Reader Bites celebrates dishes, drinks, and atmospheres from the Chicagoland food scene. Have you had a recent food or drink experience that you can’t stop thinking about? Share it with us at fooddrink@chicagoreader.com.
I first ate at this 43-year-old South Indian standby during an informal Devon Avenue food crawl with my friends. We started there with paratha, pani puri, and chai; shopped around Patel Brothers; nibbled on masala dosa, idli, and sambar vada at Udupi Palace, plus coffee and a long break to digest; enjoyed rose falooda and other treats at King Sweets; then ended the day overstuffed with butter paneer curry, veg thali, and more chai from Ghareeb Nawaz.
To the surprise of everyone in the group, our mutually agreed upon best bite of the day was also the first. The aloo paratha at counter-service cafe Annapurna stood out against a full day’s worth of sweet and savory delectables—and, no, I have to insist that it wasn’t just because we were hungriest in the morning.
The flaky potato-stuffed flatbread is the perfect vehicle to scoop the rich, spiced chana masala. Drizzle some cooling raita over the chickpea curry, and don’t be deterred when it drips down your hand; just shovel the bite in your mouth, use your greasy fingers to pop in a tangy piece of achar, let the layers of flavor wash over you, and go back for more.
Annapurna Simply Vegetarian
2600 W. Devon
773-764-1858
$11.99
eatannapurna.com
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