Category Archive: bakery

August 22nd, 2011
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New York Bakery (Korean) in Chicago

One of the things I love about Chicago is the incredible cultural diversity, including that of our immigrant neighborhoods and the stores in these areas.  While most are enclaves, Albany Park has been home to a diverse population of immigrants, and their stores often seem to spill over each other.

In Albany Park you can, on one street, walk by stores owned by Mexican immigrants, immigrants from other Latin American countries, Turkish, Koreans, Greek, and Middle Eastern Immigrants.  Right over on Lawrence Avenue, in the heart of Albany Park, is a Korean Bakery called “New York Bakery.”

While I’ve had plenty of authentic Korean food, thanks to my Tae Kwon Do teachers who would order in Korean and often we’d have dishes not on the menu, I have never had Korean pastries.  Thanks to a few Yelpers, I became intrigued and so Juan (Sean) and I decided to give then a try.

Juan picked up 3 of them.  One was a mocha cream filling, another a red bean filling, and the third was a white chestnut filling.

The mocha cream was good, it wasn’t overly sweet so it was intriguing.  The red bean reminded me of the red bean filled desserts I’ve had from either Japanese Bakeries of Chinese Bakeries.  My personal preference are the two latter styles,  but out of the three Korean buns purchased, I liked the red bean over the  mocha.  One thing I did like about the Korean red bean bun is that it was not overly sweet.

As I sat on this blog post, I started thinking about how I’d like to try some of their other items.  I think Korean sweet buns are just in their own category, incomparable to others, even if some of the ingredients are similar to other Asian pastries.  As I think about the mocha bun, it was good.  What I liked is that it wasn’t overwhelming in any manner.  Next time I’ll try the peanuty one.  Check out Yelp for their reviews, too, if you need help regarding what to order.

The service, by the way, was very friendly and helpful, and the lady behind the counter was very (no play on words intended) sweet.

New York Bakery
3455 W. Lawrence
Chicago, IL  60625
773 604-8820

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bakery, chicago, korean, New York
August 1st, 2011
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Flourish Bakery get together

Last week,  three of us from our grad school MSIMC program got together at Flourish Bakery.  It was the first time any of us had been there.  It was fun, and nice to be able to connect with others where we all shared a common grad school experience.

Flourish Bakery has a nice selection to choose from, including home made style chicken salad, vegetarian fare, cookies, cupcakes, cakes, coffees and teas.  They also have red velvet cake!  Kristina commented that she thought the place was a new perfect venue for her, since she lived relatively close by. 

The photos were taken through glass, so they aren’t the best but you can still get an idea of the offerings.  And yes, that is $1.75 not $2.75, a nicer to your budget option for those in Lake View, Lincoln Park and some other neighborhoods.

These pies are only $12-$16!
Juan’s lunch and my lunch (a panini):


Flourish Bakery
1138 W. Bryn Mawr
773 / 271-2253
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July 19th, 2011
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Hing Kee Phohung Restaurant and a Chinatown outing

Sunday Beckicita and I went to Chinatown.  Our first stop, after surviving the parking lot, was Hing Kee.  I was a little concerned that the place would be too crowded, because wouldn’t you know it, Steve Dolinksy featured the restaurant on the Hungry Hound on Friday.  We arrived within an hour of opening time, so we beat the crowd. 

We both started out with a smoothie.  Mine was lychee, but they put some sweetening in and since lychee is already sweet, I couldn’t really finish it.  The strawberry one looked good, though!

We ordered two appetizers.  The first was chicken and cabbage and the other was pork.  They were both incredibly delicious. 

I ordered the Pho with BBQ duck.  It came with baby bok choy and those delicious noodles that are hand pulled.  Beckicita had a beef type stew over rice.  The beef was seasoned with pepper, and had a kick when you first bit into it, but the heat dissipated quickly.  It too, was delicious! 
The noodle maker in action:  




After lunch, we walked over to the Ping Tom Memorial Park.  When you are getting heat baked and the place you want to go lies beyond the train crossing, it can seem like a longer distance than it actually is to get there.  Just so you know, don’t plan on taking a short cut through the park to get back to the Chinatown Mall – there is only one entrance to the park.  Also, if you are craving something to drink and you are still at the Mall, consider getting something there before heading over to the park, since there are no refreshments available there (and thus, less discarded garbage littering the area).

We then walked back through the Chinatown Square to the south part of Chinatown, to go to a bakery. Unfortunately there was a street festival, which increased foot traffic and made maneuvering very slow. By then we had spent so much time in the sun and heat, we were both feeling rather tired. We ducked into Ten Ren Tea on Wentworth, and both had an iced tea. Beckita had Black tea with Raspberry syrup, and I had Green Tea with Apple syrup. We both gave the teas 3 tea leaves up, and left much refreshed.
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We also stopped at Saint Anna’s Bakery, and picked up Char Siu Bao and Sesame Rice Balls for later.  The Sesame Rice balls have a red bean center, covered by rice (similiar to Japanese mochi) and then covered in sesame seeds.  These have been fried so it is crispy on the outside and oh so good, with only a hint of sweetnes!

