Hashalom, everybody!

I've been working on a long form documentary on Devon Avenue and that gives me a great opportunity to get to know some of the restaurants that I wouldn't normally discover on my own. In particular, I just want to bring the story of the Hashalom Restaurant to the my fellow LTHers attention, and possibly encourage somebody to try, or go back to this unique place. The owners, Danni and Jacque, have taken great pride in this small business, serving quality and value priced food for 20 years. Just recently, in fact 3 months ago, they sadly shut their doors due to doubling of the rent. They had hoped to sell the business, and completely scrubbed and shined every inch of the place, probably making it the cleanest restaurant on Devon. (Is there much competition for that though, I wonder?) They have reopened this week, with much mixed feelings, glad to be back, sad/mad at not selling, and knowing that they will have to work harder to make more money that they will never see because it will go to the landlord. One concession that they have made is that they will now be open on weekends, which in the past they refused to do in order to be there for their 3 kids. They will now be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. They still hope to sell their business, so if any LTHers have had secret fantasies about opening their own restaurant this may be opportunity knock-knock-knocking! Anyway, I find the story interesting and I like these guys, and I LOVE their food, so if you find yourselves casting about for a new/old neighborhood fav where you're treated like family stop in and have a falafel sandwich, you won't regret it. BTW, the food is described as Isreali/Morrocan cuisine.
Hashalom
2905 W. Devon
Hours: Wed-Sun Noon-9
Closed Mon/Tues

Here are some links for more info, search for Hashalom
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... t=hashalom
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... t=hashalom
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... t=hashalom

I grew up a few doors from Hashalom and it was like a second home to me for many years. The whole closing-reopening slipped by my radar as I hadn't been there in probably close to six months.

Thanks for the heads up regarding their intention to sell. I'll definitely be making a few trips back for felafel and bourekas.

Best,
Michael / EC

Danak:

Thank you very much for letting us know about the situation at Hashalom. Your explanation of their weekend policy was enlightening, as I've been there with several people and none of us knew exactly why they were closed on the weekends. I find it unfortunate that their rent situation became what it is, but I now have even more motivation to make the trek to Hashalom, both to give the owners all the support possible and because the weekend hours make it a more convenient option.

I just want to further extol the fabulous food that rolls out of that kitchen. I have not had felafel at all corners of the globe (or this city), but their felafel is easily the best I have ever had. Crispy on the outside, hot and delicious on the inside, probably the perfect size for an amazingly cheap lunch. Though their new rent may cause the price to increase, I've always known their felafel sandwich to cost $2, which was actually cheaper than Pita Inn and far superior. The split pea soup is also tasty, though if you like it with ham this Israeli version obviously isn't for you.

The hummos is absolutely fabulous, so creamy and probably even better than that of Pita Inn. Other things that I've had have been good, but I find it hard to stray from my original favorites on the menu. Last time I was there was on a Friday night, and I noticed that they seem to have a BYOB policy, which would obviously be nice to take advantage of for a dinner.

All I can say is that anybody who likes this type of food should make a trip to this great, incredibly cheap restaurant. Apparently they could really use the business.

i'm also a huge fan of hashalom and was unaware of its closing. while i personally think they serve some of, if not the best falafel in the city, there's no disputing that at the ridiculously low price of $2 or $2.50 a sandwich, it's hard to beat it in terms of bang for the buck. their soups are also really great.

thanks for the heads up, danak.

Does anyone know how strict they are about closing at 9pm on the weekends? I ask only because I would love to try and take my falafel-fanatic hubby there tomorrow night for dinner with a bottle of vino, but we are scheduled to attend a wine tasting at Kendall College downtown from 6 to 8pm. Not sure we can make it to Devon and in the door much before 8:45pm and I don't want to inconvenience them too much (or miss the fresh falafel). We can always (and will) go another time, but I would love to try it sooner rather than later.

I had long wanted to go to Hashalom, but when it was closed Saturday and Sunday it was very difficult to get to. My wife and I finally made it there this weekend for lunch. All the plaudits are justified.

I had a Moroccan vegetable soup that was one of the best soups I've had in a while. A rich, spiced broth thickend by a grain, which I'll guess was ground couscous. I then had hommous with foul, a simple dish perfectly prepared. My wife had a dish (the name escapes me but it was something like Malaouoma) which consisted of three circles of a fried phyllo type of dough, accompanied by two hardboiled eggs and a dish of a simple tomato sauce. You put the egg and sauce on the "bread," a strange but excellent combo.

