Seafood City is more than a Filipino supermarket in Chicago; the store and food court anchor a shopping center with some of the biggest brand-name bakeries and restaurants from the Philippines.
A lot has changed since the mega-market mall opened in 2016 on a former Kmart site on the Northwest Side. Recently, the supermarket chain, based in Pomona, California, launched online shopping and its own app, complete with curbside pickup and delivery. It was the first of the international grocery companies in the area to offer the services.
“Our first- and second-generation customers kept asking for it,” said Mildred Smith, vice president of marketing, noting that some felt uncomfortable shopping inside due to coronavirus concerns. “It took 21/2 months, working day and night. We thought it was going to be a simple thing to do.”
With an impressive inventory of not just Filipino items, but other Asian and American products, it’s a surprise the app came together in the short time it took. Not everything from Seafood City is available online, but that’s true for many stores that have pivoted during the pandemic.
The pandemic has also forced Seafood City to put its community events, like bingo and holiday holiday karaoke in English and Tagalog, on indefinite hold. Recently, however, the store hosted an event for our times: outdoor census outreach with a free mask giveaway.
Prepandemic, a common complaint stemmed from long lines in the supermarket food court. Now, diners can skip the line and order ahead at Grill City, the street food-style stall featuring barbecue skewers, by phone or on the Seafood City or Grill City apps. If you do go in, the line dividers are spaced farther apart, with social distancing circles on the floor. The Crispy Town stall also remains open, but Noodle Street is currently closed in the food court.
The minimum order online or on the app is $35, plus a service fee for curbside pickup.
The delivery area is within a 15-mile radius of the store. Third-party drivers from DoorDash or Postmates deliver the orders. A sample minimum order generated a base delivery fee of $6 near the supermarket, and up to $27.74 for a delivery 15 miles away.
That distance is nothing for some Filipino shoppers. Often, you can find families in the parking lot rearranging suitcases to better fit more groceries in their cars. Pop-up picnics will invariably ensue.
The Seafood City center currently offers eight dining options, listed alphabetically below. There are more on the way. Delicious Pho plans to open soon inside the largely empty indoor mall known as Elston Place Market Mix. Ima’s Kusina, a sweet rice cake maker from the San Francisco area, though, has currently stalled construction of its storefront.
If you can, go in yourself. If you can’t, the wide range of options at this one-of-a-kind Filipino food palace can bring an edible escape to the tropical island country to you. Here are my favorite items from each establishment, and tips for when you visit.
Seafood City Supermarket at Elston Place Market Mix, 5033 N. Elston Ave., 773-295-1658, seafoodcity.com
Crepe House Cafe
The only place that’s not a Filipino restaurant or bakery chain at the Seafood City center is Crepe House Cafe, which is currently offering takeout only. The small storefront, with a Serbian owner, offers European crepes, both sweet and savory, with coffee and ice cream, plus Asian bubble waffles. Their classic crepe ($6) folds an expansive, thin pancake around your choice of Nutella or Eurocrem, the cocoa and hazelnut spread made near Belgrade, Serbia’s capital city. It’s garnished with crushed Plazma, the buttery cookie beloved by Serbians, plus fresh banana and strawberry slices. Add a huge scoop of ice cream ($1), then hurry back to your car — or to the cafe’s outdoor tables. 773-628-7739, facebook.com/crepehousecafechicago
Crispy Town
A stall at the supermarket food court where visitors can dine in, Crispy Town does sound like somewhere many would like to live. It’s not listed on the Seafood City app, but some items are available under the Grill City section, including veggie lumpia and a footlong turon, the sticky and sweet fried banana lumpia. You’ll have to go inside to find mini lumpia packed with pork. Meanwhile, get the chicharon bulaklak ($19.99 per pound) if you can. Also known as pork ruffle fat, it is gloriously funky and crunchy deep-fried offal that’s traditionally a drinking food, served with a pure vinegar dip to restart your heart. 773-295-1658, seafoodcity.com/food-service/crispy-town