While an exhausting day because of the ghastly heat, humidity and air quality, we both had a great food outing and the trip to Hing Kee by iteself was worth it.

HIng Kee Phohung Restaurant
2140 Archer
312 808-9538

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anna, bakery, Chinatown, hing, kee, Pho, Saint
July 6th, 2011
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Bom Bon Bakery Returns

When Llenifer was in Chicago, while we were in Pilsen, we also stopped by BomBon Bakery. BomBon has had some confusing business practices going on, especially if you are the consumer and wondering where they are, went to, if they’re gone, back, and what name are they using?

Before the fire destroyed the original location on 18th Street, on August 11, 2009, Pedro and I used to go there for cookies, and we loved the middle aged lady who worked the counter. She was a great customer service Ambassador, was always friendly and always made us feel welcome. There has been no one like her that I’ve met since then. This nice lady also had told us that they had planned to move east of Ashland Avenue and given us the new business cards for the Galeria del Pastel, at 1238 W. 18th Street.  Knowing this, Pedro and I could still get our steady BomBon supply of yummies.

Ironically my friend Carlos, who first told me about BomBon, didn’t know they moved down the street under a different name, so after the fire claimed the original location 1508 W. 18th Street, he, as well as many others, did not know they still were in business.  So with a little bit of ironic twist, Carlos told me sometime ago that they reopened near their original location, which is where the photos were taken from during Llennifer’s visit.

From a branding perspective, at least they kept the name BomBon, because now their contact information is ChicagoBestCakes.com and BombonGroup.com. Galeria del Pastel does not appear on the current business card.  One thing for sure, the cakes still look fabulous, and the cookies seem better than I remember them to be.  Unfortunately, despite the move and new location, they still don’t have air conditioning inside, or if they did, it certainly wasn’t on the very warm day that we were there.  My favorites are the butter cookies with cinnamon – they travel well and don’t need refrigeration.  Since it’s easier for me to get to the new location from the Pink Line, AC or not, I’m glad they are back and closer to Ashland!

Bom Bon
1530 W. 18th Street
312 733-7788

They also list locations in Little Village, the West Loop and 500 W. Madison.  

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bakery, Bakery in Pilsen, bom bon, Galeria del Pastel, posteles
November 17th, 2009
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Gene’s Sausage Shop and Delicatessen

The long awaited Gene’s Sausage Shop has opened, and it has been worth the wait. Quite frankly, never having been to their long standing store on west Belmont Avenue, and having tried to squeeze in the old Meyer’s Delicatessen which was partly in the same location, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I can tell you this – from the time I walked into the store until the time I left, everything I saw and every employee that I spoke to left me with the feeling that had I had expectations, they would have been exceeded in every way. The selection of food will surprise and delight you if this is your first visit, although based on my experience, I am sure this store staffed with warm and friendly employees will continue to surprise and delight their soon to be regular customers.

One of the first things you’ll see when you walk through the door is the predominantly displayed homage to Meyer’s Delicatessen, which was home to Lincoln Square in this area for many, many years. For anyone who is not familiar with this institution, the owner’s decision to keep this signage is nothing short of smart business, as it pays respect to a long standing institution and says in it’s own inimitable way, “We want to be good neighbors and we’re here to stay.” As anyone knows, signage in of itself is not enough, but by the time I left Gene’s, I not only knew I’d be back but I was impressed with the store, both from the consumer side and as a business development professional.

One of the reasons I feature many small businesses on The Tamale Chica Chronicles is because I just happen to love small businesses, which under the SBA definition is a business with 500 or less people. Small businesses have the ability to be for responsive, and more flexible to change, and are the cornerstone of neighborhood economies. I was so pleased with my visit that I decided to shuffle my schedule around to post this story about them, which should also make a few friends very pleased since the “When is Gene’s opening?” question has been a common one.

When you first walk through the doors, the atmospherics feel light and airy, and you’re also hit by a medley of delicious smells. Besides the Meyer’s sign, it’s hard not to notice this beautiful skylight. It’s huge, and despite it being an overcast fall day, plenty of daylight came through it. In the second photo, you can see the lovely detailing of the ceiling, as well. Much of the beauty of this older building has been both restored and the design detail has created a warm, upbeat and fun shopping environment.

Before I browsed and bought on the first floor, I proceeded upstairs. To your left and directly at the top landing, there are a selection of wines and liquors. To your right you will find dry goods.

The dry goods on the second floor is where I was “stuck” for awhile, pouring over the selection of jams, preserves and honey. One of the things that I love about ethnic stores of both European and Latin American varieties is that they usually sell foodstuffs that are not laden with additives, preservatives and other “junk.” Gene’s was no exception, and their inventory clearly shows a commitement to unprocessed food items. The store also has some organic food items which are integrated by product type. Gene’s also has an excellent selection of cooking oils and interesting mustards. I purchased a yellow smoky mustard with onions.

While I’m usually not a huge fan of boxed cookies, I succumbed and purchased these Artisan Biscuits which are made in England. I’ve had these before via mail order and they are top notch quality, with no preservatives and are made from whole wheat.

