This time last year I was fighting my way through snowpocalypse on my way to Chicago and a new stage in my life. Flashback a couple of weeks to that brief  little attempt at winter and I was out soaking up the freeze. Boy was it cold at the beach and what more does one need after a brisk cold (perhaps foolish) walk along the shore?

Some hot and probably somewhat unhealthy food that hits the spot sounds like a plan.

Jakes pup in the ruf seemed like it was worth a try, not just because of the copious cartoonesque characatures lining the window.

I think it was the statement that “Only a rooster gets a better piece of chicken!” that pulled me in.

Inside it was a strange affair, again great cartoon art, and the clientele? I thought that I was on the set of “Cocoon meets Grumpy Old men”. In all seriousness this was worth the ‘entrance fee’ alone (if there was one that is). “Your not talking to me today eh? well you’ll be dead soon so how about that huh?” was the classic line of the day. Hopefully it wasn’t the food as I did notice that he also was eating the broasted chicken.

At first although the ‘broasted chicken’ had drawn me in, I was unsure. Standing at the counter it all looked a bit dried up, but in fact when I bit into it I got the message, broasted seemed to be equal to roasted then deep fried, or maybe grilled then deep fried, or something similar. This was a seriously large meal three large bits of chicken, fries, a whole corn on the cob, bread and plantain, all for $6.19, heart attack and expanding belly extra, bring your own comfy pants.

Jakes advertisers itself as a ‘Chicken Eaters Paradise’  and it is family owned and operated. It has been there since 1959 which is practically ye olden times in the USA.

Located at 4401 N Sheridan Rd, (between Agatite Ave & Montrose Ave) , Chicago, IL 60640. You can get here by walking miles in the snow or alternatively take the red line to Wilson and walk west one block, or get the CTA 78 Montrose to Wilson Bus and get off right outside.