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FARGO — Staples from the Windy City have made their way to another windy city as Chris Lee has opened Teddy’z Chicago Style Cuisine in downtown Fargo.
Lee, originally a Chicago native who studied culinary arts at Hennepin Technical College, recently opened Teddy’z in the former Cafe Aladdin location at 530 6th Ave. N. Teddy’z is open from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Breaking into the food service industry had always been the plan for Lee, who has been living in Fargo for the past few years and got his start with a food trailer. “It’s something I wanted to do since I was a kid and I took different steps to make it all possible,” Lee told The Forum. “Going to school, starting out small, working my way up to something bigger.”
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Since opening earlier this year, Teddy’z has been steadily establishing itself as a go-to eatery along downtown’s northern end. “It’s been going pretty well. It’s picking up more and more each day,” Lee said.
Customers have gravitated to Lee’s no-frills menu as well. While small, the menu brings the flavors of Chicago to North Dakota, with beef gyros, Italian beef sandwiches, steak tacos and beef hot dogs. Another specialty item is the pizza puff, which is an original from the banks of Lake Michigan. “That’s an authentic Chicago thing. There’s not too many places where you can get them,” Lee said. “It’s like a giant pizza roll.”
All menu items can also be ordered as combo meals, which include a drink and French fries. Lee said he’s yet to receive a bad review and that diners are awaiting more menu items. “The response has been pretty good. I haven’t had a single customer that had a complaint about anything. They like it and want me to add more stuff to the menu.”
The goal, Lee said, is to continue building the customer base and bringing more people through the doors. He’d even like to get his food trailer rolling again next spring .“I’m going to definitely continue with it as long as business is steady,” he said. “If it gets better than it’s been, I’m hoping to open another location.”
Lee’s hope is for metro area residents to drop in for a taste of his home-town. “Just come in and try it,” he concluded. “I guarantee you’ll be back.”
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