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Filipino and Indian Flavors Merge at This ‘Top Chef' Star's New Wicker Park Cafe

Filipino and Indian Flavors Merge at This ‘Top Chef' Star's New Wicker Park Cafe

Eater2 days ago
Zubair Mohajir has helped redefine South Asian cuisine in Chicago, with the successes of Lilac Tiger and the Coach House in Wicker Park, and more recently, with the fusion of Mexican and Indian flavors at Mirra in Bucktown. Then, Mohajir leaped to the national stage earlier this year as part of the cast of Top Chef: Destination Canada.
His colleagues say that Top Chef hasn't gone to Mohajir's head. He's remained grounded. He wants to elevate the people around him and push boundaries. But Coach House chef de cuisine Jacob Dela Cruz has seen one change. He's become a really good photographer, constantly snapping photos of his boss posing with star-struck customers.
Jokes aside, Mohajir isn't resting. He's formed a new team, along with Dela Cruz and Salt Burger and Fries co-founder Hassan Jaffrani. Earlier this week, the trio unveiled Sarima Cafe, which shares a space with Salt's Wicker Park location at 1924 W. North Avenue.
Jaffrani and Mohajir have known each other for years. When Jaffrani, who's also behind the IDOF brand (like Salt, a hit with young Muslims) decided to close the Wicker Park branch of Beard Papa's, Mohajir jumped at a chance to open a cafe. Like his other projects, this spot would infused dishes with South Asian flavors — this time blended with Dela Cruz's Filipino heritage. Sarima serves breakfast sandwiches and pastries. Eventually, they'll add small-batch ice cream in flavors like red mung bean to the menu. Mohajir is excited to brew the same masala chai he serves at his other restaurants (bartender David Mor has made creative use of the spiced tea at his bars Truce and Lilac Tiger). They also pour Dark Matter Coffee.
Kim Kovacik
Kim Kovacik
Kim Kovacik
Kim Kovacik
Mohajir brought on local baker Reema Patel to fill the pastry case with delights like chai flan, an ube crinkle cookie stuffed with cream cheese, and calamansi shrikhand doughnut based on a Boston Creme. Patel, who's been working in Pilsen on the pastry team at Mariscos San Pedro, has created a unique lineup of cake doughnuts, cookies, and more. There's even a cashew cookie with a silver leaf based on the classic South Asian diamond-shaped sweet, kaju katli. The 'Food For the Gods' bar is made with dates and black tea.
Patel also appeared on Season 2 of the reality cooking show Baking It. She teases upcoming treats like a gulab jamun banana pudding.
'A really cool part of creating a space and creating recipes is knowing that you can change things and still end up with something even better than what you thought,' Patel says.
Sarima will also offer something that Mohajir has been reluctant to offer: dosa. Paper dosa is thin and crispy, and they'll stuff it with mushrooms and sweet potato. It's almost cliché for a South Indian chef to offer the iconic crepe-like item. They'll have other toppings available, too. Jaffrani says they need to offer a 'steak and eggs' like dosa option.
Kim Kovacik
Kim Kovacik
Kim Kovacik
Kim Kovacik
The food at Sarima is halal, which means no pork. Diners who sink their teeth into the breakfast sandwich will taste tocino made of chicken. Mohajir says he 'gets a kick out of' serving halal versions of tocino and longganisa as the Muslim community doesn't typically eat pork: 'I think bacon smells amazing, but like, I've never eaten bacon, you know?' he says.
So what's with the name? Dela Cruz explains it's from a legend that started on the Filipino island of Mindanao. It's derived from 'Sarimanok' a colorful bird meant to symbolize good fortune.
The crew has seen Chicagoans wait in long lines for pastries at bakeries like Del Sur and Fat Peach. Mohajir hopes to see good fortune and long lines out the door on North Avenue and says they're concentrating on keeping up with supply and demand: 'We're here to sell food, we're here to sell pastries,' he says. 'If we don't make enough, then what's the point?'
Sarima Cafe, 1924 W. North Avenue, open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday through Sunday, hours will be expanded later this summer
Kim Kovacik
Kim Kovacik
Kim Kovacik
Kim Kovacik
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Free dance, baseball games, car show this weekend in Hamilton
Free dance, baseball games, car show this weekend in Hamilton

