Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 09/01/2008 - 6:34am.
I second RLAs move to reassess the rating of Daves Italian Ktichen. Like many I keep wanting to like this place and am always terribly disappointed by their food. They do offer generous portions and their salad is passable, but otherwise the pasta is way overcooked and the sauces are largely tasteless. Admittedly, my grand-mother is Italian and reared me on a mean pasta sauce... and I am currently living in Rome for the year, so my standards are high...but there are a ton of better places for Italian in town than Dave's Italian Kitchen (even Pizzaria DOC makes better pasta than Dave's, though I prefer them for their pizza's...can we bring back the now-closed Trullo that was on Central until they tore down the building for condos thatr have yet to be built?)
I'd love to know why so many otherwise sensible Evanstonians are such devotees to Dave's. This is a serious question--I just don't get it and would like to understand. I've tried a variety of dishes on their menu and have yet to find a winner. Am I missing something? Suggestions for the next time friends suggest meeting there for dinner (other than eating before leaving for the restaurant?).
Submitted by gl west (not verified) on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 4:03pm.
Trullos is now located in Lincoln Square and it is worth the trip. It is quality dining inside or out on the front patio. Chicago gained a great place to eat.
Submitted by Mr. Who Knows (not verified) on Mon, 09/01/2008 - 5:02pm.
and I am currently living in Rome for the year, so my standards are high...but there are a ton of better places for Italian in town than Dave's Italian Kitchen
You're in Rome for the year? Professor, is that you?
I agree - nothing special about Dave's Italian Kitchen. I don't see how they are any better than Bravo, which I don't really care for ( have not tried Evanston location, but have been there in 3 other cities). Not as annoying as Olive Garden, though. I think that some people just think that any local place is better than a chain. "Unique","local"...blah.
Submitted by Jim Mizell on Tue, 07/22/2008 - 5:08pm.
In these uncertain economic times it seems appropriate to discuss the "silver
lining" of alfresco dining on the North Shore.
This is a big subject. And, we're all friends now. So, let's be 'OPEN' ( no pun intended ).
I have no way of knowing if Calin Day, or any of the other professional epicures, who visit this site, are still in this conversation. So, pardon my presumption of expertise on this subject. In a separate post, I'll give you a "review of the literature," from Google so we can put this in context.
For those of you who've been "alfreso-ing" all summer, it's time for comments and questions ?
I.E., What's 'hot' ( no pun intended ) and what's 'not?'
Submitted by Jim Mizell on Wed, 07/23/2008 - 5:42pm.
Here's my first entry. This is difficult to beat, eve without the "silver lining."
Flat Top, Breakfast, Church and Orrington. Saturday and Sunday only. Nine to twelve noon.
Adults: $ 8.99. Kids ( ten and under ) $ 5.99.
Create your own omelette ( including egg whites ), pancake, egg scramble and/or french toast with the traditional range of fresh Flat Top veggies, breakfast meats ( chopped ham, susage and bacon bits ) and sauces.
With the additional plastic sticks, choose sides to complement your concoction: bacon, sausage patties, rotti prata and breakfast potatoes.
Plus: Oatmeal ( scoop your own, while you wait for your concoction to be cooked ) with a full array of toppings ( walnuts, brown sugar, shredded coconut,
chocolate chips, ad nauseum ).
Still waiting while you're working on your tan: avail yourself of a full range of cut up fresh fruit and pastries. Or make those your desert, if your waiter brings your concoction while you're nibbling.
Juices, and other traditional beverages extra ( averaging two bucks ); Bloody Mary's are pricey ( 6.99 )
The silver lining: why pay a dog sitter, bring it along. If you go on Saturday a.m., when the kids get antsy, send them over to the library to surf the net or ( god forbid !), find a good book! Decent people watching...no surcharge. If you bring a bunch of preschoolers, they can nibble off your plate. Plus, the inevitable garbage they leave under the table, can go to the dog, or a deserving friendly bird!
Submitted by Jim Marsh on Thu, 07/10/2008 - 12:08pm.
Wear a the special Evanston Grand Prix of Cycling T-shirt to participating restaurants in downtown Evanston and get discounts on food and beverages. For details visit www.enhgrandprix.com and click on the t-shirt icon. T-shirt promotion is good for all of July.
Submitted by Jason Hays on Thu, 07/10/2008 - 8:16am.
Better get there soon, before the upcoming national exposure from Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives" makes it impossible to partake of Gus's amazing dippin' dogs (hand-dipped corndogs) and THE BEST FRIES IN CHICAGOLAND!
Submitted by Tad Gage (not verified) on Wed, 07/09/2008 - 1:34pm.
Really great Indian restaurant, Bombay Kabab House, at Howard and Dodge in Evanston. My wife and I discovered it and have turned others onto it. All you can eat lunch buffet is $8 and even the ala carte entrees generally run less than $12. Gourmet Indian fare at bargain prices. Good meat and vegetarian choices. Family owed and operated (Jamal is the chef and his wife, Aiysha, is the host), kid friendly, clean (a plus if you've ever eaten on Devon Ave). A free lot and additional free street parking.
Submitted by Jessie (not verified) on Mon, 07/28/2008 - 6:27pm.
My name is Jessie, and the Kabab House is the best indian restaurant I have been to! I've been there a few times with my family, and the owners are so nice to us. The restaurant is incredibly clean and the food is delicious. I will definitely go back very soon.
Submitted by dh (not verified) on Thu, 07/10/2008 - 11:25am.
I agree!!!! We've been doing the buffet there since it opened. The food is excellent and the owners are so nice and very kind to my children. I especially like the rice and chicken--the seafood choice is also good and they keep refilling with fresh bread. The owner always comes out of the kitchen to talk to his "friend" my 9 year old daughter and once she was eating sloppily and they immediately were there with a napkin to help out. A TERRIFIC place.
Submitted by adam_k (not verified) on Sun, 07/20/2008 - 6:12pm.
Bombay is just OK. If you can make it across town you can have Mt. Everest Buffet for only $1 more. The food is much better - on par with the better Indian Restaurants on Devon. Well worth the effort.
Submitted by Bill Smith on Wed, 07/09/2008 - 10:16pm.
Hi Tad,
Sorry to disagree with you, but my wife and I found the lunch buffet at Bombay Kabab House very disappointing when we tried it a few months ago. We won't be going back.
--Bill
Submitted by Jim Mizell on Sat, 07/05/2008 - 9:31am.
BANG for the Battered Buck 4th of July Special:
Evanston Food Arbitrage.........
2 Whopper ( USD $ )/ BOE ( Barrel of Oill Equivalent )
Just wanted to give Evanstonnow.com the scoop. With oi pushing over $ 140 a barrel, the local Burger King slipped in an increase to four dollars ( USD ) for the two Whopper special. ( see my entry below, 6/11.)
I didn't know that Burger King used so many petroleum products in their food ?
My fellow Evanstonians, don't fret about the cost of that summer European trip that you're not going to take. Two Whoppers in Paris are quoted at $7.00 ( USD ), according to my sources.
Stay home and play the 2 Whopper ( USD )/BOE spread. The CBOT ( Chicago Board of Trade ) is rumored to be introducing a contract on this spread, before summer's end. Happy Independence Day !
Stay tuned!
Submitted by Mr. Who Knows (not verified) on Mon, 08/25/2008 - 10:32pm.
No discussion of dining in downtown Evanston would be complete without a mention of the McDonald's which was formerly at the south end of the Orrington Hotel.
As we all know, when the hotel was remodeled (around 2003 I think), McDonald's was evicted and they brought in an upscale steakhouse, which fortunately did not last very long ( I hate steak), and was then replaced by Blu (sushi/Japanese).
I have been to Blu, it is delicious. I cannot afford to eat there every day, but that is why we have Pomegranate down the road. Does anyone miss McDonald's?
Seriously, does anyone wish that we had McDonald's back instead of Blu?
