Anyway, to get to the subject header, had a delightful dinner at the newly reinvented space which formerly housed the Bleeding Heart Bakery on Chicago just west of Damen. The Painted Lady is a fantastic little organic bistro brought to you by the owners of BHB. The food is fresh prepared, and is all organic. They also cater to the veggie and vegan crowd, and most of the menu is vegan-optional (eg, the delicious Chicago Cheese Steak can be prepared with lean, organic grass-fed beef or their own, house-made Seitan). Among what I tried, the hummus was tremendous, fresh and garlicky; the burger (topped with an egg in the non-vegan variety) was solid (didn't care for the black bean, eggless version as much); the Chicago Cheese Steak was a perfectly prepared mix on toasted panini; and both the veggie chili and the pizzas were delicious. The scene is funky kitsch, a favorite of edgy artist types. No reservations, but they do take out and have a wide variety of BHB pastries and breads at the counter (BHB has moved North to a larger space at Belmont & Damen). The small seating area was comfortable and not crowded when we arrived (no wait,
probably seats 15-20). Menu changes daily (and typically on the chalkboard, right), and while they were out of some things we wanted to try, it was only because everything is house-made and hand-crafted. The experience is also a real urban coffee-shop one, order at the counter (although they do accept credit cards, which I nervously put forth for payment as the place screams cash-only), food comes out as prepared. The owners (Michelle and Velentin Garcia) were both on-site making the magic happen, and came out to explain why one of our selections wasn't available - they are clearly passionate about the food and their business. Perfect for a weekend lunch or casual dinner.
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