Relocating to the Ukrainian Village.....

I originally posted this on another forum, but I was told that might might get a better response here.

My wife and I are relocating to Chicago(near the intersection of Western and Cortez) from the cultural wasteland of Savannah, GA. There are some decent places to eat here, but way too many cookie cutter chain resturants. I'm originally from just outside of Boston, and I really miss the neighborhood "hole-in-the-walls" which always seemed to have the best food to me. So what is in my new neighborhood? Anything I shouldn't miss? My wife and her brother always rave about "Pepe's" Italian Beef sandwiches from her youth, so I'll be trying that but what else is there?

Thanks alot!
SSDD

Welcome to LTH.

This topic has been discussed a number of times, both here and at Chowhound. Jump in the Fan Si Pan thread, right about here, for some recent discussion of the Ukie Village dining landscape.

And, if you are talking about Peppe's, at the corner of Oakley and Chicago, well, I can tell you that there are much better beef sandwiches to be had in this town. Much. For starters, try Boston's, one mile west of Western, on Chicago Ave. 2932 W. Chicago, to be exact.

Regards,
Erik M.

Yes, welcome to LTH and to Chicago!

Division west of Western is a Puerto Rican neighborhood (as you'll guess when you see the giant flag over the street), and about a block and a half west of Western is a little restaurant called Papa's Cache Sabroso. Papa's has great jibaritos (a sandwich invented in Chicago; the fillings are between two pounded and fried slices of plantains instead of bread) and also very good rotisserie chicken. There's been some discussion here about whether the quality of Papa's chicken had gone downhill of late, but a chicken that Antonius and I got there a couple weeks ago was quite good, much improved over the dried out bird we had received on a previous visit.

LTH poster extramsg -- based in Portland, Oregon, but quite active here -- has some wonderful pictures of Papa's on his website. (photos link) In fact, you might enjoy reading his account(s) on his website of his trip to Chicago last fall, when he explored a number of neighborhoods and ate an astounding number of good meals.


Papa's Cache Sabroso
(773) 862-8313
2517 W Division St
Chicago, IL 60622

Thanks for the welcome guys!

Usually I'm pretty proficent at searching forums, but since I haven't actually moved yet, the correct terms aren't in my vocab yet!

"Ukrainian" had a couple of hits, but not a whole lot. Thou I did find that thread that Erik mentioned in his above post.

I've heard the area also called "old town" or "west town" are these correct terms?

As far as Peppe's goes, I'm sure that there is better Italian Beef in the city, but you know how as a kid there are some places you go, and never forget the smell, taste, and good memories of? I'm pretty sure that is how my wife feels about Peppe's. Now she hasn't lived in Chicago in nearly 20 years or so, so who knows.

Again thanks for the welcome, I'm really looking forward to this move.
SSDD

West Town is accurate, though a little bit of a recent term. You will basically be where Humboldt Park, Ukie Village and Smith Park come together. Old Town is a differnt neighborhood.

In addition to Papas and Boston's (two personal favorites) you might try the Mexican hole in the wall Taqueria Jalisciense (kitty corner from Boston's) and the Polish hole in the wall Andrzej Grill, 1100 N. Western or so. And do try the PR food trucks in HP, particularly La Esquina de Sabor.

Another internet resource that can be helpful -- if you take the listings with a grain of salt -- is Metromix, part of the Chicago Tribune web site. Not for the reviews of restaurants necessarily, but rather for its feature of finding places nearby something else. For example, if you look up Andrzej Grill, which JeffB suggested and which will be very close to you, you can ask Metromix to list all restaurants within a quarter mile, half mile, etc. from that location. Caution: there are many defunct places still listed on Metromix, but this is a good way to find leads and get individual names of places on which you could search further.

http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/dining/

Headcase:

You might want to stop in and do a little shopping at Rich's:
http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=42016#42016

Antonius

Jeff B wrote: West Town is accurate, though a little bit of a recent term.

Everything old is new again. Antonius could you please translate that into Flemish for us

West Town is the official community area name that includes Ukrainian Village. The Community Area methodology belongs to the University of Chicago school of sociology, circa about 1920. It only exists in Chicago.

Saying you lived in West Town used to connote working class, Puerto Rican, some Mexican, some old Polish, not enough yuppies, whatever. Realtors didn't like it. They invent neighborhood names to market real estate. Apparently West Town (as a name) has now rebounded, and means something new and desirable, perhaps "closer to expressway on ramps."

Another neighborhood that has gone through this is Uptown. If you search on the Reader website for "Great Shrinking Neighborhood" you will find a very good and humorous article about this. But, you will have to pay.

I notice nobody is calling anything "East Humboldt," which is what Puerto Ricans who were displaced from Lincoln Park and from the area around State and Erie came to call the neighborhoods on the east side of the park.

Which are, technically, West Town. For first-time homebuyers, this will be an important distinction.

Wow, good and diverse info here, sounds alot like the food in the city.

Amata -- Good resource! How did people ever get along without the net?

Antonius -- I will definatly have no shortage of Eastern European food. See one of the reason's I'm moving to Chicago is I'm getting a great deal on rent from my wife's grandmother, who happens to be straight off the boat Ukrainian 50+ years ago.

JeffB and annieb -- Thanks for the breakdown on Chicago neighborhood terminology.

