Belly Shack
1912 N Western Ave., Chicago, IL‎
Neighborhood: Bucktown

Belly Shack photo courtesy of MetroMix.

Rob and I had been planning on trying Belly Shack ever since it first popped up in Bucktown last year.  Somehow, we found ourselves shying away from it for a little while though, mostly due to its odd menu combination of Asian fusion and Latin American cuisines.  This past week, we stopped by for a late dinner and found its unique blend of flavors right to our liking.  Belly Shack’s interior is grey and minimalist, but don’t let their overly modern vibe—or large communal table in the middle of the dining area—turn you off.  Rob and I sat at one of the smaller two-seater tables and he enjoyed a Korean BBQ Kogi “Sammich,” that came complete with kimchi, green onions, and four pieces of pita bread.  I ordered Belly Shack’s Asian vegeterian take on a jibarito, which they instead filled with black beans, tofu, and brown rice, dubbing it a Boricua.  The plantains, which served as the “bread” of the sandwich, were a little hard to cut through, but other than that, it was delicious.  We also shared a helping of Belly Shack’s sweet potatoes, which lived up to their name with their rich, brown sugar flavor.  Overall, we were thoroughly impressed with Belly Shack’s effort to combine two seemingly different cuisines into one bold new taste.  We will definitely be back soon to try more of Belly Shack’s tasty dishes and desserts.

-Anna

Rob’s Korean BBQ Kogi “Sammich.”

Anna’s boricua and the sweet potatoes on the left.

Riverside Cafe
1656 W Cortland St., Chicago, IL‎
Neighborhood: Bucktown

Riverside Cafe.

Riverside Cafe is supposed to have an amazing Sunday-only brunch, but Rob and I decided to forgo that for now and try out their lunch menu this past weekend.  Based on a recommendation from several friends, we’ve been wanting to try out Riverside for a little while now, especially since their menu is so varied—featuring everything from traditional sandwiches and soups to more adventurous Cuban and Mexican fare.  I stuck with a traditional reuben sandwich with corned beef and 1000 island dressing and Rob opted for a chipotle chicken sandwich with lettuce and tomato on a kaiser roll.  Both of our sandwiches were really delicious and well-made and insanely cheap at just under $8 apiece.  Riverside has so much to choose from that it’s definitely worth several visits just to take it all in.  I’m sure Rob and I will be back again soon.

-Anna

The deli counter where you can get sandwiches, salads, desserts, and other goodies to go.

Anna’s reuben sandwich.

Rob’s chipotle chicken sandwich.

Margie’s Candies
1960 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL‎
Neighborhood: Bucktown

Margie’s Candies has been serving ice cream and candies since 1921, making it a Chicago landmark.  I have passed by Margie’s Candies so many times and never stopped in, so tonight during the 5th inning of game six of the World Series, Anna and I decided to take quick break from the ball game and head over to the legendary ice cream shop for sundaes.  Anna ordered a hot fudge sundae, while I had the hot butterscotch sundae.  The sundaes were huge, relatively cheap ($4 each), and fantastic.

Quick Fun Fact: The Beatles went to Margie’s Candies in 1965 after their concert at Comiskey Park!

-Rob

Butterscoth sundae on the left and hot fudge sundae on the right.