Something--anything--near Diversey/Clark/Broadway

Often we find ourselves at the nexus of Diversey, Clark and Broadway. There must be more good places to eat near there than we know about--because we sure don't know about many!

Places we know about and go to sometimes: The Bagel; La Creperie; Zad.

Keep meaning to get back to the Half Shell (after about a thirty year absence) but we never seem to.

Then there are about a thousand places we wouldn't be caught dead at.

There must be something else. I'm talking places like within a quarter-mile in any direction. Share your discoveries! Tell me about that hole in the wall that turns out to be secretly terrific! Throw me a bone here!

I love the microscopic Cafe Blossom. Very good unpretentious sushi. I think the quality of the fish is high and the prices are very reasonable.
Unfortunately, if you don't like sushi there's little else to eat there.

Cafe Blossom
608 W. Barry (near Broadway)

Was it you who didn't like Erwin? If not, Erwin.

Erwin
2925 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 528-7200
http://www.erwincafe.com

Was it you who didn't like Erwin? If not, Erwin.

(For the record, it wasn't me who didn't like Erwin--I like Erwin--and thanks for the reminder.)

(But it's a little farther from that corner than I'm talking about, and right now I'm seeking the kind of place you can pop into spontaneously without a reservation because the idea just occurred to you, or you just happened to see it while walking past. The dollar factor isn't the dealbreaker at Erwin's; more the feeling I have that I'd want a reservation before waltzing in there.)

Yeah, it is a shame that Erwin is so packed nowadays. It was, once upon a time, possible to walk in and get a table with only a few minutes wait, even at 7pm on a Saturday. Not anymore, it seems.

There's always Aladdin and Duke of Perth, but those might both fall into the "wouldn't get caught dead in" category. And I've never been to either, I know them merely by reputation.

riddlemay,

Not sure if you've seen these threads or not, but they have some recs:

Clark & Diversey recs?

The Unbearable Blandness of Broadway: a long kvetch.

Best,
Michael

At least the beer list at Duke of Perth is reasonable.

Anyone remember Vittles or Grandma's Receipts in that area?

riddlemay, do you want to give us some idea of the thousands of places you wouldn't be caught dead at so we don't waste our time recommending them to you?

I live a hop skip away from this intersection and here are 2 places we frequent often in addition to whats been mentioned:

Aloha Grill - yum. hawaiian fare. we recommend the Hawaiian BBQ mix plate ~ BBQ beef, chicken and short ribs, served over rice with macaroni salad. We also like the Seafood & BBQ Platter ~ fried mahi mahi, shrimp and your choice of BBQ beef, chicken or short rib. But my all-time fave, hit the spot meal is the moco loco.... two beef patties over rice, topped with fried egg and gravy all over. It may not be the prettiest dish, but its total comfort food for me!
(773) 935-6828
(773) 935-6818
2534 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60614

Rice Box - extremely affordable with hearty portions. The menu is simple -about 30 items - all $6.95. All meals (except for 3) are served in bento boxes, complete with a green salad and japanese ginger dressing, rice, cucumber salad, gyoza and creamy mashed potato. All the accompaniments to the meal can vary but each section of the bento box is filled. Oh - and miso soup is included!
2940 N Broadway St
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 404-1700

Ah, my old 'hood. Not much of note food-wise in the area (other than Half Shell), but some of the places that are pretty decent are:

Matisse - Primarily a bar, but pretty respectable food. They used to have cheap panini on Thursday nights. It's right next to Half Shell.

Sappori - Italian. Located on Halsted just south of Diversey. Not the most authentic Italian in the world, but everything is very well executed. I'm pretty sure most, if not all, of the pasta is made in house.

Frances' - Perfectly fine "diner". Near Clark and Wrightwood.

Duffy's - OK, you're all thinking about banning me from the site right about now, but hear me out. Granted, this place can be ground zero for meatheads and frat-boys (especially on weekends). But, they do have some pretty good bar food and the place is pretty quiet during the week. Right near Diversey and Sheridan.