I don't know if these places will meet your definition of little neighborhood restaurants but here are a couple of other nice places in your new 'hood:
1) Bite cafe on Western is a funky little cafe with pretty good burgers (great choice of burgers), a very eclectic menu with interesting specials. And it's BYOB.
2) Letizia's bakery on division about 2 blocks E. of western is a great place to sit outside and drink coffee, have a muffin during Chicago's all-too-short summer. I'd give the baked goods a solid B (maybe B+) but I like the environment a lot.
3) Milk and Honey cafe: a little furthur from you. Just east of Damen, I believe, on Division-very charming cafe that has great breakfast, good coffee and interesting sandwiches at lunch.
4) I've been meaning to try Maiz--it's been talked about a bit on LTH--apparently a very good regional mexican joint that recently reopened after a fire on the 1000 block of California. Maybe another LTH-er can give you more insight on that one.
Welcome to Chicago---There's no Mrs. Wilkes here, but I think you'll find a lot more food diversity here...

For a neighborhood greasy spoon, I would recommend Tommy's Rock & Roll Cafe at 2500 W. Chicago Ave. (the corner of Chicago and Campbell - 1 block west of Western and several blocks south of Cortez.) It took me years to venture in there because I didn't trust a place that sold burgers and music equipment, and now I'm kicking myself. The veggie burgers are fantastic and I hear the rest of the menu is as well. Haven't tried the donuts. You've got to try it.



Also, I used to eat at Maiz when it was on Division. I was sad to see it close and am glad that it's reopened in a new location (the rent probably got too high for them at Damen/Division.) I will have to go back there soon. It's really fresh, non-greasy, pre-Hispanic Mexican food. I remember them serving huitlacoche.

Headcase,

About 1/2 mile down Western, at the corner of Western and Grand, is an outpost of DiCarlo's Armanetti Wine and Spirit Shop. In the midst of a rough looking industrial strip is one of the better, more unassuming general liquor stores in that part of the city. Reflecting the make up of the neighborhood, they have a surprising and well-priced variety of Tequilas, Eastern European brandies and fruit liquors/liqueurs, decent wine selection, and a lot of other odd and unique brands of spirits hard to find at most shops. For example, they regularly stock both the sambuca and anisette made by Meletti, who makes a superior product (both of them) at a very reasonable price. This place is always worth a visit just to see what kind of odd stuff they have - and hey, it's only a 7 minute walk from your new digs! Also non-food related, you'll be less than a minute's walk from the Empty Bottle, one of the best live music venues in the country. Have fun.

Reb

Headcase,

Also, not TOO too far from you, (certainly not right in your new neighborhood, but close enough for consideration) a mere mile and a half down the aforementioned Grand Ave, is one of West Town's Litle Italys, a strip of Grand Ave from, roughly, Noble to Halsted, which has many good bakeries, restaurants, shops, and funeral parlors. Seriously, I'd recommend D'Amato's bakery (the one on Grand and May) for bread, pizza, and cookies, and right next door is Bari Grocery, for imported canned and packaged goods, fresh Broccoli di Rape, homemade sausage, fresh meat cut to order, and some kind of sandwich that I've heard is pretty good... If the weather's nice, the walk isn't too bad, or you could walk to Grand and hop on the bus, stopping at Armanetti on the way back for the perfect vino to accompany your picks at Bari and D'Amato's. I also like Oggi Cafe, on the corner of Noble and Grand, for coffee and superior lemon ices (better get this while you can) and Dante's Bar at Racine and Hubbard (one block south of Grand, next to the train tracks) for a good time - Karaoke, good mix of neighborhood weirdos, free food weeknights, interesting liquor selection. Enjoy.

Reb

hungryrabbi wrote:... and Dante's Bar at Racine and Hubbard (one block south of Grand, next to the train tracks) for a good time - Karaoke, good mix of neighborhood weirdos, free food weeknights, interesting liquor selection.

Reb:

I didn't know you went to Dante's Inferno. Dante himself is an old hockey buddy/ex-teammate of mine. Unfortunately, it looks like the bar has closed; last time I was in that neighbourhood, I headed over there and the sign was gone and all was dark and shut tight.

I hope Dante is doing alright.

A

Again thanks to eveyone that has thrown there .02 in! I'm really looking forward to living in a "real" city again. I am very happy about being near the Empty Bottle, live music, Guinness on tap, WITHIN WALKING (never mind crawling) distance? My liver may regret this move.

our weeks and change to go!

SSDD

You have of course found your way around the neighborhood by now, but for future searchers, I wanted to add a few places in the UK Village that I head to.

For a great coffee shop near you, try Cafe Ballou on Western, just north of Iowa. It's fantastic.

For some good southern cooking, try Feed on Western and California. I love their sandwiches, my husband loves their chicken, and we both love their sides (particularly the corn and particularly NOT the macaroni and cheese. Fun atmosphere as well.

I just tried Papas on Division (mentioned earlier), and it lived up to my expectations. The ladies that helped me were incredibly friendly, and I thought the Jibarito was great, although quite oily.

papua2001mk wrote:For some good southern cooking, try Feed on Western and California.

I thought Feed was closer to Chicago and California, but memory fails me sometimes. I don't even know where Western and California intersect.

Yes, my mistake, it is indeed. Western and California run parallel to each other.