Chicago Favorite: "Little India" Devon Ave.

In the mood for Bollywood?  Have a craving for a fabulous plate of palak paneer?  Can’t find that perfect jeweled studded nose pin?

Chicago’s Little India is just the place to find all of those things, and more.  On Devon Ave., between Damen and Kedzie, one of the most prominent Indian marketplaces in North America can be found.

After returning from India, I decided that there would be no better time to head down to Devon and check it out.  I was missing Bollywood movies, craving a good curry, and really wanted to find a new intricate nose stud, and I had been told that Devon Ave. would be a sure fire place to find all of this and much more.  My sources were correct, and I highly recommend to anyone that is craving a small taste of India to visit as well.

My initial reaction upon arriving into the neighborhood, was that it looks like most other ethnic neighborhoods in the city.  But upon closer inspection of the stores, restaurants, and markets, I could feel the Indian flare.  While walking down the street, I could smell the food and hear the music.  I felt as if a piece of me was back in India, if only for the afternoon.  There were even Paan stains on the sidewalks.  Paan is an Indian snack, which uses the Betel leaf to wrap up various fillings, often spices, fruits, sugar, and sometime even tobacco.

My first stop was Atlantic Video.  I could not resist the calls of the Bollywood stars to my soul as I approached the store.  To anyone unfamiliar with Bollywood, a play on words combining Bombay and Hollywood, I encourage you to check it out!  Bollywood movies are known for their singing, dancing, and super beautiful and handsome stars.  Bollywood movies are also known to be unrealistically romantic, far fetched, and just barely containing themselves within their PG borders.  To describe Bollywood I usally say imagine Grease with an Indian flare, and to most that I introduce to it, they wind up with a minor addiction to the catchy tunes, the flashy costumes, and the beautiful people.  

At Atlantic Video I was told that they had over 30,000 Bollywood titles in stock, and I was in no way disappointed.  I spent more than an hour browsing through the titles and trying to decide.  I had brought a list along with me of movies that I had wanted to see, and others that I had already seen but wanted to own, but was still torn through the decision process after strolling around and looking at all of the covers.  Most Bollywood DVDs do have the descriptions on the back written in English, though the majority of the films are in Hindi, and all that I have ever come across do have the option of English subtitiles.  A word to the wise though, if buying a Bollywood VCD, either online or elsewhere, usually there are not subtitles, or so I found while purchasing all over India.

I purchased Gangster, Monsoon Wedding, Devdas, and a few soundtrack Cds, and headed along my merry way trying hard to control myself from bursting into song and dance while walking along Devon Ave.

I next headed to Raj Jewlers, looking in search of a nose pin.  The jewelry at Raj is absolutely georgous, a brilliant color that is such a rich yellow since none of the pieces are anything less than 22 karat, and most of the pieces that I saw were so intricately designed and hand crafted.  But alas, as extremely beautiful as they were, they were also extremely out of my price range as well.  But, I still recommend a bit of browsing around Raj Jewlers just to get a glimpse of just how beautifully designed hand crafted Indian jewelry is.  

Before heading home I stopped into Udupi Palace for a bite to eat.  It just so happens that there is also an Udupi Palace near my North Suburban home.  I love their food and often stop by for take out when my craving for Indian food overtakes me.  The Udupi Palace off of Devon Ave. was also superb and did not fail to impress me.  Udupi Palace is a traditionally South Indian cuisine restaurant.  This means that it is fully vegetarian, no meats, no eggs, no seafood.  Though, you will find dairy products, which I am greatful for since Palak Paneer is my favorite Indian dish of all time.  Palak means spinach and paneer is a soft cubed Indian cheese.  So, Palak Paneer is chunks of cheese in a spiced creamed spinach.  MMMMM.   I, of course, orded it with some hot fresh Chapathi, soft wheat bread similar to pita, to scoop it up with.  

As I drove back to suburbia, my tummy was full, my heart was happy, and I was singing along to my favorite Bollywood songs from the movie Fanaa.  I can’t imagine a better way to spend a Wednesday afternoon, short of traveling to India, that is.  Next time I return, who knows, I may even be fitted for a Sari.  That is one thing that I regret that I did not do while in India, but then again, where would I ever really wear it?