The glowing report reads like a realtor's brochure. It does not mention the lack of central place for public assembly, the complete absence of live theatre, a paucity of live music, no dancing, little indoor recreation, no art museum, low-cost food venues getting replaced by pricy ones, and that if you run out of gas, you are marooned.
Other than McDonald's being replaced by Blu , I can't think of any low-cost food venues getting replaced by pricy ones. Can anyone help out here?
Or perhaps he is referring to the demise of Bill's Finer Foods on Dempster, and similar 'Finer Foods' establishments, being upended by the Whole Foods and future Trader Joe's.
Personally, I have no problem with either McDonald's or Bill's Finer Foods being replaced by higher end stores. There are still plenty of low-end food places remaining (Burger King, Hanan's Finer Foods, 7-11) , so people still have a choice.
Does anybody else have a problem with this?
p.s. If you run out of gas and are marooned in downtown Evanston, it means that you ignored your gas gauge warning too long. Just about every car now can give at least 10 miles of warning before you are really empty - so you can make to the Citgo on Green Bay.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 09/01/2008 - 6:20am.
Not only did the McDonald's close, but so did Baja Fresh, another cheap fast food place that actually cooked what they prepared in a (relatively) healthier fashion. It was a perfect place in downtown Evanston for families with small children. Spacious, inexpensive. The few remaining downtown places that are cheap spots appropriate for taking children (e.g. the hot dog spot opposite the library), are crammed and tend to offer largely unhealthy friend foods. Jeff Smith's post about losing inexpensive venues to more pricier venues could not be more accurate. I also agree with Jeff Smith that while we are gaining in upscale apartments, 7-11 type stores and national chains, we still don't have a downtown art museum or many of the other spots that would define Evanston more clearly as a cultural center that is family-friendly and diverse-income friendly.
Submitted by Mr. Who Knows (not verified) on Mon, 09/01/2008 - 12:22pm.
Sorry, Baja Fresh doesn't count as support for Jeff Smith's claims. Here is why:
1. Baja Fresh was not replaced by an expensive restaurant. It was replaced by a sports apparel store.
2. More importantly, Baja Fresh was part of the new development downtown which Smith is always opposing.
This is the problem with NIMBYs in general, and CSNA in particular. They always want to have it both ways, and don't understand that there have to be tradeoffs.
Supposedly they want a vibrant downtown, full of inexpensive restaurants - but not national chains, which provide economy of scale. Oh yes, and the food should be healthy too ( even if that is not what the market supports at that price). They also want an art museum, places for public assembly, and places for live music and dancing, and maybe an inexpensive grocery store.......
at the same time, they don't want more people moving downtown, because Evanston supposedly has too many people already. And they don't want people from out of town coming in to shop, eat, and visit these sites....that would just create traffic, and Mr. Smith has written an essay in the Roundtable where he makes it clear that he doesn't want stores that cater to kids from New Trier instead of Evanston. [And NIMBYism is based on xenophobia ].
So who is going to support all of these restaurants and stores? Who is going to pay for this art museum, and why do we want downtown real estate being taken up by another nonprofit? [ By the way, Northwestern haters, if you want to see an art museum in Evanston, just take a walk over to campus ] Where will all of these unique and locally owned shops get their customers?
And what about this live music and dancing? Won't this create a lot of noise, crowds, and unruly teenagers and ruin the pastoral charm and uniqueness of our quaint and historic hamlet? What kind of live music and dancing establishment does CSNA want? Another bar? Will Metallica and Kanye West be permitted to perform? Or do they think that Glenn Miller's plane will magically land at O'Hare, and he and his orchestra will play in the Varsity Theater which will be restored to its former greatness?
Of course, CSNA offers no specific details on how this will be accomplished [one may assume that it will involve lots of planning and regulation]. Like the guy who shows up at council meetings with the stuffed pig, they just make all sorts of accusations and find faults, but provide no realistic alternatives.
And what about taxes? Do we want downtown to be a high-rent district that generates a lot of property and sales tax revenue? Or do we want low rents and inexpensive stores ( Popeyes and Dollar General)?
The problem is that they want to have it all, and they think that this can be accomplished by regulation and bureaucracy.
Submitted by Maret Thorpe on Tue, 08/26/2008 - 2:05pm.
We used that McDonald's quite frequently when the kids were little. It was an easy, cheap place to go eat on trips to the library. We were sorry to see it go. Yes, Burger King has been there all along, but it was good to have two low-end fast food places downtown.
The loss of plain old Dominick's at Church and Maple has still not been made up. We don't need another 7-11. We don't need another Hanan's. We don't need another upscale food store like Whole Foods. We need a plain old grocery store where you can buy generic staples within walking distance from downtown and NU.
I hope as time goes on enough people will move into all our downtown condo developments that Dominick's or Jewel will see fit to move back to downtown Evanston.
Submitted by Mr. Who Knows (not verified) on Tue, 08/26/2008 - 3:41pm.
In addition to Burger King, there are Taco Bell, Chipotle, and Subway downtown, in addition to many other low or moderate priced places. So the loss of McDonald's is no big deal - certainly no reason for the City Council, CSNA, or Planning Commission to get involved.
As for a Dominick's - well, you are right , we can only have one of those downtown if we have sufficient population. More people will bring more business. Unfortunately, the CSNA and other NIMBY groups believe that Evanston is already OVERpopulated, and they want to stop more housing downtown.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 08/26/2008 - 8:14am.
"If you run out of gas and are marooned in downtown Evanston, it means that you ignored your gas gauge warning too long. Just about every car now can give at least 10 miles of warning before you are really empty - so you can make to the Citgo on Green Bay."
I had to marvel at the same oversight, and would agree with the above. There is also a Shell station - a bit pricey, however - on Chicago, about 2 blocks south of Dempster.
And what were we supposed to replace in Downtown with a gas station? The park that will remain when we tear down the Fountain Square Building?
Submitted by Mr. Who Knows (not verified) on Fri, 08/29/2008 - 9:43pm.
"Anonymous" wrote:
And what were we supposed to replace in Downtown with a gas station? The park that will remain when we tear down the Fountain Square Building?
That's a good point - if the CSNA thinks that downtown Evanston needs a gas station - even though there are already plenty within 2 miles of downtown - then I think that they should answer the following questions:
1. Where, in downtown Evanston, would be a desirable location for a gas station? This will require digging underground tanks for the gas. And gas stations operate on razor thin margins - they would have a hard time affording downtown Evanston real estate and competing against stores just a mile away, where the land is cheaper. ( Hey CSNA - cars are mobile , so drivers can easily drive 1/2 mile to save 1 or 2 cents/gallon on gas.) And who will pay for cleanup of the site if the gas station ever goes out of business?
2. Do you want tankers full of highly flammable fuel driving into downtown Evanston? Supposedly the 38 story tower will require 500 additional full-time firefighters, or something like that. Won't we need to have a giant hazmat team on call if the gas tanker leaks or explodes? Won't we need to buy all sorts of new firefighting equipment, like helicopters to drop water or C02?
3. Will this be near any existing houses or condos? Perhaps some NIMBYs will not want a gas station in their back yard?
4. Will you permit this gas station to be open all night? Since we are concerned about running out of gas downtown, the most dangerous time would be late at night - when it would be difficult to call a towtruck or walk to the Citgo on Green Bay. Will we permit this place to stay open all night? Won't this attract undesirables, who will hang out and make noise?
I really haven't seen a lot of cars marooned downtown because they ran out of gas. As I said above, anyone who is paying attention to his buzzing or blinking gas gauge will have plenty of warning, and will be able to make it to the Citgo or Shell - or even to one of the 24 hour stations on Dempster or Golf.
I think that this is yet another imaginary problem dreamed up by the CSNA. That's how they work - they need to create 'problems' to justify their 'planning'.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 06/26/2008 - 1:14pm.
Panino's at Dodge and Dempster. Not exactly great ambiance, but the food is really quite good, the variety is excellent, and the prices are reasonable. Probably the best food you can get in Evanston without having to dress up. My second choice would be Celtic Knot, but it's a bit pricier.
