nice tidy little grocery, sincere greeting when I walked in, well stocked close set aisles, fresh crisp looking produce and a friendly, knowledgeable butcher/owner behind the meat/deli case.

Ed & Erv's Centrella Grocery



Bought a nice looking rib-eye and a couple of housemade brats, Denny threw in an Italian sausage with the warming I'd be back for more.

Denny Mondl, butcher/owner



I chatted with Denny for 10 minutes or so and, while he didn't outright say it, I have the feeling he and the Maytag Repairman have a lot in common.

Thanks for the heads up on Ed & Erv's Mhays!

Enjoy,
Gary

Mhays wrote:While he's doing this, I notice a freezer case along the side and go to investigate - and, to my delight, spy a package of frozen beef marrow bones! "How much are the marrow bones?" I ask, to which he replies by shaking his head "Oh, they used to be cheap, but now they're real, real expensive: $2.50 a pound" I contain myself (barely) and order four.

Mhays, I get Baby Fuzzball's beef marrow bones at Dominick's or Sunset for usually less than $1.50 a pound. Not often out on display, but usually available if you ask at the meat counter. They'll saw them to your preferred length.

I've been meaning to stop by Ed & Erv's since, well, since I saw this topic posted. Finally got around to it last week, when I needed a chicken for the crockpot.

The chicken was just fine, a notch or two better than what I expect from da Jewels, and it was efficiently demolished by the talented Denny for no extra charge. (I am not a frequenter of butcher's shops - do they typically charge for this service?) I also picked up a couple of homemade Italian sausages on a whim, which turned out to be the star purchase. Not that I have extensive experience with fresh sausages either, but they were hands-down the best I've ever had. I will be purchasing some more today to fancy up tonight's pesto gnocchi.

On my way home Wednesday evening, I noted a sign in their window on Wednesday touting the availability of Ho-Ka turkeys for Thanksgiving. Just sayin'.