Treat restaurant

i've been to this new humboldt park place twice. the first time i was very bummed out because its presence meant the demise of 'mama kitty's', a barebones cheap breakfast place that i really liked. mama kitty would urge me to bring my bike into the back hall (that never happens!) and a platter of bisquits and sausage gravy was under $4. oh well..... treat is decidedly more upscale, but very simple and comfortable and still affordable. (though tamiz, the owner, is already talking about raising the prices when he updates the menu). no breakfast here, just lunch and dinner. tamiz is from moombai so there are some indian dishes which my friends have enjoyed (lentils and rice, chicken tikka masala). what i loved were the beer battered cod sandwich with pickled red onions,caper mayo, and mixed greens on la briola's seasalt coated ciabatta(which i've had twice) and the rare flank steak on a french roll with herb aioli and roasted red peppers. the cod was tender and lightly, but crisply breaded and the steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned. i also liked the fried calamari with very spicy harissa dipping sauce, and the side of curried vegetables. the samosa was, IMO, better than average. its wasnt at all greasy and the potatoes inside tasted very fresh and homemade. the wilted spinach was a slight disappointment. i loved that it was so lightly sauteed that it still looked almost like it was raw, but it could have used some seasoning-garlic or lemon juice would be my choice. all in all, i'll miss mama kitty's breakfast but knowing how much i love sandwiches, i'm happy to have treat in the neighborhood. justjoan

treat restaurant
1616 n. kedzie
(773)772-1201

justjoan,

This place was posted about on the professional forum (http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=8882) -- and I hope the poster sees your very gentle critique.

When I went to their site, I (somewhat) erroneously concluded that they were serving nouvelle Indian-type food (I overlooked flank steak, etc.). This place certainly sounds worthy, and it seems somewhat different than many of the other neighborhood offerings.

Good to hear from you,

Hammond

Joan,

Any clue where Mama Kitty drifted off to? She used to work at a diner at Western and Montrose. All I really knew about her was the excellent biscuits and gravy; which you have confirmed.

If you learn where she is working now, then I won't screw up my next opportunity to try her biscuits and gravy!

Nice to see you posting!

Regards,

hi cathy, no idea where mama kitty is. maybe she retired. tamiz, from treat, didnt seem to know anything about the prior life of the place. joan

this location was, for a very brief "blink and you'll miss it" period, a fried fish and chicken place after mama kitty's closed down and before treat opened. anyone know what happened there??

We ate here last night and this is my second time dining here. I had a much better experience this time than my first time. Last night I had the flank steak which was a little overcooked but it was my own fault for requesting medium instead of the suggested medium rare. The steak was delicious though, as was the roasted parsnips ( I guess I DO like parsnips!) and the tomato sauce that was covering the food. My husband had the salmon and I tried it- it was delicious. We also had the samosas and the scallops which were good as well.
I love their pricing here and I love that it's BYO and close to my home.

I can't wait to see what their spring menu has to offer!

J

For some reason, Treat does not seem to have gotten much attention here at LTH, but I will try to remedy that a bit. I had an outstanding brunch there today, one of the best I've had in Chicago recently. I ordered their green eggs and ham which is walnut pesto mixed with scrambled egg whites served over three sliced pieces of baguette and smoked ham. The key to this dish was the pesto which tasted quite fresh and was fantastic. This dish also came with with spicy potatoes which were basically Indian style potatoes similar to that you would find in aloo gobi or aloo palak. These were OK, but I think more traditional, American-style roasted potatoes would have gone better with this dish.

My companion ordered daal and eggs. This consisted of 2 eggs any style (in this case, over medium), daal, paratha, and basmati rice. I tried a bit of hers, and, while it was not as good as the green eggs and ham, I though this dish was well prepared as well. I probably would have done without the rice and added the Indian-style spicy potatoes, but that's me. To me the highlight of this dish was the combination of the paratha, egg and daal. Maybe it's because I just got back from Mexico, but this reminded me a bit of an Indian huevos rancheros.

