*** (3 stars)
Definitely a hole in the wall, this microscopic grill has about five tables. Service is quick and friendly. The corndog breading was fairly thick, but nicely crisp. Fries were plentiful. I was a bit put off by the slightly clotted cheddar sauce used on the cheeseburger in place of actual cheese. All in all fine, but unremarkable.
Wiener & Still Champion
802 Dempster St
Evanston, IL 60202
(847) 869-0100
http://www.yelp.com/biz/wiener-and-still-champion-evanston
**** (4 stars)
So if you’re in the mood for a hotdog, this might not be the best choice, since there’s even a sign saying they don’t do Chicago dogs. They also don’t do anything else recognizable as a conventional hotdog. But they do make some interesting gourmet dogs.
We tried three that were somewhat similar: Banh Mi, Tur-Doggin and (the day’s special) Quiche Dawg. All were based upon interesting sausages with a number of savory toppings, and all tasted somewhat similar. Interesting, but perhaps not gourmet.
We also tried the mystery corn dog platter. To me, the mystery was how anyone could mistake these for corn dogs! There isn’t a conventional cornbread coating, just a thing slurry of paste that has been deep fried to a crunchy consistency. There were several different sausages involved; the only clearly identifiable one was lamb.
The best dog was actually not a dog, it was the Slammin’ Salmon, which was sort of like lox on a bagel but in a bun.
Speaking of buns, that’s probably the best thing about the place. Rather than conventional hotdog buns, they use squared off chunks of bread that are grilled with butter to a nice golden brown.
If you’re looking for something different–and by that I mean different from a hotdog–it’s worth a try.
Franks ‘N’ Dawgs
1863 N Clybourn Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 281-5187
http://www.yelp.com/biz/franks-n-dawgs-chicago
**** (4 stars)
The interior design of Catch 35 is really interesting, with multiple tiers extending up into the buildings mezzanine area. As you might expect there is a fairly broad offering of fish. My favorite is the halibut. The best thing is their sourdough bread, reminiscent of San Francisco. It’s a good spot for pre-theatre dining. Also, after work there is often live jazz in the bar area, where you can eat at a high top.
Catch 35
35 W Wacker Dr
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 346-3500
http://www.yelp.com/biz/catch-35-chicago
***** (5 stars)
Wow, authentic hole-in-the-wall Mexican food in Evanston! The way I measure the authenticity of a Mexican place is by the quality of the al Pastor Pork, and this was terrific.
Despite the seeming complexity of the online menu, it’s really quite straightforward: you can get a taco, gordita, burrito or empanada, and have it filled with pastor, carne asada, fish, caramelized onion/charred poblanos, or a few other variations.
I tried several possibilities. The fish taco was small, garnished with diced pineapple, and the least expensive item. The gordita al pastor was generously stuffed with pastor, plus, oddly, some black beans. The burrito with caramelized onions and charred poblanos was huge, and although twice the cost of the taco about five times as much food. All three items were delicious.
Everything is prepared to order, so it is fresh and HOT.
Don’t even think of eating here. Seriously, there is room inside the door for about six people to stand in line and order. No tables inside or out. Ordering online for delivery is probably the best approach.
Tomate Fresh Kitchen
914 1/2 Noyes St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 905-0194
http://www.yelp.com/biz/tomate-fresh-kitchen-evanston
**** (4 stars)
This latest outpost in a large chain of Chinese restaurants is extremely authentic. And by that I mean that if you’re used to Americanized Chinese takeout places you will find it interesting and perhaps challenging to eat here!
The space is very nicely decorated, and features a dramatically lit bar along one wall. Furnishings are comfortable and elegant, but despite all the fabrics the space can get fairly loud.
Because I was by myself and there is no lunch menu, I chose to try an assortment of appetizers. The wonton soup was some of the best I’ve had. Chicken egg rolls were tasty, but could have been crisper. The Chinese mustard was authentically hot.
Sliced Tender Pork with Garlic Sauce is a cold appetizer. It was very tasty, but it’s somewhat like eating lightly cooked bacon, so the uninitiated should be wary. Similarly the Five Powder Beef is served cold, and contains a fair amount of fat. The hoisin sauce topping it was slightly spicy and very flavorful. Both of these meat dishes were very generous portions, suitable for 2 to 4 persons as an appetizer.
Be aware that most of the food is spicy, and some is very spicy. The heat levels are indicated on the menu.
There is a very thoughtful selection of nice wines by the glass, and the glassware is superb.
Service was a tag team approach, and was friendly and efficient.
Prices are too high for college students, but certainly reasonable for the work crowd. Because of the large portion sizes it’s best to go with four or more people so you can try several things.
Lao Sze Chuan
1633 Orrington Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 868-8989
http://www.yelp.com/biz/lao-sze-chuan-evanston
**** (4 stars)
This is an excellent sandwich shop, with an almost infinite number of combinations of bread, meats and accompaniments available, all scrawled on a large menu on the wall. Or you can come up with your own favorite. Service is friendly but not incredibly speedy, and it can get quite backed up at lunch, especially on Wednesdays, when the popular deli next door is closed.
Rollin’ To Go
910 Noyes St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 332-1000
http://www.yelp.com/biz/rollin-to-go-evanston-2
**** (4 stars)
This neighborhood market has a surprisingly deep offering of foods, considering it looks like a convenience store from the outside. It’s certainly an adequate selection to avoid a long walk to a supermarket. The staff is friendly and helpful.
D & D Finer Foods
825 Noyes St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 475-4344
http://www.yelp.com/biz/d-and-d-finer-foods-evanston
**** (4 stars)
I really enjoyed my lunch here, and they were able to accommodate my limited time frame.
The meal includes a simple green salad or soup. I had the salad with balsamic dressing.
I chose the broiled fish sandwich, which was a nice serving of salmon on a good bun. The sandwich was accompanied by lettuce, tomato, cole slaw, pickles, cucumbers, tartar sauce and thin slices of carrot, so I had no trouble finding an interesting way of dressing it! There was also a large mound of hot, crisp french fries.
This was a good sized lunch, all fresh and quickly prepared, and I felt the $11 price tag was quite fair.
Noyes Street Cafe
828 Noyes St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 475-8683
http://www.yelp.com/biz/noyes-street-cafe-evanston
*** (3 stars)
This is a fairly busy Panera. There is a large seating area at the rear, although since it is far from any windows it can be a bit institutional. Service is efficient and friendly.
Panera Bread
1700 Sherman Avenue
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 733-8356
http://www.yelp.com/biz/panera-bread-evanston
*** (3 stars)
This is a pretty prototypical serve yourself frozen yogurt place with the usual toppings. The space is long and deep, and you start at the rear, which creates some challenges when the place is busy.
There is a fairly large selection of yogurts. The flavors I had were fine, although nothing really wowed me. The toppings were very fresh. Definitely more healthful than the nearby frozen custard place.
Forever Yogurt
1739 Sherman Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
(224) 999-7903
http://www.yelp.com/biz/forever-yogurt-evanston-2