Baladoche
2905 N. Clark St.
773-880-5090
www.baladoche.com
The missing waffle: Before Baladoche opened this fall, there was nowhere in Chicago to buy hot fresh Belgian waffles to go. Yes, yes. Plenty of places serve what they claim are Belgian waffles (you know, the types weighed down with strawberries and whipped cream). But we’re talking about real Belgian waffles–chewy, sweet, dough-based creations known as gaufres de Liege in Belgium that are meant to be eaten as snacks while shopping or after bar-hopping and usually cost a Euro or two. Baladoche stepped into the city’s gaufre void, and is so committed to creating an authentic product that the cafe uses imported Belgian water in the dough-making process.
The gaufre stand: Baladoche sits on a busy section of North Clark Street, not far from a massive Borders and Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema. It’s a wee cafe, with a walk-up takeout window at the front, three tables in the back and a small bar outfitted with bar stools. The place serves waffles, coffee, gelato and Belgian chocolates. The vibe is modern and sterile–everything is either white or stainless steel. There’s also no music–this is not a place that says please linger a while.
The gaufres: No matter, the waffles are walk-around snacks anyway. Three choices are available–plain ($4.59), sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar ($5.50) and smeared with Nutella ($6.42). All of the waffles are made fresh while you wait, and they take a little while to cook. These are not the insubstantial batter-born Belgian waffles you’ve had at diners across the city. The waffle, the size of a grown man’s hand, begins with real dough and ends up denser and sweeter than a diner waffle, with a real chew to it and a caramelized crunchy outside. All three versions were delicious, especially the plain one, which smelled irresistibly of yeast, caramel and sugar all at once.
Worth it? While they tasted authentic, these waffles did not carry authentic cheap Belgian prices. The least expensive waffle costs nearly $5, with the most expensive topping out at nearly $7. For a snack. These waffles could be eaten for breakfast on the go, but even then the price seemed steep for a food that occupies the same place in our diet as doughnuts, cinnamon rolls and muffins–all of which generally cost a few bucks each.
On the other hand, Baladoche is charging some of the lowest prices around for its Illy brand coffee. Both the 12-ounce and 16-ounce coffees are just $1, tax included. A 20-ouncer is $2. A coffee and a plain waffle will run about $6, which approaches the cost of a pastry and coffee at places like Starbucks.
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ttsouderos@tribune.com