Toro Sushi (2546 N. Clark) - I stopped in for lunch one day and the quality of the fish was well above average. I've been wanting to back for dinner, but I heard that they now have pictures of local residents on the wall and you can vote on whether they are hot or not. After hearing that, I prefer to stay away.

Sage Cafe (2465 N. Clark) - From the owners of Basil Leaf Cafe across the street. They have a moderate sized selection of pre-made foods, an olive bar, pates, smoked salmon, wine, etc. You can also eat in. We've only been for lunch (soups and sandwiches) and it has been very good every time.

chgoeditor wrote:riddlemay, do you want to give us some idea of the thousands of places you wouldn't be caught dead at so we don't waste our time recommending them to you?

I'm pretty confident that any place the folks on this board would be caught dead is a place I'd be caught dead, too.

eatchicago, thanks for the referrals to those earlier threads. I see this particular culinary black hole (and the desperate search for life in it) is a recurring theme.

Re Pars Cove (mentioned in one of those earlier threads): pretty sure it's something else now. We were driving past it and, for a change, not stuck in traffic on Diversey, so I didn't get a good look, but it was bustling with young folks at the tables on the sidewalk. (Or is that the place right next to Pars Cove? Not sure. The big black awning place.)

riddlemay wrote:Re Pars Cove (mentioned in one of those earlier threads): pretty sure it's something else now. We were driving past it and, for a change, not stuck in traffic on Diversey, so I didn't get a good look, but it was bustling with young folks at the tables on the sidewalk. (Or is that the place right next to Pars Cove? Not sure. The big black awning place.)

riddlemay,

Pars Cove is below sidewalk level with no sidewalk seating. I believe you might be thinking of the place just to the east of Pars, which was a mediocre Italian restaurant the last time I was there (which was well over a year ago).

Best,
Michael

There's a non-descript bar/restaurant at the soutwest corner of Wrightwood & Clark intersection that has an amazing club sandwich. (not Frances) I can't remember the name of the place, but I had a great meal there about 6 months ago, as did the others I was with. Upscale bar food.


As an aside, I was excited about Eatzis coming to the neighborhood based on experiences I had at the one in Atlanta, 5+ years ago. I've now had food from there twice and both times it's been mediocre.

Since you mentioned The Bagel, I assume you're willing to walk a few blocks. When I'm in that area, I typically go south a bit to the Austrian Bakery. The sandwiches are really quite good, and the soups (I've tried the frittaten and the goulash) are delicious. I've seen happy customers eating salads, too.

Not to mention dessert.

Austrian Bakery is open 6:30a to 8:30p daily (per its website) and offers free wireless Internet.

2523 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 244-9922
Fax: (773) 244 9929

"There's a non-descript bar/restaurant at the soutwest corner of Wrightwood & Clark intersection that has an amazing club sandwich."

Could it be "The Other Side"? They serve pretty decent bar pizza, too.

YourPalWill wrote:"There's a non-descript bar/restaurant at the soutwest corner of Wrightwood & Clark intersection that has an amazing club sandwich."

Could it be "The Other Side"? They serve pretty decent bar pizza, too.

I believe you are referring to Dunlay's on Clark. http://dunlaysonclark.com/

Across the street on the opposite side of Wrightwood is DiGio's - local burger, hot dogs, fast food.

I used to live on Clark and Belden and would pull my hair out about the dearth of decent food in that area. I can't think of a single place between Webster and Diversy on Clark that was worthy of me going to more than once. That said, if you're a sushi fan, there's at least six places along that stretch. My favorite place was Edo Sushi. They do a pretty good job on all of their items (particularlly rolls) but lack somewhat in atmosphere.

Edo Sushi
2407 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL

If you like half-way decent good ol' American bar food with a lively atmosphere, I'd go to Mickey's. Great outdoor from which you can watch the scenery. Food is nothing special.

Mickey's
2450 N. Clark
Chicago, IL

foodie1 wrote:

YourPalWill wrote:"There's a non-descript bar/restaurant at the soutwest corner of Wrightwood & Clark intersection that has an amazing club sandwich."

Could it be "The Other Side"? They serve pretty decent bar pizza, too.