Hamilton Spectator

time13 hours ago

  • Hamilton Spectator

Free dance, baseball games, car show this weekend in Hamilton

Electronic Shore bringing trance to Hamilton for fourth year Hnr Sound, a trance and progressive DJ duo, hope to share the impact the genre has had on them, with listeners Weekend events show no sign of slowing down, with free dance lessons, baseball games and more coming up. Environment Canada issued a heat warning that is in effect until at least Friday. Here is what you can do — indoors, while staying cool, and outdoors — this weekend. The Hamilton Filipino heritage festival is back at Bayfront Park ( 200 Harbour Front Dr. ) this weekend. From Friday, July 25 to Sunday, July 27, there are live performances, dance, art, food, cultural exhibits and vendors. Celebrity guests Dessa (Saturday) and Joross Gamboa (Sunday) are featured. There is free parking on site. The Hamilton Fringe Festival continues into this weekend. From ' Brown Noise ,' a standup, sketch and storytelling blend about the South Asian-Canadian experience (tickets for $8) to the cabaret show ' An Urbanist Burlesque ' (free), there are many shows to see. Performances are held at several venues across Hamilton, including The Westdale ( 1014 King St. W. ), Mills Hardware ( 95 King St. E. ), The Staircase Theatre ( 27 Dundurn St. N. ) and the Players' Guild of Hamilton ( 80 Queen St. S. ). For more details on specific plays, times and locations, go to . Line Dance Fridays are back at Studio G Hamilton ( 126 James St. N. ) on July 25 from 7 to 9 p.m. New and experienced dancers are welcome, with lessons progressing from beginner to intermediate. The studio is on the building's second floor. Go to to buy tickets. Steel City Swing hosts their Sunday Social dances at the roller rink near Pier 8 ( 47 Discovery Dr. ) on July 27. At 6:30 p.m., learn a beginner lesson before dancing from 7 to 9 p.m. No partner is required. Bring comfortable shoes, water and maybe a sun hat. Visit for more information. Grab your mat and water bottle and do yoga under the morning sun on Sunday, July 27 from 9 to 10 a.m. All levels of experience are invited to Dundas Driving Park ( 71 Cross St. ). Tickets are available by donation to host Dundas Yoga and Fitness. Seasons Stoney Creek Retirement Community hosts Cars and Coffee, a car showcase with servings of coffee, tea and treats, on Sunday, July 27 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The free showcase is held at 8 Shoreview Pl. , featuring refreshments, prizes and a chance to win football tickets. Appreciate the cars while mingling with the retirement home residents. Take the family out to the Hamilton Craft Market's event and explore more than 30 vendors' handmade goods, sweets and treats, woodworks, soaps and jewelry on Saturday, July 26 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Receive a free raffle ticket upon arrival and enjoy a barbecue at St. Michael's Hungarian Hall ( 521 West 5th St. ). The market is also hosting a food drive to support the Neighbour to Neighbour Centre's food bank. Bring a non-perishable food item to donate. Go to for more. Brad Williams, a comedian who has appeared on 'The Tonight Show,' 'Sam and Cat' and Hulu's 'Deadbeat,' performs at FirstOntario Concert Hall ( 1 Summers Ln. ) on Sunday, July 27 at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $62.30, including fees and taxes, on Ticketmaster. Go to for tickets. There are two Intercounty Baseball League games this weekend. The Hamilton Cardinals will face the Barrie Baycats on Friday, July 25 at 7:35 p.m. at Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium ( 1100 Mohawk Rd. E. ). Doors open at 6:30 p.m. On Sunday, July 27, the team will play the Welland Jackfish at 2:05 p.m. Doors open at 1 p.m. Tickets to each game are $13.56, including taxes and fees. Go to to buy. Join a group of coffee and cycling lovers in exploring seven local cafés on Sunday, July 27 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The group meets at Bayfront Park ( 200 Harbour Front Dr. ), cycling to Mulberry Coffeehouse, Relay Coffee Roasters, One For All Coffee, Cafe Baffico, The Cannon, Vintage Coffee Roasters and Hutch's Harbour Front. Menu options range from pastries to sandwiches to fish and chips and pizza. If you don't own a bike, you can rent a city bike for $9 per hour. Go to for more information. Bill King hosts a 'Weird and Wonderful' free walking tour on Sunday, July 27. The group meets at King and John streets at 10 a.m. for the two-hour tour before chatting at Redchurch Cafe. Historian Robin McKee hosts a two-hour Hamilton cemetery ( 777 York Blvd. ) tour on Saturday, July 26 at 11 a.m. The group meets at the gatehouse and the theme is 'Hamilton Firsts.' For more information, go to . Burlington singer-songwriter Hayley Verrall performs at Joseph Brant Museum ( 1240 North Shore Blvd. E. ) for the rooftop event on Friday, July 25 at 7:30 p.m. This is the second of four one-hour performances for the summer event series. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets include the live performance, lawn games, light refreshments, popcorn and admission to the museum galleries. Tickets are $20 for adults or $15 for seniors and students. In the case of inclement weather, performances will be moved to the museum's lakefront or shoreline rooms. Visit for tickets or more information. Cheyenne Bholla is a reporter at The Hamilton Spectator. cbholla@ Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? 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Review: A delicious weekend at Ravinia brings together music and fine dining
Review: A delicious weekend at Ravinia brings together music and fine dining