Submitted by Joann (not verified) on Sun, 06/29/2008 - 2:11pm.
Really, we need to keep this jewel an Evanston secret, else we will have those fools from Chicago desending on us like they did Crossrhoades and then what! They also have very good service, and they make you feel like coming back.
Submitted by Lori M. Barrett (not verified) on Wed, 07/30/2008 - 12:04am.
I totally agree. This place is a jewel. Great service, great food AND best of all reasonably priced. With that strip mall practically vacant, I think (and hope) we Evanstonians can continue keep it our little secret.
Submitted by John Thomson on Thu, 06/26/2008 - 1:07pm.
There is a new HOT Wings place in Evanston out on Main Street in the strip mall before you hit mc cormick. Ordered out last week with some friends and we all liked it. The only place I'll eat out at restaurant style is Prairie Moon.
John -- I took your recommendation about the wing place and i would agree. Thanks for the lead. Great value for a combo meal. And their sauces were very original. A must try was the Lemon Pepper wings. Quite a surprise and unique. It also seemed as if they were making the wings fresh, and not just coating already-prepared wings in sauce when you place the order. So figure about 14-15 minutes for your order - better yet, call it in.
Why did you refer to is as "John Elway's?" I asked in the store about it and the person at the counter told me that was something else.
Submitted by John Thomson on Sat, 07/05/2008 - 7:44am.
After seeing your post I did a little research on Wing Stop and from what I could find John Elway is not affiliated with this franchise. Probably, as best as I can fathom someone was overwhelmed by the good taste of these wings and mumbled something to the effect that John Elway owned the place. I've assumed this could be possible because what I discovered is that Troy Aikman is the official spokesperson for Wing Stop. And to a hungry chicken eater one NFL Quarterback is as good as another. Check out wingstop.com and you might want to invest in this company. Thanks again for the heads up on my mistake. John
Submitted by Jim Mizell on Wed, 06/25/2008 - 8:42pm.
Hey good buddy!
I'm finally standing after 'dining' at le Custer's this past weekend.
Got news for ya, Cait'. I'm negotiating with a real culinary 'hired gun' to share her expertise here, on the Evanston culinary arts, as my guest witness. Be prepared!
I've had enough down time in bed this week ruminating about how to reform my eating habits. Besides, I want to demonstrate the sensibility quotient of my pallette. So, I'm not backing off big guy! But, that's for after the Fourth. So, sit tight, and keep pumpimg your iron at the Y, fella!
Granted, Custer's and Fountain Square do expand the range of Evanston's ethnic cuisine choices. But, at what price ?
Any stories out there about 'nutritional breakthroughs with your families at these fairs ?
Any stories about the 'afterglow' that anyone can share ?
Submitted by John Brinkmann on Wed, 06/25/2008 - 8:52am.
All opions here are very nice but the bottom line on fast food in Evanston---it's pretty much non exiistent...The only joint in the downtown area I would refer to as acceptable fast food is Buffalo Joes---sadly enough though the overall quality at BJ's has dropped horribly in the past few years---The wings are inconsistent, the place is pig sty, and the prices are no way a bargain.
For tradition, quality, and the right price price---One has to go the outer edges of town to find the Real Deal!
1--Bill's...The long and still reigning champion--I need not say more other than as we refered to it back in HS days---"William's On The Asbury"...Bill sold the place years ago but current owners faithfully maintain the tradition---Long live the King!!!
2---Mustrads Last Stand
3---Hot Dog Island
Honorary Mention---Sarkis Grill...Personaly I think the food is better suited for canines but whatever---tradition scores big points here and who knows what the food tatses like anyway when your hungover out of your mind.
#2 Honorary Mention---D&D Dogs---Decent fast food and good atmosphere---Plus you get D&D Finer Foods right next door---old school style market--a rare commodity!
Biggest Dissapontment---Al's...The overrated Chicago establishment comes to Davis St-----yawn
Best of the West...For all around best eats---best quality---cleanliness---value---service---etc--etc--etc---DENGEOS...and of course it's not even in E-Town---no real surprise there...We don't even have a freakin McDonalds in the downtown area???---Lose big points on that all by itself---tragic---just plain tragic.
And along same lines and last but not least---"Where's The Beef"...can anyone provide me with one good reason as to why I have to go way west on Touhy to find Wendy???...Time to bring the freckled pig tailed red head to Evanston---way over due---and while your at it---be quite nice if we had a Porcelain Palace as well---I'll have a couple dozen sliders please--extra onions
Submitted by New2Evanston (not verified) on Sat, 06/14/2008 - 9:16pm.
I really have to tell you that Dixie Kitchen is not good southern cooking. It is a good northern attempt at southern cooking.
My husband and I moved here from New Orleans in 2005 (I think you know why) though we are originally from a different southern state. For Mardi Gras 2006 we were taken by some well-meaning friends to the Dixie Kitchen in Hyde Park. The Dixie Kitchen in Evanston is no better. It truly was the thought that counted. Also, when I ordered chicken gumbo at the Dixie Kitchen in Evanston it contained shrimp--big no-no in NOLA. Food allergies are serious business.
The food isn't bad but it isn't good either. For a better facsimile of southern cooking it is worth the drive to Wishbone on Lincoln in Lakeview.
I can give high marks for food and service at Mount Everest (and I am NOT usually a buffet girl), Dozika, and Celtic Knot (great goat cheese salad). I think Lucky Platter deserves a do-over for me as I think I just ordered the wrong thing. My husband says not to forget about Bill's Drive-In for you fast food lovers!
I am really looking forward to trying Addis Ababa but I've heard that it may not be the best choice for the best-bang-for-your-buck category...
Submitted by Jim Mizell on Sun, 06/15/2008 - 1:29pm.
What's the history of Quince ? Can you provide a frame of reference, that a guy like me ( who considers Whole Foods my kitchen ) cann understand ?
When I lived in Lincoln Park, my ex-wife explained that Charlie Trotter lived next door. Although my "at the time" five year old daughter played with Dillon Trotter all the time, I didn't have a clue about Charlie. ( I gues that explains the marriage, yes ? ) So pardon my ignorance about Quince. Can you help me out ?
Submitted by Evanston RLA on Mon, 06/16/2008 - 8:39am.
There's not a lot to tell about the history of Quince, that I'm aware of. They've been in business since late 2006 and the head chef is Mark Hannon.
That location in the Homestead has been home to several famed restaurants over the years though, most recently Trio which had a handful of now quasi-famous chefs, and a later incarnation of the same restaurant known as Trio Atelier.
Quince is a very good restaurant. I've eaten there twice and thoroughly enjoyed it both times. I'm sure some will find it horribly pretentious and walk away disappointed. If you're looking for "bang for your buck", this place will likely fall short. If you enjoy trying new food, or new combination of foods prepared in an interesting way, then give it a shot. It's a little on the expensive side, but not ridiculous (i.e. Charlie Trotters) for this type of restaurant. Both time's I've eaten there, the service and atmosphere have been perfect.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 06/15/2008 - 8:22am.
i think that dixie kitchen is at good as it gets around here in their price range. always seems very tasty and well-prepared, regardless of whether they are authentic southern cooking. while their breakfasts are my favorite choices, i have never had a bad meal there. sometimes i have had 2-3 meals there in a week. i try to avoid the sandwiches because everything else is a treat. i am particularly fond of the fried chicken dinner, which is bountiful, and the chicken is some of the best in town. a colleague only takes his business and buddy lunches there. the dixie kitchen's food got me interested in trying out the wishbone. the menu sounded very appealing. my family went there last father's day and we all had a horribly disappointing meal.
Submitted by Love Evanston (not verified) on Fri, 06/13/2008 - 12:47pm.
I used to like Cosi until I looked them up a couple of years ago in the Health Inspections Reports published on the city site. Just looked again in case they decided to keep things cleaner-- but was disappointed:
100 points possible.