I believe you are referring to Dunlay's on Clark. http://dunlaysonclark.com/

Yep, it was Dunlay's. Looking at the menu, it was the Park West Club that was really good.

Here's more if you're still looking for additional options...

GiOio's Beefstand & Pizzeria
Rita Rufo, Manager
2572 N. Clark
Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: 773/248-7777
Fax: 773/248-7779
-- decent burgers here, especially good if you want a mcdonald's alternative

Basil Leaf Cafe - ITALIAN
Sean Tehrani, President
2460 N. Clark
Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: 773/935-3388
Fax: 773/935-3331
-- very great service, I recommend the Penne Gorgonzola with Spinach & Tomatoes salad and chicken parmigiana with eggplant over their perfectly al dente rigatoni (the eggplant was a great twist on the usual chicken parmigiana.)


Dunlays on Clark
Michael Dunlay, Owner
2600 N. Clark
Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: 773/883-6000
Fax: 773/883-3495
Web: www.dunlaysonclark.com
-- i like the sidewalk eating here for the peoplewatching over their blue cheese chips and a cold beer.

Kabuki Japanese Restaurant - SUSHI
Jae Lee, President
2473 N. Clark
Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: 773/975-7033
-- I know the owners and they are very nice and run a tight ship. They have had staffing issues over the past few months so please be forgiving if service isn't too prompt. I recommend their dragon roll... beautiful work done by the sushi chefs (who aren't even japanese)

Pars Cove
Max Pars, Owner/President
435 W. Diversey
Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: 773/549-1515
Fax: 773/549-1528
Web: www.parscove.com
-- they occassionally have a nice $40 3 course meal for 2 special... great on a budget date

Salvatore's Ristorante - FINE DINING ITALIAN
Sherife Jusufi, General Manager
525 W. Arlington
Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: 773/528-1200
Fax: 773/528-1272
Web: www.salvatores-chicago.com
-- elegant restaurant where they host many wedding receptions, almost weekly. Note they are only open Wed - Sun, and have a valet service.

Galway Arms - IRISH
Address: 2442 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 472-5555
www.galwayarms.com
-- I dont know how true irish this is, but I do like their irish breakfast. I think they also have daily special. I personally like their fish and chips on Tuesdays.

Pasta Bowl - PASTA
Address: 2434 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 525-2695
www.pastabowl.com
-- I recommend their angel hair with clams... the clams aren't rubbery at all!

House Of Wing - GREASY SPOON
Address: 2447 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 929-9421
--- this is a closet of a place and i have yet to check it out. Their menu looks like a typical fried food pit

Mamacita's Restaurant - TEX MEX
Address: 2439 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 404-7788
http://www.chicagoreader.com/client/mam ... acitas.pdf
-- YUM - their appetizer of queso with beef is a meal in itself. Supposedly they are healthy and don't use lard in their dishes. Funny... their food tastes great and I don't miss the lard. They make a good carne asada and tres leches cake too.

Express Sushi & Deli - CHEAP SUSHI COMBOS
Address: 2441 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 529-8812
-- This place is a gem. the first time I ate here, I went back for the next two consecutive days for dinner in. Prices are crazy cheap for 2-3 types of maki and the funny thing is, you can order a pastrami sandwich at the same place. If you put aside the deli/sushi concept and focus more on their sushi, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

My Pie Pizzeria-Lincoln Park - DEEP DISH PIZZA
Address: 2417 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 929-3380
http://www.lilguysandwich.com/mypie/
ah - I think my diet would be happier if they weren't so close. Love this place for their sausage and cheese. The best thing about this place is that their pizzas are "buy one, get one free" every night after 9pm available for carryout only. If you can't find yourself close by around that time, check out their salad and pizza buffet special. Surprisingly their salad bar is pretty good... and comes with soup too!

Hema's Kitchen - INDIAN
Address: 2411 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 529-1705
-- i'm still working on my exposure to indian cuisine. This is definitely on my list to check out. I have heard from friends that the service can be iffy, but their prices and food is pretty good.

Edo Sushi
Address: 2407 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 281-3131
-- their sushi is fresh and i personally like it more than any other "formal' sushi spot on the block. service is good too. oddly, they also make a really decent bi bim bop. skip on the green ice tea - when we ordered it, it wasn't "fresh" and had slight freezer burn.