Another virtue of Hashalom is that it's on one of the great mixed ethnic strips around. Within the two blocks of Devon west of California you have Hashalom (Israeli/Moroccan), Argo, the Georgian bakery, an Afgan restaurant, a Turkish market, Three Sisters, a Russian deli, and new eastern European deli, several orthdox jewish stores, and several other ethnic markets.

Jonah

Jonah wrote:Another virtue of Hashalom is that it's on one of the great mixed ethnic strips around. Within the two blocks of Devon west of California you have Hashalom (Israeli/Moroccan), Argo, the Georgian bakery, an Afgan restaurant, a Turkish market, Three Sisters, a Russian deli, and new eastern European deli, several orthdox jewish stores, and several other ethnic markets.

Jonah:

Devon is rightly famous generally for its insanely rich range of offerings but you're right that that little stretch of Devon is especially mixed and especially interesting. I'd like to visit Hashalom, had intended to do so, but then forgot about it. Thanks for the reminder.

Antonius

It surely is Da'Bomb, but note, the Turkish cafe which featured outstanding glasses (yes glasses) of tea for 50 cents is no longer on Devon. LAZ I believe posted somewhere on its new location.

Rob

here's a pretty old post on hashalom, from CH. Do you know if they're gonna have some of the moroccan stuff avaialble more nights of the week now that they've reopened?

I believe the menu said that a couscous dish would be available on Friday nights, maybe Saturday, but clearly not a daily offering.

Jonah

Jonah wrote:I believe the menu said that a couscous dish would be available on Friday nights, maybe Saturday, but clearly not a daily offering.

Jonah

They do offer a Fri. night Moroccan couscous as well as Lahme. The rest of their menu, which has quite a few moroccan items, is the same all week long. I would highly recommend the bourekas and Moroccan combination plate.

Best,
Michael

I've read about Hashalom here, and I've heard neighbors of mine recommend it . . . but until yesterday I'd not made the short trip from where I live to the restaurant. When I'm on Devon it's mostly in search of Indian food. But a couple of years ago I stumbled across Afghan, and started noticing other places as well.

So, undecided about where to have a late lunch/early dinner (Campeche or What's Cooking? on Lincoln Ave., or Tiffin on Devon) I walked along Devon Ave. from Lincoln Ave. and came across Hashalom.

The menu is extensive and it being my first visit I asked the waitress if there were specials or offerings that didn't appear on the menu. She replied that the menu was what's offered, nothing additional.

Goulash, kebabs, couscous special of the day, fish . . . what to choose? So I asked the waitress what was coming out of the kitchen that she liked, or that other customers liked. She suggested I try the whitefish. If I eat whitefish once every ten years that's a lot. It's not on my list of favorite things. I don't dislike it, but it never comes to mind when I'm faced with choosing what to order. I decided to trust the waitress and go with her recommendation.

With the $7.50 dinner comes soup or salad, bread and potato of your choice . . . or rice (with the entree). I opted for the soup of the day: mushroom barley. Alcoholic beverages aren't served, but there's a liquor store almost next door on the corner . . . and I excused myself and left in search of a bottle of bear.

The soup was flavorful, and a good helping . . . a small bowl vs. the cup that some restaurants furnish. The bread was pita, and not very good. it seemed stale/old to me. A small plate of pickled vegetables arrived and was a nice condiment during dinner.

The whitefish was a nice portion, not too small. Nice meaty fish. It was served on a small platter and surrounded by rice . . . and topped with a smothering of chunky mildly-spiced tomato sauce (mild or spicy - your choice, and it was flavorful). I'd never had whitefish served this way before (but what do I know, I don't eat the fish often). The fish had the texture of something poached . . . very moist (on its own, without the tomato sauce).

I was very pleased with the meal.

There were 5-6 other customers in the restaurant at the same time, mostly of the geriatric set (caregivers in tow, or the other way around). I've walked by other times, and have seen a younger crowd in the place . . . later in the day/evening. I live in an environment surrounded by very old people, and had hoped to escape the group this dinner. It was okay though.

One disappointment at the restaurant was the failure of the waitress to ask if I wanted a dessert. No mention was made of dessert, and, after I left the restaurant I restaurant I walked east along Devon to Western and then turned back to walk home (W. Touhy Ave.). I stopped along the way at Royal sweet shop and picked-up a pound of sweets to share with my neighbors (not very brave souls when it comes to experimenting with food they're unaccustomed to).

When I returned home to my condo building I met some neighbors on their way out to dinner and they asked me where I was coming from and I recounted my own dinner. The neighbors are Jewish, and they always talk about the whitefish they eat in restaurants. When I told them about the tomato sauce on top of the whitefish I'd eaten they smiled and told me that their mother's and grandmother's had prepared whitefish that way. They said they'd heard of Hashalom but hadn't visit. My mention of having a good meal there and the reasonable price prompted them to say they'd try it soon.

