The 10 Most Authentic Restaurants in Wicker Park & Bucktown
Times a little tight? Why not take a vacation without leaving the neighborhood? Tuck in at one of these remarkably authentic restaurants and enjoy the experience.
What makes a restaurant authentic? It’s more than the décor, it’s the attitude. Sometimes this can fly in the face of expectations and be downright aggravating, such as when the waiter affects a smoldering, put-upon manner that is undeniably French at a French bistro like Le Bouchon, or when the server/owner gets distracted by a Polish soap opera when she should be taking your order at a gritty diner like Podhalank Polksa Restauracja.
On the other hand, it can be delightfully engaging like when the proprietor greets you at the door with his little old mother and fusses over you like you are long lost cousin, as in the case of 50’s era Cuban restaurant, Café Laguardia.
Authenticity should also be reflected in an unwavering commitment to a strong culinary tradition. Club Lucky could easily modernize its Italian fare, but Frank, Dean and Sammy wouldn’t have known from pumpkin ravioli and bruschetta toasts. Red sauce spaghetti, veal parmigana and grilled pork chops are about the right speed and true to the illusion of a swinging Italian supper club in the mid 1950’s. If you are going to enjoy an authentic dining experience, you are going to have to appreciate what’s going on and enjoy the spirit of the thing. And sometimes it’s not what you expect.
For example, Pot Pan stands out from a half dozen other Thai restaurants in Wicker Park for its delicate combination of signature flavors like fish sauce and citrus. The combination achieves a harmonious effect that is often muted or overblown at less painstaking Thai places. What’s more, Pot Pan captures the look and feel of a genuine Thai restaurant with its tasteful balance of the modern and conventional, eschewing the temptation to overdo the traditional bangles and brass. But you might prefer the bangles and brass because that’s what you’re accustomed to. Nevertheless, it’s not accurate. Authentic Thai is distinguished by proper moderation in cooking and décor.
Moderation is often the hallmark of authenticity. In a culture weaned on The Rainforest Café and Planet Hollywood, there is a tendency to heighten and colorize. Yet restaurants that capture the quirky subtlety of their chosen milieu are often the most authentic. Rios D’Sud America rings true because it is exactly the same place the owners would have built in Sao Paulo if given the chance. The elegant, airy space with high ceilings, wrap-around balcony and gently turning ceiling fans suggests a suave Latin atmosphere. The somewhat garish wall mural, however, is the kind of thing Anglo owners would’ve disdained as too cheesy, which makes it exactly the right thing for an authentic Latin restaurant. Different ethnicities have different tastes and authenticity is often reflected in a fearless expression of one’s culture.
That culture needn’t be foreign either. When you step into Lincoln Tavern for a beer, you might be disappointed to find they only offer Pabst Blue Ribbon, which might strike you as off putting at first, until you realize it’s exactly the choice you’d be given at a hunting lodge in the northwoods. The fact that fresh Maple Leaf duck is served only on Fridays could seem somewhat less than accommodating, but it is authentic as are the pictures of hunting dogs, the antler lamp shades and the log cabin walls. Get over yourself and enjoy the vibe. To get this any other way would cost you a six hour drive and a tank of gas.
A mere two blocks away at Chaise Lounge, however, the ambiance is world’s away. Want to go to South Beach without leaving town? The chic modernist décor of white upholstered walls, low slung verandahs, white canvas umbrellas, lush palms and twinkling chandeliers perfectly captures the Art Deco feel of Miami. Even the fact that the servers are often better looking than they are competent is a curious homage to South Beach. The food is good, the décor is impressive and the attitude is self-absorbed, which can be annoying. But you must admit it’s genuine, like it or not.
