A ”best” in Cheap Eats represents a double pleasure: good food and a bargain.
In looking over this year`s suburban candidates, an astounding trend jumps out: Italian. We visited more-and liked more-Italian places than ever before.
Bernard`s Cafe & Deli, 14 W. 63rd St., Willowbrook; 708-850-7510:
Bernard`s specializes in huge servings of pasta (with thick slabs of chewy bread) for under $5. The showcase is the lasagna (meat, vegetable or ricotta), with its thin noodles and sweet sauce. Add an elegant antipasti bar and daily specials such as calzones and you have a real winner.
Dancing Noodles, 1808 Central St., Evanston; 708-475-1200: We like the spontaneity of this place, the fun. Order the noodles and then pick a sauce to go with it (try the Italian stir fry, with chunks of sausage). Another good entree choice is the lightly fried, lemon-glazed ocean perch.
Ditka Dogs, 844 S. Illinois Highway 59, Naperville; 708-527-0085: All the fun of a football stadium, without sitting out in the cold. The setup, with tiered levels, a huge scoreboard and ”skybox,” is just the right atmosphere to enjoy hot dogs, sandwiches and other fast-food fare.
Louisa`s, 14025 S. Cicero Ave., Crestwood; 708-371-0950: Louise DeGenero`s thick-cut pizza rivals any of Chicago`s most famous, with its crisp crust and flavorful ingredients. She makes a pretty mean lasagna, too. SOURCE: Linda Bergstrom.
Back in the city, this year`s standouts run the range of regional and ethnic cooking.
Wishbone, 1800 W. Grand Ave., 829-3597: Cheese grits, Hoppin` John, yardbird chicken and huge bowls of homemade biscuits and gravy are just a few of the southern-style dishes that have kept this little spot busy at breakfast and lunch. And now it`s open for dinner too.
Cardinale`s, 1309 E. 53d St., 684-8730: Italian cooking the way Mama used to do it. Mama is Rose Cardinale, and her homemade ravioli, lasagna and other pastas are big favorites in this no-frills Hyde Park spot. Takeout business is also big.
Alchemy Cafe, 1835 W. North Ave., 276-4448: The menu changes often at this quiet, artsy place that`s a surprising oasis on a noisy street. Moist, delicately flavored chicken and salmon and cornbread boulettes are good choices.
Red Apple, 3123 N. Milwaukee Ave., 588-5781: The quantity of food at this Polish buffet is staggering. From pierogi to gizzards to potato pancakes, it`s all here. Another Red Apple location is at 6400 N. Milwaukee, 763-3407. SOURCE: Barbara Sullivan.
![Today’s Highlight in History: On April 24, 1995, the final bomb linked to the Unabomber exploded inside the Sacramento, California, offices of a lobbying group for the wood products industry, killing chief lobbyist Gilbert B. Murray. (Theodore Kaczynski was later sentenced to four lifetimes in prison for a series of bombings that killed three people and injured 29 others.) On this date: In 1877, federal troops were ordered out of New Orleans, ending the North’s post-Civil War rule in the South. In 1915, in what’s considered the start of the Armenian genocide, the Ottoman Empire began rounding up Armenian political […]](https://www.chicagotribune.com/wp-content/uploads/migration/2023/06/12/5LTPEE42BQ2O25ECG7SKBN4RV4.jpg?w=535 "Today’s Highlight in History: On April 24, 1995, the final bomb linked to the Unabomber exploded inside the Sacramento, California, offices of a lobbying group for the wood products industry, killing chief lobbyist Gilbert B. Murray. (Theodore Kaczynski was later sentenced to four lifetimes in prison for a series of bombings that killed three people and injured 29 others.) On this date: In 1877, federal troops were ordered out of New Orleans, ending the North’s post-Civil War rule in the South. In 1915, in what’s considered the start of the Armenian genocide, the Ottoman Empire began rounding up Armenian political […]")