Finally back on the main floor, my first thoughts were how so many of the food items would make interesting gifts for the holidays.

Okay, so maybe you aren’t thinking of putting pickles in someones Christmas stocking, but seeing all these got me excited since I love a good pickle with a home made sandwich.

The store has much wider butter selection than you see here, including one with extraordinarily high butterfat made in England.

Besides fresh produce, the Gene’s also has a fresh meat department, deli food and freshly made desserts. The meats looked great, and I will have to look into their selection further. And yes, you can also purchase artisan sausages there. One of their employees told me that the Belmont location has facilities for smoking all their home made sausages.
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The most difficult part of visiting the deli section is deciding what you want! Fortunately for me, Miss Cindy T gave me a few tamales up on the latkes and the stuffed cabbage, so I ordered enough for today’s lunch and dinner, plus two Swedish meatballs with dill. Having had the first two for lunch, I can say that I concur, the deli food is excellent.
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As a consumer who has food issues with preservatives and artificial ingredients, I’ve avoided deli food unless it was from Whole Foods or a smaller ethnic store where the ingredients tend to be made from scratch rather than from pre-made, mass produced sauces or the like. It’s been enough time since I’ve had their deli food to say that I have had no odd side effects that I get when there are food additives. I am craving more, however, so I will definitely be back to this department.
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If you don’t have applesauce or sour cream at home, don’t forget to buy some at the store. I’m not sure if they have either since I’m still suffering from my cold so I was more than spacey and missed a few items that I even took photos of. If you don’t see it, don’t be afraid to ask. Everyone there is very helpful and friendly.

At the front of the store, next to the deli section are the pastries. Personally I got all jazzed just thinking that I can get some good paczki’s when they are out, so I was very pleased to see the nice assortment of elegant pastries. Apparently I was more than pleased, because through my cold suffering brain and eyes, I didn’t see the pies and didn’t realize they had cakes there, too. Okay, I did see the tiramisu but I was transfixed by the coconut cheese cake.
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In case you are wondering why there’s no cover, the man at the pastry area was nice enough to open it up for me so I wouldn’t get a glare from the lighting. Everyone at Gene’s was very nice, but I have to give special props to Mr. Pastry – his enthusiasm for the company and the food was genuine and a great sales point towards wanting to come back to try other items. There was a larger than life cannoli in the case. I was pondering it, since normally I don’t like cannoli. He commented that the cannoli was good, and that he normally doesn’t like cannoli but they use ricotta in theirs.
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I’ve done a little sample of both these pastries, and I do have to concur, Mr. Pastry was not overstating how good their cannoli is. I’ve lived in Chicago all my life, and I have to say that this was the first store bought cannoli that I actually liked!
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Now for that other little goodie that I purchased. I forgot the name of this, but it is a cheesecake type of dessert, with lemon and coconut. It’s light, sweet, and if you like coconut and lemon, this is your dessert! Both of these were recommendations by Mr. Pastry. I love food stores who hire people who love good food and don’t just look at their employment as a job, and he, along with other employees, certainly embodied the passion of foodies.

As I was leaving, I was chatting with the check out gal and she commented how Gene’s is a neighborhood place and their selection provides fresh food in a manner where people can shop there every day, just like they would do in Europe. Indeed! I know that I will be back, only next time I won’t be carrying bags from Walgreens with me. And for those of you who love beer and love outdoor gardens, by Spring they hope to have their rooftop outdoor beer garden open.
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Gene’s Sausage Shop is more than a store about sausages. This is a grocery store offering fresh, prepared and dry goods for the foodie, food for those who love to cook, those who love to just eat, and anyone looking for a great food shopping experience. For those of us that live in Lincoln Square, Gene’s is a much needed addition to the neighborhood, its intriguing and uncommon food offerings can give your meal planning a bit of a lift and a nice pick-up.
Gene’s Sausage Shop & Delicatessen, Inc.
4750 N. Lincoln Avenue
773 / SAUSAGE
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bakery, deli food, dry goods, fresh foods, Gene's Sausage Shop, Grocery store, lincoln square, meat market, specialty foods
August 11th, 2008
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Bombon Bakery Pilsen Fire

This morning’s news about a fire on west 18th Street in Pilsen caught my attention, and when I heard the radio report of 1504, 1508 and 1510, I recognized the address of my favorite bakery, BomBon. The early report in the Chicago Trib did not provide much beyond addresses, but the Chicago Sun Times included the mention of Bombon.

This would be a very sad day for Bombon junkies except for the fact that they were planning to move. Back in May I was told they were moving in June, but in July they were still there. I stopped off on July 23rd, and was told they were moving in 2 weeks. And of course if you have wheels, you can go to their Little Village location. Because of the fire, if you are planning to go within this week, I’d call first to see if the new location is operational.

Their new Pilsen address (and name):
Galeria del Pastel
1238 W. 18th St.
312/ 733-9790

If you’ve never been to this lovely bakery, check out a previous post on BonBom

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