byKeir Graff
Cubs fans and North Siders know there's an abundance of culinary temptations surrounding Wrigley Field: with fare ranging from tube steaks to tuna sashimi, from Ethiopian to Australian, no one goes to the old ballgame hungry.
Yet many tourists, and even many Chicagoans, can be strangely hesitant about exploring the South Side; even those who do favor the American League often motor or ride the el straight to games and back again, without ever nosing around the streets adjacent to gargantuan Comiskey Park. Let's be frank here; taking a victual tour of Bridgeport won't exactly make you forget the explosion of fooderies that is Clark Street. But there's a wide array of comfort food that fits the bill, either for a horsehide field trip or a day of hometown exploration.
Bridgeport - roughly bounded by Archer and the Stevenson on the north, Pershing on the south, the river on the west and the railroad tracks on the east - is one of Chicago's oldest neighborhoods. It has always been home to those of Irish descent, beginning with the workers who arrived in 1836 to dig the Illinois-Michigan canal. Known in early days both as "Cabbagetown" and "Hardscrabble," the area was dubbed "Bridgeport" by barge pilots, no doubt annoyed that the low-slung Ashland Avenue bridge forced the unloading of their vessels.
Though dealt some blows by shifting economic bases, Bridgeport has survived and - escaped gentrification to remain that rarest of entities, a real Chicago neighborhood. The Irish-Catholic base is so strong, in fact, that around this time of year many restaurants feature Lenten menus, offering delicacies like pepper-and-egg sandwiches for meat-eschewing penitents. Of course, Irish cuisine doesn't survive much in America, other than the annual gouts of corned beef and cabbage for St. Paddy's Day. As in small towns throughout the Midwest, Italian, Mexican and Chinese restaurants of modest ambitions predominate Bridgeport. And, reflecting a later wave of immigrants, it is a Lithuanian eatery that is the jewel of the area.
Healthy Food claims to be the oldest Lithuanian restaurant in the world; it's certainly the oldest in Chicago. In business since 1938, and in the Biciunas family since 1960, this charming place is a comfort to the eye and to the palate. Whether the heavy, Eastern European-style food is healthy or not may be subject to debate, but it certainly makes you feel good. Loosen your belt a notch and dig in to blynai (Lithuanian pancakes), filled with your choice of fruit and large-curd farmer's cheese. The sauerkraut soup is a treat, nice and mild, and the homemade Lithuanian sausage - similar to Polish - are a working man's dream. Kugelis, a potato "pudding" made with grated potatoes, bacon bits, diced onions, eggs and milk, seems big as a doormat and keeps you happily busy. For dessert, nibble a couple of kolackys, made with real butter. Service is friendly, and the food takes just long enough to get to the table that you know they're cooking your order individually.
Not far from here is the Maxwell Street Depot, a stand-up or take-out all-night joint that's good for all of four menu offerings: pork chop sandwiches, Polish sausages, hamburgers and hot dogs. Five if you count fries. It's cheap, fast and damn good. Ask for extra onions on your pork chop sandwich, but don't bite down too hard - watch out for that bone! Of course, if you have a little time to chew the fat, you might opt for an old-school dinner at Schaller's Pump. Well-known as one of Chicago's oldest bars and Machine hangouts, they also serve up a limited menu of solid selections. You can go cheap with sandwiches, or opt for a full-on steak, rib, chicken or fish dinner, replete with relish tray. They pour a fair drink here, and the prices are reasonable. In fact, throughout Bridgeport, prices seem lighter than on the North Side.
Though all sorts of establishments - 35th Street Home Run, The Show, the Inside Pitch Grill - clearly vie for ballgame business, the acres of parking lots surrounding Comiskey, not to mention the railroad tracks that lop the ballpark off from the community, make it a not-so appealing pre-game stroll. Still, you might pull up to Morrie O'Malley's for a very tasty char Polish (served on a hearty bun of French bread) and either sit outside at a table, or tuck it under your arm en route to a tailgate party.
After the blue-collar hurlyburly of a day game, you may wish to take repast at an establishment of finer distinction, in which case Franco's Ristorante, a tablecloth Italian joint, fits the bill.
In Bridgeport, you may not have the tastes of the world arrayed for the plucking, but on the other hand, you may experience something more precious - a taste of real Chicago.
Healthy Food, 3236 South Halsted, (312)326-2724
Maxwell Street Depot, 411 West 31st, (312)326-3514
Schaller's Pump, 3714 South Halsted, (773)376-6332
Morrie O'Malley's, 3501 South Union, (773)247-2700
Franco's Ristorante, 300 West 31st, (312)225-9566
copyright 1999 New City Communications, Inc.