Legends Eat at Chicago Joe´s

By David Southwell - Chicago Sun Times

Chicago icons Minnie Minoso and Bozo the Clown abide by a North Side restaurant's credo, as did the late Jack Brickhouse:

“There are only two places to eat,
Joe's and home.”

Chicago Joe's is a regular Thursday stop for White Sox legend Minoso, the only major leaguer to play in five decades. He loves the split pea soup. Bozo enjoys the blackened chicken fingers seared in an iron skillet with drawn butter. Brickhouse loved the onion mound. Minoso used to meet Brickhouse at their favorite eatery.

"The food is delicious and reasonable and you feel like you're home," Minoso said. Hearty meals with heaping helpings are served along the Windy City ambience on Irving Park Road celebrating 10 years of upscale meals at prices fit for a .... neighborhood Joe.

"The average guy on the street is our favorite customer," co-owner  Chuck Kowalski said, "the average, Chicago Joe."

Before dinner, peruse Joe's museum decor. Seats from the original Comiskey Park, stained glass artwork and classic snapshots from throughout the city's history are displayed in the bar and two dining rooms. Kowalski, a gourmet chef who jockeyed cars during the recent snowstorm teamed with tavern owner Al Rompza to bring four star food to a neighborhood joint. They concocted the legend of Chicago Joe, a World War II fighter pilot, complete with photo and war memorabilia.

Joe is a great place to initiate a seafood novice. The clams casino are prepared with diced onions, green and red peppers, and bacon sautéed in garlic butter. Diehards can still shuck oysters or bite into sautéed garlic shrimp. Gumbo is a meal in itself.

"We felt people were coming to the corner for 14 years for oysters, clams, seafood and gumbo and we should keep up the tradition," Kowalski said.

Belly-busting entrees include Yankee pot roast with potato pancakes and fresh, steamed vegetables, or baby-back ribs that tug off the bone. All entrees come with soup or salad, potato and vegetables. Two daily seafood specials may include salmon or sword-fish prepared with sauces such as hollandaise, teriyaki, Creole, jalapeno or basil butter. All dressing, sauces and soups are prepared on-site.

"We've tried to put special food in a family, neighborhood atmosphere," Kowalski said. "Our swordfish that is $13.95 would cost $25 downtown."

The gut-busting 8 1/2 ounce burgers come with a choice of cole slaw, potato salad, steak fries or fruit salad. Joe's fish sandwich is made with fresh, breaded orange roughy. The ribwich is obscenely stacked.

Ribs are one of Joe's specialties, deliciously browned, then baked with a mellow sauce. "I don't like one flavor to dominate," Kowalski said.

Customers have their own favorites. "I'm particular with oysters Rockefeller," said neighborhood guy Joe Pace, who once ate 120 oysters in a sitting in Florida. "Joe's are the best in the world. Once you come here, you'll be back!"

On Sundays, the all-you-can-eat buffet features eggs made-to-order, lox, salmon, ribs and champagne. You'll find a massive baked potato at Joe's, but you won't get oversized plates drizzled with trendy sauces.

"I still consider us Midwestern," Kowalski said. "I don't like West Coast food or presentation. I don't like foo-foo. You won't pay $39.95 for turbot here but you will get steamed vegetables like mom would make."

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