Fiya flourishes for first North Side Restaurant Week

Do you know what Fiya means? It means something is very good or outstanding and that applies to the restaurant of the same name in the Andersonville area of Chicago.

Fiya, 5419 North Clark Street, specializes in Middle Eastern cuisine and is situated in a prime spot for foot traffic in the bustling Swedish neighborhood.

There's a massive hearth warming oven centered in the middle of the room for arena seating and a private party space lies on the east side of the venue.

Fiya's spacious patio is equipped with igloos for the colder months in the back and in the front floor to floor-to-ceiling glass doors can open tableside for fresh air. The owners have created a welcoming atmosphere to encourage the bustling Swedish neighborhood patrons to enter and try a dynamic new promotion tied to North Side Restaurant Week.

After a successful Chicago Restaurant Week that ended on Feb. 4, other restauranteurs are finding value in the promotion and so are their guests. The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce has teamed up with other nearby areas for the first time to form a North Side Restaurant Week from March 1-15, 2024.

For $44 per person with a two-person minimum and requirement of participation to the juicy deal from the entire party at the table.

Start off with a traditional heaping plate of hummus and piping hot pita. There's a smattering of Syrian dip called Muhumarra and the eggplant-based Baba Ganoush on the side to accompany it.

The second course is the Salad Charred Cabbage is a hefty portion of fiber that's smothered in creamy tahini caesar dressing with dill and sesame on top.

There are three delicious options for the third course and while one can't go wrong, it's all a matter of taste.

For those that don't care for the sometimes powerful scent of euryhaline ray-finned fish the Moroccan Salmon is covered with a rich tomato sauce that combats that.

The smoked and roasted half chicken is a Fiya staple with garlic yogurt on the side and the roasted eggplant is a possible third choice.

Sides included Moroccan mashed potatoes, peppers, onions and toast.

Finish off the night with a dessert of Pistachio Malabi also known as Muhallebi, a milk pudding made with rice, sugar and milk popular in the Middle East. This pistachio-topped glass of goodness will round out a well-curated meal from Fiya.

If you haven't dined at Fiya yet, now is the time!

Visit fiyarestaurant.com for more on this fine establishment and explore northsiderestaurantweek.com for participating eateries in the city.