Fiya— Modern Middle Eastern in Andersonville

Jerry’s Sandwiches Owners Open Modern Israeli and Middle Eastern Restaurant in Andersonville

https://chicago.eater.com/2020/7/2/2131 ... go-chicago

Fiya
5419 N. Clark Street
Open 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday; 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday through Sunday.
https://www.fiyarestaurant.com/

Dave148 wrote:

Jerry’s Sandwiches Owners Open Modern Israeli and Middle Eastern Restaurant in Andersonville

https://chicago.eater.com/2020/7/2/2131 ... go-chicago

Fiya
5419 N. Clark Street
Open 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday; 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday through Sunday.
https://www.fiyarestaurant.com/

I'll take a Zahav/Shaya/Galit copycat any day of the week. Looks promising.

Made a great. first impression. Hummus is silky smooth and delicious. Watermelon & labneh salad works even better than feta. Khachapuri is the star of the show. Really delicious. Gonna have to go back with a few friends and taste the menu.

Looks like they added delivery as an option this week for lunch and dinner. Since Naf Naf Grill eliminated their schnitzel, I might have to order Fiya this week to get my fix.

lodasi wrote:Looks like they added delivery as an option this week for lunch and dinner. Since Naf Naf Grill eliminated their schnitzel, I might have to order Fiya this week to get my fix.

It's definitely a different treatment on the schnitzel from NafNaf (which was a decent representation). Fiya's is traditional but I couldn't quite determine the spice blend. They said za'atar, but there's something else in there. The portion was ample, so no complaints there, but the khatchapuri was the standout. The pomegranate beef was very tender and good overall, as was the vegetarian eggplant sandwich. I don't know what they're doing with their fries, but they're really great.

spinynorman99 wrote:

lodasi wrote:Looks like they added delivery as an option this week for lunch and dinner. Since Naf Naf Grill eliminated their schnitzel, I might have to order Fiya this week to get my fix.

It's definitely a different treatment on the schnitzel from NafNaf (which was a decent representation). Fiya's is traditional but I couldn't quite determine the spice blend. They said za'atar, but there's something else in there. The portion was ample, so no complaints there, but the khatchapuri was the standout. The pomegranate beef was very tender and good overall, as was the vegetarian eggplant sandwich. I don't know what they're doing with their fries, but they're really great.

Fiya's schnitzel was definitely a healthy portion, although the house pickles (carrots, peppers) on the sandwich were better eaten as a side than in the sandwich. I also dressed it up with some tahini and s'khug I had at home.
The braised beef was delicious and needed no alteration.

Very pleased with our carryout order last night, which also covered lunch today! (Actually tried Galit, which is closer to my work, but the website link indicated online delivery was unavailable at that time, I checked their Instagram and learned they were on hiatus through July 8.) I arrived to the neighborhood early, so maximized the moment by picking up six bottles of wine across the street at In Fine Spirits. Upon entry at Fiya, my bag was on a counter with my receipt/name, so I was able to grab and go. The space was very open and, once I resume on-site dining, one I would consider inviting, comfortable, and fun.

Our order included salatim, hummus with braised beef (also included whole chickpeas), greens & radish salad, wood-oven chicken, and khachapuri. The salad was substituted by choice when I was called with report the watermelon salad was unavailable. I was offered a10% discount "for my inconvenience", and my inconvenience was non-existant, only a phone call from a very apologetic and helpful staff member. I think they buried the lead in naming the salad by not identifying the fried goat cheese balls. And one more note re: the salad: in the future, I would request dressing on the side, especially for carryout. The chicken was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, even the breast, after reheating on a gas grill. As previously referenced, the khachapuri was perfect in every way. The order came with two packages of two pieces of housemade pita, I believe included with the salatim and hummus, thicker and fluffier than I have previously seen pita yet still with a pocket. Trying to eat a bit healthier, we sacrificially did not order the schnitzel or za'atar fries, and hope to enjoy those on a future visit. All in all, I think Fiya is a fantastic addition to the neighborhood and the city, and I am glad they chose to proceed with opening during this crazy and challenging time.

Thanks for these posts. I'm craving a good Middle Eastern meal, something a step up from my favorite Taste of Lebanon. Fiya will fit the bill.

Interestingly, it took me almost a year to try Fiya after my last post. A friend joined us for dinner last night on Fiya's spacious patio. It was a cool spring evening so the heat lamp near our table was welcome. We started with the salatim, which consisted of spiced roast cauliflower, labneth with olive oil and za'atar, roast eggplant with tahina, and zippy corn relish. This was a perfect starter to go with our drinks:Arak Hemingway, Saz-arak, and Strawberry Basil Smash -- all tasty. First time having Arak, described on their menu as "distilled grape and green anise seed, with clay amphorae aging." It worked in the sazerac better than the Hemingway to my palate.



I forgot to take photos after that one. For dinner, Mr. X had the Kofta en Croute (lamb meatballs, zesty red pepper sauce, pita crust.) I had the lamb sausage pita (lamb sausage, soft egg, avocado, torshi, tahina) and our friend had the falafel pita. Both lamb dishes were delicious. My friend enjoyed her falafel pita. I am sorry it took me so long to get there, but I know we'll be back.

We had a very nice meal on Fiya’s pleasant back patio last night. The weather was pretty much perfect for eating outdoors, and you wouldn’t know you were on busy Clark Street on a Friday night. We had the salatim, which included mixed spicy olives, a little bowl of Jerusalem salad, creamy labneh with olive oil and za’atar, eggplant dip, roast corn salad, outstanding matbucha (tomato jam), and one of their delicious pitas. These were great and came immediately, even before our drinks. A second pita wouldn’t have gone amiss, so maybe next time we’ll order that. We tried the lamb sausage khachapuri, tuna crudo (with some heat from thinly sliced jalapenos), and the roasted cauliflower with crème fraiche and zhug. These were all very good, but the khachapuri was the star. It’s still a thrill to be eating at a restaurant and not doing take-out, so we were happy and easy to please with a nice place to eat outside, very good food, and some alcohol. As our dear GWiv says, Fiya, count me a fan!

We dined here tonight for the first time. We are spoiled in Chicago for the riches of easily available fresh pita. That said, Fiya’s were so fluffy, fresh, and slightly charred, they had me at the appetizer. Which for us was hummus/falafel. We then moved on to share the schnitzel, Moroccan fish, and khachapuri. All delicious. Lovely atmosphere, good service.

Dinner at Fiya last night was excellent. We sat at the bar as no tables were available when we arrived. Fine with me -- I'm comfortable at the bar. Salatim included Moroccan carrots, baba ghanoush, labneh, torshi, and tomato jam. We added a side of hummus. All delicious. Mr. X and I split the roasted cauliflower and the roast chicken. We haven't had the chicken before. It was amazing. Perfectly cooked and seasoned. Plenty of leftovers for lunch today. Glad to see they were hopping and firing on all cylinders.

Had a very nice Mother's Day dinner here last night.


Salatim


Falafel
(Not pictured - the excellent Sumac-Za'atar Fries with Toom)


Khachapuri


Schnitzel
Forget to take the picture before it was cut-up. I don't recall it being Kataifi the last time we had it. Perhaps a newer preparation. Quite good - chicken was juicy.

LynnB wrote:Had a very nice Mother's Day dinner here last night.

I can vouch that Mother's Day brunch was also quite nice. We did the multi-item breakfast, which was very generous for two, and a few add-ons for a group of 5. Very nice wine list, too.