New Indian-Filipino Bakery Opens in Chicago From ‘Top Chef’ Contestant | Eater Chicago
"Chef Zubair Mohajir — who helped redefine South Asian cuisine in Chicago with Lilac Tiger and the Coach House, and who leaped to the national stage earlier this year as part of the cast of Top Chef: Destination Canada — has formed a new team with Coach House chef de cuisine Jacob Dela Cruz and Salt Burger and Fries co-founder Hassan Jaffrani to open a cafe that shares a space with Salt’s Wicker Park location at 1924 W. North Avenue. Colleagues say Top Chef hasn’t gone to Mohajir’s head and he’s remained grounded; Dela Cruz has noticed one change: he’s “become a really good photographer, constantly snapping photos of his boss posing with star-struck customers.” The concept blends South Asian flavors with Dela Cruz’s Filipino heritage, focusing initially on breakfast sandwiches and pastries (with small-batch ice cream like red mung bean to follow), and Mohajir is excited to brew the same masala chai he serves at his other restaurants (noting bartender David Mor’s creative use of the spiced tea at his bars Truce and Lilac Tiger). They also pour Dark Matter Coffee. Local baker Reema Patel fills the pastry case with items such as chai flan, an ube crinkle cookie stuffed with cream cheese, a calamansi shrikhand doughnut based on a Boston Creme, cake doughnuts and cookies, and a cashew cookie with a silver leaf based on the classic South Asian kaju katli; the “Food For the Gods” bar is made with dates and black tea. Patel, who worked on the pastry team at Mariscos San Pedro and appeared on Season 2 of the reality cooking show Baking It, teases upcoming treats like a gulab jamun banana pudding and says, “A really cool part of creating a space and creating recipes is knowing that you can change things and still end up with something even better than what you thought.” The cafe will also offer dosa — a paper dosa that is thin and crispy and will be stuffed with mushrooms and sweet potato, with other toppings available; Jaffrani says they need to offer a “steak and eggs” like dosa option. All food is halal (no pork), so the breakfast sandwich features tocino made of chicken; Mohajir says he “gets a kick out of” serving halal versions of tocino and longganisa as the Muslim community doesn’t typically eat pork: “I think bacon smells amazing, but like, I’ve never eaten bacon, you know?” Dela Cruz explains the name comes from a legend on the Filipino island of Mindanao, derived from “Sarimanok,” a colorful bird meant to symbolize good fortune. Having watched Chicagoans wait in long lines for pastries at places like Del Sur and Fat Peach, the team is focused on keeping up with supply and demand — “We’re here to sell food, we’re here to sell pastries,” he says. “If we don’t make enough, then what’s the point?” — and the cafe is open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, with hours to be expanded later this summer." - Ashok Selvam