COSI, 1736 SHERMAN AVE Only routine inspections are scored.
Date Inspected: 4/14/2008 Type: 1st Routine Score: 81
"Potentially Hazardous Foods" not at proper temperatures during cooking, cooling, reheating, refrigeration, freezing or hot holding.
Poor handwashing practices and/or improper storage of employee drinks and/or employees smoking in food preparation areas.
Plastic forks, spoons, knives and single-use cups stored incorrectly.
Handsink blocked and/or not enough handsinks in facility.
Insects, rodents or other animals observed.
Required Certified Food Handler not on site.
To check out other Evanston restaurants, go to:
http://www.cityofevanston.org/departments/health/reports/inspect.shtml
Submitted by Jim Mizell on Fri, 06/13/2008 - 5:45pm.
As long as we're on inspections, let's talk about a related topic, "presentation."
Let me be clear: I have no skinny relating to the Bombay Garden's demise and inspections. I do however have my own perceptions.
Bombay Gardens opened right next door to Mount Everest. M.E. is ostensibly a success.
Without investing in extensive interior design, or going overboard on 'exotica,' etc, they created a certain kind of ambience. It's based on extraordinary friendliness cum 'can do' service, cleanliness, dependable quality fresh food, and predictable, but plain presentation. They've become a 'winner' in Evanston's competitive restaurant environment.
But, Bombay Garden flopped right next door.
Is someone from Kellogg doing an entrepreneurial case study on this one ?
This says something about the Evanston Restarant consumer, yes ?
Why do you think it failed ?
Submitted by Jim Mizell on Wed, 06/11/2008 - 7:30pm.
I'm not in denial folks!
EVANSTON HAS FAST FOOD! So, let's just deal with it here. Okay, Catlin ?
Repression never works! Burger King has a perpetual two whopper special for only $3.50 plus tax ( USD ).Beat that ?
More importantly, let's define the line in the sand. Give me examples where fast food blends into a good ( and/or 'for you' ) cheap food. And, why ?
Please note: This is a short essay question.
Submitted by Calin Day on Thu, 06/12/2008 - 5:06pm.
Hello Jim,
How about a bit of my background first. It's CALIN. Like Colin, but an "A", pronouced "Kah-lynn." Not Catlin. (Though you're not the first nor will you be the last to get it mixed up.)
I'm a 260 pound guy who can bench press quite a bit more than I weigh. I belong to the Evanston YMCA if you ever want to drop by to verify. I've eaten truckloads of every kind of food you can shake a stick at. (Barring that, I'll shoot it and eat it. I'm from Colorado after all.)
I'm not partial to live food, but I'll eat it if I have to, preferably with "Da-Bomb", a hot sauce so hot I'll bet you fifty bucks you can't eat more than two knife-tips of it in my home-made Elk chili. If you did, it would probably burn your stomach down. We almost had to take my buddy Jon to the emergency room when he tried that stuff plain.
Now, that said. I think it goes without saying that major chains and fast food are a "gimmie" in today's society. You can get McDonalds in China, and KFC in France, after all. (Along with almost every other fast food type in almost every country.) Sure, it's almost always cheap. But it lacks what I like to call "a reason to write home about." Or in this case, "a reason to blog about."
But... since you're passionate about your fast food, I'll do my best.
For the record, I worked in every trained position except manager at McDonald's on the SIU campus. I have what I like to call "Industry Cred." And I style myself as someone who has literally eaten so much fast food in my past I'm no longer allowed to eat any more. I hit my limit, so to speak.
I also happen to know what employees do with the deep fryer in their spare time with no customers around... (Funnel cake, anyone?)
If you're tired of Taco Bell and Burger King, give these others a try:
Wild Dogz (one of my favourite places, and not a chain, but about as cheap)
D&D Dogs (another very good option, owned by Wild Dogz father)
Gigio's Pizza (another good one that's local, also not a chain as far as I know and easily as cheap as a chain)
The Dog House, (I think it's called), near the WildCats Stadium
Subway (a healthy fast food alternative, for less than five bucks)
Buffalo Joes (kickin wings for a reasonable price)
My memorable personal bests for Fast Food eaten is:
17 Taco Bell Hard Shell Tacos in 20 minutes.
4 Foot long Subway Sandwiches in 6 minutes
An entire 14 inch thick crust pizza in less than 20 minutes
15 McDonald's cheeseburgers and a large fry/drink in one sitting.
If that doesn't make you want to give up fast food for something more local with a bit more style and flavor than your average chain, you're a die hard fast food lover or short on cash and required to cope. Both of which I can understand from personal experience. (Ramen noodles with ranch dressing, anyone?)
Happy Eating!
- Calin Day
- http://www.calinday.com/static/evanstonreviews.html
Submitted by Peter Staub on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 3:37am.
Hey Calin,
I think you're talking about Mustards Last Stand. I consider that part of my stomping grounds. They've actually been in business longer than most other Evanston restaurants, since the late 60's I think.
I notice that Sarkis hasn't made your list. Maybe you don't like breakfast or maybe it's just not in your neck of the woods, but the place is treasured by some. You can get hash browns, a sandwich and a drink for 6 bucks. Old diner experience a plus.
Submitted by John Thomson on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 10:23am.
I don't like the idea of being critical about a "treasured" eatery as Sarki's but it should come with fine print about the amount of butter (excessesively) that is used to make toast, hasbrowns and eggs. I realize there is a milieu about the place that other diners lack and a history for students but after eating the above fair with a friend we felt like our next stop should be the hospital to get our stomachs pumped. Maybe we should have been more selective about what we chose. Still, to you Sarki's fans more power (butter) to you.
Submitted by Jim Mizell on Wed, 06/11/2008 - 7:20pm.
In passing by Carmen's this afternoon, I was able to verify that the buffet has been extinct for at least three months. Accoding to my source, "four to five requests for a comeback" are lodged every day. My source requested anonymity.
( soprry if this is misspelled )
Is our "all you can eat " category complete? I remeber eyeing ad ad by the Orrington for an Easter Brunch. I forget the exact phrasing...but it was a code to us "all you can eat" epicures to "stop on by." Does this qualify ?
Submitted by Candace Hill on Tue, 06/10/2008 - 11:08pm.
For the best food for the money, the Lucky Platter beats most other restaurants every time. When my kids were little, I could feed three of us with one gyros plate and an extra pita at Cross-Rhodes, the best for eating with little kids.
Dixie Kitchen is a treasure, and one I recommend to people who travel to Evanston from out of the country. What tha? I had a pretty good pre-made sandwhich from Bennisons Bakery the other day. Not bad at all!
Submitted by Jim Mizell on Tue, 06/10/2008 - 7:15pm.
My dad was a pediatrician and scarfed down a half gallon of ice cream while listening to classical music. This was relaxation until he found golf. That was a long time ago. But, whenever we went out to an "all you can eat" place, I was encouraged to go back....and back... and back. That's value, I guess. ...Not necessarily encouraging good healthy eating habits, you think ?
....So, who gets it here:
( a ) Mount Everest ?
( b ) Lulu's 'Munch a Bunch' or do you say "Bunch of Lunch? "
( c.) The Little Mexican Cafe
( d ) Samples at Whole Foods
Submitted by Maret Thorpe on Tue, 06/10/2008 - 3:27pm.
The best value in Evanston? That would be Cozy Noodles on Davis Street. Very tasty. Very inexpensive. Your children will spend hours counting the interesting collections displayed on the wall. Happily feeds both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Try the chicken noodle soup. Not like your grandma used to make (unless your Grandma is Asian), but comforting, nonetheless.
Another inexpensive favorite is Cross-Rhodes, on Chicago Ave., just north of Main. This is the home of the best burger in Evanston, in our humble opinion. The greek-style roast chicken is fab, too. Those who insist on being healthy can skip the dressing-soaked greek fries and have rice with their chicken. But I prefer to live a little: I order the fries and share them, thereby cutting calories in half.
