Chalavi

As a Baal Teshuva (recently Orthodox Jew), I have experienced the ability to dine out easily; that is, when there is no shortage of restaurants. Unfortunately, keeping kosher in Chicago means that your restaurant choices are extremely limited. Still, I try to remember what it was like to eat at non-kosher restaurants, including the service, cleanliness and food quality that I came to expect.

By each of these standards, Chalavi was a pathetic and putrid attempt at a culinary experience. The decor was horrific; an empty, potentially dirty metallic buffet stood at the restaurant's entrance with a wall of booster chairs. What a way to welcome customers. The fluorescent lighting didn't meld well with the lack of temperature control (the room was freezing) and there was an incongruous corner display of tacky artwork and children's games located along one of the walls.

The food, however, could have been promising. There was an extensive dairy menu of paninis and pizza, omelettes and pasta. I ordered the Nacho Plate and a French Onion soup. The soup tasted at though it were straight from a bad soup mix. It also tasted as though it had been reheated- multiple times- to the point of being slightly burnt and off-flavor. The Nacho Plate had a pulpy, artificially-flavored cheddar cheese sauce in a tiny container; refried beans in a tiny container; and guacamole and salsa in- you guessed it- tiny containers. The nacho chips were processed and clearly store-bought.

Please, make a statement to the Jewish community that just because we keep kosher doesn't mean we have subpar dining standards. We expect to be treated like all other restaurant patrons- with courtesy, cleanliness and respect for our dining experience overall. Do not go to Chalavi unless they rapidly improve their performance. If they don't, please don't go at all.

Chalavi is a great inexpensive, informal (order counter) kosher dairy restaurant in the heart of West Rogers Park.  There is free street parking in front of the restaurant on Touhy and around the corner on Sacramento.  The restaurant has a few marked spaces in a small lot immediately to the west (on the right, facing the restaurant).  I ordered grilled cheese and fries, which I enjoyed very much.  The menu has soups, salads, potato and cole slaw side orders, wraps, paninis, sandwiches, bagels, pasta, calzones, fish and pizza.  Also breakfast (eggs, hash browns, waffles, French toast) is served all day--an added plus!  Very reasonably priced.

Note:  Since Chalavi is certified kosher dairy, there are no meat options.  

I very enthusiastically recommend this small eatery.