Icosium Kafé
5200 N Clark St
Chicago, IL
Wandering around Andersonville on a gloomy Saturday put us in the mood for a pick me up. One Eater (L) had previously been to the other branch of the Icosium Kafe in Lincoln Park (2433 N. Clark), so we were surprised to find th
e new location up north. The sign outside the advertised home-made crepes all day, and we took full advantage. We knew Icosium would we good when they put cucumber slices in our water in place of the all-too-common lemon. Our first glance at the menu told us it was actually all crepes, which was fine with us after we fell in love with the French culinary delight following a few good crepe eats in Paris and Philadelphia. The menu had a large selection of a la carte and make your own crepes – M finally decided on a crepe d’amour ($6.95), filled with dark chocolate and fresh raspberries. It came with a complimentary scoop of chocolate ice cream (free for us even though the menu said $2). When the crepe finally came we could see why the wait was a little longer than most cheap crepe eateries – the presentation. Chocolate, whipped cream, and strawberry sauce applied in artistic lines and dots all around the plate, topped off with a mini drink umbrella stuck into the crepe’s end. The taste matched the presentation: berries were fresh, chocolate just right, and the crepe thick enough to be substantial eating and fluffy enough to absorb all the chocolaty goodness.
The menu was full of more sweet and savory crepe options, including both traditional varieties, and ones that hinted more at the Cafe’s Algerian heritage with fillings like Halal Merguaz (Algerian lamb sausage), homemade olive tapenade and Algerian fruit compote (raisins, pears and rosewater). L opted for the Algerian Mint tea with honey ($2.50) which also held up the high presentation standards. The tea was presented in a tiny silver teapot with an elegant glass cup and saucer filled with fresh mint leaves. The drink menu also boasted organic Turkish coffee and Egyptian mango juice. The service was pretty laid-back and unobtrusive (in true cafe style), and the dining room is cute, with wooden cafe tables, and walls covered with Algerian textiles and metalwork. Definitely a good stop for a tasty, filling lunch or dinner.
Italian bakeries are plentiful, but one that specializes in purely Sicilian creations is unique. This small bakery in Andersonville is well worth a stop, both for its excellent pastries and the scarcity of its offerings. The eaters have been wanting to go to this bakery forever but this is the first time we ever managed to stop in. The store is small and simple, dominated by glass cases of pastries which present a small but eclectic array of choices (We hear they do an excellent cannoli, but by the time we got there, they were all out). When we walked in, we were immediately greeted by the warm and helpful young owner couple, so we felt comfortable asking for some recommendations. We settled on two pastries: Agostino (left) and Crostata di Noci (right).
Chicago’s Greektown is solid. You never get a truly bad meal there, and are often pleasantly surprised. In the past few weeks both of us have been to Greektown (though separately) and enjoyed some pretty darn good eats.
A vegetarian restaurant in the heart of a country known for its obsession with meat products typically wouldn’t have been our first choice. But after an adventurous day in Munich, the eaters decided to give this highly-recommended establishment a try. The minimalist, upscale central room with all white walls was an inviting contrast to the overcast day outside, and the food definitely completed the experience.
Eating The World 