Eleven City Diner

1112 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago
312-212-1112
Broadcast  September 29, 2006

CHICAGO (WBBM) -- I’m not suggesting that great corned beef is like wine. But, the success of both is linked to their staying power. Good corned beef  lingers on the  taste buds, its brine, salt, If  I can still taste corned beef fifteen or twenty minutes later, I’m very happy.

I was very happy with the corned beef sandwich served at Eleven City Diner, part of Chicago’s South Loop resurgence at 1112 South Wabash. It’s a Jewish style delicatessen and restaurant, combined with a typical diner.

The menu compares the corned beef sandwich to the likes of New York’s Carnegie Deli,  reasonable enough  even if the diner lacks the bustle and brawn of New York. The Eleven City Diner version is house cured, something rarely found in Chicago delis of any style.

Thin slices are piled high, all but falling over onto the plate. Sadly there was no pumpernickel or other dark rye offered. The closest I could come to that was a marbled rye.

There’s more to the diner than corned beef, or it’s brined and smoked cousin, pastrami. Bubbie’s Chicken Soup is a fairly clear broth with a choice of matzoh ball, egg noodles and rice, or kreplach, which is a savory meat filled dumpling. The flavor is rich, though several shakes of pepper help. The matzoh ball is from the light, rather than heavy category; I happen to prefer those more like cannon balls.

Elsewhere the menu holds a clutch of delicatessen sandwiches, decent lox and large salads. Potato pancakes and knishes, more dense than kreplach, are huge, well textured and flavorful.

Eleven City Diner’s menu is embellished with grilled top sirloin with onions, a center cut pork chop with apples sauce or grilled chicken breast plain, Cajun or Italian style among choices.

Desserts are on display in a refrigerated case as are meats and cheeses for take out. Surprisingly, there was no rice pudding on the menu when we visited. Expect to spend about $ a couple plus add ons. There’s even valet parking. Eleven City Diner is at 1112 South Wabash and has a K/RATING of 17/20.

AMBIANCE  3/4   
HOSPITALITY 4/4   
FOOD 9/10     
VALUE 1/1
K/RATING 17/20