After a number of recommendations from various sources, I finally made it to Bhabi's Kitchen for some Indian home-cooking.

Bhabi's Kitchen is owned and run by Mr. Syed, his wife and sister do all the cooking. As soon as you sit down in this tiny restaurant, you feel as though you are guests in the Syed's home. Their hospitality and attentiveness are warm, friendly, and genuine. Mr. Syed is eager to explain their cooking methods and philosophies.

During my visit, I felt as though I spent more time talking to our host than I did with my dinner companions. Mr. Syed made numerous recommendations, calling attention to the fact that they cook with very little oil; all of their dishes are "very healthy," he said. He was not modest about his wife's cooking, proclaiming many dishes to be "the best". I cannot argue with his assessment.

The food at Bhabi's Kitchen truly has no equal. Everything is made fresh to order and truly tastes homemade. We managed to taste a few appetizers, some naan, and about 5 entrees. The samosas were flaky, spicy, and delicious. I am still thinking about the Butter Chicken (cubes of chicken in a buttery, spicy tomato sauce) and the Mutter Paneer (green peas and cheese in a spicy sauce); both of the bowls that these were served in went back to the kitchen completely clean. The Frontier Gosht was unlike any dish I've had in an Indian restaurant. It was made from beef and onions, and was reminiscent of Mongolian Beef. Absolutely delicious.

After we had finished our meal, the Syeds continued to recommend dishes to us for our next visit: Chili Chicken, Broccoli Rabe, and Pistachio Naan, to name a few. I took a carry-out menu and made some notes for next time. I can't wait to return.

Trivia side note: Mr. Syed claims that Bhabi's Kitchen is the only restaurant in the country that serves fresh baked breads made from six different types of flours. The menu lists a wide variety of breads and the type of flour that they are made with.

It is very clear that Mr. Syed's chief concerns are the atmosphere of his restaurant and the comfort of his guests. He said, very plainly, "I want everyone to be happy. I don't care about being crowded and successful. I don't want money. I know how to make money." (He has been doing business on Devon for over 20 years, once owning a garment shop around the corner from his restaurant). I assured him, as I assure you now, that he has succeeded. We were comfortble, happy, and well fed.

Check out Bhabi's Kitchen, 6352 N. Oakley, 773-764-7007. Street parking possible, BYOB. Call ahead if you're going to be more than 4 people.

how did bhabi's compare with hema's? i'm a huge fan of indian and, in addition to doing my own fair share of cooking it, i've been to plenty of places on devon, many times. but hema's was in a class by itself, both because of the uniqueness of the menu items and the fact that the food was the best indian i've had.

Posted by: foo d at July 8, 2004 9:22 PM

The differences between Bhabi's and Hema's are very distinct. First of all, the burst of Hema's publicity has drastically increased the amount of time you have to wait to get a table and eat. (She has since opened Hema's II on Clark near Fullerton).

Secondly, the cuisine is different. I believe Hema's serves Andhra cuisine which is heavy in curries (I could be wrong here). Bhabi's is more of a standard Punjabi cuisine which includes many tandoori dishes, paneer-based dishes, and naans. I am not saying that one type of cuisine is better or worse, I am just trying to highlight the difference between the restaurants.

Posted by: eatchicago at July 9, 2004 8:42 AM

I believe his is the only restaurant in Chicago, as well, to serve the broccoli rabe, as it takes 6 hours to make, according to Syed.
It is worth it.

Posted by: ParkerS at July 9, 2004 12:53 PM