Balkan Restaurants

(There's a shopping thread on Balkan food, but none dedicated to restaurants. It's not a cuisine I know deeply, but I wanted to share a recent experience and it didn't seem quite to merit a thread dedicated only to that restaurant... is "Balkan" really the appropriate general term? anyway, enough preface...)

Last week some friends and I tried out Gurman Restoran, a strip-mall Bosnian restaurant just west of Lawrence and Western. Between us we shared a sort of veal stew, a sandwich consisting of a patty of ground beef stuffed with mushrooms (the name eludes me), and a cevapcici sandwich. Ah, yes, and a spinach burek. I also quite enjoyed a blueberry nectar beverage.

While the food was not lifechangingly good, it was tasty and hearty. The sandwich bread was nice and fluffy, and the cut surfaces had just enough time on the grill to be gently crispy. The meats were a little dried out, but I got the feeling we were getting there pretty late in their day; before we even ordered the (very friendly) proprietor warned us that he was down to the last two spinach burek. Also, the cevapcici were not very spicy, although I thought in past experience at other places they usually were.

One reason we went was because from the street, the place looks pretty dark and a little forboding, and we had built up some grand sense of adventure. (We also hadn't yet determined that it was a Bosnian restaurant, although we were pretty sure it was from somewhere in that part of the world.) To be honest, I was expecting an environment a little like Panini Panini, the dark and smoke-filled café in Rogers Park where I've never felt remotely welcome, but once we entered, this turned out to completely different; bright and clean and welcoming.

I liked this place and would happily go back, but it was as much about the overall experience as the objective quality of the food. As noted, the proprietor was a very friendly guy, the food was satisfying. The combined toasty/fluffy bread was on my mind the next day, especially in combination the whipped butter/cheese spread which was provided in mass quantities for slathering on anything and everything.

Has anyone else tried Gurman? What about other places in that area serving similar food?

Gurman Restoran
2547 W. Lawrence Ave, Chicago
773-275-2707

Great to see your post. I've been walking by, peering at, and wondering about Gurman for a few months. Couldn't even determine its regionality from the name. I was wondering if it wasn't one of those germanic transplants to Latin Am. affairs. Our DIOK schedule (Double-Income-One-Kid) makes it hard to coordinate dropping in to places on a whim, but maybe a Sat. lunch.)
Thanks for the info.

Is this the one that is in the strip mall with the Blockbuster anchoring the east end of it? Next to a 7-11?

If so, I've been meaning to go there since I moved. I've walked past the place several times and it smells wonderful.

I'll check it out and report when I do.

Swanline wrote:Is this the one that is in the strip mall with the Blockbuster anchoring the east end of it? Next to a 7-11?

It's definitely in a strip mall. Honestly, I don't remember what else is in the strip mall. I think you may be thinking of a place that is a little east of Western, Balkan ?

Gurman is west of Western and east of Rockwell, in a smaller strip mall that may not really be anchored by anything. Or maybe I'm just not remembering. Alas, Google Street Views goes up Western Ave but not across that stretch of Lawrence and you can't quite see Gurman from the intersection.

germuska wrote:Gurman is west of Western and east of Rockwell, in a smaller strip mall that may not really be anchored by anything. Or maybe I'm just not remembering.

Joe,

Gurman is where Ilidzanka was. The Balkan place East of Western is called Balkan Restaurant and is is the same strip mall as White Hen.



Enjoy,
Gary

Gurman Restoran (was Ilidzanka)
2547 W. Lawrence Ave
Chicago, IL
773-275-2707

Balkan Restaurant
2321 W Lawrence Ave
Chicago, IL
773-878-7764

If I am not mistaken, Gurman's predecessor was the inspiration for GWiv's cevapcic-i-thon,Ilidzanka. I ate there about a year ago, and the owner was indeed friendly, but the business may have turned over. I got chatting with the owner and his pals, who were, of course, smoking up a storm. How was the smoke level at Gurman?

Josephine wrote:How was the smoke level at Gurman?

My back was to the table where the owner and his friends were playing cards, but I never noticed any smoke in the air.

Thanks - I was thinking of the Balkan Restaurant next to the White Hen. I'll still have to try it out and the pictures linked look very good.

I noticed an interesting difference between Bosnian and Serbian versions of dishes like stuffed cabage, cevapcici and various sausages. The Serbian versions invariably contain pork in addition to lamb and beef, whereas the Bosnian versions usually do not. I am sure that is due to the significant Muslim population in Bosnia, but I wonder if the Bosnians removed the pork from the recipe or the Serbs added it.

if this observation violates the "no religion" rule, please delete it

most likely they removed it because you can get kebabche in bulgaria and macedonia and they both contain pork. bulgarian kebabche is especially good, even more so when cooked medium with barely noticable pink inside.

