Favorite Things- Garifuna Flava Restaurant

Ok, so this week's featured spot isn't in Hyde Park, but it is one of the best restaurants I've been to on the south side, and so I think it deserves a shout out.

Mr. Hyde Park and I were feeling like something different and wanted to stay on the south side, so we did a little research and came across Garifuna Flava (2516-2518 W 63rd St), a Caribbean and Belizean/Garifuna restaurant with rave reviews on Yelp. The place, which has developed somewhat of a cult following, is known especially for its jerk chicken, but has a full menu of authentic Caribbean seafood, meat, and vegetarian dishes.

Garfuna Flava (2516 W. 63rd)
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The restaurant is at Western and 63rd, so it's just a quick drive west from Hyde Park. The neighborhood is a bit rougher around the edges than what some Hyde Parkers may be used to, but we parked in the lot right next to the restaurant and never felt uncomfortable or unsafe. We went on a Friday night last month at 7ish and the place was completely empty except for one other group. I always feel a little uncomfortable going into a restaurant that's near empty, especially when I've never been there before or I'm not that familiar with the cuisine (I worry it'll be too obvious we don't know what we're doing...). The server we had, though, went out of his way to make us feel comfortable, explaining the menu, telling us a little about the Garifuna culture, and giving us recommendations about what to try.

Half Jerk Chicken w/ Spicy Jerk Sauce
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We ordered conch fritters (which were really fresh and flavorful) to start and then both got the jerk chicken which is, hands down, the best jerk chicken--maybe even the best chicken, period-- I have ever had. (Yes, better than at Calypso Cafe...) The seasoning was on point, the meat was juicy, and it was spicy but not so hot that we couldn't taste the other complex spices. It comes with a delicious gravy/hot sauce that was so tasty I could drink it (according to the waiter, the kid at the table next to us did, in fact, drink a few little cups of it...) The jerk chicken I've had in the past, including at Calypso, often seems to have an artificial liquid-smoke taste to it, but this just tasted really fresh and tangy, with a rich natural smokiness. We had TONS of food (and Belizean beer) and, considering the quality of what we got, it was extremely affordable.

Red Snapper Dinner w/ Rice & Beans, Plantain & Potato Salad
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As I mentioned above, the restaurant-- in spite of it's delicious fresh food and amazing service-- was pretty empty on a weekend night at a prime dinner hour. This makes me really sad because this type of home-grown, mom and pop business is really great for the neighborhood and the south side in general. I worry that a gem like this will not survive if people don't go out of their way to support it. With that said, I urge you to take the little trip and check it out. If you like it, tell Yelp, tell your friends, tweet about it, and do whatever you can to spread the word.

Favorite Things: The Beach/Lake Michigan

Ok, so I know that this Hyde Park gem is pretty well known already (at least to locals), but I'm going to dedicate this "Favorite Things" post to the Lake and the cool things along its shore. Why am I writing about this now, when it's not quite summer yet? Well, partly because I've been gazing out my window at the turquoise water, fantasizing about playing hooky from work and spending the afternoon digging my toes into the sand while I read a magazine. Also, I've recently had to spend a bit of time along the lake path up north (jogging with northsider friends who, of course, would never volunteer to meet me in my neck of the woods!) and I'm pretty convinced that the south side part of the trail is better.

A little-known fact about Hyde Park is that it was once popular as a weekend getaway for northsiders. The Shoreland, Windermere, and Flamingo buildings (among several others that have been razed) were once cushy resorts that attracted tourists looking to spend a few days lounging on a quiet beach. These resorts, as we all know, have been transformed into apartment buildings and, ironically, there remain few hotels in the neighborhood, but Hyde Park still possesses a little hint of its beach town past.

Photo via http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2640/3706627894_4451b5962d.jpg

Many Hyde Park locals have the luxury of living in these one-time resorts, or in other similar buildings that are literally only steps from the water. Lakefront property south of the Loop-- for better or worse--is drastically cheaper than on the north side, which means that even average Janes like me can afford to live right on the water.

Within the boundaries of Hyde Park, the shores of the lake are clean and quiet, without industrialization or the eyesore parking lots, concrete blocks, imported palm trees, and gravel-y sand found along the lake's north-side shores. 57th Street Beach is admittedly tiny and completely under the radar of non-Hyde Parkers, but it is--probably because it's so unknown-- one of the nicest, calmest beaches I've been to in the city. It can get a little crowded on hot weekend days, but at its worst it is still waaay more low-key than any of the other city beaches I've been to. Another nice thing about it is that Promontory Point juts out into the water and essentially cuts it off from the rest of the lake, which seems to block the gravel, trash, and seaweed that so often washes ashore at huge, wide-open beaches like Montrose Beach. There's also a cute little snack shop on the beach where you can get ice cream and cold drinks.

