katzinger's who? i'm a brown bag man!. if katzinger's is the well-behaved child that always minds his manners, dresses immaculately, and who is brought out for dinner parties to impress guests and visitors, then brown bag deli is his younger brother, who grows his hair long, plays in the rain, frolics in open fields, and lives an altogether more bohemian lifestyle. being siblings, they both have their similarities and are both loved equally, but one is more suited for show while the other is much more fun to spend time with. thus is my comparison between the two delis themselves.
brown bag deli is located on the corner of mohawk and whittier streets in german village, one block north of schiller park. there is no on-site parking, but given that there is very little commercial development within a few blocks (mostly residential), finding a street spot nearby is usually trouble-free. when you first enter, you'll see their regular menu on the wall on the left-hand side and a huge chalk board on the right-hand side listing their specials that day (though the soups of the day are listed above the cash register). the interior is reminiscent of a home-town coffee shop, with a few tables in the main room and brightly-painted walls. a comfortable and open-minded air hangs about the place, and most of the patrons are nearby german village residents -- though they also maintain a healthy catering business, too.
when eating in, you order and pay at the register, have a seat, and then they'll bring out your order once it has been prepared. there is a self-service water jug in the corner, and cleaning your table and throwing away your trash is left up to the customer. they do have a few "grab-bags" of pre-preparedlunchsandwiches by the door as you walk in, if you're in a hurry and just taking your food to-go; otherwise, the wait for an order never drags much past 5-10 minutes. it can be crowded, however, around the noon-timelunchrush on weekdays, so plan accordingly.
the menu boasts a variety of hot and cold deli sandwiches that are jazzed up with a bit of extra love. a few examples include leroy's smokin' sandwich (pastrami and smoked ham, cheddar, sauerkraut, and 1,000 island dressing) and the mohawk stroller (smoked turkey, roasted red peppers, basil pesto, and sprouts). each sandwich is hearty enough to satisfy a lunch-worthy appetite, but in case you're a voracious eater like myself, they also offer a variety of home-made side dishes (pasta salad, coleslaw, etc.) in the glass counter by the register, as well as at least 2-3 soups at all times. be sure to check out the daily special on the chalk board, too, as this boasts comfort food classics such as brisket or meatloaf. the prices are a little higher than your average meat-and-cheese deli, but they do use top quality meats and cheeses, with a good variety of veggies, toppings, and breads to choose from. you wallet won't feel a thin as it does after leaving katzinger's, but plan on spending around $10-12 per person on average, counting sides and drinks.
i'd also like to apologize for comparing brown bag to katzinger's as part of my review, but given their similarities and proximity, it is a comparison that is hard to ignore. don't get me wrong, i do love katzinger's, but lately i've been finding myself heading just a few blocks south to entertain my brown bag craving. maybe i'm just turning into a brown bag man. and as a final note, its perfectly acceptable to dip any sandwich into any soup -- it'll always be good. enjoy.
must-try dish: the village addiction (smoked turkey, havarti, and cranberry mayo on sourdough)