Chicago: Nana

I'd been saving Nana for, well, my friend Nana if she ever came to visit me in Chicago.  When it became clear that Nana wouldn't be able to make it before I left, I made the trip with Goddess C in honor of her.

As you've probably guessed, my friend's name isn't actually Nana (just as Goddess C's name isn't actually Goddess C...no matter how much I wish it were).  It is, however, the nickname my mother came up with when Nana asked for a Chinese name.  Though we never call her that in person, Nana must have accepted it as hers because one day out of the blue, she called/texted/emailed (I don't remember which) me to tell me about a "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" episode featuring Nana in Chicago and how it was only fitting that we eat there when she eventually came to visit.

So, Nana, my friend, this one's for you:

Goddess C and I were a bit worried about the wait on a Saturday morning, but it turned out to be not a problem at all:

We'd walked all the way to Nana's from the Halsted L stop thanks to a stupid bus that didn't stop where it was supposed to.  Argh...what's with bus drivers who see you at the stop but keep on driving?  Not cool, man.  Not cool.  Anyway, being the bitter people we are, Goddess C and I grumbled the entire way, threatening to flip a table if the food wasn't good.  Oh wait, that was just me.

I need to have more faith in Guy Fieri (whose face is stenciled on the wall) because the food was awesome.

The two of us split a sweet and savory, as we always do at brunch.  For our sweet dish, we ordered the wild strawberry pancakes:

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the pancakes weren't bright pink as I feared they would be.  Instead, they were light and fluffy and embedded with strawberry chunks.  I could have done without the macadamia nut brittle, but the meyer lemon curd and the whipped cream were essential.  No maple syrup necessary on these babies.

For our savory, we went with the nanadict.  Our server was kind enough to bring it out to us on two separate plates.  Here's mine:

Don't expect your typical eggs benedict at Nana's.  Instead of the traditional English muffin, Nana uses pupusas.  In place of the usual ham, chorizo.  And rather than hollandaise sauce, the nanadict is topped with poblano cream.  To be honest, I was a little disappointed by the nanadict.  My egg was a little overcooked for my taste and the pupusa base was a bit bland.  However, I was really impressed with the potatoes and Lord knows how particular I am about my potatoes.

Overall, the meal was fantastic and I seriously recommend Nana as a great brunch spot in Chicago.

With our good moods restored, Goddess C and I elected to walk back to the L instead of trying our luck again with the bus.  The weather couldn't have been better and to top it all off, we discovered the coolest park in Chicago, Bridgeport's own hidden gem, Palmisano Park.  Check it out the next time you're in the area!


Nana
3267 S Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 929-2486
http://nanaorganic.com/