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Restaurant Wed Jan 14 2009
Chickpea
Chickpea, West Town's new middle eastern restaurant, moved into the former space of The Bleeding Heart Bakery in November. While it may be a rough time to embark on a new business, owner Jerry Suqi knows the ropes. With Narcisse, La Pomme Rouge and Sugar under his belt, Suqi hopes to share his mother Amni's traditional cooking with this latest venture.
The space is bright and airy, with Arabic movie posters and advertisements decorating the walls. The prices are modest and the menu offers plenty for meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans alike. The dinner menu also includes daily "Mama's Specials" like Koosa Mihshee and Mussakhkhan.
Seven dollars bought me a beautifully presented lentil soup ($3) and a falafel sandwich ($4). The service was excellent and the food was simple, tasty and satisfying.
West Town was in need of a restaurant to temper the plentiful bar food and fast food options in the area. Chickpea delivers serving high-quality middle eastern fare at reasonable prices.
Chickpea
2018 W Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 384-9930
Monday - Sunday, 11am to 10pm
Kyla Springer / March 2, 2009 11:28 AM
The staff at Chickpea are the most welcoming I have ever encountered. The "Mama" on the menu is really the mama (Amni) and she cooks many of the main dishes and soups. She'll offer tons of advice on which is her favorite dish of the day, what goes best with what, and even share with you some of her personal and familial history. You feel like part of the family when you are here. It may be a trite statement, but it's never been more true than at Chickpea. Everyone helps out and everyone truly cares about the quality of the food and the impeccable service. And the pinball machine is free!