Aloha Grill - HAWAIIAN
Address: 2534 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 935-6828
www.alohagrillbbq.com
-- what's not to like about this place? Loco moco is my fave and the combo plates are not only great, but easily enough to share for two.

Oodles Of Noodles - THAI
Address: 2540 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 975-1090
-- this is nothing really special. it's clean and cozy... and the ceiling fans will remind you of Casablanca. If you are a big peanut butter lover, the rama chicken will be the perfect dish for you. Personally, the peanut butter sauce was a little too thick for my tastes.

Angela's Burrito Style - BURRITO SHACK
Address: 2556 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 248-3901
-- typical burrito shack. great for late eats

Tarascas International - MEXICAN??
Address: 2585 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 549-2595
-- I haven't tried this place but it seems to be popular. their menu appears to be predominantly mexican fare.

Doc Wine Bar - BAR
Address: 2602 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 883-5101
-- perfect place for an intimate date.

Wiener Circle - HOT DOGS
Address: 2622 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 477-7444
-- famous for their dogs in the wee hours of the morning, its good grease grub

Hey Sushi - SUSHI
Address: 2630 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 248-3900
http://heysushi.tripod.com/
-- they have pretty good sushi, only a little pricey compared to the others on the same strip of clark. decor of neon blue and white has a "loungey - club" feel... a whole different atmosphere compared to traditional sushi houses.

Fit N Fresh Cafe
Address: 565 W Diversey Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 325-9664
-- haven't tried this, but looks like I could benefit from this place.

Aladdins Eatery
Address: 614 W Diversey Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 327-6303
http://www.aladdinseatery.com/
-- I personally like the Shishtawook rolled pita, chicken and a garlicky sauce wrapped in a pita.

Renaldis Pizza
Address: 2827 N Broadway St, Chicago, IL 60657
Phone: (773) 248-2445
-- easy and cheap pizza, and you can buy by the slice if you'd like too!

Cousin's Turkish Dining
Address: 2833 N Broadway St, Chicago, IL 60657
Phone: (773) 755-4011
-- this place looks very inviting.... especially the "couches" along the wall on one side of the restaurant. I still have to hit this place.

Eatzi's Catering
Address: 2828 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657
Phone: (773) 832-9310
-- located in the Century Mall on the lower level, they offer some generous samples of their menu items and their presentation is very clean and fresh. I have ordered their lasagna and satays - all very good.

La Creperie
Address: 2845 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657
Phone: (773) 528-9050
http://www.lacreperieusa.com/
-- here, for a savory crepe, i recommend their chicken and goat cheese crepe with a nice touch of tomatoes. For a sweet crepe, their banana with vanilla ice cream one is awesome (it must be the caramel/brown sugar sauce)

Nancy's Home Of Stuffed Pizza
Address: 2930 N Broadway St, Chicago, IL 60657
Phone: (773) 883-1977
-- nothing compared to My Pie. Their stuff pizza is a little too "doughy" for my tastes

Buca Di Beppo
Address: 2941 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657
Phone: (773) 348-7673
http://www.bucadibeppo.com/
-- perfect for family style eats. be prepared for leftovers the next day for sure.

Duke Of Perth
Address: 2913 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657
Phone: (773) 477-1741
-- at first glance, it's a bar, but I haven't yet visited this place to give their restaurant menu a chance. Sounds like a good place from previous recommendations and comments.

Rice Box
Address: 2940 N Broadway St, Chicago, IL 60657
Phone: (773) 404-1700
-- the best "bento box" meal for $6.95. They offer lots of choices and you can also have them tailor the heat/spicy if you'd like. i recommend their kalbi. their soba noodles can be extremely hot and spicy if you dare.

Bobtail Soda Fountain
Address: 2951 N Broadway St, Chicago, IL 60657
Phone: (773) 880-7372
-- kinda like the "Sweet Occassions" of the area, it's reminicent of the fountain shop of yesteryear. They were featured on Food Network I believe a couple years ago, highlighting their ice cream. YUM - just in time for the season too!