Later in the evening I was sitting in our building's recreation room with neighbors and 5 family members in town to visit. They asked me where I'd eaten . . . and, once again . . . I told my dinner story.

Skip forward one day (today) . . . . and I run-into the last set of neighbors I spoke to last night about the Hashalom dinner . . . and they told me they'd just come from having dinner there . . . 8 or 9 of them. These neighbors don't venture much beyond their area favorites: What's Cooking?, Jack's and Sanders. New things don't excite them too much. They said that if I enjoyed my meal at Hashalom it was a recommendation good enough for them to try. They each ordered something different, and each one of them told me they had a great meal . . . and that they'll be going back.

I'm not planning to return to Hashalom anytime soon because I don't eat out as much as I once did, but I'll go back and I'll recommend it to more of my neighbors.

Thanks to those of you who've written previously about the restaurant. Devon Avenue - certainly a "target rich" environment when it comes to dining-out options.

I was going to give Hashalom a try last year, but ended up walking out before I even looked at the menu. It was warm, the windows were open, but the restaurant smelled overpoweringly of cigarettes. There was no way I could enjoy a meal in that atmosphere.

Maybe I've missed it, but I don't think the very large windows at the front of Hashalom open. I'm a non-smoker and avoid places where smoking is permitted and which don't have excellent ventalation systems. During my visit none of the diners were smoking. Smoking will become a non-issue after tomorrow, won't it . . . or am I misinterpreting the new regulations taking effect? Being a cool season, I felt the temperature just right. I was wearing a long-sleeved shirt.

I stopped by Hashalom last night to try the Friday/Saturday couscous special. There were about 20 other people dining in the restaurant when I arrived at 8 p.m.

Meals served in this restaurant are large. You can have a starter of a salad or soup. I chose the Navy Bean soup - it was hearty, and good. A small, complimentary plate of pickled vegetables accompanies the starter. I chose lamb to accompany my couscous. The small chunks of meat were, for the most part, a bit tough/chewy . . . but some were tender and the vegetables overcooked. I couldn't finish everything on my plate, and it was my only meal of the day.

I arrived at the end of the serving time and think had I eaten there earlier the dish would have been a better (the "Open" sign was turned-off at 8:30 p.m.). The pita bread tasted as if it had been sitting out most of the night.

Before arriving at the restaurant I stopped for a beer, to accompany my dinner. The restaurant continues to be BYOB.

The cost of the meal, with tax included, was $13 (plus 1.35 for the 24oz. can of beer and the tip).

Here are a couple of photos I took:

Navy Bean Soup:



The angle at which this next photo was taken (too close to the plate) doesn't do justice to the size of the serving, which was large:

Over the last couple years, I've developed a bit of a theory about Hashalom. I believe that it is a restaurant that is better-suited to more dining situations than any other. I believe, in fact, that it is the most flexible restaurant in Chicago.

A key point in the concept of "flexibility" is not merely the fact that the restaurant can execute in many different situations, but can execute well. Heck, IHOP is open around the clock and can accommodate all kinds of groups, but it doesn't mean I'd ever actually choose to go there.

I've reproduced my post from eatchicago.net about Hashalom here:

-------------------------------------

A Study in Restaurant Flexibility

I am often asked to name my "favorite" restaurant. I must frustrate the person asking this question when I always answer this question with another question: "In what situation?" I cannot say that I like Schwa more than I like Salam. They both excell in the ways that they are best suited.

Some restaurants are great for a couple of meat-eaters who want a hearty meal, others are great for your picky-eater parents, and others are great for a small group with ecclectic tastes. Rarely do restaurants cross these types of categories in multiple ways to find themselves well-suited to a variety of different situations. Most restaurants are simply not flexible. (Though, not for a lack of trying. For example, Tre Kronor is an excellent family-friendly brunch spot, but falters for me as a quaint dinner destination).

There is one restaurant that defines flexibility for me. In fact, I would go so far as to submit it to you as "Chicago's Most Flexible Restaurant":


Hashalom is an Israeli-Moroccan restaurant at the west end of Chicago's multi-ethnic Devon Avenue. The proprietors have been serving nearly the same menu for almost two decades. I grew up less than a half-block from Hashalom and have been eating there with good regularity since they've been open. It is only recently that I've discovered their astounding flexibility. I've seen birthday parties, business meetings, quiet dinners for two, and big family meals at Hashalom and each one fits just fine.

