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Chicago (Blue)

We've found even more West Side goodies.

Thursday Dec 01, 2005.     By Centerstage Staff

Lifestyle Feed

We once again revisit the seemingly barren Chicago Blue Line stop. Though the corner only proffers Subway and the much-loved Matchbox at first sight, a bit of a walk west reveals a few goodies. Head even further along and you'll stumble upon downright finds. This is a sneaky one, worth exiting at again and again.

Panhandler rating: Pretty much nil

Safety rating: It gets dark at night, so basic street smarts apply.

Good for groups
Players Bar & Grill
It doesn't matter which game you want to watch: If it's on TV, you can watch it at Players Bar & Grill. With almost as many flat screens as there are basic cable channels, Players attracts local sports fans with its cold beer, fresh food and undying love of the game. The place is enormous, so there's still plenty of room to shake a fist in the air when big game, shown on the 160-inch projection screen, draws in a big crowd. Weary superfans will appreciate the ample seating, including a large bar area and a bi-level main dining room. Fans of inside-the-bar sports, like pool, darts and Golden Tee will feel right at home in the back room, serviced by its own bar.

The menu is a mix of typical bar fare, pasta dishes and Eastern European comfort food like goulash and pierogi. The burgers are made with freshly ground beef and the fresh fish, steak and lamb entrees add a tiny bit of upscale flavor to this otherwise beer-tastic sports bar. Though less than $10 will buy you a sandwich, you can go surprisingly upscale, forking over $25 for a fancier entree. The beer selection includes typical domestic brews in addition to tastier Polish varieties for $5 per bottle.

In-the-know spot
Kasia's Deli
To Kasia Bober, the word "salad" is vague to the point of meaninglessness. What kind of salad, she would ask, perhaps because she serves 26 kinds a day at her deli. That's right. Two baker's dozen: five pasta salads, tuna, chicken, mashed beets with vinegar and 18 more sumptuous options, many with a Polish flair reflecting Bober's ethnic background. In addition to the salads, she offers 18 soups ($1.69 for 16 ounces), from Ukranian borscht to chicken noodle, and 10 types of pierogis ($3). And that's just in the first cooler. Move to your left and find yourself tempted by mashed potatoes, potato fingers, crab cakes and more meat options than a vegetarian would ever hope to see.

All of the customers know Bober personally and call her Kas for short. At age 70 she still works at the deli every day. She won't put a dish on display until she's tried it herself and feels satisfied with the outcome. The staff makes everything fresh daily, working from homemade recipes passed down from Bober's mother in Poland. Try the potato-stuffed cabbage: It's crispy on the outside, but when your teeth crunch past the cabbage, they sink into warm mashed potato goodness.

Cheap eats
Bleeding Heart Bakery
Whether you go to Bleeding Heart for the pastries, the politics or for both, you're bound to leave satisfied. Owner Michelle Garcia uses organic ingredients and buys from local farmers whenever possible. Sticky buns, monkey bread, buttery brioche and inventively flavored scones like dill and cheddar fill the shelves daily. Delectable desserts like organic lemon bars and s'mores brownies make an appearance, along with tarts, charlottes (the winter flavor is pumpkin with fresh yogurt), cakes and cookies flavored with ingredients like rosewater and polenta. Not only is everything natural and delicious, it's affordable. The vegan banana walnut brownie is big enough for two at just $2.50.

If you're not in the mood for sweets, not to worry. Garcia's husband, Vinny, provides the savory foods: Two salads, two dips and four or five sandwiches ($4.50) are available daily. Don't miss the mac and cheese, made with extra-special goat cheese from an Illinois-based organic creamery. Since Bleeding Heart is all about community, Garcia plans to sell organic ingredients from local farmers; purchase organic flour and sugar and attempt to invent your own baked delights.

Late-night locale
Bar Vertigo
If you're prone to experiencing vertigo, this bar might not top your list of desirable hangouts. Coated in a dizzying wash of cherry red paint and swirling black designs (alluding to the bar's acclaimed namesake), the walls are smeared with murals of Alfred Hitchcock movie scenes. Despite the "Master of Suspense" theme, Vertigo feels like your typical Ukrainian Village neighborhood joint, with a low bar in need of a paint job, comfy leather bar seats and a jukebox in the back.

Sports bar by day and music venue by night, by the time the clock strikes 11 and the music gets going, the plasma screen sets hanging above the bar can hardly compete for attention. The smorgasbord line-up includes punk rock, techno and live rap by local A-list luminaries like Pugslee Atomz, Kenny Cash and Sham God. It also hosts occasional poetry nights featuring live DJ performances, as well as DJ nights, with the pool table pushed back to make room for the inevitable dance party on stage. There's no cover, and drinks hover between $2-$10, with PBR on the low end and specialty martinis on the high end. You'll even get free chips and pretzels at the bar.

Where to chill
Muse Cafe
Located steps from the Chicago Blue Line, the incredibly narrow storefront belies the stretched-out roominess within. An undulating red countertop winds along the left of the room, with circular tables for two occupying the right. Lighting is pleasantly reserved, bestowing a dreamy, 5 p.m. intensity at noontime, helped along by a Jeff Buckley and Coldplay-esque soundtrack.

The standards come excellently prepared (my iced americano had a delightfully thick crema), but the specialty drinks are, surprisingly, not the same old mochas-with-a-shot that define "specialty" at most cafes. Case in point: the white chocolate chai latte, with steamed milk, vanilla chai, espresso and Ghirardelli white chocolate ($3.75 small). The vegetarian-friendly menu offers plenty of sandwiches, like the hearty Goody-Goodie, a double-decker layering of hummus, carrots, cucumber, onions, tomatoes and greens on honey whole wheat, with the standard side of cucumber salad with dill sauce ($6.99). Oh, and we love the $1.75 hunks of smoked gouda that just scream for a good Cabernet (BYOB after 7 p.m.).