NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 01 May 2001 00:48:38 CDT X-SessionID: W6sH6-12599-E4-6660@uchinews X-Hash-Info: post-filter,v:1.4 X-Hash: 8390fc5a 54fbf642 12af08b3 d9e3313c 1738a8f1 Date: Tue, 01 May 2001 05:48:38 GMT Xref: usenet.INS.cwru.edu chi.eats:10226 Tony, If you like Baba's and if you used to like Flavorland on Devon, then I have a suggestion for you. The best restaurant that I am aware of in this genre is SHAN, located on Sheridan, one block south of Foster, in a small strip mall on the west side of the street (get the address from the phone book before you go). It is a restaurant, sweets shop, grocery store, video rental, all in one. There is table service and quite a few vegetarian entrees. The menu doesn't mention it but you can order a smaller portion of most items (waiters call it 1/2 plate but it costs more than 1/2!). Give it a try. I agree with you that Indian restaurant food tends to be fatty. In more expensive places you don't see the oil but they use tons of sour cream or even heavy cream; in "blue collar" places it is visible oil. (At Baba's you got lucky because you ordered Dal, anything else would have been oily. At Shan too, Dal should be OK.) I wish they didn't do it but that is like lamenting cheese in a pizzeria: it comes with the territory; the best policy is to go infrequently but when you do go, just enjoy! If you are vegetarian, I can suggest a few other places on Devon, all within 1-2 blocks of one another and all strictly veg: (1) ANNAPURNA is a genuine fast-food restaurant and offers many snack items and combination meal platters. (2) JAI HIND PLAZA has a fast food section that is surprisingly inexpensive and can be quite good. (3) SUKHADIAS is basically a snack shop but everything is very good quality. (4) RAJBHOG is another one, very similar to Sukhadias. -Anil >I did know that Baba's Place existed. Finding it was another thing. At >first I wondered why it is not even listed in the Chicago Reader >Restaurant Finder database. Now that I have eaten there, I have a theory" > >It is far too cool to be listed in the Reader. Keep the suburanites and >the Trixies of all genders out! I am thankful. The place was packed >even at 1:30 pm - long after most of the loop area eateries are desolate >from the after rush hour lunch. > >I would not reccomend Baba's Place for a first date. It is charming, but >in a rustic, old country way that may turn off those who have become >used to certain western "standards". There were no women there at all. > >The menu is small, and changes daily. Today it featured a Fish Bake, >several chicken dishes, something called "Gosht" and Dall (which they >spell with two Ls, for some reason.) > >Anyway, the only vegetarian item on the menu was the Dall so that's what >I had. It was great. It shared a certain rare and beautiful quality with >the two slabs of enormous Nann that accompanied it: it was really yummy >and yet it seemed healthy. I usually brace myself for an overabundance >of "oil" at Indian and Pakistani joints - yet here was some very good >food which did not take the easy route of flavor through fat - or even >salt for that matter - (another ingredient that seems all too overdone >in that genre of cuisine.) > >My only complaint is the paucity of other vegetarian items on the menu. >I suppose the percentage is not so bad - one out of seven items is >vegetarian. But when there are only seven items on the menu - well, you >get my point I am sure. > >Baba's Place >233 W Hubbard (no signage) > >Bonus feature: a mosque upstairs! > >Ok then - with that out of the way - I will try to get to the India >Garden on Ontario soon and share my findings.
Chicago, IL