Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Icosium Kafé


When I walked into Icosium Kafé, I thought it was going to be Crepe & Coffee Palace. It was a bit confusing. I guess ownership had recently changed. Nevertheless, the Algerian tapestries on the wall were aesthetically pleasing and not what I had expected to find inside of a creperie. I honestly had no idea what to expect. I think that's what generally happens when you're the only lunchtime customer...

A server approached my table with a minted ice water as soon as I sat down. She was friendly and helpful, but after having the menu open for only a few moments after she left, she returned. When you only have one customer, I guess it's difficult to not be overbearing.


I went with the Icosium Crepe, the Cheka Chouka ($9.99), which was preceded by a vegetable soup with something hard and bone-like at the bottom. Perhaps it was a bone chip? Anywho, I would call the flavors indistinguishable and bland and even though it was free, I didn't see its value. Some hot sauce accompanied it as did some pesto-ed pita bread, but neither really improved its quality.


The crepe itself benefited from an interesting presentation and lots of diverse flavors. The fresh ingredients combined to create cool textures and the portion size didn't leave me too hungry. There were roasted peppers, fresh basil, goat cheese, caramelized onions, fresh roma tomatoes, pine nuts, roasted garlic, baby spinach, and Icosium dressing (balsamic). Four word summary: sweet + savory + cheesy + balsamicky.


As luck would have it, some free baklava came out after my crepe and I wish it had been tastier. The flaky dough and cashew and pistachio were nice, but something left a foul aftertaste in my mouth. Once again, a free dish didn't necessary mean a good dish.

Looking back, Icosium Kafé didn't provide a great crepe (nor a great deal), but if you've got a hankering, this is a good enough spot until you find a better option. I will be going back, but I doubt this favorable status will last. Better creperies in Chicago? Let me know.

Icosium Kafé - Lincoln Park - (773)404-1300 - 2433 N. Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614 - Public transportation: bus 22 or the Fullerton stop of the Brown/Red/Purple Line.

Icosium crepe, Cheka Chouka - $9.99

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

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