Tahoora Sweets and Bakery2345 W. Devon Ave.There’s no fooling around at Tahoora. The eatery boasts three different customer lines-two for general orders and one express lane for tea-only patrons-probably because they know how tortuous the wait can be. Come for brunch on the weekends for their special $4 tray called Halwa Puri; it’s a cafeteria-style tray with each compartment holding everything from spicy chickpeas to pieces of mango pickle served with three slices of puri, a thinner version of naan. Or drop by any time for 70 cent vegetable samosas, each fried piece of dough near bursting with potatoes, tomatoes and chilies.
Uru-Swati2629 W. Devon Ave.Sweet incense and soft south Indian music greets you at the door of Uru-Swati. A colorful, six-foot-tall cityscape runs down one side of the restaurant, jutting out towards families eating paper dosas (two-foot crepes with vegetable soup for dipping). The samosa chat, a dish of deep fried dumplings stuffed with vegetables and topped with yogurt, chutney and sev lets you enjoy every unique flavor without overwhelming your mouth. At $4.95, this sizable appetizer is really a small meal.
Sukhadia’s Sweets2559 W. Devon Ave.Bright reds, purples and sunflower yellows coat the sweet shop’s walls and trimmings. The whole place is like a southeast Asian Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. It’s chock full of glass cases displaying pastries and candies of all shapes and shades, from olive green mohanthal to square-cut mysore. One customer recommended the elachi penda, a white puff of sweetened milk topped with cardamom and pistachio shavings.
Fresh Farms International Market2626 W. Devon Ave.Pyramids of produce pile around customers cautiously avoiding cart crashes in the aisles of Fresh Farms International Market on a typical Sunday afternoon. The market is famous for its low prices and premium products. People come from all over the city for royal purple eggplants, huge banana peppers and inexpensive cooking spices. If you’re tired of plain old salt and pepper, test out the bags of cumin and curry lining the store’s shelves.[email protected]