As much as I love the beach, I know we still have at least a month or so before we will truly be able to enjoy it. In the mean time, the weather is perfect for taking advantage of the lake path. The south side portion of the trail is way less crowded than the north side--so you're not constantly having to elbow your way through crowds of joggers--but you still get the same views of the lake and a better view of the city skyline. You also get to pass some pretty nifty stuff along the way. My favorite spots along the lake are, in no particular order:

• Promontory Point: (Locals bear with me...) A man-made stone peninsula that juts out into the water, offering the hands-down best views of the city you can get anywhere. It's a great place to barbecue-- they even have firepits! [Thanks to PhotoTravel1, aka Jim Watkins for the beautiful photo!]

• The Promontory Point Field House: A field house that looks pretty much like a small medieval castle, which is made even cooler by the fact that it sits on a stony peninsula in the lake. FYI, this is a great, cheap place to have a wedding or other fancy reception. (Almost had mine there!) [Thanks to TonytheTiger for the photo]
  

• 63rd Street Beach House: A cool old beach pavilion with national landmark status, complete with pretty (and fun-to-play-in) water fountains, balconies, and, again, striking views of the city. I never would have thought of it myself, but look at these AMAZING pictures of a wedding that was held here last year. [Thanks to TonytheTiger for the photo]

• The Model Yacht Basin, aka "Boat Pool": Ok, so this is not technically on the lake, but I'm including it since it's right on the other side of Lake Shore Drive and visible from the lake trail. Located at the north end of Harold Washington Park, the "boat pool" is a shallow reflection pool, with a sculpture by Italian sculptor Virginio Ferrari at its center. The pool/pond/whatever-it-is is pretty nice to look at, particularly at night, and-- on the off chance that you own a toy sail boat-- you can take it there for a sail. [Thanks to PhotoTravel1, aka Jim Watkins for the beautiful photo below!] Also, check out this photostream by Mojosmom for more images of the pond.
  

Hyde Parkers, would you have anything else to add to this list?

Favorite Things in Hyde Park: Powell's Books

My recent favorite things posts have focused a lot on restaurants and grocers in Hyde Park. This wasn't intentional per se, but I'm a foody and want to show folks Hyde Park has more than they might expect in that department. I definitely have more to say about food and dining in the neighborhood, but I've been overlooking some other great aspects of Hyde Park and want to give them their moment in the spotlight.

With that being said, I'm planning to focus some of my upcoming Favorite Things posts on one of Hyde Park's major claims to fame-- its diverse array of new, used, and antiquarian book stores. For those who are less familiar with the area, Hyde Park is home to several long-standing and nationally well-known Chicago bookselling institutions including 57th Street Books/Seminary Co-op Bookstore, Powell's Books, and O'Gara & Wilson Book Sellers, not to mention our nice but run-of-the-mill Borders and Barnes and Noble store. All of these shops are within a few blocks of each other--most of the same small stretch of 57th-- and each has a unique niche and vibe. I confess, I'm almost as much of a bookstore junky as I am a foody, so bear with me.

This week's featured spot is Powell's Books (1501 E. 57th-- just west of the train tracks, a couple blocks from the museum). Powell's specializes in used, rare, and "academic and scholarly" books. They even have what looks like a mini museum/gallery of rare special edition books from as early as the 1700s. If you're not into academia or antiquarian book collecting, though, don't worry, they also have a big selection of used fiction, comics, art and design books, not to mention all kinds of neat coffee-table-type books (great for last minute holiday gifts!) .

What makes this bookstore so distinctive and fun is that it's also kind of a hang out for locals and a destination spot for Chicagoans from other parts of the city. Unlike most small, independent book shops, Powell's is open until 11PM every night of the week which means people drop in after diner or even on their way out for drinks. I was there once on a Friday night at 10ish and there was actually a young couple there on what seemed to be a first date and, believe it or not, I'm pretty sure they weren't U of C students, as neither appeared to know the area or the store well (I admit, I was eavesdropping a little...). After the couple wandered around the shop for a while, the date ended with the guy buying his date a heavy, rare law encyclopedia. Extremely nerdy? Maybe...but also representative of the store and the neighborhood's quirky vibe.

There is certainly a time and a place for Amazon.com, Borders, and Barnes & Noble, but there is nothing like meandering through walls and walls of books without looking for anything in particular. There aren't many places like Powell's left in the city, and the few that are left really need our support. So, I urge you to check out Powell's next time you're nearby....and maybe even bring a date.

Favorite Things in Hyde Park: Open Produce

It's been a while since I've done a favorite things post, so here goes.... (As you guys may have noticed, I'm a pretty hardcore foodie, so forgive me if my favorites tend to all be food centric...)

Today's featured spot is Open Produce (1635 E. 56th), an itty-bitty, but amazingly well-stocked, grocer selling fresh produce, prepared foods, and kitchen staples in east Hyde Park. While western and central Hyde Park are already well served by Treasure Island and Hyde Park Produce (which I've featured here as well), Open Produce is the only grocer east of the train tracks and is unique in that it is open super late (until about midnight).

If you weren't looking for it, the shop would be easy to miss if not for the carts of fresh colorful fruit that are often parked out front. The storefront is about the size of a walk-in closet, but it is full of copious amounts of both standard and exotic fresh produce (think heirloom tomatoes, tomatillos, leeks, poblano peppers, you name it). In addition to milk, eggs, and butter, they carry hard-to-find ethnic and vegan staples and ready-made curries, soups, and European snack foods (I especially love the dutch "stroop waffles"!). On top of that, they stock prepared foods from from local restaurants and even fruits and veggies from customers' home gardens.

