Ambar, a notable Balkan restaurant chain, has expanded to Chicago, marking its first entrance in the city where a significant Balkan population resides. Founded by Ivan Iričanin, the establishment emphasizes an unlimited tasting menu that introduces traditional Balkan fare with a modern twist. Iričanin, who immigrated to the U.S. from Serbia in 2005, aims to provide a culinary refuge for the local Balkan community while also attracting a wider audience keen on exploring these flavors. In previous expansions, he faced challenges due to historical biases against the Balkans but has managed to cultivate a loyal customer base.
When our even small population realized that there is a Balkan restaurant, they started bringing their neighbors, their cousins, they [started to] celebrate their birthdays.
One of the largest Balkan populations outside of a Balkan is in Chicago, Iričanin says of the city's sizable diaspora community represented largely by people of Bosnian, Serbian, and Albanian descent.
#balkan-cuisine #chicago-restaurants #cultural-diaspora #immigrant-experience #all-you-can-eat-dining
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