For 40 days, the season of Lent is one of introspection as well as a variety of foods that respect the rules, yet still please the palette.
For many Christians Lent is full of traditions that help focus the mind and soul. Growing up Protestant, I wasn’t privy to food traditions specific to Lent. Later in life I had the good luck to marry into a Catholic family and discover how the season can taste.
According to the Catholic Telegraph, “Roman Catholics must fast and abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Additionally, they must abstain from meat on all Fridays during Lent.”
We asked local diners what their favorite local restaurant dishes are during this observation.
Many votes came in for Jimmy’s Place, 7411 W. Madison St. in Forest Park, which features Lake Victoria whitefish each Friday night during Lent.
Old World Pizza, 7230 W. North Ave. in Elmwood Park, has several items to fit the season.
“Offering classic Lenten dishes like pepper & egg sandwiches and eggplant Parm sandwiches and pasta is important because it allows us to honor the traditions of our customers,” said manager Danielle Michelon.
Also in Elmwood Park, Johnnie’s Beef, 7500 W. North Ave., serves up pepper & egg sandwiches on Fridays throughout the season.
Taco Mucho, 220 Harrison St. in Oak Park, always has blackened fish tacos on the menu, but many diners seek them out at this time of the year.
In Forest Park the shrimp Po’boy at Shanahan’s, 7353 Madison St., fits the bill. Berwyn Chicken Co, 7021 Roosevelt Rd. in Berwyn, rocks a Friday fish fry.
Scratch Public House, 7505 Madison St. in Forest Park, and Scratch on Lake, 733 Lake St. in Oak Park, go all out with a Lenten menu: New England clam chowder, fried clam strips, filet-o-fish sandwiches, baja fish tacos and more.
It’s hard to go wrong with these possibilities.