Hashalom works well if:

You're looking for a good, inexpensive lunch.
You're having dinner with vegetarians and are looking for a place that'll have some good options for them but you'd like to eat something besides seitan and brown rice.
You're having dinner with "meat-and-potatoes-only" people and are looking for a place that'll have some good options for them.
You're going out for a casual dinner with friends and would like a BYO restaurant with a low (or zero) corkage.
You're going out with your hard-to-please, picky-eater parents, aunts, and uncles.
You're going out on a date and would like to impresss him/her with something that's slightly unknown and a little exotic.
You're hungry and tired after work and you want something good, reliable, inexpensive, and simple.

So, what about the food? Hashalom serves Middle Eastern standards like kebabs, felafel, hommous, and baba ganouj along with some exotic and Moroccan specialties like shakshouka (eggs in a tomato sauce), couscous (weekends only), bourekas (stuffed filo triangles), lahme (spiced meat over rice or hommous), and a terrific cornish hen stuffed with fruit and nuts. There are a wide variety of different salads, house-made soups, and appetizers. Two different combination plates (Israeli or Moroccan) are a good way to taste a lot of choices (entrees come with soup or salad too). For the meat-and-potatoes eaters, I'd put the garlicky skirt steak with crisp home fries up against any other steak and potatoes plate in town. Simple broiled chicken, whitefish, or fried chicken cutlets are all quite good.

Stuffed Cornish Hen


Shakshouka


Flexibility has its limits as Hashalom does not accept credit cards and is closed both Monday and Tuesday. Nevertheless, Hashalom's combination of good food, low prices, a family-friendly atmosphere, and a menu that has a little something for everyone adds up to a pretty good case for the title of "Chicago's Most Flexible Restaurant".

Check out Hashalom Restaurant at 2905 W. Devon in Chicago, 773-465-5675. Street parking, BYO. Call ahead with a big group.

Best,
Michael

EC, very inspiring post. I've been to Devon Ave. only a handful of times, (I'm somewhat abashed to admit), but Hashalom is at now the top of my "must eat" list.

I also liked your blurb in the Reader: http://tinyurl.com/ylqowc

I'm a fan of Hashalom, but I wouldn't suggest someone put it at the top of any "must eat" there list. I know, I know . . . to each his/her own. Devon Ave.'s a fascinating place to wander and sample restaurants, though. My meals there(at Hashalom) have been okay, but not "standout" quality. I was going to eat at Hashalom Sunday (last) night but chose nearby What's Cooking?, instead (similarly priced meal, but much more "bang" for the buck, without sacrificing food quality, IMO).

Bill wrote:I was going to eat at Hashalom Sunday (last) night but chose nearby What's Cooking?, instead (similarly priced meal, but much more "bang" for the buck, without sacrificing food quality, IMO).

Bill,

Of course tastes differ, which is which what makes LTHForum interesting, but I'd disagree What's Cooking offers more "bang for the buck" than Hashalom. Not arguing overall food quality or preparation at What's Cooking, which is fine, but Hashalom's fare, to my palate, seems livelier, brighter, more flavorful with a wider spectrum of flavor and taste.

In general I find Hashalom's menu more interesting, which is not to say I don't enjoy a bowl of matzo ball soup and lox platter at What's cooking every once in a while.

I believe Michael's point was not Hashalom is the best restaurant and/or value in the area but is a consistently good choice to please a wide variety of eaters, from the hard core LTHer to Aunt Hildred in for a visit from Boulder.

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:I believe Michael's point was not Hashalom is the best restaurant and/or value in the area but is a consistently good choice to please a wide variety of eaters, from the hard core LTHer to Aunt Hildred in for a visit from Boulder.

Spot on.

And not only that, but how many other Israeli-Moroccan diners are there in town?

My sense is that it's better to eat at Hashalom early in the day (before mid-afternoon) as compared to later. I think there are preparation problems and portions of the meals may be sitting on the stove for long periods of time, thus being served overcooked (or in the case of breads/pita dried-out).

The restaurant has a "worn" feel to it, like you're eating in your Grandmother's house which hasn't been updated in two decades. Sometimes, that's a comfortable feel while at other times it can be a distraction.

I enjoy trying new/different cuisine/restaurants as much as the next person, and I think we each prefer places that are consistent and present a good product; I'm thinking those things (consistency in particular) may be a challenge for Hashalom.

What I find at What's Cooking? is consistency, a wide-variety of items on the menu that taste good to me (from the whitefish, to the lamb chops, to the greek chicken to the cornish hen and, yes, to the kreplah's with a "kick" in flavorful chicken broth), excellent service, a clean/comfortable family-like environment, and lots of food for the money. Though I've tried to like Hashalom and dislike What's Cooking? - my experiences have produced opposite results, and nobody is more surprised than me.

