Chicago is certainly a city with a thriving restaurant culture. There are a variety of foods available for people with virtually any taste. In fact, Chicago restaurants are so diverse that there is definitely cuisine completely unfamiliar to American taste buds. This was exactly the case for me when I visited Julius Meinl, an Austrian restaurant located on N. Southport Ave.

The restaurant, while not very big, is split into two sections. In the front/entrance area, customers may purchase tea and coffee blends from shelves behind the front counter. Desserts are on display and can be purchased from the front counter as well.

Farther back in the restaurant are tables where guests may sit down to enjoy food and drink. There are not many tables in this section of the restaurant, but there are tables outside, and even glass doors that lead to them. Each table is complete with a candle to add elegance to the dining experience. The physical appearance of Julius Meinl is very quaint and relaxing: It was dimly lit with a moderate noise level. Not to mention, a live string instrumentalist plays near the front door, serenading diners with soothing melodies.

Julius Meinl is mostly a caf’ÛΩ, with a menu dominated by various coffees, teas and fruit-infused beverages. Still, there are plenty of Austrian meals to choose from if a meal is truly desired. These meals include salads, breakfast meals and a plethora of desserts. If you are unfamiliar with Austrian cuisine, many of the items on the menu will be foreign to what you may be used to eating. This was unfortunately the case for me, and I had a difficult time choosing a meal that I felt I would enjoy.

I decided on a roasted chicken sandwich, topped with tomato, applewood smoked bacon and a special mayonnaise. The succulent sandwich was served with a side salad, lightly coated with a mystery dressing. Together, the sandwich and salad made for a satisfying meal.  For my beverage, I ordered a forest berry fruit blend – blackberry, strawberry, elderberry, raspberry and apple combined into a hot, tea-like drink. It was served in a sleek silver kettle accompanied by a teacup. The fruit blend is a deep pink in color, almost crimson. Tart to the tongue, the fruit berry blend was a nice compliment to my meal.

Once the main course was finished, the waiter was nice enough to serve a dessert at no cost. The dessert was a key lime pie – a tiny mound of key lime with a custard center, complete with a moist graham cracker bottom. I quite enjoyed it; the flavor was a sweet, tangy end to a delicious dinner.

All in all, Julius Meinl is a quaint caf’ÛΩ that DePaul students should consider visiting. It has the key elements of any good eatery: sophistication, style and delectable food and drink. Not to mention, it is not a far distance from the DePaul campus – only a short ride on the Brown Line going north from Fullerton to Southport. For a little taste of Austria, Julius Meinl takes the cake.