Wazwan - Chicago
Wazwan bills itself as serving "South Asi
an street food," but don't expect to be served food in a rolled-up newspaper or a paper cup. Wazwan serves elevated street food, menu items inspired by the open-air markets of the world but composed with a fine dining sensibility.
Chef Zubair Mohajir explains "We all journey with food – from childhood summer vacations in my grandmother’s home to an exciting first date in Chicago to a family wedding with three generations in Chennai, India. For my family, food is the language of love and memory. My Indian parents were expats living in the Middle Eastern country of Qatar, where I spent my childhood before moving to the United States. Breakfast on Sunday mornings shows union of my family’s Indian heritage with their adopted Arab palates: Bombay Omlettes, Humus, Ful, Halomi cheese, and warmed Pita."
Based on his multicultural upbringing, Chef Mohajir prepares dishes that reflect his personal experiences...and that will blow your mind.
Building upon Mohajir's multicultural perspective, Nihari Momo is his take on a Tibetan beef dumpling, with Sichuan peppercorn and chili oil; Lumpia is the Filipino egg roll, stuffed with chicken and chili sauce.
The THC Sando is a sandwich of tandoori honey chicken, prepared using the traditional Indian oven, and spiced with gochujang, the popular Korean spice, a beautiful example of how different cultures come together in Chef Mohajir's kitchen.
A crowd favorite is the Duxelle Burger, the patty a combo-grind of brisket and Angus, topped with smoked gouda and fermented scallion aioli. This is a safe choice for those who prefer the familiar, and it is fantastic.
Korma is a meat and vegetables braised in yogurt, and the Korma at Wazman is a vegetarian combo of cashew butter, garlic and ginger, black truffle, and basmati rice, a much more skillful collection of ingredients than you will find in most street food.
Wazwan delivers a unique and delicious experience.