I agree with the guy who liked Dixie kitchen. I especially enjoyed the cheese grits. They also beat the heck out of Le Peep for breakfast.
RLA might want to call La Petite Amelia and see if they're still open. Last we went by there, the place was closed.
Submitted by Mr Who Knows (not verified) on Tue, 06/10/2008 - 8:20pm.
Wait a minute...Pomegranate only gets *** ? That alone is outrageous, but then you give the same rating to Pita Pete's?
This is just not right.
Pomegranate gets at least ****, their only deficiency being their shameful lack of Turkish coffee. It would also be nice if they had kinafeh and brewed iced tea, like Pita Inn, and their rice pudding could be better, but the main meal is food is always delicious.
Submitted by Calin Day on Wed, 06/11/2008 - 4:43pm.
You're right. I eat at Pom weekly. They are good. I'll up their stars. My star ranking is what I like to call "fluid", that is, I mark it when I think it and they change according to my edits, which are usually monthly, and should be taken lightly. (As should my whole page, of course.) My page is a dictatorship, with me at the helm, but I'm open to debate about it. Ha! Thanks for reading! - Calin
I second RLAs move to reassess the rating of Daves Italian Ktichen. Like many I keep wanting to like this place and am always terribly disappointed by their food. They do offer generous portions and their salad is passable, but otherwise the pasta is way overcooked and the sauces are largely tasteless. Admittedly, my grand-mother is Italian and reared me on a mean pasta sauce... and I am currently living in Rome for the year, so my standards are high...but there are a ton of better places for Italian in town than Dave's Italian Kitchen (even Pizzaria DOC makes better pasta than Dave's, though I prefer them for their pizza's...can we bring back the now-closed Trullo that was on Central until they tore down the building for condos thatr have yet to be built?)
I'd love to know why so many otherwise sensible Evanstonians are such devotees to Dave's. This is a serious question--I just don't get it and would like to understand. I've tried a variety of dishes on their menu and have yet to find a winner. Am I missing something? Suggestions for the next time friends suggest meeting there for dinner (other than eating before leaving for the restaurant?).
Trullos is now located in Lincoln Square and it is worth the trip. It is quality dining inside or out on the front patio. Chicago gained a great place to eat.
and I am currently living in Rome for the year, so my standards are high...but there are a ton of better places for Italian in town than Dave's Italian Kitchen
You're in Rome for the year? Professor, is that you?
I agree - nothing special about Dave's Italian Kitchen. I don't see how they are any better than Bravo, which I don't really care for ( have not tried Evanston location, but have been there in 3 other cities). Not as annoying as Olive Garden, though. I think that some people just think that any local place is better than a chain. "Unique","local"...blah.
In these uncertain economic times it seems appropriate to discuss the "silver
lining" of alfresco dining on the North Shore.
This is a big subject. And, we're all friends now. So, let's be 'OPEN' ( no pun intended ).
I have no way of knowing if Calin Day, or any of the other professional epicures, who visit this site, are still in this conversation. So, pardon my presumption of expertise on this subject. In a separate post, I'll give you a "review of the literature," from Google so we can put this in context.
For those of you who've been "alfreso-ing" all summer, it's time for comments and questions ?
I.E., What's 'hot' ( no pun intended ) and what's 'not?'
For the rest of you, stay tuned!!
Here's my first entry. This is difficult to beat, eve without the "silver lining."
Flat Top, Breakfast, Church and Orrington. Saturday and Sunday only. Nine to twelve noon.
Adults: $ 8.99. Kids ( ten and under ) $ 5.99.
Create your own omelette ( including egg whites ), pancake, egg scramble and/or french toast with the traditional range of fresh Flat Top veggies, breakfast meats ( chopped ham, susage and bacon bits ) and sauces.
With the additional plastic sticks, choose sides to complement your concoction: bacon, sausage patties, rotti prata and breakfast potatoes.
Plus: Oatmeal ( scoop your own, while you wait for your concoction to be cooked ) with a full array of toppings ( walnuts, brown sugar, shredded coconut,
chocolate chips, ad nauseum ).
Still waiting while you're working on your tan: avail yourself of a full range of cut up fresh fruit and pastries. Or make those your desert, if your waiter brings your concoction while you're nibbling.
Juices, and other traditional beverages extra ( averaging two bucks ); Bloody Mary's are pricey ( 6.99 )
The silver lining: why pay a dog sitter, bring it along. If you go on Saturday a.m., when the kids get antsy, send them over to the library to surf the net or ( god forbid !), find a good book! Decent people watching...no surcharge. If you bring a bunch of preschoolers, they can nibble off your plate. Plus, the inevitable garbage they leave under the table, can go to the dog, or a deserving friendly bird!
Bon Apetit!
Wear a the special Evanston Grand Prix of Cycling T-shirt to participating restaurants in downtown Evanston and get discounts on food and beverages. For details visit www.enhgrandprix.com and click on the t-shirt icon. T-shirt promotion is good for all of July.
Better get there soon, before the upcoming national exposure from Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives" makes it impossible to partake of Gus's amazing dippin' dogs (hand-dipped corndogs) and THE BEST FRIES IN CHICAGOLAND!
Go, now! Enjoy!
Jason H.
Really great Indian restaurant, Bombay Kabab House, at Howard and Dodge in Evanston. My wife and I discovered it and have turned others onto it. All you can eat lunch buffet is $8 and even the ala carte entrees generally run less than $12. Gourmet Indian fare at bargain prices. Good meat and vegetarian choices. Family owed and operated (Jamal is the chef and his wife, Aiysha, is the host), kid friendly, clean (a plus if you've ever eaten on Devon Ave). A free lot and additional free street parking.
My name is Jessie, and the Kabab House is the best indian restaurant I have been to! I've been there a few times with my family, and the owners are so nice to us. The restaurant is incredibly clean and the food is delicious. I will definitely go back very soon.
I agree!!!! We've been doing the buffet there since it opened. The food is excellent and the owners are so nice and very kind to my children. I especially like the rice and chicken--the seafood choice is also good and they keep refilling with fresh bread. The owner always comes out of the kitchen to talk to his "friend" my 9 year old daughter and once she was eating sloppily and they immediately were there with a napkin to help out. A TERRIFIC place.
Bombay is just OK. If you can make it across town you can have Mt. Everest Buffet for only $1 more. The food is much better - on par with the better Indian Restaurants on Devon. Well worth the effort.
Hi Tad,
Sorry to disagree with you, but my wife and I found the lunch buffet at Bombay Kabab House very disappointing when we tried it a few months ago. We won't be going back.
--Bill
BANG for the Battered Buck 4th of July Special:
Evanston Food Arbitrage.........
2 Whopper ( USD $ )/ BOE ( Barrel of Oill Equivalent )
Just wanted to give Evanstonnow.com the scoop. With oi pushing over $ 140 a barrel, the local Burger King slipped in an increase to four dollars ( USD ) for the two Whopper special. ( see my entry below, 6/11.)
I didn't know that Burger King used so many petroleum products in their food ?
My fellow Evanstonians, don't fret about the cost of that summer European trip that you're not going to take. Two Whoppers in Paris are quoted at $7.00 ( USD ), according to my sources.
Stay home and play the 2 Whopper ( USD )/BOE spread. The CBOT ( Chicago Board of Trade ) is rumored to be introducing a contract on this spread, before summer's end. Happy Independence Day !
Stay tuned!
No discussion of dining in downtown Evanston would be complete without a mention of the McDonald's which was formerly at the south end of the Orrington Hotel.
As we all know, when the hotel was remodeled (around 2003 I think), McDonald's was evicted and they brought in an upscale steakhouse, which fortunately did not last very long ( I hate steak), and was then replaced by Blu (sushi/Japanese).
I have been to Blu, it is delicious. I cannot afford to eat there every day, but that is why we have Pomegranate down the road. Does anyone miss McDonald's?
