Supping suburban-style
byElaine Richardson
Sitting on the western border of the city, just eight miles from the Loop, Oak Park has long benefited from prime location, as scores of professionals look for suburban living with urban convenience.
But that very convenience has proved a challenge for local restaurateurs, who've had to hit higher standards to keep locals from taking that quick trip for a bite downtown. The resulting mix of eateries -- from Middle Eastern and classic café to seafood and deli -- contrives not only to keep residents in town, but to draw people from the surrounding communities as well.
At the turn of this century a man named Philander Barclay took most of the existing early photographs of a dusty, undeveloped Oak Park while tooling around on his bicycle. The two restaurants that bear his name, Philander's and Poor Phil's, more than honor his memory with eclectic menus highlighted by fresh seafood. With its wood-paneled surroundings, Philander's, located in the base of one of Oak Park's few hotels, the Carleton, is a community choice for fine dining. Intimate without being overly dark and cozy without being crowded, Philander's offers exquisite fresh seafood dishes like flounder with tarragon -- and the salmon with hollandaise is good enough to order every time. It's also noted for offering one of the toniest bars in the western suburbs, complete with first-class jazz and a well-stocked back bar -- incredible in a town that's dry of liquor stores and taverns.
Philander's sister restaurant, Poor Phil's, is a bit rowdier, a bit louder and a bit easier on the pocketbook. One of the only places in town to score a drink after midnight, Poor Phil's also offers better-than-average pub grub coupled with quality seafood dishes and the best New England clam chowder (served daily) that you're likely to taste. Have a cup or a bowl with a soft-shell crab sandwich; finish off with a hot fudge turtle made with Petersens ice cream, an Oak Park standard for more than seventy-five years.
If you're looking for that special pasta, chances are you'll find it somewhere in town. For years the village has been working on its own version of little Italy, offering Italian food in all varieties. At the higher end, Cucina Paradiso is as good as it gets. Clean, airy surroundings -- frequently difficult to come by in a town of just four square miles and where space is at a premium -- are buoyed by an ever-changing menu. Hand-written and printed on plain white legal paper, offerings are changed every few days -- fun for those who like to try new things, but frustrating for anyone looking forward to a favorite dish. Cucina does an especially fine job with the regularly offered farfalle arrosto, a spicy mix of bow-tie pasta, sausage and peppers, and with the less frequently offered ravioli with roasted garlic sauce. A real deal for lunch, when prices are nearly half that of dinner entrées.
For mid-level Italian Mancini's is the best deal in town, offering an assortment of pastas and sauces, crusty garlic bread and a salad all for around $7. Though you order and pay at the register, the rest is served at table. However, with inclement weather on the way and extremely limited seating, always check availability before deciding on eat-in versus take-out. Oak Park also offers its share of Chinese and Mexican restaurants. For twenty-three years La Majada has been dishing out authentic Mexican cuisine; the large dining space is, Wednesday through Sunday, an enjoyable evening's entertainment as strolling guitarists entertain the crowd. Highly recommended are the chimichangas -- have them with house margaritas, which come large or small, frozen or regular, in a variety of flavors.
As for Chinese, the relatively new Szechwan Beijing offers reasonable prices and the opportunity to watch your meal being cooked through the large window between the front dining area and the kitchen. Standout egg rolls and pot stickers complement a large menu, including exceptional sesame chicken. Dishes are available for take-out, and a $7 lunch buffet offers the opportunity to sample a number of items at a reasonable price.
As with any neighborhood, it's frequently the restaurants off the beaten path that prove to be the best. Tucked away along North Avenue, it's easy to drive right past the Onion Roll, an Italian-operated kosher deli. The cop/lawyer hangout serves the best deli sandwiches around, particularly hot pastrami and corned beef on the signature onion roll.
Two other quirky neighborhood eateries exist only a few doors down from each other on Oak Park Avenue. Grape Leaves, specializing in Middle Eastern cuisine, is little more than a hole in the wall, but does a brisk take-out business thanks to dirt-cheap prices and the quality of even the simplest dishes, such as bountiful, flavorful chicken curry. Meanwhile, nearby George's Restaurant is a community staple, the basic diner that's high on character in both the staff and patrons. Like most diners, George's isn't the height of decorating and it isn't always spotless, but that's more than made up for by the all-day breakfast fare, including unbeatable French toast and Belgian waffles. Also check out the daily variety of soups -- Wednesday is split pea day, but also features the tasty chicken Rosemarina -- and fresh pies and pastries brought in each day from one of the best bakeries around, Kay's in Forest Park.
Philander's, 1120 Pleasant, (708)848-4250
Poor Phil's, 139 South Marion, (708)848-0871
Cucina Paradiso, 814 North Boulevard, (708)848-3434
Mancini's, 1038 Lake Street, (708)445-9700
La Majada, 226 West Harrison, (708)848-8838
Szechwan Beijing, 1107 South Boulevard, (708)386-8889
Onion Roll, 6935 North Avenue, (708)383-2548
Grape Leaves, 129 South Oak Park, (708)848-5555
George's Restaurant, 145 South Oak Park, (708)848-4949
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