Grill City
The first food court stall when you enter the grocery store, Grill City always seems to have flames behind a display window. Usually they’re under meaty skewers, chicken or pork barbecue sticks. On mornings, though, look for longganisa, the fat, little, sweet pork sausages. Get the Grand Silog ($8.99) for breakfast, available only until 10 a.m. It comes with the defining sinangág (garlic fried rice) and eggs, plus your choice of two proteins on the cafeteria line, from grilled bangus (milkfish) to pork or chicken tocino (bacon). Lechon, or whole-roasted piglet, can be ordered two ways, three days in advance. 877-446-4969, grillcity.com/chicago
Jollibee
The best-known restaurant at Seafood City center — and one with die-hard fans — is Jollibee. While the Filipino chain has three locations in the Chicago area, all dining rooms nationwide are currently closed due to COVID-19 concerns. Jollibee is as famous for its Chickenjoy ($10.99 for a six-piece bucket), batter-dipped and deep-fried chicken served with gravy, as it is for Jolly Spaghetti. By the way, the pasta sauce, sweet and studded with hot dog chunks, is not made with banana ketchup (a popular condiment in the Philippines), according to a company spokesperson. Pro tip: Call ahead to order and pay, then skip the line — especially on weekends, when it can stretch across the parking lot. 773-685-6770, jollibeeusa.com
Max’s
The newest restaurant at the mall, Max’s opened at the end of last year and is offering limited seating. Originally founded in 1945 as a cafe in the Philippines’ Quezon City, it’s known as “The House that Fried Chicken Built.” The restaurant cooks its signature Max’s fried chicken ($15.99) whole. Don’t bother with a carving knife; you can easily tear through the golden, crispy skin to juicy and tender pieces. If you dine in, the chicken automatically comes with french fries, but for takeout you have to ask. Remember to request banana ketchup and Worcestershire sauce for dipping, too. 773-830-6297, maxsrestaurantna.com/chicago
Red Ribbon Bakeshop
The smallest storefront, and always takeout only, Red Ribbon Bakeshop is famous for its mango cake. What was once a Filipino immigrant family-owned business is now a part of the Jollibee parent company. The bakery offers pastries and nine cake flavors. They’re normally sold only as whole rounds or sheet cakes, so grab slices ($3.99 each) of the mango, caramel and ube cake whenever you can. Savory items include chicken, pork and beef empanadas, as well as fantastic pancit palabok, a rice noodle dish topped with garlic sauce, crushed chicharon and sliced egg. 773-685-5888, redribbonbakeshop.us
Seafood City Supermarket
The center of the Seafood City universe might be the fresh seafood counter at the mega market. Only 10 people at a time are allowed in the seafood section for now, but you can still get up close and personal to the fish on ice, though an employee needs to bag them. Walk your catch over to the counter for free cleaning and even frying. Take your fish claim ticket, and then shop while you wait. Offerings include Lucky Me! instant noodles, San Miguel beer and balut, a fertilized duck egg — which, despite its challenging reputation, tastes like a delicate chicken and egg soup, but just in a shell. When your fried fish is ready, pay at the register — then eat as soon as possible. If you order online or on the app, look for coupons, and arrive ideally 15 minutes earlier than your pickup time, because that’s when insiders say your order is usually ready. 773-295-1658, seafoodcity.com/store-locations/chicago
Valerio’s Tropical Bakeshop
The innermost shop at the mall, with takeout only, Valerio’s bakery is jam-packed with a dizzying array of breads, pastries and pancit palabok. The fan-favorite sweet might be the purple- and gold-flecked pandesal, a soft and buttery bun filled with ube and cheese. Get the pork asado siopao ($7.99), too. The so-called hot buns cool to room temperature while stacked in four-packs on the pastry case. The fluffy steamed puffs are cousins to Chinese cha siu bao, stuffed with barbecue-style pork and sliced hard-cooked egg. 773-685-5115, valeriostropicalbakeshop.com
