Healthy Food

So....it's early 1980, and my girlfriend (now wife) tells me she wants to take me to one of her favorite places in Bridgeport (in "The City"). A place her parents took her to. We hop on a 35th street bus, get off at Halsted, and walk a few blocks north to this place called "Healthy Food". Back in those days, the sign was an old brown rusted Theater Marquis thingy with most of the bulbs non-functional and neon "Healthy Food" lettering running down the front.
At left you can see their current store front and sign. I'd never had Lithuanian Food, pumpernickel bread, beet or sauerkraut soup. Boy, was I in for a treat. To this day, every time I have pumpernickel bread, I think of this place, because it's where I developed a taste for it. Over the years, we've never had anything but an excellent meal at Healthy Food. While the ethnic food is wonderful, so is the standard fare. Our favorite at Healthy Food is Breakfast. The eggs are exactly how they should be, just done enough, never rubbery and always just off the grill. It was even featured on WTTW's Check, Please!


<Scrambled with American cheese, eggs are just ever so slightly runny (perfect).



While my Mrs was on Facebook this week, she saw a link to a Crain's article about the eatery closing...TODAY! We were/are sad. We decided one of us should get over there today to say goodbye. So after work this morning, I was off to Bridgeport. I talked to owner Gina Biciunas-Santoski, who said "It's time to retire". She shared a couple stories about some old timers who've come in since the announcement came out who said "I haven't been here in decades" She politely (albeit sarcastically) thanked them for their business.
This place has something unique to Bridgeport restaurants, a wooden phone booth, something my Mrs loved to play in as a child just as much as our kids did when they were toddlers.
I ordered up my favorite breakfast (above) and enjoyed my last Healthy Food meal. Gina, happily allowed me to take some pictures. The customers gave me their permission as well. You can see all the pictures HERE, as well as download or print them for yourselves (several patrons were asking me for copies). The coffee was excellent as always, and I ordered something I've never eaten there before... PIE (usually because I'm too full), not just any pie...Rhubarb pie, and not over sweetened Rhubarb mixed with sweeter fruit (like at many places). Just wonderful, sweet and perfectly tart rhubarb pie....
I can't believe in 29 years, I never tried the pie.

It will be sad to drive by the location on Halsted after a visit to my Mother-in-laws Parish, as we always ate at Healthy Food after attending mass there.

Thank you Gina for 30 years of excellent food and memories for me, and 40-something years of excellent food and memories for my Mrs.
Enjoy your retirement, but know that you and your establishment will be missed.

*Update*. My Mrs and her sister made it there last night (as Gina said she'd stay open until she ran out of food or customers (whichever came first)). They were the last official customers of the last official day of business of the 71 years of business for Healthy Food.

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