There are a lot of Balkan places in the Chicago. On Lawrence alone there are at least 5 between Kedzie and 94. A lot of people moved here during and after the conflict. I am on the road these days but when I get back I will upload some menus. For now this may be of use.

Of course the Cevapcici (Che-vap-che-chi) are pretty flavorful little sausages. In my opinion the best come from a butcher shop on Lawrence whom actually supplies many of the local restaurants while some establishments make them in house. As others have said there is no pork in the Bosnian cevapcici because of the high percentage of Muslim Bosnians.


I have eaten at Rasmus many times and usually would get the cevapcici or Bosnian hamburger. If you ask nicely while the wife is cooking she will make brains which are especially good.
Rasmus sells a lot of Balkan style pizza which is not for me but good when fresh. The pizza tuna seems popular but is solidly disagreeable to my
senses.

I am an ardent none smoker so I will disagree with posters who claim any of the mentioned establishments are not smoky. There could conceivably be occasions when no one is smoking but I have not seen it.

As for Rasmus the proprietor is named Anis (phonetical spelling) and his english is very minimal while the wife Oina (guess at phonetical) speaks decent english.

The fresh Bosnian bread is very good and I sometimes bring some home.

As a warning the place is very hit or miss depending on how busy or luck of the day. When fresh the food is good but a day or two later the bread and premade items are disappointing on any scale. My wife is the euro coffe snob and she say the cappuccino there is strong and the real deal.

In general the quality of food is pretty good. I believe the gelato to be Angelinos and all of the meats to be from specialty butchers. The breads, doughs and sauces are all home made as are the soups.


I have not eaten more than soup at the re-opened Sarajevo so I will not comment.

I will put up more comments info and names when I get back to the city- these are the only two I have in my contact list.

Thanks


Restaurant Sarajevo
2701 W Lawrence Ave
(between Fairfield Ave & Washtenaw Ave)
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 275-5310


Rasmus Pizza Restaurant
4788 N Elston Ave
Chicago, IL 60630
Phone: (773) 202-9485

germuska wrote:Has anyone else tried Gurman?

Joe,

Thanks for the post, I was a fan of Ilidzanka, the previous occupant of that spot, and very much liked Gurman.



First thing I noticed is the physical changes, they opened up the kitchen, brightened the room and generally spruced up the place, a nice improvement.



I started with strong Turkish coffee, which contained a mind altering charge of caffeine.



I enjoy Che-vup-chi-chi in all forms, and thought the juicy mildly spiced version at Gurman one of the tastier in recent memory.

Che-vup-chi-chi


Adding to my enjoyment of the quality sausage was fluffy nicely griddled Bosnian pita (lepina), kajmak (whipped cheese), ajvar, sharp onion and ok tomatoes. In particular I liked, and this was a first with che-vup-chi-chi for me, the addition of giardiniera to the mix.



The owner/waiter/bus person who, as Joe mentioned, is quite friendly, gave me a link of sudlukica to try, a mild natural casing, I'm guessing, beef sausage.

Sudlukica


Gurman has a rotating list of daily specials and the owner informed me they would be happy to make favorites by special request.

I'll be back soon, thanks again Joe.

Enjoy,
Gary

Gurman Restoran
2547-A W Lawrence
Chicago, IL 60625
773-275-2707

G Wiv wrote:I'll be back soon, thanks again Joe.

My pleasure, consider it the vig on my deep chow-debt to you.

(Happy to hear that your cevapcici were juicy; I'll write off the slight dryness of ours to circumstance. Did you ask for the ajvar?)

germuska wrote:( Did you ask for the ajvar?)

Joe

Not a special request, ajvar was included on the plate with the other accompaniments.

Enjoy,
Gary

I admit, it's an oddity as a vegetarian to give a review for such a meat-based restaurant, but I had such a wonderful dinner at Sarajevo this weekend that I'm compelled to write about the food I tasted. As for the meat--I'll leave you to discover it yourself.

When we arrived, the owner brought around at least a half loaf of fresh baked bread called Lapinja. It was a rich white bread, and tasted like there was a little olive oil on the crust. It was shaped in loaves, but I was told that traditionally it is served in a large round disk. It was addictive. I think everyone ate at least three slices. It came with a fresh cheese that had the full-fat flavor of cream cheese, but was a bit smoother. Delicious, especially when mixed with the herb infused olive oil.