Chicago Tribune

timea day ago

  • Chicago Tribune

Review: A delicious weekend at Ravinia brings together music and fine dining

'A good program,' chief conductor Marin Alsop told a crowd in Ravinia's Tree Top Lounge, 'is like a meal.' She wasn't just reaching for a fanciful metaphor. Each year, Breaking Barriers, the festival-within-a-festival she devised around gender equity at Ravinia, spotlights a different profession. This year's focus on the culinary arts invited women chefs to devise dishes inspired by Alsop's Chicago Symphony programs. Alsop picked the music, while her co-curator, 'Food Network' star Molly Yeh, matchmade the pieces with specific chefs. At this ticketed, add-on event in the Tree Top Lounge, a Ravinia audience sampled the results. The chefs themselves assembled and handed out the hors d'oeuvres at a long table: 'Chopped' judge Maneet Chauhan, New York City baker Jacqueline Eng, Florida chef Mika Leon, and Monteverde and Pastificio chef/co-owner Sarah Grueneberg. For some of the chefs, thinking deeply about music is already second nature. Yeh is the daughter of CSO clarinetist John Bruce Yeh and a Juilliard-trained percussionist; she designed a bite and performed at Saturday's chamber concert. And Eng is also a percussionist with a Juilliard credential. (Those department dinner parties must have been elite.) Despite the crush of more than 250 attendees — about the most Tree Top can fit comfortably — the preconcert tasting went off smoothly. When the line got long, a quick-thinking Chauhan started offering her dish to those waiting, scoopable from a Fritos bag. I'm a pale excuse for a food critic. But after sampling the bites first, then attending the concert in the Pavilion, I found that the chefs' dishes uncannily forecasted the performance to come. Here's how this musical feast went on Friday: Accompanying Reena Esmail's 'Re|Member' By seeking an Indian spin on Midwestern comfort food, Chauhan set a challenge for herself. Any Frito pie, even a cheffed-up one, has to contend with the overwhelming saltiness of the chips themselves. Chauhan might not have been able to surmount that totally, but I can't imagine it being done much better. Her answer was to introduce several tastes: fruity pops of pomegranate seed and mango koochumbar, sweet-and-sour tamarind chutney and briny-creamy queso fresco. In a clever stroke, Chauhan made the vindaloo with ground lamb, rather than the usual hunks, to nod to the more traditional chili topping. Your aunt in Cedar Rapids would surely approve. The Midwest/Indian mashup was apropos for Esmail, who was born in Chicago. In her 'Re|Member,' premiered in 2021, an oboist prerecords their solo, to be shown on a video screen at the top of the piece. Later, the video returns, with the same oboist duetting with their past self live onstage. Of all the pandemic-era commissions out there, Esmail's 'Re|Member' stands out for its poignancy — and I loved that Chauhan, by riffing on a familiar, lovable dish, managed to nod to that nostalgia. So, I was extra disappointed that Ravinia opted to go a different direction for this performance. Instead of the video duet, CSO oboists Lora and Will Welter played a spatialized duet— Schaefer playing in the Pavilion aisle, Welter onstage. Even with its profundity curbed, this was a fine, stirring performance. That's a credit to guest conductor Alexandra Arrieche, a participant in Alsop's fellowship program for female conductors. Accompanying Tim Corpus's 'Great Lake Concerto,' Movement III When you think 'percussion,' you probably think big, bold, maybe a little aggro. It's no surprise Eng's perspective as a former percussionist led her to temper those stereotypes. Instead of going for the obvious associations, she focused on that other, unseen aspect of being a musician: long sessions in the practice room. As she explained in the introductory video played in the Pavilion, she selected rye for its resilience in many different climates. (That grain selection had the added benefit of a slightly sour edge, brightening the dish.) And the bean-and-vegetable it rested upon had the rich, layered flavor one can only achieve by stewing high-quality ingredients patiently for hours on end. Decadent, a little cheesy, and oh-so-umami, it was the most flavor-packed bite of the evening. With its focus on Lakes-region vegetables and grains, Eng also drew inspiration from the piece's title. Corpus, a Chicago-based composer, composed the work specifically for CSO percussionist Vadim Karpinos and Lyric percussionist Ed Harrison; it was premiered by Roosevelt University's student orchestra last year. The third movement, marked 'Explosive,' throws us into a fast-paced repartee