Devon Avenue's packed with restaurants, and I don't see anything that makes Hashalom stand out amongst the crowd.

Buen provecho!

Bill wrote:Devon Avenue's packed with restaurants, and I don't see anything that makes Hashalom stand out amongst the crowd.

I respectfully disagree (Bill, I like a lot of your opinions but not this one).

Took my first meal at Hashalom in years today. Why!

God was it good. We were actually tasting for an upcoming event. We needed to sample a lot, and after what we thought was over-ordering, we went home with no leftovoers. I wish I had my camera at dinner (left the cord in AZ).

To wit:

Mixed pickles, with especially beety turnips

Israeli combo with humous (the one miss of the night), baba g, some kinda eggplant, the typical Israeli salad with cucumbers and tomatoes that weathered the off-season surprisingly good and falafal about as good as a few weeks ago in Dearborn, MI

Moroccan combo with more cooked eggplant, beets, carrots, VERY hot marinated peppers, a red (bell) pepper dip.

Cigars stuffed with mashed potato

Bureks filled with feta/onions and spinach

Grape leaves

I can also vouch for the Moroccan vegetable soup, which I gave the high comment to my wife, "tastes like something you would make."

I'm back there for lunch this week and some catering negotiating. I suggest you all go too.

Stopped by HaShalom on Thursday for takeout for birthday, the big 40. It had been a long day, work, then taking my daughter to her speech therapy session. When I arrived, I had completely forgotten that they only take cash, which I didn't have. They offered (I didn't ask, I was on my way back out with my 3 year old to hit a cash station) to let me take the food and return with payment later. They only asked that I write down my name and phone number, didn't ask to see id or anything. I meant to go back on Friday, and completely forgot. Just dropped of payment with a tip today.

Experiences like that restores ones faith in humanity. Oh, and by the way, the lamb shank, 1/2 roast chicken and Israeli appetizer sampler were superb. My wife commented that many cultures attempt eggplant dishes which she seldom likes, but the roasted eggplant from HaShalom was tender, smokey, not a hint of bitterness.

Support HaShalom everybody!!

Fishline wrote:Support HaShalom everybody!!

HaShalom is our go-to place in the neighborhood when we're tired and hungry and want something tasty and comforting in a friendly atmosphere. So, we are there several times a month. All of their soups are homemade and excellent. The Moroccan vegetable soup (usually served on Wednesdays) will cure whatever ails you. It's a delicious thick soup with cracked wheat, finely chopped vegetables and a wonderful hint of cinnamon. You will see us there often on Wednesday evenings.... Falafil are excellent, the gratis pickled veggies are a delight, and the burekas and shakshouka are family faves. I like the lamb shish-kabob, even if it is served on rice with canned peas. The couscous and stuffed cornish hens are also good. It's byob and you see folks from every corner of the world eating here, and I enjoy being part of that. And did I mention how cheap it is? (Remember, cash only! There's a Citibank with an ATM 2 blocks east at California.) Parking boxes only need to be paid until 6 p.m. It's not fancy (same decor since they opened, I think), it's not trendy, the service can be slow on occasion, and some of the booth seats sag. So what? The people are friendly, warm, and generous, as Fishline found, and the food is delicious, affordable, and comforting.

According to the resturaunt's facebook page they are closing in March. Perfect end to a mighty crappy day. RAGE!!!

Fishline wrote:According to the resturaunt's facebook page they are closing in March. Perfect end to a mighty crappy day. RAGE!!!

March 28th.

I am not an overly sentimental or nostalgic person, but this news has upset me severely.

Yeah, I was having a pretty night...until this. Hopefully this will turn out to be the most elaborate April Fool's joke ever.

I'm not on Facebook, but I got to say I'm surprised they had a Facebook page.

Keep in mind HaShalom "closed" before---once for several months a couple years ago. And for a while they'd only open on certain days---basically, when they felt like it. I also doubt Jacques the owner is a Facebook guy. I'll believe it when I see something new in the space. I think, and it is only an opinion, that HaShalom is merely a hobby for the family at this point.

Here's the FB post. It looks like they created the page to say goodby. This is the first post:

HaShalom Restaurant After 28 years of feeding our dear ones, our friends, families, new customers and regulars, we will be closing our doors on March 28, 2010. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your years of love and patronage, and for allowing us to get to know so many of you as part of our own extended family. We encourage... you to share your memories of us on this page, and to visit us before we close.

Sorry, this appears to be true.

This is really bad news. I know we'll eat there several times before they close, but my family will miss Hashalom a great deal when they're gone.