The store has an interesting history and philosophy, which was featured recently on Gaper's Block. As the article highlights, the shop was opened by two U of C grads who set out to apply their economics backgrounds to running an ethical, transparent, and socially conscious business, hence the name Open Produce. One of the owners, Steven Lucy explains in the article:

"I get a lot of positive feedback from people in the community. I wish there were more small stores, like in Pilsen, on Devon, or in New York City. That's the kind of neighborhood I want to live in, so I've made my neighborhood like it.The way to make positive social change is through entrepreneurship. A lot of people in college want to help out [and go abroad to do so], and that's great. I want to fix where I live. It's what I know, and I have the right to muck around in it. I'd rather make practical changes in a place where I live instead of make some far reaching effort to fix something else."

In Chicago, we have all gotten used to shopping at big chain grocery stores and stocking up on weeks' worth of food that will likely sit in a drawer in our fridge for a long time before we use it. Grocery shopping is something we often have to plan in advance and allot a big chunk of time for. Open Produce, though, is more the kind of spot where you can stop in quickly after work, grab whatever produce looks fresh, perhaps chat with the staff, and then throw together a fresh healthy meal for a few bucks. In my opinion, this is a more affordable, healthier, and efficient way to shop and eat. Stores like this were the norm 50 years ago and still exist in New York and abroad, but they are few and far between in Chicago. Not a lot of neighborhoods in the city have anything like Open Produce, and I think it's pretty cool that we do.

These are a few of my favorite things....#2

In the upcoming weeks, I'll be posting, in no particular order, my 10 favorite things to eat/see/do in Hyde Park, including businesses, parks, activities, you name it. A few days ago, I told you all about Jackson Park/Osaka Garden. Today, I want to tell you about Hyde Park Produce (1226 E. 53rd).

First off, I have a little confession to make that may be shocking to local readers... I've lived and/or gone to school in Hyde Park for about 8 or 9 years, but somehow never managed to visit the place until this year. I never had anything against it, I just always lived a little too far to walk and ended up instead grinning and bearing the crummy and over-priced produce at the (now-defunct) Hyde Park Co-op on 55th. Anyway, when I finally did make the (I know it sounds ridiculous now) 7 block trek to Hyde Park Produce, my world just turned upside down.

This place is amazing. The store is located in an admittedly blah strip mall but, once you walk in, it's a different story. The store is clean, well-organized, well-stocked, and full of piles of beautiful, bright produce of the same quality you would see at an outdoor farmers' market. You can find everything from your standard local veggies to exotic items like wild mushrooms, chiles, and bulk fresh herbs, all for shockingly cheap. Want to make some crazy complicated recipe from a Rick Bayless cookbook? You can easily find everything you would need here.

I was always under the false impression that the store only carried produce, but they actually have a pretty full stock of grocery items. You might not find every major brand name cereal that you look for, but you could very easily do all of your shopping here without having to go to a supermarket. The store also has a full gourmet deli counter, as well as prepared foods like soups, salsas, and tamales on the cheap.

I could go on and on, but maybe it's best I just point you to Hyde Park Produce's Yelp page, where the place receives absolutely glowing reviews.

A (teensy-bit political) Side Note: Some of you may be wondering why I would bother taking so much time to talk about something as mundane as a produce/grocery store. Besides wanting to promote a local business that I love, I also thought it was important to write about this place in particular because I want to dispel the misconception that Hyde Park is a food desert, or that we have less access to fresh foods than northsiders. I actually had a harder time finding cheap, high quality fresh fruit and vegetables when I lived in Lincoln Square than I do now! Of course, there is the broad and complex problem of limited grocery options on the Southside---which I won't even try to touch on here-- but I think Hyde Park Produce is a wonderful example of a place where southsiders of all income levels can and do come to buy fresh ingredients on a budget, and this makes me very happy.

These are a few of my favorite things....#1

Jackson Park & Osaka Garden: A huge park that begins at the Museum of Science and Industry and extends south into the Southshore and Woodlawn neighborhoods, Jackson Park is probably the closest thing Chicago has to New York's Central Park (and was, FYI, designed by the same guys). What makes it so wonderful is that, once you're inside, you feel completely cut off from the bustle of the city. It is quiet and peaceful, a great spot for birdwatching, and full of beautiful flora and fauna. There is a big lagoon (where you can fish!) that stretches out from the majestic back entrance of the museum and, forgive me for being cheesy, looks like a moat around a castle. If you walk deeper into the park, you'll also stumble across the strange-but-beautiful, 24ft high gold Statue of the Republic.

The highlight of the park, though, is Osaka garden which sits on Wooded Island. To try to sum it up, it's a classic Japanese strolling garden, complete with bridges, a pagoda, shady trees and rolling hills. It's a perfect place to bring a book or to just sit and think. I think only pictures can truly do it justice, so see below.


Thanks to Jim Watkins for the beautiful pictures of Osaka Garden. Find him on Flickr.