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Grill Owner Ditches Indian Food for Vienna Beef Dogs at Busy Wicker Corner

By Alisa Hauser | July 21, 2014 9:40am
 Undergoing its third rebranding in less than one year, Rasoi Indian Kitchen is now Flat Iron Grill and More, offering American fast food.
Flat Iron Grill and More
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WICKER PARK — After abandoning a short-lived concept that offered Indian food in a fast casual, Chipotle-style format, the owner of a former convenience mart inside Wicker Park's iconic Flat Iron building is shifting gears to open his third eatery in under 10 months.

"I am not giving up on Wicker Park; I have been here since 1996," said Wasif Syed, owner of Flat Iron Grill & More at 1571 N. Milwaukee Ave in Wicker Park.

Offering Vienna Beef hog dogs as well as gyros, chicken and Philly-style steak sandwiches, Flat Iron Grill and More is one of several storefronts inside the Flat Iron Building, which anchors the southeast corner of Wicker Park's Milwaukee, Damen and North avenues intersection.

Syed closed Wicker Park Food Mart in 2013, citing increased competition from a new Walgreens, which opened one-half block north of the mini mart and sold many of the same items but for lower prices.

In November, Syed transformed his convenient mart into Flat Iron Pita Grill, which served up falafel, hummus and other dishes.

In an interview with DNAinfo Chicago on Sunday, the 53-year-old Syed said there were "too many options" for falafel and Middle Eastern foods near the area's main intersection, so he rebranded into Rasoi Indian Kitchen, which opened in May.

Though Rasoi Indian Kitchen had attracted what Syed described as  "a small but loyal lunch crowd," the Indian food had not pulled in a late night customer base, primarily those leaving bars around 2 and 3 a.m.

"Business was too slow, I had to come up with a new model," Syed said.

Since opening Flat Iron Grill and More on July 8, Wasif said the eatery is already "having its best month" of sales since changing over from a food mart to a restaurant.

"There is no place for American fast food at this corner," Syed said.

Open until 4 a.m. daily, the grill's extensive menu offers gyros, steak sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs and chili as well as chicken and turkey sandwiches, wings and salads.

Side orders include French fries, mozzarella sticks and onion rings as well as samosas, which are deep-fried pockets stuffed with chickpeas, potatoes and carrots that were popular items on Rasoi Indian Kitchen's menu.

The grill's menu prices begin at $3.95 for a grilled cheese sandwich and max out at $8.95 for a 10-piece serving of chicken wings.  A Vienna Beef Chicago-style hot dog topped with onions, relish, mustard, tomato and sport peppers with a side order of fries is $4.

To wash everything down, the grill offers fountain drinks, canned sodas and fresh juices, including mango lassi, an Indian drink made with mango pulp and yogurt.

In August, the grill plans to add breakfast options such as egg sandwiches and ice cream, Syed said.

Flat Iron Grill and More, 1571 N. Milwaukee Ave. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. daily. Ph: 773-697-3752. No website.

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