between Karpinos and Harrison from opposite sides of the stage — Karpinos on xylophone, Harrison on tom-toms. Corpus's writing is consistently inventive: It's never quite clear whether the soloists are teasing one another or casually trying to one-up each other, and you'll never hear a xylophone sound more mournful than it does at the middle of the movement. I's always a high endorsement, to both performer and composer, when people start hooting in the middle of a classical music piece like they're at a stadium show. Harrison's moment was his minute-long maraca solo (yes, really), and Karpinos' his stunt of tossing, then catching, a shekere 10 feet in the air during a cadenza. I'll be thinking about that performance for a long time—just like those beans. Accompanying George Gershwin's 'Cuban Overture' Of the four, León's dish was the most conventional, which is no slight. The texture of the ropa vieja was just right — not too soupy, but also not getting caught in your teeth for perpetuity, like some ropier ropas viejas. I could see a world in which the tostón weighs down the dish. Instead, it was just dense enough to support the generous mound of meat on top. I might have wanted some more acidity to brighten the dish. Then again, at this point in the meal, some unabashed heartiness was welcome. Without León's dish, I don't know that I would have left the Tree Top Lounge fully satiated. Alsop and the CSO's 'Cuban Overture' stuck to one's ribs, too. Maybe a little too much, actually — the overall spirit seemed transplanted from Gershwin's blustery, big-city tone poems, like 'American in Paris' or 'Rhapsody in Blue.' For a work that references son and rumba so deeply over its short duration, this overture didn't dance much as possible, I tried to isolate each dish's composite parts before taking them in together. The lamb vindaloo in the Frito pie. The cultured butter off Eng's rye toast. Even the tostón, alone, in León's creation. When I did the same for this 'pasta tale' — a chilled orzo, with a tomato saffron sauce pooling at its side — I admit, I was skeptical. Between the freshness of the lump crab and its vegetal crunch, the orzo had all the makings of a great summer pasta salad, if on the mild-mannered side. Meanwhile, the sauce was not at all what I expected, leading with the tomato's acidity. The saffron, for all its potency, arrives only on the back end of the bite, albeit mild enough to be overpowered by the taste of Ravinia's wooden utensils. I swapped to plastic before mixing it all together and digging in. Then: total magic. It's as though Grueneberg had carefully plotted a run-of-show for each bite. First, the salinity of the crab, now amplified. Then, that tomato zing, rounded off pleasantly to become more mere aroma than star. The fresh veggies complete the garden, but no longer dominate. And then: the saffron, asserting itself more bravely than before. If this ends up on Monteverde's menu, catch me there tomorrow, a Road-Runner puff of dust pluming behind. What kismet that the most nuanced dish got the most nuanced performance. If programs are like meals, 'Scheherazade' would be the equivalent of a weekly special at Chez Ravinia: Like Copland's Clarinet Concerto, appearing later in the weekend, Alsop conducted the work earlier in her Ravinia tenure, in 2022. But the flavor profile of this meeting between CSO, Alsop and associate concertmaster Stephanie Jeong — who, then and now, played the expansive solos representing Scheherazade — has only deepened in those three years. Conducting scoreless, as is her wont in big repertoire works, Alsop had a specific and inspiring vision for the piece: an end-to-end lyricism, episodes that elicited delicious contrasts, slowdowns that were just right. But don't mistake specificity for micromanagement. Just as exhilarating was the sheer freedom and creativity the CSO seized in their solos. Stephen Williamson's runs in the third movement slowed at their peak, like the suspended, heartstopping moment before a roller coaster's big drop. Keith Buncke's bassoon solo was punctuated by pauses, a sage carefully choosing his words. And Jeong — where to begin? It was really her Scheherazade, a masterclass in taking time and, when called for, freezing it altogether. I can't think of a better 'Scheherazade' I've heard live, anywhere, even including Grant Park's noble account last summer. If only we could come back for seconds. The Breaking Barriers Festival continues 5 p.m. Sunday with Felix Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4, 'Italian,' and Chicago Symphony clarinetist Stephen Williamson playing Aaron Copland's Clarinet Concerto. Tickets $35–$95 Pavilion, $15 lawn. More information at

