‘Shrooming in Ravenswood

Pickled or fresh…tons of mushrooms at River Valley to choose from

You’ve probably seen the River Valley Ranch stand at a number of Farmer’s Markets in the area. You might have even seen their main store and growing facility, if you ever take Highway 50 west toward Lake Geneva. What I had thought to be a quaint little family business selling salsas and jars of mushrooms, is now getting into the restaurant and deli business with a new store along Wilson, where the old City Provisions used to be.

Called River Vallely Ranch & Kitchens, I stopped in for a quick brunch on Saturday, and the folks behind the counter couldn’t have been nicer. In the large, glass case before me, mounds of house-smoked corned beef and whitefish; assorted pickles, and yes, plenty of mushrooms. In addition to a regular sandwich menu, they’re also offering a number of brunch specials. I opted for a smoked whitefish Benedict. Whatever flavor may have been compromised by choosing to serve the eggs over some gluten-free bread was more than compensated by the addition of a rich spinach-artichoke dip and an heirloom tomato hollandaise:

The friendly fellow taking my order then told me they make all of their bagels in-house, including a mushroom version. I chose a spinach artichoke schmear to go with it. Not exactly reminiscent of the Lower East Side, but if you’re really into mushrooms, this might be your thing. I did fall hard for the pickle plate. It actually came with my Benedict, and I wished I would have had someone there with me, because between the two eggs and the pickle plate, I could barely eat half:

While I crunched on the lightly fermented carrots, beets, cabbage and cukes, I walked around to the other side (where City Provisions’ seating used to be). There, they’ve assembled a tidy little grocery section with all manner of jarred vegetables, mushrooms, salsas and pasta sauces. They’re also about to open a cozy little wine room, which will make for a great private dining room one day. I don’t live in the neighborhood, but I would happily return to RV Ranch if I were in the area, even if just to grab a scoop of their gelato, which comes from the well-regarded Zarlengo’s in Chicago Heights.

River Valley Ranch & Kitchens

1820 W. Wilson Ave.

872-208-3267