Who Says You Can’t Go Home Again?

By Rachelle Bowden in Food on Dec 3, 2004 4:40PM

So the holidays have found you waxing nostalgic, and - What’s that? Missing your family? Yes, it’s that time of year when, despite their collective freakishness (they so don’t get us), we find ourselves actually longing for some quality time with our nearest and dearest.

Well, if you can’t get home for a familial fix, then we suggest you head to Bhabi’s Kitchen at 6352 N. Oakley – just off of Devon Avenue. Small Indian restaurant smelling of curry not exactly conjuring up those White Christmas memories? Well, you are simply not trying hard enough. Close your eyes and imagine that Mr. Syed, the proprietor, is your kindly (Indian) uncle, and his wife, your jolly (Pakistani) aunt. Do this, and they will take care of the rest. They will bring out the family photo album while you wait for your food (Chicagoist is not kidding here). They will entertain your 10 month old, if you happen to have one with you, and cook it special, non-spicy, food that it will then throw on the table and walls. This will make them laugh. It’s like the (Indo-Pak) family you never had.

As in all fantasy good families, the food at Bhabi’s Kitchen tastes as though it were prepared slowly and particularly for you. That’s mostly because it is. According to Mr. Syed, everything in his restaurant is made from scratch – including the firm cubes of cheese in the spicy and delectable Saag Paneer. The Butter Chicken – tender morsels of dark meat in a rich and slightly creamy tomato sauce – was as good as you would expect something with “butter” in the title to be (Possible exception: body butter) The homemade preparation takes a bit longer than your average dining experience, but while waiting you can watch bizarro Bollywood musicals on TV right there in the dining room. Face it, nothing says home like having the TV on during dinner.

Chicagoist cannot help but devote a whole paragraph to the breads at Bhabi’s Kitchen. The Naan was the best we have ever had – perfectly crispy. We ordered it with onion, garlic, and green pepper ‘cause, well, we could, and it did not disappoint. We followed this with some Paratha, a thin layered fried bread typically stuffed with potato although we opted for the Muli Paratha, which came stuffed with radish instead. The sweetness of the radish provided the perfect compliment to the salty bread, proving yet again the power of the mighty radish.

Bhabi is actually an Indian word for sister-in-law – so the whole family thing is fitting. Between the personal attention, stellar food, and constantly running TV (did we mention that?), it will feel just like a good night with your family… that is, if your family happened to grove on Indian musical extravaganzas.

Thanks, John & Susie!