Montclare, Galewood

Montclare/Galewood continued...

Montclare-Galewood is not known as a restaurant destination, though one -- Ristorante Agostino, on Harlem Avenue just north of Diversey in Montclare, has built a loyal following in a neighborhood that once was heavily Italian. It's also the only restaurant in the two neighborhoods that approaches the "upscale" category.

There are other places to grab a bite. On North Avenue, which separates Galewood and the suburb of Oak Park, are Amarind's Thai restaurant and, next door, Cafe Laguardia West, featuring Cuban specialties. (The original, Laguardia "east," is in the Bucktown neighborhood.) El Taconazo, a taqueria on Diversey Avenue just east of Harlem (near Agostino) in Montclare, can satisfy that craving.

Also on Harlem are a couple of espresso bars (the inviting I Due Monde Cafe among them) and, a little south but still on Harlem, Kolatek's Bakery & Deli, which serves the Montclare neighborhood's growing Polish population.

Add two more places on Harlem that have been around long enough to quality as local institutions: Geo's Pizza, offering carry-out and delivery only (and with pictures of both Mayor Daleys and both White Sox ballparks on the wall); and steps away, Il Giardino del Dolce, an extraordinary Italian bakery.

"When I was younger," says owner Enzo Ventrella, whose parents opened the bakery more than 25 years ago, "it was much more of an Italian neighborhood. Now it's much more of a Hispanic and Polish neighborhood -- but we stuck to our Italian roots."

With a couple of adjustments.

"We make kolacky Nutella," he says. "Nobody makes those. And we've started doing more marzapan. It's an Italian thing, but more Hispanics buy the marzapan."

There are some nice parks, notably the Rutherford-Sayre Park. It's right across the street from the Shriners Hospital and features a World War I monument in front of its field house. Listed on the plaque are the names of 124 men from the neighborhood who served in 1914-1918.

The names are an indicator that Montclare-Galewood's ethnic makeup hasn't always been what it is now, nor what it was when Enzo Ventrella was growing up here.

But they're all names of neighborhood guys. 

And they all would've loved Enzo's sfogliatelles and Amarind's pad kee mao and El Taconazo's tacos al pastor and Laguardia's shredded beef and that Polish rye at Kolatek's . . . and, probably, 16-inch softball in one of the nice parks.

Pure Chicago. 

For more information about Montclare/Galewood, please contact the 36th Ward Office at 773.622.3232.