Deta's Cafe

The Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago is a tapestry of cultures. Howard Street, a busy thoroughfare dividing it from the city's North Shore suburbs is a rough-and-tumble strand of road on which you can find restaurants offering everything from jerk chicken to Indian samosa.

Or burek Montenegro-style at Deta's Cafe.

There are two ways to spot this great neighborhood find. One is by the bright colored flower boxes and tables with large umbrella's out front. The other by inhaling the smell of fresh puff pastry baking to a golden brown in Deta's small kitchen. Should you come across either, stop dead in your tracks. Then step inside what can only be described as a transformation in time.

Owner Deta Lekic opened her cafe eight years ago as a way to bring her native burek to diners. A savory pastry from the former area of Yugoslavia, Deta rolls the non-yeast dough, filling it with wither cheese, spinach and cheese, potato, onion and beef or potato and onion. The pastry is light, delicious and addictive and tastes best with a cup of Deta's Turkish coffee.

As a first-time visitor, expect Deta to lead you into the small galley kitchen to watch her prepare a burek and pop it into the small oven. In addition to the burek, she whips up fresh cabbage, Mediterranean and Greek salads.

What's more, there's always something of a surprise waiting in Deta's refrigerator. Whether it is a pot of freshly made chicken soup or tender goulash be assured that Deta will have something tempting to offer. On Sunday's she prepares desserts and her Apple Grandma Cake is as worth a visit as is the burek.

Never costly, a burek (and one is enough for two) is $6.50. Salads are $4.00 and $5.00 and a cup of Turkish coffee is $2.00. Deta's is also BYOB and a dark beer or deep red wine would pair well with the savory delight.

During the summer months Deta's offers wonderful outdoor seating--large tables shaded by colorful umbrellas and surrounded by lush planters. If you're really fortunate, one of Deta's friends will drop by to provide a bit of musical entertainment adding to the wonderfully spur of the moment feel of this fun local haunt.

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