Fab Review: Pub Royale

After ten years of business, there was an evident sadness felt amongst residents and loyal customers when news broke last November, that Small Bar was closing up shop. Small Bar was one of the better establishments on Division Street that served an excellent selection of food and craft beer. It didn’t take long before Heisler Hospitality (the folks behind Lone Wolf, Bar DeVille, and Sportsman’s Club) took over the space with Pub Royale. Smart move on their part since Pub Royale filled the void by opening a one-of-a-kind concept amidst the dive bars that dominate the Wicker Park area. It also serves patrons great late-night eats and fun cocktails.

{Ambiance}
It is hard to pass by Pub Royale without being drawn to the bright yellow doors that are propped open with the colorful signage on top. Once you step in, you will be greeted with the fragrant aroma of Indian spices such as cinnamon, ginger, clove, cumin, and cardamom. The hypnotizing scent follows you as you enter the space. The seating is snug and comprised of half booths and half communal tables. The atmosphere feels warm and inviting with exposed brick walls and ornate light fixtures that hang from the ceiling.

The bar is on the left side of the room with a huge mirror resting behind it, which gives the space a larger feel. The bar is adorned with two large black and white peacock taxidermies on each side of the mirrors. Adding to these intricacies are the wooden floors that have Indian masks painted over them and the burlap textured ceiling tiles. One of the most interesting decorative accents is the motorcycle that is hung from the wall which gives the ambiance an eclectic feel.

{Food}
Pub Royale is a unique concept right in the heart of Wicker Park with a specialty in Anglo-Indian cuisine, while maintaining a casual pub atmosphere. The cuisine is a great eclectic mix of Indian and British. The fold-out menu starts with small snacks and leads up to larger plates.

Let’s talk about their amazing cocktails and beer menu. The program is run by The Publican’s former Beer Director, Michael McAvena. They have 24 local and international draft lines including ciders from the U.S., Spain, France, and England. McAvena recommends the ciders, which pairs very well with spicy foods. They also serve their own line of four different varieties of Pimm’s cups, which are developed in collaboration with local Letherbee distillers. I chose cup No. 4, which has campari, Pimm’s, rum, muddled strawberries, and pineapple syrup. It was fruity, well-balanced, and oh-so-refreshing.

One of the many things that caught my eye was the salt cod samosas, which were filled with creamy whipped potatoes and served with malt vinegar chutney. You can tell that it was well made because it wasn’t greasy at all. The smooth piping hot filling was surrounded by a crispy crust. There was also the gobi manchurian, which are crispy fried cauliflower florets tossed in a sweet, spicy, and sticky sauce. And, yes, it tastes as good as it sounds.

I was lucky to try their special of the week which was an ethereal house made Paratha, a type of Indian flatbread smeared with plum jam, which I dipped into the velvety smooth foie gras butter.

I decided to try the royale burger with aged cheddar cheese served with spicy pickles, fries, and aioli. The burger itself was decent but nothing that I would return for.

However, let’s talk about those fries! They were so good that we ordered another side of them. They were perfectly salty, crispy on the outside, and creamy on the inside and paired perfectly with their spicy aioli.

Since this meal was all about carb loading, we also tried the garlicy and pleasantly chewy naan that served as the perfect vehicle for sopping up all the wonderful juices from the mussels that we ordered.

One of the show stopping dishes was the Indian hot fried chicken that sat atop a delicious naan disk. It is an ode to Nashville’s famous hot chicken but slightly less spicy. It had the right amount of heat and spices. The super crunchy skin was served with “crazy pickles”. It was an interesting combination of fermented limes and chilies that I would forego, as it is more of an acquired taste for most. If the chicken is too spicy for you, there is always the side of raita to help cool down your taste buds.

For veggie or non-veggie lovers, the eggplant curry will make you fall in love with the humble vegetable all over again. The melt-in-your mouth eggplant pieces bathed in the curry sauce are served on a bed of fragrant basmati rice. There was also the lime yoghurt, cilantro chutney, and chili oil, which added another layer of complexity to the dish. Lastly, it was covered generously with the highly addictive crispy fried shallots. I literally couldn’t put my spoon down until there was nothing left on the plate. Yes, it was that good!

With only two desserts on the menu, the options are limited but both were highly impressive. But my heart belongs to the naan doughnut twist which is heavily doused with chai dulce de leche. This dessert is truly a stroke of genius. The dough was beautifully fried and soaked up all the rich delicious sauce that accompanied it. I am grateful that this dish wasn’t overly sweet. The chai spices complemented the doughnut perfectly. I might have even let out a small gasp of sheer ecstasy in between heavenly bites of this dessert.

{Experience}
Since seating at Pub Royal is first come first serve only, it might be tricky to get a table during a busy weekend night. But patrons can always sit at the bar and enjoy the cozy ambiance while waiting for a table to open up. All of the servers were extremely attentive and well informed in regards to the menu. I visited Pub Royal with a group of my girlfriends on a Saturday evening and the space quickly filled up. Needless to say, they took care of us like we are the only customers in the room which was greatly appreciated. Coming from an individual who has worked in the hospitality industry all of her life, I always appreciate an establishment that puts emphasis on great service.

The British-Indian concept was developed by Heisler Hospitality owners Kevin Heisner and Matt Eisler during a trip to London. They noticed the abundance of amazing Indian fusion restaurants overseas and wanted to bring the same experience to Chicago. Well, I sincerely couldn’t be happier that they decided to take a risk and open Pub Royale. This beverage-driven concept fits perfectly in the trending Chicago food scene. I was a little skeptical at first with the whole “British-Indian” concept because of my feelings toward fusion cuisine (it can go either really badly or really well). But to my surprise, Pub Royal nailed it right on the head. Don’t expect traditional Indian food when you come here. Instead, open your mind and you will rewarded with amazing flavors and textures that will surely excite your taste buds. I truly cannot wait to go back and try the rest of their menu.

FAB TIP: The menu has a good amount of gluten free and vegetarian options.

{Location}
Pub Royale
Wicker Park || 2049 W Division, Chicago, IL || P: (773) 661-6874

{Price Range}
$$ ($11-$35)

{Fab Ratings: 4 Fabs}

What’s your favorite Indian dish?

Savor every moment,
Sherrie

Note: This meal was not complimentary. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the writer.