the chicago diner: meaty vegetarian

After hearing about the Chicago Diner for years, hemming and hawing about the thought of an all-vegetarian, mostly vegan diner, we had a hard time wrapping our minds around the idea that the food at such an establishment could be hearty, tasty and, well, really, really good. We finally took the plunge, and boy are we glad we did.  The Chicago Diner makes vegetarian fare worth pursuing with its meat-free renderings of favorite diner foods from Reubens to burgers,  sloppy joes, lasagna, gyros, Philly cheese steaks,  tacos and more.

Hardly an overnight success, the Chicago Diner has been, as it says, "meat free since '83." But at the heart of its current veggie success is Chef Kim Gacen, herself a vegetarian since 1978. And at the heart of Kim Gracen is a ridiculously flexible seitan recipe (a well-kept secret, of course) that she and her kitchen crew can literally morph into any "meat" they want. We didn't believe it until we tasted it. And, trust us, it's amazing. Even for omnivores like us.

The menu varies with seasons and rotates a few specials. There's also an interesting liquor menu that contains vegan beer & wine, organic vodka, sustainable champagne and other delights. The ambiance is pretty much "happy diner chic" and there's also a nice bit of neighborhood hangout feel. The restaurant itself is not large, seating about 50 inside, but it casts a large shadow, having fed the souls of local celebrities like Oprah, Roger Ebert, the Cusacks (John and Joan), and even out-of-towners like Madonna, Boy George and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

While the friendly service was great and the ambiance fun and lively, the real star of the Chicago Diner is the food. The menu is extensive, and you'd be hard-pressed not to find something you'd like to give a try. Forget for the moment that it's vegetarian fare. Just look at the menu as you would in any other upscale diner. What looks good to you? Chances is are it will be even better here.

We had a hard time resisting one of the Reubens. They have both a "California" version with Agave-mesquite "turkey" seitan, vegan cabbage-carrot-parsley slaw, Dalya or dairy cheese option on toasted marbled rye and the "Radical Reuben" (voted best in the Midwest by a Vegetarian Times readers poll)  with tender seitan roast "beef" with grilled peppers and onions, sauerkraut, melted soy or swiss cheese and a homemade vegan dressing on toasted marbled rye. We opted for to try the Radical version (of course we did!) and were thrilled. Not only do we adore marbled rye, the seitan tasted like the leanest, best, non-fatty deli meat we've ever had. Even while we were taking our notes, we had to keep reminding ourselves that this was in fact, not meat. The color, spicing, texture, everything, felt like we were eating a first-class version of an old diner favorite.

The "Radical" Reuben with seitan "beef" and awesome vegan mac 'n cheese

We also tried the meatball sub, even more to our delight, if that's possible. Sometimes on the specials menu in different versions, there is your typical Italian style sub with seitan meatballs, zesty marinara, onions tomatoes and cheese on a toasted hoagie roll, or a bbq sauce version. we opted for the traditional here, and were oh so pleased with the result. Again, the meat was tender and non-greasy. The sauce was indeed deliciously zesty with the right measure of spice to enhance the meatballs. A good but not overwhelming melt of cheese on the top and a fresh toasty roll that actually served as more than a vehicle for holding sauce completed the sub. We should note that not being inherently vegans, we opted for the dairy cheese options on our meals.

Each dish came with a choice of sides, and we had a tough time choosing from among the mashed potatoes and gravy, mac 'n cheese, sweet potato fries - all in vegan form, mind you - various salads, pesto dressed veggies, and plenty more. We opted for the mac 'n cheese and sweet potato fries. The fries were not greasy, well seasoned and tasty. The mac 'n cheese was like something from a gourmet grandma's kitchen. It was thick, rich, creamy, ridiculously filling and absolutely memorable. It could have been a meal in itself.

Vegetarian "Meatball" sub with sweet potato fries

Despite the fact that we were pretty well stuffed, on behalf of our readers, we had to get a little something for dessert. All in the name of research, you know. The deserts include vegan items, such as vegan cookies in chocolate chip, snickerdoodle and ginger molasses and blueberry or apple cider muffins, now available at many Whole Foods Markets. Other choices include vegan cakes, cheesecakes, brownies and scones. We thought we'd just split a large chocolate chip cookie. As they were out, our ever-smiling server substituted and entire 12 pack of smaller cookies for the price of the one cookie! While we thought the cookies were just so-so (we're not vegans so we don't know how they compare with others out there) we really appreciated the problem-solving nonchalance of our server. We know that reviewing a diner in the first place is a bit of a guilty pleasure, but our friendly waiter was complicit in our quest to make this healthy eating experience, as well as our bellies, well-rounded.

We also appreciate their corporate responsibility from their Reubens for Wildlife program to participation in Dining Out For Life, they make an effort to get involved and help. For those in search of vegan recipes, there is also a Chicago Diner Cookbook available.

Bottom Line: Fast, friendly service, a lively neighborly ambiance, outstanding vegetarian diner cuisine, and a no-hassle, just enjoy attitude make the Chicago Diner a place we think is worth visiting whenever you make your way to the Windy City.

The Chicago Diner is located at 3411 N. Halsted in Chicago. Telephone: (773) 935-6696. They don't take reservations. Visit their website here for menus, history, merchandise and more.