Ode to Ghareeb Nawaz

One day Betsy and I were on Devon street, looking for some good Indian food.

“I want to find the cheapest food on Devon. I want some cheap Indian food!” I said to Betsy.

One of the first places that caught my eye was at the east end of the Indian area of Devon. It was a small, simple looking place that seemed like “hole in the wall” joint, if you know what I mean. It looked really cheap! But it also looked super busy--and it seemed like most of the people in the restaurant were actually Indian/Pakastani. A good sign.

Anyway, we continued to go all the way down Devon but found nothing looked quite as intriguing as this first little restaurant.

So we decided to be a bit adventurous and checked out Ghareeb Nawaz! Boy, what a treat we were in for! We found one of the gems of Chicago.

This place is amazing. Everything is super cheap, homemade, with huge portions. Betsy’s favorite, Gyros Paratha (an Indian style Gyro), is only $2.50. And it is huge! And AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS! The curries and rice dishes run about $3.50 - $6.00. Naan is $0.50 for a huge piece. And the menu is very large. At the main counter there is a sign with every item they serve and a picture of the item. It is a bit daunting, especially if you are not that familiar with real Indian food!

 

Despite the price, the food is simply delicious, and tastes very authentic. Granted, I have never been to India or Pakistan, but the food just seems to have the non-American, full, exotic taste. And judging by how busy the place is, I am guessing it must be pretty close to the real thing.

That said, it probably would be a good idea to have somewhat of an idea of what you want to get before you go. We love the Gyros Paratha, and I have tried one of the curry dishes, which was amazing. Last time we went there, I was a bit adventurous randomly picked something from the menu. I ended up ordering the Shami Kabab. I think my brain was more adventurous than my tastebuds, because I wasn’t able to make it through these minced meat patties. Part of the reason was that I didn’t even know what I was eating at the time! Luckily, my lovely Betsy rescued me by sharing her Gyros with me! That being said, I am eager to try some of the suggestions found at this review site:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/ghareeb-nawaz-restaurant-chicago

And the address:

2032 W Devon Ave
Chicago, IL 60659
(between Seeley Ave & Hoyne Ave)

Give it a try!