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Uncovering Westmont's hidden delis: Café De Jeanola

With no sign to guide outsiders, you’re left with instincts alone or GPS to find the path. Use Pappadeaux as your marker and proceed one office building south to a driveway entrance labeled "Oakmont Plaza Drive." Park in the surface lot or use the two-story parking structure immediately adjacent.

October 16, 2018 at 2:14 pm CDT

You have almost reached the Promised Land. Upon entering the building, take the first right and head to the end of the hallway. A simple wall placard denotes Café De Jeanola’s entrance. You have arrived! (Gregg Pill)

By GREGG PILL

You have almost reached the Promised Land. Upon entering the building, take the first right and head to the end of the hallway. A simple wall placard denotes Café De Jeanola’s entrance. You have arrived! (Gregg Pill)

Inside, you will find a bright and cheery setting trimmed in light woods and a softer version of lime green. Lots of glass allows for plenty of sunlight and an outdoor view. Kept meticulously clean, Café De Jeanola is operated by Angie Johnstone, an industry veteran who is always there to provide a friendly greeting and expertly prepare your meal. Café De Jeanola has a second location in Oakbrook Terrace under the watchful eye of Johnstone’s mom, Jeanola Johnstone. It appears the naming rights have been kept in the family. Befitting its office park environment, Café De Jeanola features breakfast and lunch in a Monday through Friday setting. Many tenants call down for their orders and take them back to the office. With plenty of seating, I enjoyed a relaxing meal on multiple occasions. (Gregg Pill)

Not many options these days for a non-fast food sandwich under $3, but the scramlet is up to the challenge. Egg, cheese and bacon are made to order and placed between a lightly toasted English muffin. Magic! Add a buck, and you get an extra egg, choice of meat (ham, bacon or sausage), along with cheese on either a bagel or croissant. (Gregg Pill)

The breakfast burrito, along with all breakfast options, keeps the balance less than $5. The flour tortilla is stuffed with eggs, your choice of meat, onions, green peppers, tomatoes, jalapenos, cheese and salsa. As the onions and peppers hit the hot skillet, the resulting sizzle tells you this will be hot and fresh! Angie Johnstone finishes things off in the kitchen as you gaze relaxingly out the floor-to-ceiling windows. Bursting with flavor and so juicy, the burrito requires a double napkin. (Gregg Pill)

French toast is another option, sided with crisp bacon. The egg wash is combined with cinnamon and vanilla, providing a deeply satisfying flavor. Three slices of bread and three slices of bacon, and yep, we’re still under $5. (Gregg Pill)

Keeping our less than $5 theme, the Jeanola omelete may be Westmont’s best deal! A three-egg omelet is stuffed with all of your burrito ingredients, sided with your choice of toast and served steaming hot. This was pure pleasure on a plate made more so by the user-friendly pricing. I splurged and added an extra sausage patty to round things out. (Gregg Pill)

As the clock moves on to mid-morning, the early to work crew is getting ready for lunch. Orders begin coming in for soup, chili and sandwiches. Soups rotate, like the thick chicken and rice. A small soup is $2.69, while a small chili is $2.99. Both are perfect for our newly arrived fall weather and pair nicely with the various sandwich options. There also is a salad bar option, allowing you to point and customize while Johnstone prepares your salad. (Gregg Pill)

Sandwiches can be simply prepared, like the biggie BLT, or more complex, as the specials listed below. Soup and a BLT is a comfort combo. The ingredients are all listed in the name, with mayo being the condiment of choice for this timeless classic. The radical roast beef features sauteed onions and a garlic aioli to augment the roast beef flavor. I loved the simple and subtle marriage of flavors in a mix I had not previously encountered. (Gregg Pill)

Chicken breasts are expertly cooked and diced, standing ready to be featured in a starring role in several different sandwiches. Add bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and ranch dressing, and you have the chicken bacon ranch wrap. Switch up a few ingredients, adding Buffalo sauce and blue cheese dressing to the lettuce, tomato and cheese, and you get the Buffalo chicken wrap. (Gregg Pill)

The chicken breast salad sandwich is another customizable sandwich. Instead of making it in advance, Café De Jeanola chooses to walk you through the prep table with a simple yes or no to each ingredient – want more mayo, less mayo, etc. Adding in dried cranberries provided a sweet variation to the perfectly cooked and chopped chicken breast, distinguishing it from other versions I have experienced. (Gregg Pill)

A half-pound Angus burger aptly named the Bronto burger arrives topped with sautéed onions and mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, cheese and your choice of condiments. Crowning a corn duster bun that must have been delivered that morning, this monster is definitely a two-hander. Side it with tater tots – baked to order – for a nice lunchtime change. (Gregg Pill)

Standing out is the teriyaki chicken plate. Once again, the dish is made to order, so you can fully customize your plate, choosing from green peppers, onions, mushrooms and whatever else Johnstone has chopped up that day. Add in the chopped chicken breast and a rich teriyaki sauce, and the dish is plated over white rice and served steaming hot, as if it walked right to you from the pan! (Gregg Pill)

Café De Jeanola features a daily special, and as I was there on back-to-back days, there was some carryover. Both featured a toasted Turano roll. On day one, it was chicken breast topped with sautéed green peppers and onions, shredded cheese and an aromatic marinara sauce. As it hit the table, I went wow, as the aroma was intoxicating. Most specials are served a la carte or with chips and drink for the meal deal. (Gregg Pill)

When I went back the next day, the platform remained the same, with the chicken being replaced by meatballs, creating a classic meatball marinara sub. The sweetness of the onion and crunch of the green pepper provide a perfect foil to the flavorful and subtly sweet marinara sauce. Meatballs come in all sizes and textures, and these were the perfect texture and fit for the bread. I went a la carte, and this was another keeper. Plug the address into your GPS or Waze or just head south of Pappadeaux. Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to locate Café De Jeanola. Say hi to Angie Johnstone, and enjoy a relaxing breakfast or lunch at a price that won’t rock the wallet. Whether it’s for an old standby or a daily special, Café De Jeanola is another of our hidden delis requiring some discovery on your part. Be sure to stop by because Johnstone never tires of saying hi, welcoming guests and serving made-to-order meals! --- If you go WHAT: Café De Jeanola WHERE: 999 Oakmont Plaza Drive, Westmont HOURS: 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed weekends DRESS CODE: Casual INFO: cafedejeanola.com, 708-612-0048 CATERING: Yes RESERVATIONS: N/A PARKING: Easy WIFI: Available NOISE FACTOR: Comfortable PRICING: $ --- Know more For more restaurant action, follow @chitowndiner on Instagram. (Gregg Pill)

#GreggPill Café De Jeanola Westmont