Ozzy Osbourne's Love for Burritos is Cemented in Chipotle History
Ozzy Osbourne's Love for Burritos is Cemented in Chipotle History

Yahoo

time2 days ago

  • Yahoo

Ozzy Osbourne's Love for Burritos is Cemented in Chipotle History

Ozzy Osbourne called Chipotle his "favorite, favorite burrito joint" and was the first Celebrity Card recipient Legendary rocker Ozzy Osbourne considered Chipotle to be a legendary restaurant. The Black Sabbath member, who died at 76 on Tuesday, July 22, expressed his love for the fast food spot in his family's reality show, The Osbournes. And Chipotle had a loving (and historic) response to the late star's admiration. In season 2 episode 6 of the MTV series, the musical icon was entranced while watching a Chipotle employee wrap his burrito. 'This is my favorite, my favorite, favorite, favorite, burrito joint this is,' he said, awestruck and with his hands to his face in disbelief. Ozzy even ordered an extra burrito, explaining one was for now and the other was for later. In the same 2003 episode, when asked how often he ate burritos daily, Ozzy said, 'Twice a day, I am Burrito Man.' Sharon said of her husband, 'Your father can't eat one burrito, he has to have 900 burritos.' Ozzy's love for the fast-casual Mexican restaurant prompted Chipotle to invent a special gift for him: the first Celebrity Card. The Celebrity Card has been gifted to athletes, musicians and other stars for more than 20 years, according to Chipotle's website. But Chipotle expanded its Celebrity Card opportunities to regular customers, allowing fans to apply to become a Celebrity Card holder last year. The card entitles the holder to one free meal every day and a complimentary catering order for up to 50 people with an approximate value of $20,000 A source at Chipotle confirmed to PEOPLE that Ozzy had a card, saying, 'In 2003, a musician turned television star raved about Chipotle on his family's reality television show, prompting Chipotle to issue its first-ever Celebrity Card.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories In a statement on Tuesday, July 22, Osbourne's family told PEOPLE: 'It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time." In January 2020, Osbourne revealed that he'd been diagnosed in 2003 with Parkinson's disease, a nervous system disorder that affects movement. At the time, he said, "It's not a death sentence." Weeks before his death, Osbourne performed from a throne at the Black Sabbath farewell concert on July 5 in Birmingham. It would be his final concert and his first in 20 years with the band that made him a star. Read the original article on People

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