Community Area #14 - Albany Park

Yesterday, I rode through Albany Park down Lawrence Avenue from the Chicago River east to Kedzie and then south on Kedzie. I've ridden this route many times before, but this time I took the time to notice the many ethnic organizations, businesses and especially restaurants fill this small area.

There was the Cambodian Association of Illinois on the south side of Lawrence just east of the river. According to their web site, there are about 3,000 Cambodian families in Chicago. The building has a museum whose purpose is to educate about the Cambodian genocide of 1975-1979 and the killing fields. The building has a spectacular piece of art (not sure exactly how to describe it) on the front of the building.

I also found an El Salvadorian Restaurant further down Lawrence.

Mekeni Restaurant bills itself as a "Taste of Pampanga". I had no idea where Pampanga is and there was no other hint about this cuisine on the outside of the restaurant. I googled it when I got home. Pampanga is in central Luzon in the Phillipines. There are several reviews of this place on Yelp. They say it's more like visiting your aunt's or grandmother's kitchen than going to a restaurant - for good and for bad.

After turning south on Kedzie, I came across Arun's. I've passed by several times and wondered what this building is. I figured it must be either a restaurant or a buddhist temple. As I was snapping pictures, a man came out of the building so I asked him what the place is. He told me that it's a Thai restaurant which serves a 12 course meal for $85 / person, prix fixe.

Further down on Kedzie was D'Candela, a Peruvian restaurant. How many of those can there be in Chicago?





In addition to the wealth of diversity in Albany Park, Lawrence Avenue is a treasure of architectural beauty. Many of the buildings aren't kept up very well, but the intricate facades are breathtaking if you just take the time to ignore the storefronts and look up at the buildings.