Stumbling upon Wicker Park, you find people spilling out of laid-back bars
and cozy looking restaurants. Wicker Park referred to by some as “hippie town”
is a neighborhood where you can never be too casually dressed and should be
ready to talk to some friendly Midwesterners. It is the perfect place to
get casual drinks and dinner with friends. Unexpectedly, tucked away in Wicker
Park is Taxim, a Greek restaurant serving up delicious food and a fun decor.
The unassuming almost dark exterior, which we passed by without realizing it
was our destination, does not prepare the diner for the ambiance within. The ornate chandeliers, hanging from the domed ceilings, dimly light the waiters
carrying the dishes on golden trays to the guests in the decorated seats.
Resembling a Grecian palace with an Meditarranean feel, the restaurant steers
just clear of cheesy, evoking a more fun atmosphere that does not take itself too
seriously.
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| Photo courtesy of Taxim Website |
In deciding what to order, we were severely limited as the majority of main dishes were not vegetarian. We instead decided to order with an assortment of hot and cold appetizers, in my opinion, always more fun anyways. The beginning the meal, consisting of a basic Greek salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, olives and onions coated in oil, is how I wish the majority meals would start. The fresh ingredients and simple tastes did not disappoint . The second small dish, politiki style wood fire roasted eggplants with sesame and house-made pita was my favorite dish of the night. The eggplants proved the perfect topping for the pita and left us scraping the plate with our spoons once the pita was gone. The third small dish, roasted red beets with greens, Thracian style walnut skoralia and Feta, combined just the right number of ingredients to create a clean but creative flavor. The combination of the base of the beets with the tartness of the feta and overtone of walnut was delicious. The fourth small dish of green lentils, barrel fermented sheep’s feta, balsamic reduction and semolina bread, was a nice side to our other dishes. The plainer green lentils were filling and dense without as much flavor as the other dishes.
The fifth dish, not that I am counting at this point, of wood-grilled octopus, fennel root and red onions, combined simple and fresh ingredients with the delicious fish for a delicious finishing touch.
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| Photo courtesy of Taxim Website |
Although
filled from our variety of small plates, we could not deny ourselves a
traditional greek dessert of rolled phyllo pastry with almonds, walnuts and
cretan clotted cream. Living up to expectations, the dessert’s combination of the
flaky layers of the phyllo pastry with the nutty interior satisfied my sweet
tooth for Greek goodies.
Overall,
Taxim serves traditional Greek fare with fresh, delicious ingredients, making for a dining
experience that not only satisfies the taste buds but makes you forget you are in Chicago.
Taxim: 1558 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 252-1558
http://taximchicago.com/index.html
Mon.-Thurs. 5:30 p.m. -10 p.m., Fri. –Sat. 5:30 p.m. – 11
p.m., Sun. 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
