 Reza's Restaurant
I was introduced to Reza's during a particularly ill-fated visit to a different restaurant: it was a group outing to a place that had solely meat-based stuff, and I was the only veg., so I actually had to walk down the street to get something I could eat. I brought back some felafel from Reza's and ate the best meal at the table. Specializing in Persian, Mediterranean, and vegetarian food, Reza's is one of the most purely satisfying restaurants in Chicago. There are many flashier places, but for a good ol' standby, the place is a consistent delight that never bores me. There's plenty of lamb and chicken for the omnivores, but the best dishes are veg. This time around, my dining companion and I split a Chef's Vegetarian Sampler (one of the specials), which consisted of hearty portions of felafel, hummus, baba ghanouj, and dolmeh, plus dill rice and pita bread. Splitting one entrée was a good idea, as there was more food than both of us could eat, and we went home with leftovers.
The restaurant is spacious and comfortable, and on weekends the place is positively hoppin'. The service is excellent, and in fact on this particular visit we had perhaps the single greatest server we have ever seen: courteous, eager but not to the point of overkill, efficient, and unpretentious. (And believe you me, I am not given to hyperbole when discussing foodservice employees.)
Prices are somewhat high (around $10 a plate) but the portions are such that two people can easily share any given entrée. Appetizers are incredible (we went with grilled mushrooms), and refills were free. (Don't get me started; I'll have to run for governor on a "free refills for all" platform.) Parking was easy even though it was a Saturday night (this is in Andersonville, not as busy a place, in general, as some neighborhoods further south). Overall, an utterly enjoyable dining experience, despite the crying toddler at the next table. At least it wasn't like the time I was at a Pizza Hut and a little girl got her head stuck in the back of a chair.
Review by La Fée, April 1998 |