food & fitness
Knishes, Latkes, and Matzos…Oh my!
Eleven City Diner offers a vast menu to patrons.
Forget that idea of the “Second City.” When you’re in the South Loop side of town, it’s all about Eleven City. I am talking, of course, about the Eleven City Diner. It’s a relatively new diner joint with the feel of a beloved neighborhood landmark. It touts itself as an old-school Jewish deli/diner, and with plenty of offerings such as Matzo Ball soup, meat or potato knishes, and a lox and latke breakfast box, it is easy to see the true effort this establishment has put into authenticating it’s claim. For those who are leery perhaps of Jewish foods or turned off because they automatically think of “kosher,” be not alarmed. Eleven City has everything a home-style diner has and it’s offered early in the morning until late at night.
Walking into the diner I was immediately struck by the gloriously tall ceilings. All this space, the massive menu displayed across the wall, kitschy photographs and memorabilia strewn from here to there; I was introduced to a pleasant new style of diner. Sitting down and getting comfy in my wrap-around squishy booth built to seat a large family and a view into the open kitchen, I was almost too distracted to pick up the menu. The selections are vast and mouth-watering. Should I take advantage of their “breakfast served all day” and indulge in rich Challah French Toast or should I try one of their authentic Jewish delicacies? As my group put in our orders, the extremely friendly owner was nice enough to strike up conversation with us. He told us how long the restaurant had been open, to the day! We were even given a first-time Eleven City guest discount, perhaps because of the chef jackets we happened to be wearing.
Whether you come for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert, Eleven City has something nostalgically tempting to feed you. For lunch, I was struck by a couple of the soups. The sweet and sour cabbage was a perfect mix of the flavors, culminating in a delightful twang streaming down my throat. Matzo Ball soup arrived so traditional, as the owner described, it was as if there was a team of Jewish grandmothers in back diligently following their traditional recipes. Basically, it was vegetables and chicken broth with a massive ball of tender Matzo just begging to be dug into. There is also a fresh and juicy patty melt on toasted rye my guest drooled over and cheese fries made with Wisconsin Cheddar cheese. They pay tribute to classics such corned beef and pastrami, as well as unique spins. The “Woody Allen” is a double decker corned beef and pastrami. They even have a New Orleans-style “PoBoy,” filled with turkey, ham, and roast beef.
Before leaving, take a trip down memory lane with soda fountain classics like a chocolate phosphate, a root beer float, or a “green river” float with lemon-lime soda rather then root beer. They even have the east-coast treat that is the seltzer, syrup, and milk concoction dubbed the egg cream. If you have room, indulge in a slice of pie or cake. Go ahead, no one is going to know!
Eleven City is a chameleon of a restaurant. It can be a feel-good diner for those who want a taste of what they grew up with. It can be a taste of something different for people who want to try a potato latke for the first time. Perhaps it’s a late-night ice cream fix or an early morning “eggs and bacon” must-have. Whatever it is classified as, this much is certainly clear: in the South Loop, it is Chicago’s Eleven City!