Chicago - Kosher - Chol Hamoed Pesach 2009

[dfsny613]

My wife and I might be in Chicago for chol hamoed pesach. Any thoughts on where we can get food? I emailed the CRC and they did not have any restaurants listed as open over chol hamoed.

[Pluckyduk8]

Haven't been there yet but I want too...how's the selection of Israeli products for Pesach at Garden Fresh?

[Norman Eliaser]

Haven't gotten up there yet, but Garden Fresh (Northbrook) just told me over the phone that Kosher Korner won't be open until after Pesach.

[Pluckyduk8]

There aren't any restaurants that are going to be open as far as I know. I don't even think any of the kosher groceries will have kosher takeout, but I'll have my ears peeled for this. Best bet is planning to eat by people.

[weinstein5]

I think the Jewel in Evanston koshered their deli for passover and I think they were even making rotisserie chickens -

[dfsny613]

Do you think the grocery stores will be open? We can live off matzah, cheese and empire coldcuts for a couple of days, and if we can get that when we get there, we should be fine.

[ferret]

As the above post states, yes, the "Kosher" Jewel is open 24/7 and carries a full complement of Passover goods, cold cuts, cheeses, yogurt, etc. If someone is making it, then odds are Jewel will carry it. Hungarian Kosher is nearby and is fully Kashered for Passover, including many ready-to-eat items.

Chicago can't really support a Passover restaurant. Don't ask me why.

[weinstein5]

As ferret stated Jewel is open 7x24 - it is a local grocery chain owned by Albertsons - the branch in Evanston has the ome of the largest selection of kosher foods - followed ny the branch in Highland Park - HUngarians is another good choice as is Garden Fresh in Northbrook

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Jewel Osco
2485 Howard St, Evanston, IL 60202

Garden Fresh Market
275 Skokie Blvd, Northbrook, IL

Hungarian Kosher Foods
4020 Oakton St, Skokie, IL

Jewel-Osco
1600 West Deerfield Road, Highland Park, IL

[yaelaldrich]

As a person living in IN, I will be coming into West Rogers Park this Shabbos and afterward go do my Pesach shopping. I usually go to Jewel Osco but I checked out the sales sheet and there were very few things that were on sale. Is there more on sale that is not advertised in the sales sheets-- like spices, jams, cookies, etc?

[ferret]

The alternative being????

You're pretty much over a barrel here. Your choices in Chicago are Hungarian or Jewel (yes, there are others but between these two majors, just about everything is covered). If you're looking for bargains, then stick with matzoh and cheese for the 8 days. For Hungarian, this is like Xmas for other retailers, 11 months of so-so income and one booming month. Plus, the wholesale price for products is on the rise.

[yaelaldrich]

I'm not trying to be snarky, I lived in Boston previous to this and the grocery stored had spices, mayo, lemon juice, etc on sale in their circulars (the grocery store is the Boston area Jewel Osco (Shaw's/Star Market)), so I had hoped the situation might be the same here. I guess the competition isn't like in Boston (even though Boston has only one major kosher grocery store and I think the Chicago Jewish community is MUCH bigger).

[ferret]

I'm also not trying to be snarky, but there's nearly no competition here. Jewel's prices are pretty much as good as you'll find (not "low", just not higher than other stores).

Chicago's still primarily a market for "Jewish" more than "Kosher" products; that's true for restaurants as well. We can support a lot more Jewish delis than Kosher restaurants.

[dfsny613]

I just wanted to thank all of you who responded to my inquiry. My wife and I wound up going to the Jewel in Evanston and, as K for P food goes, it was pretty good (and the non-jewish friends we were with seemed to like it to). Thanks so much.