[Photograph: Nathan Lurz]
The Heartland Cafe in Rogers Park is a neighborhood touchstone, and has been for decades. Its emphasis on using fresh, healthy ingredients often leads to some interesting and delicious dishes, though some work better than others.
The Buffalo Philly ($10) has some potential. The flavor of the lean buffalo itself is very interesting, a little sweeter than beef with a slight smoky marinade adding just a hint of extra something. The peppers and onions are crunchy and fresh, adding a nice texture to the sandwich. The ciabatta has just enough crisp crunch to hold the limited grease in and some nice flavor on its own. And, when tasted alone, the baked jack cheese is delightfully creamy and mild.
But the cheese gets lost in all the other flavors, and the ciabatta doesn't really effectively contain all the slivers of food within the sandwich. Worst of all, the thick cuts of buffalo come off as a little tough and chewy. Not an unpleasant sandwich, but I doubt it would last long on the streets of Philadelphia.
Heartland Cafe
7000 N Glenwood Ave, Chicago, IL (map)
(773) 989-0151
heartlandcafe.com
Comments
Comments are closed
HIDE COMMENTS