Seriously, does anyone wish that we had McDonald's back instead of Blu?
The reason I ask is that I was reading Jeff Smith's analysis of the Draft Downtown Plan on the CSNA website, where he wrote:
The glowing report reads like a realtor's brochure. It does not mention the lack of central place for public assembly, the complete absence of live theatre, a paucity of live music, no dancing, little indoor recreation, no art museum, low-cost food venues getting replaced by pricy ones, and that if you run out of gas, you are marooned.
Other than McDonald's being replaced by Blu , I can't think of any low-cost food venues getting replaced by pricy ones. Can anyone help out here?
Or perhaps he is referring to the demise of Bill's Finer Foods on Dempster, and similar 'Finer Foods' establishments, being upended by the Whole Foods and future Trader Joe's.
Personally, I have no problem with either McDonald's or Bill's Finer Foods being replaced by higher end stores. There are still plenty of low-end food places remaining (Burger King, Hanan's Finer Foods, 7-11) , so people still have a choice.
Does anybody else have a problem with this?
p.s. If you run out of gas and are marooned in downtown Evanston, it means that you ignored your gas gauge warning too long. Just about every car now can give at least 10 miles of warning before you are really empty - so you can make to the Citgo on Green Bay.
Not only did the McDonald's close, but so did Baja Fresh, another cheap fast food place that actually cooked what they prepared in a (relatively) healthier fashion. It was a perfect place in downtown Evanston for families with small children. Spacious, inexpensive. The few remaining downtown places that are cheap spots appropriate for taking children (e.g. the hot dog spot opposite the library), are crammed and tend to offer largely unhealthy friend foods. Jeff Smith's post about losing inexpensive venues to more pricier venues could not be more accurate. I also agree with Jeff Smith that while we are gaining in upscale apartments, 7-11 type stores and national chains, we still don't have a downtown art museum or many of the other spots that would define Evanston more clearly as a cultural center that is family-friendly and diverse-income friendly.
Sorry, Baja Fresh doesn't count as support for Jeff Smith's claims. Here is why:
1. Baja Fresh was not replaced by an expensive restaurant. It was replaced by a sports apparel store.
2. More importantly, Baja Fresh was part of the new development downtown which Smith is always opposing.
This is the problem with NIMBYs in general, and CSNA in particular. They always want to have it both ways, and don't understand that there have to be tradeoffs.
Supposedly they want a vibrant downtown, full of inexpensive restaurants - but not national chains, which provide economy of scale. Oh yes, and the food should be healthy too ( even if that is not what the market supports at that price). They also want an art museum, places for public assembly, and places for live music and dancing, and maybe an inexpensive grocery store.......
at the same time, they don't want more people moving downtown, because Evanston supposedly has too many people already. And they don't want people from out of town coming in to shop, eat, and visit these sites....that would just create traffic, and Mr. Smith has written an essay in the Roundtable where he makes it clear that he doesn't want stores that cater to kids from New Trier instead of Evanston. [And NIMBYism is based on xenophobia ].
So who is going to support all of these restaurants and stores? Who is going to pay for this art museum, and why do we want downtown real estate being taken up by another nonprofit? [ By the way, Northwestern haters, if you want to see an art museum in Evanston, just take a walk over to campus ] Where will all of these unique and locally owned shops get their customers?
And what about this live music and dancing? Won't this create a lot of noise, crowds, and unruly teenagers and ruin the pastoral charm and uniqueness of our quaint and historic hamlet? What kind of live music and dancing establishment does CSNA want? Another bar? Will Metallica and Kanye West be permitted to perform? Or do they think that Glenn Miller's plane will magically land at O'Hare, and he and his orchestra will play in the Varsity Theater which will be restored to its former greatness?
Of course, CSNA offers no specific details on how this will be accomplished [one may assume that it will involve lots of planning and regulation]. Like the guy who shows up at council meetings with the stuffed pig, they just make all sorts of accusations and find faults, but provide no realistic alternatives.
And what about taxes? Do we want downtown to be a high-rent district that generates a lot of property and sales tax revenue? Or do we want low rents and inexpensive stores ( Popeyes and Dollar General)?
The problem is that they want to have it all, and they think that this can be accomplished by regulation and bureaucracy.
We used that McDonald's quite frequently when the kids were little. It was an easy, cheap place to go eat on trips to the library. We were sorry to see it go. Yes, Burger King has been there all along, but it was good to have two low-end fast food places downtown.
The loss of plain old Dominick's at Church and Maple has still not been made up. We don't need another 7-11. We don't need another Hanan's. We don't need another upscale food store like Whole Foods. We need a plain old grocery store where you can buy generic staples within walking distance from downtown and NU.
I hope as time goes on enough people will move into all our downtown condo developments that Dominick's or Jewel will see fit to move back to downtown Evanston.
In addition to Burger King, there are Taco Bell, Chipotle, and Subway downtown, in addition to many other low or moderate priced places. So the loss of McDonald's is no big deal - certainly no reason for the City Council, CSNA, or Planning Commission to get involved.
As for a Dominick's - well, you are right , we can only have one of those downtown if we have sufficient population. More people will bring more business. Unfortunately, the CSNA and other NIMBY groups believe that Evanston is already OVERpopulated, and they want to stop more housing downtown.
"If you run out of gas and are marooned in downtown Evanston, it means that you ignored your gas gauge warning too long. Just about every car now can give at least 10 miles of warning before you are really empty - so you can make to the Citgo on Green Bay."
I had to marvel at the same oversight, and would agree with the above. There is also a Shell station - a bit pricey, however - on Chicago, about 2 blocks south of Dempster.
And what were we supposed to replace in Downtown with a gas station? The park that will remain when we tear down the Fountain Square Building?
"Anonymous" wrote:
And what were we supposed to replace in Downtown with a gas station? The park that will remain when we tear down the Fountain Square Building?
That's a good point - if the CSNA thinks that downtown Evanston needs a gas station - even though there are already plenty within 2 miles of downtown - then I think that they should answer the following questions:
1. Where, in downtown Evanston, would be a desirable location for a gas station? This will require digging underground tanks for the gas. And gas stations operate on razor thin margins - they would have a hard time affording downtown Evanston real estate and competing against stores just a mile away, where the land is cheaper. ( Hey CSNA - cars are mobile , so drivers can easily drive 1/2 mile to save 1 or 2 cents/gallon on gas.) And who will pay for cleanup of the site if the gas station ever goes out of business?
2. Do you want tankers full of highly flammable fuel driving into downtown Evanston? Supposedly the 38 story tower will require 500 additional full-time firefighters, or something like that. Won't we need to have a giant hazmat team on call if the gas tanker leaks or explodes? Won't we need to buy all sorts of new firefighting equipment, like helicopters to drop water or C02?
3. Will this be near any existing houses or condos? Perhaps some NIMBYs will not want a gas station in their back yard?
4. Will you permit this gas station to be open all night? Since we are concerned about running out of gas downtown, the most dangerous time would be late at night - when it would be difficult to call a towtruck or walk to the Citgo on Green Bay. Will we permit this place to stay open all night? Won't this attract undesirables, who will hang out and make noise?
I really haven't seen a lot of cars marooned downtown because they ran out of gas. As I said above, anyone who is paying attention to his buzzing or blinking gas gauge will have plenty of warning, and will be able to make it to the Citgo or Shell - or even to one of the 24 hour stations on Dempster or Golf.
I think that this is yet another imaginary problem dreamed up by the CSNA. That's how they work - they need to create 'problems' to justify their 'planning'.
Had lunch yesterday at Zoba, The Noodle Bar, which just opened in the spot at 1565 Sherman Ave. recently vacated by Vive La Crepe.
I had the beef broccoli and sesame chicken lunch special combo and thought it was tasty and a reasonably good value at $6.95.
You couldnt have been more right on about this...
Great Food and Great prices will always keep me and my associates coming back.
And if you didnt know, try their Wing & BBQ sauces!!!! Incredible!!!!
