Southport Grocery & Cafe
3552 N Southport Ave., Chicago, IL‎
Neighborhood: Lakeview

Southport Grocery & Cafe (photo courtesy of Yelp).

Anna and I have been meaning to try the Southport Grocery & Cafe out and finally had an opportunity to check it out this weekend.  This boutique grocery store sells many upscale products for sale, but the real kicker is the fantastic cafe that offers breakfast and lunch all day long.  The cafe is cozy and the menu offers comfort food that is made from scratch and features local ingredients.  Anna had the sunflower dusted walleye pike sandwich that was topped with green tomato-sunflower sprouts and basil aioli.  I opted to try Southport Grocery & Cafe’s take on the classic steak and eggs breakfast.  My entrée included layered scrambled eggs, corn tortilla chips, black bean tomato salsa, queso fresco and of course steak that was cooked perfectly (tender, juicy).  I also ordered a mocha that ended up being my favorite part of our brunch.  After we finished eating, we browsed the market that was stocked full of gourmet treats like specialty olive oils, cheeses, pasta sauces, wine and many local food products direct from the city.  If you’re a “foodie,” Southport Grocery & Cafe is the place for you.

-Rob

Rob’s Mocha.

Anna’s walleye pike sandwich.

Rob’s steak and eggs breakfast.

DMK Burger Bar
2954 N Sheffield Ave., Chicago, IL‎
Neighborhood: Lakeview

DMK.

Anna and I both had a craving for a burger earlier this week, so we opted to try out the DMK Burger Bar in Lakeview.  This modern and sleek burger joint is co-owned by MK’s Michael Kornick and Pompei’s David Morton.  The menu features a variety of grass-fed beef, turkey, lamb and veggie burgers that made choosing a burger very difficult since everything sounded so good.  Anna ended up ordering a beef burger that was topped with New York pastrami, French gruyere, sauerkraut, and Leroy’s remoulade, while I went with a beef burger that included chili-rubbed onion strings, Amish blue cheese, and spicy chipotle ketchup.  We also shared two small orders of fries, one portion of sweet potato with lemon tobasco aioli and the other was smothered with Wisconsin cheddar cheese and scallions.  Overall, the service and food was great.  It’s also worth noting that every burger on the menu is $8, which is a reasonable price considering the quality of meat you’re getting.  DMK also has a great selection of craft beers and wine available too.

-Rob

Anna’s pastrami burger.

Rob’s chili-rubbed onion strings burger on the left, sweet potato fries in the background, and Wisconsin cheddar and scallion fries in the foreground.

Cafe Orchid
1746 W Addison St., Chicago, IL‎
Neighborhood: Lakeview

Cafe Orchid.

Rob and I had been on a Middle Eastern kick after visiting an amazing place during our trip to New York last weekend, so we decided to check out Cafe Orchid based on a recommendation from a coworker of mine.  This highly rated Turkish restaurant was just what we needed to satisfy our cravings.  We shared a falafel as our appetizer, which was excellent when paired with yogurt sauce.  For dinner, I had the yogurt kebab with chicken, which was served over pan-fried bread and peppers and, of course, more yogurt sauce.  Rob had the sultan delight, which was highly recommended on the menu, and came with a char-grilled eggplant puree sauteed with mozzarella cheese and topped with lamb cubes cooked with onion, bell peppers, and rice.  Both dishes were tasty and left us full and satisfied.  In addition to their authentic Turkish menu, Cafe Orchid is also BYOB with no corkage fee.  Overall it’s a great restaurant to dine at with friends or with a date.  I know Rob and I will definitely be back to eat there again sometime soon.

-Anna

Falafel appetizer.

Anna’s yogurt kebab with chicken.

Rob’s sultan delight.

The Bagel - Restaurant & Deli
3107 N Broadway St., Chicago, IL‎
Neighborhood: Lakeview

The Bagel.

