Discovery: Thali Bites, Great Pakistani Takeout in Wilmette

Thali Bites just opened near Old Orchard. Halal.
It's a storefront with a small counter with a couple stools, but it's mostly for take-out.

Based on some strong early reviews, I gave it a shot today.
Lamb Nihari -- wonderful. Topped with fresh ginger and jalepenos.
Lamb Pulao -- delicately spiced and topped with raisins and carrot shreds.

IMHO this is authentic stuff lovingly prepared. To have something like that out here in the north suburbs is a gift! Check it out if you can.

Thali Bites
143 skokie Blvd
Wilmette, IL 60091
at Old Glenview Rd

HPglutster wrote:To have something like that out here in the north suburbs is a gift!

website: http://www.thalibites.com/

Thanks for posting, next time visiting parents we'll get take out.

Sending hubby out to try. I hope it is wonderful as it checks all the boxes for our family needs as I have two picky eaters who can never agree on an Indian restaurant.. Thank you for the notification.

Had some really great stuff here yesterday, including a bindi dish that was better than any I can remember having. It was large, tender pieces (that were not mushy or at all slimey at all), extremely flavorful and spicy. Several other dishes were stand-out, too . . . Nihari, Lamb Karahi, Haleem, Vegetable Biryani and Palak Paneer were all quite tasty. Everything is boneless, which is not what I'm used to but the food was so darned good, I'm willing to look the other way.


Bindi

This is in the former Opart Thai space (and Thai Inbox after that) and there are just 5 stools at a counter with no other seating. So, while the 4 of us ate there, I'd really consider it more of a carry-out place. Great stuff, though. I can't wait to go back. Thanks for the info, HPglutster!

=R=

after reading these enthusiastic reviews i went to thali bites website and was dismayed to see 'business man's lunch special' promoted at the top of the menu. i dashed off a polite email to the owner expressing my concern over the sexist language and within 5 minutes i received this lovely reply:


"THALI BITES replied to your message:

You're 100% correct, we are in process of changing it to either Express Lunch Special or Just Business Lunch Special. Which one would you like to see

Hit reply to respond to this message."

i wrote back thanking them for their consideration and suggested 'express lunch special' would be a good choice. now i'm very eager to check the place out....

Having visited, it's pretty clear that English is a second language for the owners, so I wouldn't read too much into their use of benign, idiomatic expressions but it's nice to know that they're willing to respond to feedback, even if isn't directly about their food, service or pricing.

=R=

They've already changed the website regarding the lunch special, so the power of LTH has made itself felt.

Very glad for the intel on this place, as it is between my home and work.

They are hedging their bets. The home page lists Business Lunch Special and the online menu has Express Lunch Special.

We enjoyed our takeout dinner last night. We had okra and lamb. The only negative was the naan, which I doubt is made on the premises. Next time we'll get a rice dish to soak up the wonderful sauces. Friendly folks, working hard to open a business, preparing tasty food. We'll be back.

HPglutster wrote:IMHO this is authentic stuff lovingly prepared.

High on my list of places to check out, thanks HPglutster!

I ate there once and the food was excellent, the hosts very warm and eager to please.
I did not have the heart to tell them the counters were filthy, looked like they had not been cleaned, let alone wiped in days. They have two small counters for people to sit and eat - this area has to be kept spotless (including floors) as the condition certainly ruined my experience there. Should I go again, I will not choose take-in, however I am left wondering about the cleanliness of the kitchen. I really want them to succeed, just unsure because of this sticking (pun intended) point.

jilter wrote:I ate there once and the food was excellent, the hosts very warm and eager to please.
I did not have the heart to tell them the counters were filthy, looked like they had not been cleaned, let alone wiped in days. They have two small counters for people to sit and eat - this area has to be kept spotless (including floors) as the condition certainly ruined my experience there. Should I go again, I will not choose take-in, however I am left wondering about the cleanliness of the kitchen. I really want them to succeed, just unsure because of this sticking (pun intended) point.

Hi Sir, Thanks for stopping by Thali Bites, we really appreciate your feed back. I am sorry for your experince. I want to assure you that we take cleanliness very serious. Counters are cleaned very few hours. Our Kitchen is also very clean. I hope next time you don't Hesitate to communicate with the staff directly about any issue regarding your experience because most of little things can be fixed right a way.
thanks
Thali Bites

No surprise, Sula loved it. He also gave a nice shout-out to HPglutster . . .

at the Reader's website, Mike Sula wrote:Hats off to the LTHer who succinctly shouted it out. The menu is only slightly less short and sweet: ten heaping, hearty dishes: unctuously tender hunks of beef nihari almost swimming in silky, molten gravy; buttery daal fry; palak paneer with soft, cloudlike nuggets of cheese and spinach that almost taste alive.

A tiny takeout joint in a Wilmette strip mall serves some of the most lovingly made Pakistani food in the Chicago area

=R=

NICE!

Sadly, Thali Bites has closed.

Anyone looking for a silver lining want to open a restaurant in Wilmette? This just might be your chance.

I wonder how much I can get for one of their carry out menus on eBay.

Anybody know what happened to it? I tried it for the first time a week ago Saturday and was impressed. I wanted to go back on Friday, but by then it had closed.