Finally went to Donna's
and believe me, I'll be going back
04/23/2011 6:10 PM
Donna's teeny, but delicious cheesecakes (photo by Bonnie McGrath)
Donna Adams (Chicago Journal)
Donna Adams and her business partner Bob Oliver served a lot of tuna salad and chicken salad and mini cheesecakes and green salad and fruit today. It was Donna's grand opening, on hold for three months--and she had a lot of help serving and preparing and cleaning up; she also had lots of friends and family who descended on the new and welcome Donna's Cafe at 13th and State all afternoon.
I have been meaning to go for three months--I live across the street and down the block. And Donna's is exactly the kind of place we need on the street: clean space, comfortable atmosphere, delicious food--but not the least pretentious. Sandwiches, salads, sweets. It's the kind of place I will frequent now that the logjam has been broken and I finally tried it--and the kind of place I will be taking a book, my smartphone and a friend. (Not all at the same time.)
I tested all the food, chatted a bit with Donna--a former cop who lives in Englewood, right near where my dad grew up--and former aldermanic candidate Genita Robinson, who happened to be there the same time I was. Both of us bought some pecan pie to take home (and I also bought some chocolate cake). The mini cheesecakes were delish! All sorts of flavors--from almond to chocolate to raspberry. Donna lamented the fact that her bakery supplier is no longer going to supply caramel apple cheesecake. But she had one from Eli's on hand to make up the deficit.
I told Donna I was a little embarrassed I hadn't been over yet to test her wares. After all, Donna's is about a minute and a half's walk from my house. But once I got it in my head I would come on "opening day" I couldn't get it out. Donna had said on Twitter at one point she wanted to get all the glitches out before her grand opening.
"Did you get all the glitches out?" I asked her. (She certainly seemed to--there wasn't a glitch in sight.) Very humbly, Donna said that one can never get all the glitches out. "You know when I'll know everything about everything?" she asked.
The day she leaves this earth, she explained.
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By judy marcus from palatine
Posted: 04/25/2011 1:23 PM
I wish Donna's was in my neighborhood!
By Jan Lisa Huttner from Dearborn Park
Posted: 04/24/2011 6:10 PM
Who knew? But now I do! Had to go to the Jewel anyway, so I headed south thru the underpass, then east on 14th, & yup, voila: Donna's. Can't wait to stop by & try one of those mini-cheesecakes, etc, etc. Welcome to the neighborhood, Donna. And to Bonnie: THANKS for the post :-)
By Donna from Englewood
Posted: 04/24/2011 12:39 PM
Hi Bonnie, it was a pleasure to finally meet you! I'm so happy you enjoyed your first visit. I'm looking forward to you being one of my regulars so we can sit and chat again! See you soon!
By Stephen Reginald from South Loop
Posted: 04/24/2011 7:30 AM
Glad you finally made it, Bonnie. I went earlier and had a great time. It's a great spot to get some grub and hang out.