Deta's Cafe- Sunday 3/10 - with Deta cooking!

I visited Deta's last week under its new management and while it was enjoyable (especially with Anne Schmidt at the piano), I fondly recalled Deta's of old.

Anne informed me that Deta is in town and that she would be willing to cook for her old friends: salad, burek (several varieties), stew, and dessert who knows what will inspire our friend. I arranged a dinner for 20 on Sunday March 10th at 6:00 p.m. BYOB. I forgot to ask the price, but, after all, it's Deta's. I hope to see the old gang and some of the young gang. This may not happen again. If you have wished to experience one of the best loved GNRs, this is the night.

The total cost will be $25 (including tax, tip, and gratuity to the pianist: yes, pianist). It is BYOB.

I am told we can go to 25 people, but I need to let them know by Friday noon.

1. GAF
2. nr706
3. Moetchandon
4. tarte tatin
5. rgl201
6. chapulin
7. nr706 +1
8. Frank P
9. Judy H
10. Mr. H
11. Nancy
12. Nancy+1
13. Nancy+2
14. Nancy+3
15. EvA
16. Cabbagehead
17. edc
18. edc +1
19. Lemoneater

Deta's Cafe
7555 N. Ridge
Chicago, IL

Moetchandon and I would love to attend and see Deta again. Thanks for organizing.

Hi,

If I were not already committed to another event, I would be there.

Regards,

I'm afraid I qualify as an OLD friend of Deta's in more ways than one.... Please add me to the list. Thanks, Gary!

Add both of us. We would be happy to see Deta! And we qualify as the old gang, I am afraid ...

Add another +1 , making three for our party, if possible. Thanks!

I'm tentatively interested, but could you find out the price? Thanks!

Count me in.

I am not sure we qualify as either old gang or young gang, but I'd love to come and so would Mr. H. We only ate at Deta's once, but it is a very good memory. Count us in, please.

With a week to go we are at 10 with 10 extra spots, and it was suggested to me that some members of the Board may not know of Deta's in its glory days, when Deta was behind the stove making stews and bureks.

On this board there are GNRs and "Super-GNRs," restaurants that are more than good, but iconic. Deta's used to be one of those: a treasure of Montenegrin home cooking in a homey storefront. (It used to be a place where the local Balkan community hung out). Even if we have 100 GNRs, a dozen or so stand out, and Deta's once was one of these.

One thread that people can check out is: http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=17137&hilit=Deta

One can also check out a YouTube video that Cathy2 uploaded in 2006 of Deta preparing burek:

I have a call asking the price, but as the restaurant is BYOB, the cost will be modest.

I would love to come to see Ann and eat with all of you--we are 2 adults, 2 kids. Thanks!

Cabbagehead and I would love to join you.

As noted in the revised OP, the all-inclusive cost is $25.

Lemoneater, I added you so we wouldn't run out of space, but if you can't make it, let me know.

I'm interested in attending +1. Like Judy H, I've been to Deta's once, and it was a good memory along with having the burek during the LTH party at Weegee's.

Thanks,
edc

I'm in! Thanks for arranging this.

Because Deta needs to know how much to prepare, I am closing the sign-up at noon Friday. If you wish to sign up after that, I will see if we can extend the number of reservations, but no promises.

REMEMBER ON SUNDAY SET YOUR CLOCKS FORWARD ONE HOUR.

Unfortunately, I am not going to make it. Thank you for setting it up.

I thank everyone who made it out tonight to Deta's. It turns out that she has been cooking on most Sunday nights and is likely to continue to do so until sometime in April when she returns to Montenegro. But call ahead, because sometimes the restaurant is closed on Sundays.

The burek (cabbage, cheese, meat, and potato) was as excellent as ever, and we enjoyed Deta's salad, goulash, and tiramisu. If we establish an LTH Hall of Fame, Deta will surely be one of the inaugural inductees.

As I noted, Deta spends half the year in Chicago and half the year in Bar, Montenegro (a graceful seaside town) with a young grandchild in each location. But at least she will still be cooking for a few more Sundays, and she had nice things to say about the growing burek skills of Jonathan, the new young owner.

Thank you, Deta.

After I left, I realized that the picture of our group had Deta in the back, not the front. But it does reveal our love for a profound GNR chef.


LTH-Dinner-Deta's-March 2013 by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Gary--Thanks so much for organizing this enjoyable dinner--and for adding some geographic diversity by bringing the cashew wine (made from the cashew fruit, not the nut, if I understood you correctly) from Belize for all to try. Everything was so tasty, and the conversation highly entertaining. Somehow I missed the cabbage and potato versions of the burek (not that I had much room left for them!), so I guess I'll be trying to make it back to Deta's before she heads back to Montenegro again.

Yes, Gary, thanks for organizing this feast! The food was great and so was the company.

Tarte Tatin, sitting next to you I got nothing BUT potato burek. Not sure how that happened!

Still thinking about the delicious goulash.