Treat's brunch menu is made up of some standard fare such as omelets, eggs any style, steak benedict, and pancakes, but it also has a few interesting dishes such as pakora pancakes and masala french toast. I did not try any of these, but maybe next time.

Went there for brunch today. Started off with the Ginger Limeade. Very gingery & refreshing. Split the Pakora pancakes with tamarind chutneys (the usual two you get with samosas), Masala french toast (with chai syrup), dal & eggs, & a side of spicy potatoes (similar to the mix you might find inside a dosa). The dal & potatoes were my favorite, but the flavors on all were very good - not overpowering, just pleasant. I definitely will be back. The meal for two only came to $25.

Although a bit off the beaten path, I was surprised not to see as much business there. It's worth a visit for brunch.

Although I tend to be a Cozy Corner/Johnnie's kind of girl when it comes to breakfast, I've been meaning to try this place as it is very close to my new house. They have a very interesting menu, it would be great to have a walkable standby for brunch/dinner.

Good to see the positive feedback, it's back on my radar and I'll try to make it in soon!

the GF and I finally made it to this local BYOB and had a great dinner. It was this Tuesday night, and we arrived at about 7pm to an empty dining room. The chef and server told us that it was their first Tuesday being open, but they had a few calls already (we called too) asking if they were open. By the time we left there were 2-3 other tables dining.

A very minimalist dining room, and well-lit. The staff greeted us warmly and showed us to the table in the front window. We were very hungry so immediately ordered the samosas ($5) and lamb meatballs ($9) appetizers. Both were excellent, the samosas came with the traditional Indian green and red dipping sauces. The meatballs were juicy, served with a tomato/cucumber/cilantro relish. (My phone was acting up and these were devoured before I could take a pic)

We chose Moroccan lamb shank ($17) and Chicken Tikka Masala ($14) for our entrees. Both outstanding for the price, and very different. Lamb was tender and savory, served with lentils, eggplant, fresh lemon and I think some fennel also. The Tikka Masala was robust, spicy and very filling with tender chicken, and very good sauteed vegetables on the side.


Moroccan Lamb Shank


Chicken Tikka Masala

We had brought some wine with us, and for those who need stemware you should bring your own. They offer tumblers, but the bigger highball-style, not the Italian-style smaller glasses that Mado has. No matter, they serve their purpose.

We skipped dessert, but will be back to try some. We also want to come back for brunch for daal and eggs, masala french toast and samosa pancakes. Those sound too interesting to pass up!

Treat
1616 N Kedzie Ave
773-772-1201
http://www.treatrestaurant.com (site currently disabled for update by owner)
Now open every day for lunch, dinner and brunch - including Tuesday!

We also want to come back for brunch for daal and eggs, masala french toast and samosa pancakes. Those sound too interesting to pass up!

I haven't had the french toast or the pancakes but the daal and eggs are excellent.

Had an enjoyable dinner at Treat last night. It was our first visit. We shared a couple of appetizers - the samosas and some fried calamari. I really liked the samosas, which were served with two sauces - cilantro-mint and tamarind. The cilantro-mint sauce was outstanding. Calamari was tender, but I would have liked a little more "kick" to the harissa aioli.
I chose the Garlic Paneer Linguine as my entree and enjoyed it very much. The garlic was roasted, so was pretty mellow, and was paired with edamame and asparagus. Jonathan had the curried gnocchi with spinach, gingered raisins, and roasted fennel. I was surprised he went with a vegetarian entree but it appealed to him and after a taste I concurred it was a very rich and satisfying dish.
I liked the funky vibe, the very friendly and informed service and the fact that it's BYOB. 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 cups of coffee, (+bottle of wine from home,) = $48.00. This is the kind of place I wish we had within walking distance to home. We'll be back as there were several menu items I found appealing, notably the Beer Battered Cod Sandwich with capers, herb aioli and pickled onions.