Only a few places really stood out during my 14-month-and-28-day stint in CHI/ORD. They are:

Addis Abeba, 3521 N. Clark near the Addison stop on the Red line, 773.929.9383. Ask for Rebecca. I usually ordered the Veg-Meat Combo with Yesiga Wot (a spicy beef dish) with Mitin Shiro (roasted, powdered chickpeas simmered in spiced butter with cinnamon & cloves - I always ordered it), and Tekil Gomen (cabbage, carrots, & potatoes). Another favorite was a spicy chicken dish with jalapeno named Doro Tibs. [Almost flew to ORD for the 4th to eat here again.]

Swedish Bakery, 5348 N. Clark. Yummy cakes with marzipan (and non-marzipan). The best bakery I found in Chicago. (Forget about Let Them Eat Cake; go WAY up to 5348 Clark.) Some wonderful marzipan concoctions/cakes.

Czerwone Jabluszko (The Red Apple), 3123 N. Milwaukee (W. Belmont). Truly one of the cheapest (under $5), heaviest lunch buffets in the country. I think the dinner buffet is still around $5 [as of '98]. Incredibly filling food.

P.S.: The Signature Room at the Hancock Tower is a good deal for lunch because it's a buffet and it has a view, but the food is no big deal.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by LGA:
Only a few places really stood out during my 14-month-and-28-day stint in CHI/ORD. They are:</font>

I wondered why you felt that way, then saw you were from NY, Every NY'er I've met feels that way.

Addis Abeba is very tasty. While I would not drink it outside of this restaurant, the honey wine goes very well w/the Ethiopian food. Just a note, at this restaurant, it is expected that you will eat w/your hands. A bread/tortilla like item is served to help you do this.

Swedish Bakery is just one of many good Swedish bakeries in the Andersonville area where many Swedes settled in Chicago. I believe at one time Chicago had the second largest population of Swedes outside of Oslo.

I would also suggest Mabenka (7844 S. Cicero
Ave.; 708/423-7679; dinner for two $14), a suburban palace of fruit dumplings and grated potatoes, cherry blintzes and Lithuanian sausages-staffed by waitresses in starched native costume, like an outtake from Disneyworld that just happens to serve great sauerkraut soup.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Sweet Willie:
I wondered why you felt that way, then saw you were from NY, Every NY'er I've met feels that way.

</font>

I most certainly am not a New Yorker! Raised in DFW and have also lived in ATL, SFO, MSP, and CHI.

It's not about feeling; it's about taste and quality. Only Chicagoans I have met say that CHI is the best food city. There is plenty to dislike about NYC; it isn't pretty, the people can be quite harsh, and the air doesn't smell nice sometimes, but it is a fabulous food city, without a doubt better than CHI overall, and with a little doubt better than SFO.

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Life's a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death! - Auntie Mame

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by LGA:
I most certainly am not a New Yorker!
</font>

LGA, Saw your "from" area and you listed
NYC, made an assumption.

I'm not claiming that Chicago is the best food city, just a great one.

"Only a few places really stood out during my 14-month-and-28-day stint in CHI/ORD" I took personally, which was my own fault. To each his own.


[This message has been edited by Sweet Willie (edited 03-03-2003).]

Ummm... Good food city, yes.

It was particularly traumatic to arrive there from SFO as a BIG fan of Thai food; Chicago just can't compete with a Pacific Rim city like SFO (obviously). Chicago CAN compete with any other city in the Midwest.

So I lost out as far as my coworkers were concerned when I came here (wish I could've brought 'em with me), but I gained a truly great food city. Splurge on Veritas one day, and also try Sripraphai (cheap!), Tartine, Mexicana Mama, Beacon, Pearson's, et al. (see my site for details: www.angelfire.com/ny3/globalgourmets) (http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/globalgourmets))

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Life's a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death! - Auntie Mame

For Ethiopian, go to Ethioptian Diamond in the 6000 block of N Broadway. This is where the Ethiopian community goes to eat.

Let Them Eat Cake has been out of busines for a little while in the city (although I think that they may have a suburban location still?).

I find the choice of restaurants here to be fine...you just need to know where to look (and most of the best ones are not downtown).