Note that Monsoon has been gone for some time (it's now a place called O Lounge. Don't know if it has food).

foodie1 wrote:Here's more if you're still looking for additional options...

foodie1,

Quite a comprehensive list, but do you really recommend all of these places? It's just a hunch, but when riddlemay said "share your discoveries", he was probably looking for people to share specific recommendations of their favorite eateries in the area (perhaps even their favorite dishes!), rather than a yellow pages listing of places to eat.

If I am incorrect, and these are all favorites of yours that you highly recommend, please share with us some details about the food or what you like about them.

Best,
Michael

have you been to Cousin's Turkish?

~2800 N Broadway, just across from borders or cost plus world market ...

http://chicago.citysearch.com/profile/3735086/


there's also a chinese place called Far East on Diversey about a block east of the lasalle bank... i've been there a few times but its been so long I honestly don't remember how good it was or wasn't ... its reliable if nothing else maybe.

One more note re. Foodie1's list. Hasn't Cousin's become a raw food restaurant? I haven't tried it because I never thought they did a particularly good job as a Turkish restaurant.

Riddlemay, definitely check out the links that eatchicago posted. I know I weighed in on one or both of them, so I won't repeat myself. Two things I'd add in direct response to your original post: If you like The Bagel, you should certainly check out Frances, which is south on Clark. Much better deli food and much more pleasant atmosphere. Also, make a point to get back to Half Shell...it's definitely worth it. But remember that they're cash only.

The raw food restaurant is on Irving Park. I have not been there, but I am not much into the raw food thing.

The old Cousins Turkish restaurant is still on Broadway, as indicated in ddane's post, above.

Cousin's Incredible Vitality
3038 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago
Tel: (773) 478-6868
Fax: (773) 478-6888

Greetings to all. I've been lurking here for years and have taken advantage of the collective wisdom on this board on more than a few occassions. I don't always agree with all I read here but overall find this forum to be the best and most interesting source of information available on the local restaurant scene. Posts here have led me to some really great food (Ed's/Sticky Rice/Spoon Thai/Carniceria Leon etc.)...so I really do owe you guys a debt. Finally decided to post as I've lived in this area for years and deal with this issue on a regular basis. I agree the food situation is pretty bleak around here. Most good places have already been mentioned but I wanted to chime in with a few others and offer a couple of specific dishe reccomendations as well.

If you have any interest in Lebanese food, I think Fattoush on Halstead would be worth a try. The spinach pie,foul , shwarma and flafel (made from both fava beans and chickpea) are very good (better to my taste than Cousins). The Soup Box on Broadway can also be pretty good. Chicken with wild rice and clam chowder are usually good bets. Lobster bisque can be very good but is inconsistent Both deliver. Hemmas is excellent tho significantly pricier than Hemmas on Devon. India Grill on Clark isn't bad either

I can't believe nobody mentioned Weiners Circle! An old standby for Chicago hot dogs, the menu is an exact clone of the old Poochies on Dempster. Their char polish is particularly good (mustard/grilled onions/hot peppers only please!!!). Better for dogs and Polish than Hot Dougs IMHO. The Bagel has very nice gefilte fish (sweet/polish style). Scrambled eggs with lox and onions is another standout dish here... probably the best version in the city (tho this is not saying much in this city where "deli food" to most people means turkey breast in various permutations)...and where else can you get kasha varnishikes or cholent (kishke is better at Manny's tho). Finally,another vote for Frances'. For me the thing to get at this spot is the combo corned beef/pastrami Reuben . One of the best sandwiches in the city (and my daughters' favorite) . Fiesta Mexicana at lincoln anf Fullerton is a bit out of your area but does good versions of camarones mojo de ajo and fried red snapper. On weeknds they often have really outstanding live usic too..Hope thiis proves helpful.

Welcome to LTHForum! I'm always happy to see a lurker converted into a poster.

kuhdo wrote: I can't believe nobody mentioned Weiners Circle! An old standby for Chicago hot dogs, the menu is an exact clone of the old Poochies on Dempster.