Panino's at Dodge and Dempster. Not exactly great ambiance, but the food is really quite good, the variety is excellent, and the prices are reasonable. Probably the best food you can get in Evanston without having to dress up. My second choice would be Celtic Knot, but it's a bit pricier.
Really, we need to keep this jewel an Evanston secret, else we will have those fools from Chicago desending on us like they did Crossrhoades and then what! They also have very good service, and they make you feel like coming back.
I totally agree. This place is a jewel. Great service, great food AND best of all reasonably priced. With that strip mall practically vacant, I think (and hope) we Evanstonians can continue keep it our little secret.
There is a new HOT Wings place in Evanston out on Main Street in the strip mall before you hit mc cormick. Ordered out last week with some friends and we all liked it. The only place I'll eat out at restaurant style is Prairie Moon.
John -- I took your recommendation about the wing place and i would agree. Thanks for the lead. Great value for a combo meal. And their sauces were very original. A must try was the Lemon Pepper wings. Quite a surprise and unique. It also seemed as if they were making the wings fresh, and not just coating already-prepared wings in sauce when you place the order. So figure about 14-15 minutes for your order - better yet, call it in.
Why did you refer to is as "John Elway's?" I asked in the store about it and the person at the counter told me that was something else.
After seeing your post I did a little research on Wing Stop and from what I could find John Elway is not affiliated with this franchise. Probably, as best as I can fathom someone was overwhelmed by the good taste of these wings and mumbled something to the effect that John Elway owned the place. I've assumed this could be possible because what I discovered is that Troy Aikman is the official spokesperson for Wing Stop. And to a hungry chicken eater one NFL Quarterback is as good as another. Check out wingstop.com and you might want to invest in this company. Thanks again for the heads up on my mistake. John
Hey good buddy!
I'm finally standing after 'dining' at le Custer's this past weekend.
Got news for ya, Cait'. I'm negotiating with a real culinary 'hired gun' to share her expertise here, on the Evanston culinary arts, as my guest witness. Be prepared!
I've had enough down time in bed this week ruminating about how to reform my eating habits. Besides, I want to demonstrate the sensibility quotient of my pallette. So, I'm not backing off big guy! But, that's for after the Fourth. So, sit tight, and keep pumpimg your iron at the Y, fella!
Granted, Custer's and Fountain Square do expand the range of Evanston's ethnic cuisine choices. But, at what price ?
Any stories out there about 'nutritional breakthroughs with your families at these fairs ?
Any stories about the 'afterglow' that anyone can share ?
All opions here are very nice but the bottom line on fast food in Evanston---it's pretty much non exiistent...The only joint in the downtown area I would refer to as acceptable fast food is Buffalo Joes---sadly enough though the overall quality at BJ's has dropped horribly in the past few years---The wings are inconsistent, the place is pig sty, and the prices are no way a bargain.
For tradition, quality, and the right price price---One has to go the outer edges of town to find the Real Deal!
1--Bill's...The long and still reigning champion--I need not say more other than as we refered to it back in HS days---"William's On The Asbury"...Bill sold the place years ago but current owners faithfully maintain the tradition---Long live the King!!!
2---Mustrads Last Stand
3---Hot Dog Island
Honorary Mention---Sarkis Grill...Personaly I think the food is better suited for canines but whatever---tradition scores big points here and who knows what the food tatses like anyway when your hungover out of your mind.
#2 Honorary Mention---D&D Dogs---Decent fast food and good atmosphere---Plus you get D&D Finer Foods right next door---old school style market--a rare commodity!
Biggest Dissapontment---Al's...The overrated Chicago establishment comes to Davis St-----yawn
Best of the West...For all around best eats---best quality---cleanliness---value---service---etc--etc--etc---DENGEOS...and of course it's not even in E-Town---no real surprise there...We don't even have a freakin McDonalds in the downtown area???---Lose big points on that all by itself---tragic---just plain tragic.
And along same lines and last but not least---"Where's The Beef"...can anyone provide me with one good reason as to why I have to go way west on Touhy to find Wendy???...Time to bring the freckled pig tailed red head to Evanston---way over due---and while your at it---be quite nice if we had a Porcelain Palace as well---I'll have a couple dozen sliders please--extra onions
why no mention of Wiener and Still Champion on Dempster???
Hands down the best fast food establishment in Evanston.
I really have to tell you that Dixie Kitchen is not good southern cooking. It is a good northern attempt at southern cooking.
My husband and I moved here from New Orleans in 2005 (I think you know why) though we are originally from a different southern state. For Mardi Gras 2006 we were taken by some well-meaning friends to the Dixie Kitchen in Hyde Park. The Dixie Kitchen in Evanston is no better. It truly was the thought that counted. Also, when I ordered chicken gumbo at the Dixie Kitchen in Evanston it contained shrimp--big no-no in NOLA. Food allergies are serious business.
The food isn't bad but it isn't good either. For a better facsimile of southern cooking it is worth the drive to Wishbone on Lincoln in Lakeview.
I can give high marks for food and service at Mount Everest (and I am NOT usually a buffet girl), Dozika, and Celtic Knot (great goat cheese salad). I think Lucky Platter deserves a do-over for me as I think I just ordered the wrong thing. My husband says not to forget about Bill's Drive-In for you fast food lovers!
I am really looking forward to trying Addis Ababa but I've heard that it may not be the best choice for the best-bang-for-your-buck category...
What's the history of Quince ? Can you provide a frame of reference, that a guy like me ( who considers Whole Foods my kitchen ) cann understand ?
When I lived in Lincoln Park, my ex-wife explained that Charlie Trotter lived next door. Although my "at the time" five year old daughter played with Dillon Trotter all the time, I didn't have a clue about Charlie. ( I gues that explains the marriage, yes ? ) So pardon my ignorance about Quince. Can you help me out ?
There's not a lot to tell about the history of Quince, that I'm aware of. They've been in business since late 2006 and the head chef is Mark Hannon.
That location in the Homestead has been home to several famed restaurants over the years though, most recently Trio which had a handful of now quasi-famous chefs, and a later incarnation of the same restaurant known as Trio Atelier.
Quince is a very good restaurant. I've eaten there twice and thoroughly enjoyed it both times. I'm sure some will find it horribly pretentious and walk away disappointed. If you're looking for "bang for your buck", this place will likely fall short. If you enjoy trying new food, or new combination of foods prepared in an interesting way, then give it a shot. It's a little on the expensive side, but not ridiculous (i.e. Charlie Trotters) for this type of restaurant. Both time's I've eaten there, the service and atmosphere have been perfect.
i think that dixie kitchen is at good as it gets around here in their price range. always seems very tasty and well-prepared, regardless of whether they are authentic southern cooking. while their breakfasts are my favorite choices, i have never had a bad meal there. sometimes i have had 2-3 meals there in a week. i try to avoid the sandwiches because everything else is a treat. i am particularly fond of the fried chicken dinner, which is bountiful, and the chicken is some of the best in town. a colleague only takes his business and buddy lunches there. the dixie kitchen's food got me interested in trying out the wishbone. the menu sounded very appealing. my family went there last father's day and we all had a horribly disappointing meal.
I missed your review of Wiener and Still Champion. What did you think of the Dipping Dogs?
I used to like Cosi until I looked them up a couple of years ago in the Health Inspections Reports published on the city site. Just looked again in case they decided to keep things cleaner-- but was disappointed:
100 points possible.
COSI, 1736 SHERMAN AVE Only routine inspections are scored.
Date Inspected: 4/14/2008 Type: 1st Routine Score: 81
"Potentially Hazardous Foods" not at proper temperatures during cooking, cooling, reheating, refrigeration, freezing or hot holding.
Poor handwashing practices and/or improper storage of employee drinks and/or employees smoking in food preparation areas.
Plastic forks, spoons, knives and single-use cups stored incorrectly.
Handsink blocked and/or not enough handsinks in facility.
Insects, rodents or other animals observed.