Although The Bagel has been located on Broadway Street in the Lakeview neighborhood since 1992 (with another location in Skokie), Rob and I had never heard of it until recently.  For shame, really, because this authentic Jewish deli and restaurant is quite good and reasonably priced.  Their menu is extensive, from hot sandwiches and breakfast served around the clock, to burgers and entrees like whitefish and pickled beef tongue; there’s definitely something for everyone.  Today, I had a craving for lox that was satiated by The Bagel’s terrific lox plate (see below) and Rob went with a classic: an open-faced turkey sandwich with mashed potatoes.  To start with though, we shared a bowl of matzah ball soup that tasted great and contained the biggest matzah ball I’ve ever seen in my life.  The Bagel is a great restaurant if you’re a fan of traditional Jewish cooking and is definitely a place that Rob and I will visit again.

-Anna

The biggest matzah ball ever.

Anna’s tasty lox plate.

Any restaurant that serves pickles, bagel chips, and challah to snack on is all right with us.

Julius Meinl
3601 N Southport Ave., Chicago, IL‎
Neighborhood: Lakeview

Julius Meinl.  Photo Credit: Julius Meinl’s website.

Julius Meinl is a Vienna-based company that is a leading manufacturer/retailer of coffee, gourmet foods, and other such products.  Oddly enough, they also have two restaurants/coffee shops located in Lakeview and Lincoln Square in Chicago.  Tonight, Rob and I decided to check out the one in Lakeview with my aunt, who recommended it to us.  We started off with their delicious coffee drinks (decaf German chocolate macchiato for me and strawberry hot chocolate for Rob), feasted on their reasonably priced and incredibly fresh sandwiches (turkey avocado for me, turkey on brioche for Rob), and finished the night off with some decadent dessert (nutella crepes for me, blueberry jam crepes for Rob).  Needless to say, it’s been several hours and I’m still so full I can barely function.  Julius Meinl is true to its European roots and is a wonderful restaurant whether you’re in search of a good cup of coffee or tea, or just want to have a cheap (but tasty) lunch with friends.

-Anna

Anna’s German chocolate macchiato.  All of their drinks are served on trays, European-style.

Rob’s turkey on brioche sandwich.

Anna’s nutella crepes.  Yes, they are just as amazing as they look.

44th Ward Dinner Party
3542 N Halsted St., Chicago, IL‎
Neighborhood: Lakeview

44th Ward Dinner Party.  Photo Credit: Mike Howes.

The 44th Ward Dinner Party is tucked inside the Boystown area of Lakeview and they are known for their grilled cheese.  Yes, you read that right.  The classic American sandwich is the focal point of the 44th Ward Dinner Party menu.  You can build your own grilled cheese, choosing from 7 bread types, 10 cheeses, 4 spreads and more than a dozen extras.  If you’re not into that, the 44th Ward Dinner Party also offers their own signature sandwiches.  I had The Rooftop, which included hickory smoked ham, aged sharp cheddar, chihuahua cheese and stone-ground mustard served on a pretzel roll.  It was amazing and I highly recommend trying it.  Overall, the 44th Ward Dinner Party is very cozy and has a Victorian era feel to its aesthetic.  Also, after midnight you can get grilled cheese sandwiches served the old fashion way on Wonder bread for $1!

-Rob

Anna’s Red Line sandwich with mac and cheese (foreground) and Anna’s friend Stephanie’s grilled cheese (background).  It’s really dark inside the restaurant, hence the blinding use of flash.

My Rooftop sandwich, with parmesan garlic mashed potatoes.

Bentonara
1156 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL‎
Neighborhood: Lakeview

Bentonara Sushi.

NOTE: There was no post last week due to both of us being out of town for Thanksgiving.  We hope all of you had a great holiday!

After being obsessed with the House of Sushi and Noodles for a long time (and then having several bad experiences there), Rob and I have been in search of a new sushi place for the past six months or so.  Right down the street from the House of Sushi and Noodles is Bentonara, which we decided to try on Friday night due to a friend’s suggestion.  The sushi was pretty reasonably priced ($5-7 for basic rolls and $8-15 for special rolls) and tasted really fresh.  Unlike the House of Sushi and Noodles, the service was great too.  We ordered enough sushi that they served it to us in a boat, which was awesome.  I don’t know if we found a new favorite sushi place, but Bentonara is definitely worth checking out if you’ve never been.

-Anna

Sushi in a boat!

Rob would have given Bentonara’s sushi two thumbs up, but he was too busy holding chopsticks.