Lucky Platter

Lucky Platter describes their food as “funkalicious post-Hippy eclectic world cuisine”. I would add the words schizophrenic and consistently delicious. Between the colander lamps, life sized robot sculpture and folksy art, just walking into Lucky Platter is an experience in itself. Sometimes, restaurants use excessive decoration to cover up mediocre food. Lucky Platter, however, has nothing to hide. I have never had a meal I didn’t thoroughly enjoy and there are so many diverse options that it would be foolish not to try something new every time. I don’t want go into detail about everything that I have ever eaten at Lucky Platter, so instead I have several recommendations. For breakfast you must order an Apricot Cheese Flakery, Cinnamon Glazed Bacon, Montana Hash, and you can’t go wrong with any of their omelets. For lunch and dinner, some of my favorite items have been the Tandoori Chicken Sandwich, the Greek Burger, and the Beef Stroganoff. Also, try the homemade cream soda or spiced chai and for a side you can’t go wrong with sweet potato fries. My only complaint about Lucky Platter is that the service can be a hit or miss. On one occasion, my friend waited 20 minutes for a bottle of ketchup. However, our waiter was dealing with cranky, old people, so his neglect was semi-understandable. Parking can be an issue, so get someone who can parallel park to drive or get off at the Evanston Main Street Metra or L stops. Don’t let the limited parking or occasionally slow service stop you from going for a meal that will be memorable and delicious.
Lucky Platter
514 Main St.
Evanston, IL 60202
847 869-4064

Usmania

If you find yourself on Devon Ave. in Chicago, and don't find a good Indian/ Pakistani restaurant, something is wrong with you. It can be overwhelming to pick a good one, so my suggestion is to try Usmania. Its red, neon lights scream “Come in and eat!”. Just minutes after we sat down, our waiter asked us if we were ready to order, and he came back about 5 times in 3 minutes. Nonetheless, he was helpful and made good suggestions that weren’t on the menu. He suggested that our group order a pitcher of mango lassi, a yogurt based mango smoothie, and it was rich and delicious. Our group shared three entrees: aloo gobi- cauliflower and potatoes with spices, chicken biryani – basmati rice with chicken, and cholay – chickpeas with spices. The vegetables were slightly saturated in oil, but this is characteristic of Pakistani cuisine and the taste was great. The cholay had a nice kick to it, and the aloo gobi managed to make cauliflower appetizing. The chicken biryani was huge and the chicken was tender and well marinated in mint, onion, cilantro, green pepper and tomato. The naan bread (pita, except way better and pocket-less) was served warm and there was plenty for five people to eat with two orders. Also, the food served as Usmania is 100% Zabiha Halal which is basically Islam’s equivalent to Kosher. With many choices for both meat eaters and vegetarians, Usmania is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to try Indian/ Pakistani cuisine.
Usmania
2244 W. Devon Ave.
Chicago, IL 60659
773-262-1900

Taste of Peru

Sitting in-between a Laundromat and a nail salon, Taste of Peru is easy to miss. Don’t let the grungy strip mall fool you- Taste of Peru is awesome. I can’t say that I have had a lot (or any) Peruvian food in my life, but going to Taste of Peru made me want to raise llamas. The restaurant itself is very small and slightly kitsch, but also warm and welcoming. The staff was friendly and helpful, but never overbearing. Because of Spanish, Basque, African, Japanese, Arabic, Italian, French and British immigration to Peru, Peruvian cuisine is among the most diverse in the world. To start, my friend and I ordered beef empanadas and anticuchos. My rough translation of an anticucho is “beef heart on a stick”. I thoroughly enjoyed my heart shish-kabobs because they were tender and well marinated. Unfortunately, I have a nut allergy, so I couldn’t try the empanadas (contains walnuts), but my friend said they were good and I trust her judgment. For our main courses, we ordered Lomo Saltado and Cau-Cau (tripe stew). Lomo Saltado is a traditional Peruvian meal with thin strips of beef, tomatoes, onions and French fries thrown together and sautéed in a pan. Often times, thin slices of beef can get stringy and tough, but this was tender and flavorful. The combination of the onions, tomatoes and French fries was random, but it worked. Cau-Cau, on the other hand, is not for the faint of heart. Some may call it tripe, some may call it cow stomach, I call it surprisingly good. Although I wouldn’t order Cau- Cau again, I felt a huge sense of accomplishment for trying something different. If you haven’t had tripe before, I would describe it as a porous, rubber eraser. The chewy texture is slightly overwhelming at first, but with some rice, it eventually grows on you. Although I ate an abnormal amount of internal organs that night, there are many other options as well for a less adventurous eater. As if we didn’t already eat enough, my friend and I also ordered sides of maduros (plantains) and thinly sliced sweet potatoes. The maduros were ridiculously delicious and the sweet potatoes were great with a large scoop of the spicy jalapeño and garlic condiment that is given to every table. As we were leaving, I struck up a conversation with the owner, Cesar Izquierdo (pictured), and it was apparent he loved his work and his native country of Peru. He was a good combination of friendly and quirky, and he made an effort to talk to all of his customers as if they were old friends. Basically, Taste of Peru has something for everyone, and I strongly recommend it.
Taste of Peru
6545 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60626-4001
(773) 381-4540

RRR

Hi everyone! My name is Rachel and this is my blog: Rachel's Restaurant Review. I wanted to write about something that I am passionate about (no, not Bakers Square), and I ended up with this blog. The idea is simple: I will review restaurants that I have recently eaten at, restaurants that I love and restaurants to avoid. If you have a restaurant that you would like to be reviewed, just leave a comment, and I will attempt to dine there.
Thanks!