Palestinian paradise

Chickpea does everything right

11/11/2009 10:00 PM

By REBECCA LOMAX
Contributing Reporter

No Comments - Add Your Comment


Kalayiet Bandoora
Photos by REBECCA LOMAX/Staff



Arabic-style pop culture decorates Chickpea.

Dining
Walk into Chickpea on Chicago Ave. and you can tell — from the Coca-Cola mural in Arabic to the lacquered, brightly patterned tables — this is not typical mom-and-pop Mediterranean.

Though the restaurant is indeed a family affair. Jerry Suqi, the man behind Ukrainian Village brunch spot Jam, fuels the restaurant with the Palestinian recipes of his mother, Amni Suqi.

The two manage to infuse seemingly disparate elements into all aspects of the restaurant. They balance warmth and boldness from wall color choice to the menu, with hearty classics that offer unexpected zings. There is counter service and sandwiches but also artfully plated entrees.

Chickpea took over the former home of inventive sweets shop Bleeding Heart Bakery about a year ago. Long wooden booths line each side of the restaurant, with nine tables branching off of them. The walls are plastered with an array of pop culture, Arabic-style, including an oversized Batman poster in an ornate gold frame.

The menu starts familiar enough with the usual dips and salads, from hummus to baba ghannoj to tabbouleh.

One standout is the Fool Mudammas ($6), a steaming plate of smashed fava beans sautéed with garlic and spices served with pita for dipping. The hearty bean and tomato flavor resembles what you might expect of a Middle Eastern chili.

The three salads can be ordered separately or in a trio. The Fattoosh ($4), lettuce tossed with cucumber, tomato, and toasted pita, is enlivened by a pomegranate vinaigrette.

But what keeps diners coming back is the entrees. Skip past the myriad of sandwiches and kebabs, and you land at the Palestinian plates.

Kalayiet Bandoora ($9), small pieces of chicken sautéed with tomatoes, leaves behind a delicate savory broth perfect for soaking up with the side of rice. The plate of Lahamma Hummus ($9) arrives smeared with chickpea and tahini spread and sprinkled with crumbles of tenderloin and pine nuts. It’s comfort food, rich and filling. You can eat it via fork or scooped up in pita.

More than half of the menu is vegetarian, and a good deal of those dishes are vegan. On the weekends, Amni prepares Mussakhkhan, the Palestinian national dish: Arabian bread topped with hunks of chicken, onions and pine nuts.

Despite the name, the hummus and falafel, although good, are not exceptional. A blessing, in my opinion, when there are so many delicious options to choose from.

Oh, and one more reason to love Chickpea? The Genie-themed pinball machine in the back is free.


No Comments - Add Your Comment