Blue Line Moroccan Grill

I will preface this by saying that I am no expert on Moroccan food, but always enjoy finding new food experiences.

Walking to my train stop (Irving Park) I noticed a relative newcomer to the area, the Blue Line Moroccan Grill. I have been back a couple times, and can report that there are some very nice things worth eating here.

At first glance the place looks like a small, very casual coffee shop, with an espresso machine, some loose teas, and large bakery case. Get in a little further and you'll see the kitchen tucked in back, and a large back room with more tables and chairs. The decor is fairly pedestrian. A look at the menu shows the bakery items (Cuisine d' France), the hot drinks, and a interesting assortment of kebabs and sandwiches.

My first meal there was a quick beef kebab sandwich. The owner was friendly, and steered me from the chicken to the beef. The small chunks of steak were nicely charred, and marinated in house in what I assume to be traditional Moroccan seasonings. I could taste paprika, garlic, a note of citrus, and a subtle heat. It was served on a house made baguette that was a little too tightly crumbed and a little too spongy, with tomato and lettuce. The food service "battered" fries were a let down, cooked fine, but I am not a fan of the battered fry.

Next time was much better. I tried a couple different kebabs, the lamb and Merguez (Moroccan sausage) offered as a meal with two sides. The lamb was cooked perfectly, with a nice char on the outside and moist in the middle, the lamby taste working well with the same seasoning as the beef kebab. The Merguez was very good. The owner served them taking pride in spending a few weeks in a butcher shop in Morocco learning "the secrets" of how to make them. They contain beef and lamb and are stuffed in lamb casings in house. The four sausages were about the size of breakfast links, and very tasty. The sides I chose were the garlic mashed potatoes and the taktouka (roasted pepper dip). The potatoes were handled well and had a nice hit of garlic and flecks of herbs. The taktouka had tomato, bell peppers, and a well balanced hand with the spices. Both of these sides complimented the meat well.

In all a great spot to have near work, and worth a visit if you are looking for a taste of Morocco. I still have yet to try the hot drinks or sweet bakery items, but I will be back to try them.

Blue Line Moroccan Grill
4027 W. Irving Park Road
Chicago, IL 60641
773-427-9130

M-Sat 11am - 10pm
Sunday 11am - 9pm

Good to see some more Moroccan options in the city.
Do they have any tagine or couscous dishes?

They do have Tagine (chicken, lamb, veal or fish, with assorted traditional sides) and couscous, but they must be ordered for a group of 4 or more.