Required Certified Food Handler not on site.
To check out other Evanston restaurants, go to:
http://www.cityofevanston.org/departments/health/reports/inspect.shtml
As long as we're on inspections, let's talk about a related topic, "presentation."
Let me be clear: I have no skinny relating to the Bombay Garden's demise and inspections. I do however have my own perceptions.
Bombay Gardens opened right next door to Mount Everest. M.E. is ostensibly a success.
Without investing in extensive interior design, or going overboard on 'exotica,' etc, they created a certain kind of ambience. It's based on extraordinary friendliness cum 'can do' service, cleanliness, dependable quality fresh food, and predictable, but plain presentation. They've become a 'winner' in Evanston's competitive restaurant environment.
But, Bombay Garden flopped right next door.
Is someone from Kellogg doing an entrepreneurial case study on this one ?
This says something about the Evanston Restarant consumer, yes ?
Why do you think it failed ?
I'm not in denial folks!
EVANSTON HAS FAST FOOD! So, let's just deal with it here. Okay, Catlin ?
Repression never works! Burger King has a perpetual two whopper special for only $3.50 plus tax ( USD ).Beat that ?
More importantly, let's define the line in the sand. Give me examples where fast food blends into a good ( and/or 'for you' ) cheap food. And, why ?
Please note: This is a short essay question.
Hello Jim,
How about a bit of my background first. It's CALIN. Like Colin, but an "A", pronouced "Kah-lynn." Not Catlin. (Though you're not the first nor will you be the last to get it mixed up.)
I'm a 260 pound guy who can bench press quite a bit more than I weigh. I belong to the Evanston YMCA if you ever want to drop by to verify. I've eaten truckloads of every kind of food you can shake a stick at. (Barring that, I'll shoot it and eat it. I'm from Colorado after all.)
I'm not partial to live food, but I'll eat it if I have to, preferably with "Da-Bomb", a hot sauce so hot I'll bet you fifty bucks you can't eat more than two knife-tips of it in my home-made Elk chili. If you did, it would probably burn your stomach down. We almost had to take my buddy Jon to the emergency room when he tried that stuff plain.
Now, that said. I think it goes without saying that major chains and fast food are a "gimmie" in today's society. You can get McDonalds in China, and KFC in France, after all. (Along with almost every other fast food type in almost every country.) Sure, it's almost always cheap. But it lacks what I like to call "a reason to write home about." Or in this case, "a reason to blog about."
But... since you're passionate about your fast food, I'll do my best.
For the record, I worked in every trained position except manager at McDonald's on the SIU campus. I have what I like to call "Industry Cred." And I style myself as someone who has literally eaten so much fast food in my past I'm no longer allowed to eat any more. I hit my limit, so to speak.
I also happen to know what employees do with the deep fryer in their spare time with no customers around... (Funnel cake, anyone?)
If you're tired of Taco Bell and Burger King, give these others a try:
Wild Dogz (one of my favourite places, and not a chain, but about as cheap)
D&D Dogs (another very good option, owned by Wild Dogz father)
Gigio's Pizza (another good one that's local, also not a chain as far as I know and easily as cheap as a chain)
The Dog House, (I think it's called), near the WildCats Stadium
Subway (a healthy fast food alternative, for less than five bucks)
Buffalo Joes (kickin wings for a reasonable price)
My memorable personal bests for Fast Food eaten is:
17 Taco Bell Hard Shell Tacos in 20 minutes.
4 Foot long Subway Sandwiches in 6 minutes
An entire 14 inch thick crust pizza in less than 20 minutes
15 McDonald's cheeseburgers and a large fry/drink in one sitting.
If that doesn't make you want to give up fast food for something more local with a bit more style and flavor than your average chain, you're a die hard fast food lover or short on cash and required to cope. Both of which I can understand from personal experience. (Ramen noodles with ranch dressing, anyone?)
Happy Eating!
- Calin Day
- http://www.calinday.com/static/evanstonreviews.html
Hey Calin,
I think you're talking about Mustards Last Stand. I consider that part of my stomping grounds. They've actually been in business longer than most other Evanston restaurants, since the late 60's I think.
I notice that Sarkis hasn't made your list. Maybe you don't like breakfast or maybe it's just not in your neck of the woods, but the place is treasured by some. You can get hash browns, a sandwich and a drink for 6 bucks. Old diner experience a plus.
I don't like the idea of being critical about a "treasured" eatery as Sarki's but it should come with fine print about the amount of butter (excessesively) that is used to make toast, hasbrowns and eggs. I realize there is a milieu about the place that other diners lack and a history for students but after eating the above fair with a friend we felt like our next stop should be the hospital to get our stomachs pumped. Maybe we should have been more selective about what we chose. Still, to you Sarki's fans more power (butter) to you.
In passing by Carmen's this afternoon, I was able to verify that the buffet has been extinct for at least three months. Accoding to my source, "four to five requests for a comeback" are lodged every day. My source requested anonymity.
( soprry if this is misspelled )
Is our "all you can eat " category complete? I remeber eyeing ad ad by the Orrington for an Easter Brunch. I forget the exact phrasing...but it was a code to us "all you can eat" epicures to "stop on by." Does this qualify ?
For the best food for the money, the Lucky Platter beats most other restaurants every time. When my kids were little, I could feed three of us with one gyros plate and an extra pita at Cross-Rhodes, the best for eating with little kids.
Dixie Kitchen is a treasure, and one I recommend to people who travel to Evanston from out of the country. What tha? I had a pretty good pre-made sandwhich from Bennisons Bakery the other day. Not bad at all!
My dad was a pediatrician and scarfed down a half gallon of ice cream while listening to classical music. This was relaxation until he found golf. That was a long time ago. But, whenever we went out to an "all you can eat" place, I was encouraged to go back....and back... and back. That's value, I guess. ...Not necessarily encouraging good healthy eating habits, you think ?
....So, who gets it here:
( a ) Mount Everest ?
( b ) Lulu's 'Munch a Bunch' or do you say "Bunch of Lunch? "
( c.) The Little Mexican Cafe
( d ) Samples at Whole Foods
Let's vote, all of you EPICURES, out there !
Does Carmen's still have their lunchtime pizza buffet?
The best value in Evanston? That would be Cozy Noodles on Davis Street. Very tasty. Very inexpensive. Your children will spend hours counting the interesting collections displayed on the wall. Happily feeds both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Try the chicken noodle soup. Not like your grandma used to make (unless your Grandma is Asian), but comforting, nonetheless.
Another inexpensive favorite is Cross-Rhodes, on Chicago Ave., just north of Main. This is the home of the best burger in Evanston, in our humble opinion. The greek-style roast chicken is fab, too. Those who insist on being healthy can skip the dressing-soaked greek fries and have rice with their chicken. But I prefer to live a little: I order the fries and share them, thereby cutting calories in half.
I agree with the guy who liked Dixie kitchen. I especially enjoyed the cheese grits. They also beat the heck out of Le Peep for breakfast.
RLA might want to call La Petite Amelia and see if they're still open. Last we went by there, the place was closed.
I've reviewed almost every Evanston Restaurant. ;-) They're located at my web page here: http://www.calinday.com/static/evanstonreviews.html
Happy eating! - Calin
Wait a minute...Pomegranate only gets *** ? That alone is outrageous, but then you give the same rating to Pita Pete's?
This is just not right.
Pomegranate gets at least ****, their only deficiency being their shameful lack of Turkish coffee. It would also be nice if they had kinafeh and brewed iced tea, like Pita Inn, and their rice pudding could be better, but the main meal is food is always delicious.
Pita Pete's does not compare.
You're right. I eat at Pom weekly. They are good. I'll up their stars. My star ranking is what I like to call "fluid", that is, I mark it when I think it and they change according to my edits, which are usually monthly, and should be taken lightly. (As should my whole page, of course.) My page is a dictatorship, with me at the helm, but I'm open to debate about it. Ha! Thanks for reading! - Calin
Post new comment