As appetizers, we ordered roasted mushrooms, feta cheese, a feta cheese salad and calamari. The roasted mushrooms were hollowed out boats of garlic cream, roasted to full flavor. The feta cheese came with capers and some nicely smoked red peppers. The salad was huge with shaved feta, sunflower seeds, peppers, and several other veggies. All fresh and tasty.

For the main, I had the vegetable sampler--which I think I would skip next time in favor of the salad and appetizers. Everyone else got house made sausages, ground veal, fish and grilled calamari, and the meat platter. The grilled calamari seemed to be the hit of the night, but overall the satisfied-diner silence fell over our raucous group once the meat hit the table, so it seems that generally the dishes were good. Everyone was in a meat coma after dinner.

We really enjoyed the evening and I plan on going back. It's byob and very reasonably priced.

Restaurant Sarajevo
2701 W Lawrence Ave
(between Fairfield Ave & Washtenaw Ave)
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 275-5310

http://www.restaurantsarajevo.com/Menu.html

Restaurant Sarajevo has a sign on the door that they are closed until 8/17/09.

I drove by a restaurant called Serbian Village today. It's at Kedzie and Irving Park. Has anyone been?

Serbian Village
3144 W Irving Park Ave

In a story that belongs in the thread entitled " You know you are and LTH-er when. . .", I experienced a bit of food-centric serendipity tonight involving Balkan Cafe (the place on Lawrence east of Western that GWiv refers to above.) My friend from St. Louis text messaged me a picture of a combination plate (veal, cevaps, sarma) he was eating at a restaurant in St. Louis with a Bosnian coworker. I received this while having a manicure in a salon on Lawrence east of Western, and I messaged back that I was planning to eat at a Bosnian place nextdoor. My friend's coworker immediately knew the place and, before I knew it, she asked it there was a lamb oven in the window of the place I planned to eat. Before I could answer, she texted back that she was on the phone with the owner ordering my dinner for me! Heading nextdoor, I met Almir, the young man who owns Balkan Cafe. In a "small world" moment, I learned that my friend's coworker is an old friend of his.

Almir confirmed that Balkan Cafe does a great deal of roast lamb, by the pound, both catered and eat-in. A whole lamb serves 20 people. The bureks (meat), sirnica (cheese), zelyanica (spinach and cheese) and bread are made daily in house, as is everything else on the menu, including the cevaps. I can vouch for the bureks and the sarma, which I had tonight. The sarma had a rich, beefy taste, rather than the cured pork taste I associate with the related Romanian sarmale, however, both are made with pickled cabbage leaves, a feature which, to me, makes the dish. When I have been at Balkan Cafe at lunchtime, I have noticed that the bean soup (grah-pasulj) and goulash seem to be the popular items, served with soft, fresh bread. Delivery is available, and makes up the bulk of the business, along with takeout. Turkish coffee is served in the traditional copper beaker. I like the place.

Balkan Cafe
2321 W. Lawrence Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625
(773)878-7764
http://www.thebalkancafe.com
Mon.-Sat. 7AM-8PM
Sun. 7AM-5PM

Cevapi sandwiches are part of Chicago’s latest Balkan food craze, and Kiosk Balkan Street Food makes a great one

https://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/c ... story.html

Sounds like a great sandwich, especially that bread! I wonder if Milunovic really means the ground beef mixture ferments with bacterial action, like salami or summer sausage, or if it just develops more salt-soluble proteins from being mixed and standing. Fermentation, especially overnight, would require a higher temperature than being in the cooler. And the bounciness described sounds more like just extracting additional proteins.

Also, I found this in the article:

The brothers really wanted to open their own restaurant, but they decided to go the more affordable route first and try things out in an Avondale cloud kitchen, a shared kitchen space used exclusively for takeout and delivery, a concept that became increasingly popular during the pandemic.

Guess we have a new name for the slightly-creepy-sounding ghost kitchen. I don't think it's in wide use yet, since my cousin who owns a restaurant design firm called them "ghost kitchens" this weekend.

When I make it I do let it sit overnight. The texture typically comes from using either baking soda or club soda in the mix. That is the way most people I know make cevaps.

CloudKitchens is a large company running ghost kitchens in many cities. It was started by a former Uber CEO is is as pushy as Uber.
https://www.cloudkitchens.com/

Sula's take on KBSF = https://chicagoreader.com/food-drink/ki ... f-cooking/