Not being a fan of char-dogs, I haven't been to WC in a while. When you say that their menu is an "exact clone of the old Poochies", do you mean the earlier form of the current Poochies menu rather than the current menu?

I guess my real question is: Does The Weiner's Circle serve a charred slab of delight?

Best,
Michael

I also live in the area (the unrepentant fratboy breeding ground), and endorse the following from above:

• Aloha Grill--I like the BBQ items, especially the chicken; tried the Loco Moco once and I couldn't even finish it due to its greasiness.
• Angela's--One of the few places in the area that uses steak (not ground beef) in their carne asada burritos as well as chihuahua cheese. A late-night indulgence.
• Austrian Bakery--Oh, that glorious opera cake. Their sandwiches are also pretty tasty, though a little on the expensive side (probably because the bread is made in-house) for a meager college budget such as mine.
• Cousin's Turkish--Good place to come with friends or suburbanites who think Mediterranean food is from another planet; if they're really squeamish just tell them it's Greek. Comfortable environment, simple and tasty dishes--and gosh, I don't know why there's nobody saying Opah!
• Fattoush--Every time I dine in the room is empty, but I've never been disappointed by the taste of the food here. There have been times, though, when I'm the only one in the dining room and I'm still served a lukewarm plate.
• La Creperie--Here is a place that will make girls (especially those who think a nice night out includes Miller Light in bottles instead of cans) fall in love with you. The food is pretty good, but I think the dessert crepes tend to overshadow the savories. Probably not worth the wait on a weekend.
• Mamacita's--Before this place, I didn't know there was such a thing as "healthy mexican." It's probably not as healthy as I've convinced myself that it must be with such a moniker, but I've had good experiences with the seafood, especially the house special.
• Pasta Bowl--Always piping hot, their lighter offerings are usually pretty tasty.

I have had mediocre experiences at the following:

• Eatzi's--Can be tasty, and pretty decent as a grocery, but generally overpriced unless you go late and do the buy-one-get-one deal.
• GiOio's--It used to be that this was the only place in the neighborhood where one could get a pepper and egg outside of lent. Alas, this no longer seems to be the case (last time I asked I was denied). Decent for dogs.
• My Pi--Apparently, the translation of "My Pi" from Greek to English is "Gino's East." That buy-one-get-one deal is not too shabby, though, if you're without other options.

I would not return to these places:

• Oodles of Noodles--"Pan-Asian." More like "Weak-ass greasy noodles served over wilted cabbage." Gave it three tries, each more disappointing than the last.
• Wiener's Circle--I can understand the appeal of this place, especially late at night (hearing one of the servers ask a guy wearing a fur-lined coat if "Mick Jagger the Fucking Faggot's ready to order") but beyond the people-watching I don't agree with the prevailing sentiments. I do remember vaguely liking the fries, and the alcohol-and-testosterone-fueled street racers pounding each others' faces into the pavement.

It doesn't seem like the Duke of Perth is getting much love in this thread, so I 'll toss in my 2 cents:

My fiancee is Scottish and loves the place. We've run through the menu's various pies, fish and chips and other selections, and I'll say this--if you stick to the traditional british fare you'll do okay. The burgers with the wacky "Sean Connery" and "William Wallace" names...yeah, stay away from those.

In addition--man, the beer! Okay, maybe lunch isn't the best time to go see the Duke. Maybe on Friday.

I was referring to the old (circa 1970's) Poochies menu (minus the steak sandwich alas).... and you bet the charburger/double charburger is still there. I have also often found myself alone or nearly alone at Fattoush ..too bad. And just to clarify my earlier post... I would reccommend the char Polish, not the char dog. I agree that "regular"size dogs (6-8/lb) are usually better steamed as they tend to get too salty when grilled.. Also their fries are not the best (try the new Red Rockets for good fries in the hood).Despite this however I still think any discussion of places to eat in that area would be incomplete without a mention of the WC.

Oops...just noticed what you meant by "charred slab of delight" (missed the link first time thru). Sadly, this is not available at WC. I also like Aloha grill. Curry chicken katsu is the usual for me but the Portugese sausage and eggs is sometimes available as a special (why this is popular in Hawaii is beyond me...but it is} should not be missed.