A Café True to its Name: Delicious

April 28, 2009

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)

Karen / April 28, 2009 9:37 AM

Delicious is indeed delicious! As a vegan (who happens to work only a couple

blocks away), this place is a paradise! If I weren't carefully watching the

waistline, I'd be there every day.

I highly recommend the Tofu Eggless Salad Sandwich.

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