At Enoteca Roma the vibe is a good deal warmer and more sincere, just as the Romans are often warmer and more sincere than other cultures. But this is not the tired, played out Rome of some third generation Italian-American. This is present day Rome exactly as you would find it at a lively outdoor café in the Trastevere. We’re talking flights of wine, cheese, meats and olives, a fun, adventurous approach to dining with a dash of verve, an approach that concedes nothing when it comes to quality. Indeed, no Roman restaurateur worth his salt would skimp on quality, and as a measure of authenticity, neither does Enoteca Roma.
And neither does Santullo’s Eatery, as genuine a version of New York style pizzeria as you will find in the Windy City. From the big floppy slices oozing oily cheese to the tattooed character at the cash register with the phone tucked against his shoulder as he counts out change, they have it down. Great wheels of dough are flipped into the air as gruff counter people call out your order, and the results are surprisingly delicious. Sit down at a wooden booth, carefully lift a slice, fold it over and bite through the mild crust and into the yummy layer of cheese and tomato. Not only is it authentic, it’s cheap. $2 slices between 4pm-6pm Monday through Friday, are a generous offer.
But when it comes to authenticity on the cheap perhaps no one does it better than Podhalank Polksa. In an atmosphere unchanged since Nelson Algren roamed the streets, you can enjoy steaming bowls of white borscht and plates of boiled beef amidst weird tsotschkes, cheap souvenir store dolls and plastic flowers. Welcome to family-style Polish dining circa 1951. Look around. A hand carved hunting musket hangs next to a picture of the pope. For no apparent reason, there is a wire carousel stocked with cheap Polish Christmas cards in the middle of the room. A big green furnace holds a position of prominence among the tables, exuding all the charm of an ice machine. The service is laconic and rote. The fluorescent lighting is harsh. Coffee sits on Bunsen burners and grows bitter, and a TV set provides the only ambient noise. Occasionally the server/owner becomes so absorbed in a soap opera, she forgets about you. And yet it’s oddly charming – and real.
The charm is all to their credit at Café LaGuardia. The gracious host and owner, Carlos LaGuardia, will be sincerely apologetic if he can’t seat you immediately. He will usher you to a lounge area where you will be ensconced amidst zebra print pillows, brass lamps with twenties-era fringed lamp shades, figurines of monkeys and camels, leopard print cushions and palms. He will deliver your cocktails on a silver tray with a towel folded over his arm and he will bow as he does so. He will not be kidding. He will be striving to recapture the warmth and elegance of pre-Castro Havana, and he will be succeeding. When a table becomes available, don’t be surprised if a little old woman in thick glasses with a Cuban accent appears to guide you. If she seems as sincerely interested in your welfare as the owner, there’s a good reason. The owner is her son. This is Mama Laguardia. And the meal you are about to have will reflect the authenticity and sincerity of the family.
At Le Bouchon you will find as close an approximation to a genuine French bistro as you’re likely to find anywhere Chicago: tiled floors, dark wood wainscoting, gas lamp sconces and white table cloths. The waiter arrives in an apron, drying his hands on a towel. A server brings the duck out from the kitchen for your inspection before taking it back to slice it. Your wine glass is refilled regularly. The kitchen strives for superior execution and you are presented with such staple bistro fare as savory onion tart, brandade of cod, escargot, and pommes frites with grilled steak. If the menu and the cooking are not exactly adventurous, they’re not meant to be. They’re authentic, and that’s enough.
Authenticity can be its own reward, and the merits of these ten Wicker Park / Bucktown restaurants, whatever they may be, are underscored by their sincere devotion to a strong cultural tradition, and if you can get into the spirit of the thing, they can provide the power to transport you to another time and place… and that’s worth the price of a meal.
What about Lovely Cafe on Milwaukee (just past Division)? Sure, it's 2 blocks out of Wicker Park, but it has all the things you're looking for. Coffee in ceramic cups with handles. Large, open space. Free Wi-fi. Many tables. Outdoor patio. DIY artistic employees. I've hung out all day on the laptop.
Posted by: Nick | February 17, 2009 at 04:45 PM
Amen.
Posted by: Rob | February 25, 2009 at 05:15 PM