Restaurant Mon Apr 27 2009

A Café True to its Name: Delicious

I dream of vegan restaurants that hold their own against non-veg restaurants. My latest inherently biased vegan recommendation goes to Delicious Cafe in North Center. They're an adorable cafe with classic Chicago style "tin" ceilings, chalkboard menus, a back patio coming soon, and a floor of simple large plywood-esque squares laid on a grid angled some 45 degrees with the walls. Delicious has quite smooth coffee, from soy lattes to drip to slow brews. You can sip yours on the couch at the window by the coffee table with an old-school globe of our illustrious planet, or at a window counter or one of several small cafe tables.

My friend looked at my slice of cake, and then said something like, "it looks so fluffy. That's hard with vegan." The humming sounds that soon followed from her mouth suggested a great enjoyment in the cake. Chocolate frosting and strawberries combined with a creamy wet feel like custard, and separated three layers of tender, moist yellow cake. More chocolate frosting topped the slice, underneath chocolate chip-shaped frosting droplets.

I'm in love with vegan sausage and egg muffin sandwiches. Or whatever you'd like to call them, given that they don't actually contain the ingredients their name holds. Delicious aptly avoids such naming issues, calling theirs a breakfast sandwich. Forget what the non-veg version tastes like to clear your expectations. A thick patty of well-seasoned peppery sausage-style seitan sits under vegan cheddar and an eggy-yellow patty that has a light golden sear on its top.

Delicious serves a special on Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This week, look for biscuits and gravy. The case at the counter is filled with treats. They can make you a dairy or vegan grilled cheese, serve you a bagel with hummus, peanut butter or Tofutti cream cheese, or make you various other sandwiches. Whether you're vegan or not, the almost entirely vegan Delicious serves up tasty treats and snacks in a cozy cafe with solid coffee. Urban bicyclists and modern design lovers might also enjoy the Momentum and Dwell magazines I found in their bin.

Delicious Cafe. 3827 N. Lincoln Ave. (773) 477-9840. El: Brown to Addison or Irving Park. Bus: 11 Lincoln, 50 Damen, 80 Irving Park, 152 Addison.

— Chris Brunn / Comments (1)