Chicago｜Affordable One-Star Middle Eastern Cuisine

Mid-Autumn Festival visit to Galit — a Middle Eastern spot that’s held a Michelin star for three years (through 2024). Super popular! 1️⃣ Hummus 🧆 Chose the brisket version because… carnivore. The beef was tender, savory, slightly spicy. Hummus was incredibly smooth and light — tahini perfectly balanced, not too heavy. 2️⃣ Salatim 🥢 Four kinds of tangy small bites — each unique. Labneh was thick but mild in dairy flavor. Eggplant dip was soft and velvety — my favorite! Tabouli had great texture with buckwheat grains. The pickles were seriously sour — woke me right up! 🫓 Freshly baked naan — fluffy, chewy, perfect for tearing and scooping. Could easily fill up on this alone. 3️⃣ Mezze Foie Gras 🍞 Fluffy egg bread toasted crispy, topped with a thick layer of foie gras mousse and grape jam. First bite = rich, powerful, decadent. But then the bread… so oily it out-greased the foie gras. One small piece was enough — overwhelmingly rich. Great naan, bad bread choice here. Stuffed Pepper 🫑 Under a black veil hid a sweet, colorful surprise — soft roasted bell pepper filled with pepper-tomato sauce, sweet and smooth. Pickled strawberries added tangy contrast that helped cut the foie gras richness. (The mint leaf kinda tasted like White Flower Oil though 🌱) 4️⃣ Over Coal Maybe they assumed we were full from the naan, because the main courses felt light on portions. Striped Bass Masgouf 🐟 Sea bass bathed in tomato sauce — sliced open to reveal a ginger layer underneath (pretty color combo!). Ginger was warm, not spicy, balancing the tomato’s coolness. Fish itself was firm, slightly overcooked. Pastrami 🥩 Smoked brisket — aroma hits you first. Perfectly fatty, melts in your mouth without greasiness. Served with scallion-less scallion pancake — flaky, soft, chewy, nostalgic flavors. 5️⃣ Roasted Peach 🍑 Hyssop ice cream 🪻 was heavenly — floral, tea-like, subtly fragrant. Challah bread pudding redeemed the earlier foie gras bread — moist, springy, just sweet enough. Strangely, the sweetest part was the plum and roasted peach underneath… the peach was overcooked and sad. Took one bite and I felt sad too. #CityFoodVotes #ChicagoEats #MidAutumnFlavors #MichelinStarChicago #AffordableFineDining