Restaurant Sarajevo: Old World Tastes for the Modern Palate
By John DiGilio in Food on Mar 8, 2011 8:00PM
The Windy City is home to restaurants as richly diverse as its citizens. One of its best kept secrets, however, is a restaurant serving up tasty traditional Bosnian dishes to modern diners came as bit of a surprise to us. Yet after almost three hours at Restaurant Sarajevo in the capable care of Chef Enes, we were not only full, but just about happy enough to dance a kolo with our host. It was a dinner that was easily as entertaining as it was delicious.
Nestled near Lincoln Square, Restaurant Sarajevo has been serving up Old World cuisine for nearly 12 years. The restaurant’s unassuming exterior is a disarming facade to the warmth and vibrance that Enes and his crew have to offer. Serving up authentic Bosnian fare, they strive for a quality and freshness that can only be obtained through frequent trips to the market. The daily specials in particular are designed to reflect that day’s freshest market picks, from meats to vegetables, and even the herbs. Though the menu may seem meat-heavy at first glance, there is something for everyone. Chef Enes, a vivacious and fun host, is also eager to help diners with any dietary concerns they may have. He want out of his way to accommodate the vegetarians in our group, regaling us with jokes,stories, and tasty tidbits the whole time.
We strolled into Restaurant Sarajevo on a quiet Monday evening, looking to feed a rather hungry group. Forget having tried Bosnian food before, most of us did not even know there was such a cuisine. Chef Enes was a spirited and eager teacher. From his descriptions of the food and culture in his native land to the decadent fare he placed before us, he sent us home with full stomachs and heads. We opened our meal with a delicious pairing of a garden salad full of fresh crispy vegetables and a savory pie of cheese and spinach. As if that was not enough, Enes treated us to calamari that was battered and fried “Bosnian style”. We were not sure what that meant, but we soon learned how good it tasted. It literally melted in our mouths. For our main course, we had the Bosnian Mix Plate, a mouth-watering assortment of specialties that included: grilled veal, chicken kebab, slender beef sausages, cevapcici (skinless sausages) and pljeskavica (a mix of ground beef and lamb filled with mozzarella cheese). For the vegetarians in our group, Chef Enes also included grilled fresh mushroom caps filled with Bosnian cream cheese, roasted potatoes, sauteed garlic spinach, and steamed vegetables. It was a huge, delicious meal with plenty of leftovers to take home. We had to box some of it up to save room for dessert. We had heard that the French crepes in wine chateaux were not to be missed - a rumor that proved to be true.
Restaurant Sarajevo is 100% family-owned and operated. From the warm welcome we received upon entering to the attentive service from Enes himself, it is clear that they put a great deal of care and pride into both their food and their customer service. As they say in their native Bosnian tongue, “Bilo je ukusno”. Monday was only a quiet evening until our group arrived. After that it was three hours of laughter, good conversation, and excellent food. Restaurant Sarajevo is perfect for groups or couples with its modest prices and generous portions. We are looking forward to checking out one its monthly jazz nights complete with live performances and tableside flaming crepes!
Restaurant Sarajevo is located at 2701 West Lawrence Avenue.