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Davis (Purple)
Thursday Feb 17, 2005.
By Patrick Corcoran
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The Davis Street stop of the Purple Line is the sort of place that always seems clean and pristine. Even if there is a hazy, humid cloud hanging over the city, as there often is August; even when there are several feet of sludgy black snow along the roads, as there often is January. It's befitting of the Davis Street area, the commercial center of Evanston. With upscale boutiques and clothes shops everywhere, the retail paradise functions something like the North and Clybourn of the North Shore. In such a place, it can be hard to find eating, drinking and shopping spots that aren't part of famous nationwide chains. But that's not to say that it's all Starbuck's and Borders; the Davis Street L stop has more than a few unique destinations.
Safety rating: The only place safer would be tucked in your bed at night.
Panhandler rating: Not a one most trips.
In-the-know spot The wares aren't cheap, however. Some albums approach triple digits, though most are closer to $50. Such a place is a great venue for a devoted music enthusiast to spend hours browsing, but for a variety of reasons Vintage Vinyl could disappoint the casual fan looking for a quick gift. Moreover, top-40 hits come nowhere near Vintage Vinyl, seemingly barred by judicial restriction.
Arena for the a.m. Not much changes on the dinner menu, with lower-latitude favorites like shrimp Creole, crayfish etouffee and red beans and rice at the top of an impressive slate. If Cajun or Southern food is not your bag, Dixie Kitchen has a wide range of salads and sandwiches that are indigenous to no particular region of the country, though no less tasty. The meals are moderately priced, and the staff is as friendly and fast as the pace of business allows.
Sure bet for shopping Even if camping isn't your bag, Uncle Dan's is not a bad spot to check out. Fans of North Face will want to keep on eye on the sale rack, where jackets often slip into affordability. The toys (Leatherman, Swiss Army, et cetera) are first-rate, and socks and boots always hail from top-of-the-line manufacturers. Even so, it's more fun if you actually are planning a trip to somewhere outside of Cook County. The store's clerks, who go a long way to create a friendly but not pushy atmosphere, are great resources for suggestions and advice. Customers trade stories about past exploits and catalog their more exotic trips with pins on a world map at the front of the store.
For the artiste This book store/comic shop/seat of local counterculture heralds itself as "A radical shop supporting pictorial revolution since 1996." In 2005, this slogan translates into being the best source of underground magazines, comics, graphic novels and edgy, beat authors north of Quimby's. The magazines range from the borderline mainstream, such as "The Believer" and "The Baffler," to the basement-published leaflets that always seem vaguely leftist in their ideology. The shelves are stocked with the novels of counterculture stalwarts like Charles Bukowski and Jack Kerouac, as well as contemporary authors like Dave Eggers and David Sedaris. Comix Revolution is also well positioned to take advantage of the growing popularity of graphic novels. The notoriety and controversy surrounding authors like Art Spiegelman and Aaron McGruder, not to mention the Harvey Pekar biopic "American Splendor," has put the industry on the map, and Comix Revolution is among the best locations around to find these authors' latest. The store itself is as colorful as one the comic books you can buy there, with bright posters, books and T-shirts displayed splashed across every surface. The material on the shelves is a slightly darker, but no less worth owning.
Where to chill Cafe Mozart's atmosphere is as comfortable as hot chocolate on a winter morning. The couches and tables are an assortment of misfits that call to mind the A-Team: a hodgepodge of likeable talents that complement each other delightfully. If you can't find anyone to sit with at the cafe, pick up one of the B-list paperbacks lying around the room. This coffeehouse means as much to the Davis Street scene as Mozart himself means to classical music.
Cheap eats The biggest upside to nice restaurants, in my humble opinion, is not so much a great wine list, delicious food or a serving staff with vast knowledge, but rather the complementary bread rolls. I just can't get enough of them. At Golden Olympic, you get the best of both worlds: affordable meals and delicious free bread. After the breadbasket runs out, you can move on to a long menu with a distinctly Greek flavor. Traditional plates like spanakopita (spinach pie with Greek potato and sliced tomato), dolmades (grapevine leaves wrapped tightly around white rice, served with or without ground beef) and moussaka (ground beef, eggplant and zucchini dressed in a cream sauce) will fool you into thinking you're in the Old Country. And of course, like any Greek restaurant worth a pita, Golden Olympic has gyros as well. The Golden Olympic kicks off with a breakfast and lunch daily replete with less-traditional options. Omelets and skillets are the highlights of the morning hours, while a long list of sandwiches await anyone taking a long business lunch from Evanston's nearby downtown area. And, as I said, the food won't put a dent in the expense report. For dinner, most plates are from $8 to $12, while the lunch and breakfast options are about three quarters of that amount.
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