The 3100 block of S Morgan is a favorite destination of mine. Start with a cup at Bridgeport Coffee House, one of the most comfortable in the city. Their coffee is good but probably not destination-worthy. Then some food at Zaytune. Finish with drinks at Kaplan's Liquors (a/k/a Maria's), one of Chicago's oddest and most enjoyable dive bars.
Zaytune has only been open half a year and isn't very well known outside the neighborhood but they're putting out some topnotch food.
I was initially disappointed by
their very basic offerings. If there were a McPita chain this would be the menu—nothing even slightly out of the ordinary. But the quality of ingredients and careful preparation more than compensate for the limited selection.
The kafta kabob platter shows what Zaytune is all about. This could be a real yawner at lots of places.
Kabobs are grilled to order, the fresh salad ingredients get dressed immediately before plating and pita is baked on the premises daily. The torshi is very sour and beety, maybe not to everyone's liking, but a distinctive version. Long grain rice is perfectly done. Nothing out of the ordinary except freshness, care and careful execution.
Similar attention to detail is obvious in their falafel. Some may enjoy playing Salam's falafel lottery but at Zaytune you're almost guaranteed freshly made discs. Here's a falafel wrap that really shows off their fresh bread.
Each disc is formed with concavities in the side, like a red blood cell. This provides more surface area for extra crispness (just as the erythrocyte has more surface area for better oxygen exchange). Some sesame seeds are pressed into the depression before frying, a thoughtful touch I never noticed elsewhere. I'd rate this among best falafel sandwiches in the city. One quibble—I wish their red sauce had a little more zip. I'll have to remember to ask next visit if they have a spicier version.
I hope, as their customer base grows, that they will consider expanding the menu a bit, maybe just a single daily special. For now, I appreciate their focus on doing a small set of dishes really well.
Bridgeport Coffee House
3101 S Morgan St
Chicago
773-247-9950
http://www.bridgeportcoffeecompany.com/Kaplan's Liquors
960 W 31st St
Chicago
773-890-0588
Zaytune Mediterranean Grill
3129 S Morgan St
Chicago
773-254-6300
http://www.zaytunegrill.com/