Lao Der

-Grubbing in Chicago  
Lao Food in Irving Park

Chicago's food scene lost another person in it's ever shrinking food media collection as Steve Dolinsky has called it quits at NBC5 Chicago where he spent the last four years after switching over from ABC7 where he reported as 'The Hungry Hound' from 2003 to 2021. During his time as a "food reporter" for both news stations Dolinsky would often shed light on the city's smaller mom and pop operations, often of the international variety, as well as new up and coming businesses ran by younger up and coming chefs. I joined Steve for many a meals and consider him a friend so take my words for what you will but his absence will be missed. Especially by the crowd of Chicagoan's who might not be plugged into social media but do watch the news and like to try new restaurants when they learn of them. Steve taught many Chicagoan's how to dig deep into our world class food scene whether it was a hip and happening place like Siam Thai in the South Loop which was one of his last stories (we ate there together) or a mom and pop operation like today's stop. Lao Der recently became the only Lao restaurant in the city proper when it opened in April. This a place I'm positive Steve would've done a story on and deservedly so as Lao is a cuisine we were lacking in Chicago.

Recently Opened in Irving Park 

Considering that there's a nice sized Lao population in the Midwest it's rather surprising that Lao Der is the city's first true Lao restaurant. We have had pop-ups and ghost kitchens but not a brick and mortar such as this. There's a good number of Lao restaurants in Wisconsin and Minnesota but there's not a ton of them in Illinois. In fact there's only one in the immediate Chicagoland area out in Burbank but Spicy Thai Lao only has a few Lao dishes from a non-pork eating chef. So before Lao Der opened you basically had to drive all the way out to Elgin to get Lao food in the form of 'Sai Kok' or 'Laab Moo Lao'. It took a minute but the "Lao Food Movement" has reached the city proper. The "Lao Food Movement" was popularized by Seng Luangrath, the chef and co-owner of Washington D.C's Thip Khao, she's considered to be the "Godmother of Laotian Cuisine in America" as she was a pioneer in showcasing the flavors of Laos in the U.S. I still remember the first time I had Lao food as a college kid in Madison and then again at Thip Khao in D.C. I've been a big fan since then, so this is pretty exciting getting a Lao restaurant, and LAO SAUSAGE, so close to home.

Lao Sausage aka Sai Oua at Lao Der

Much like Northern Thai cuisine (and Isan too) Lao food is known for its bold and flavorful dishes that often feature a mix of sweet and sour and spicy and salty flavors. Much like Vietnamese cuisine it's known for a strong emphasis on a bounty of fresh herbs. Though considered simpler than it's Southeast Asian counterparts Lao food is often less toned down in terms of spicing. Whenever I go to a Lao restaurant it's a must to start with the Lao Sausage which goes by Sai Kok. Lao food is already underrated as it is so most people out there don't know the deliciousness that a piece of Sai Kok can bring. If you've had Thai sausage in the form of 'Sai Ua' or 'Sai Krok Isan' than you've had something similar but Lao sausage often features turmeric and almost always comes served the same way which is slitted, fried, and served alongside sticky rice and jeow som (sour dipping sauce). Lao sausage is excellent as is - it's herbaceous and often has a bit of funk. It should have heavy hints of lime leaf, galangal, lemongrass, cilantro, and shallots and it's typically less coarsely ground than most other encased meat but it really comes together with Jeow sauce which commonly consists of fresh garlic, chiles, lime juice, sugar, and fish sauce all ground together with a mortar and pestle. The Lao sausage at Lao Der, who's owners come from the hub of Vientiane, is served with 'Jeow Mak Len' which is a roasted tomato based jeow sauce with a thicker texture and it’s fantastic paired with a slice of sausage and some sticky rice. They also serve Esan sausage which are little balls of sausage full of garlic and black pepper flavor served with cabbage and peanuts and is also very good. 

Esan Sausage at Lao Der

I've visited Lao Der twice now and have enjoyed everything I've tried. It's a pretty standard menu as far as the Lao dishes go but they seem to do all the classics really well. The crispy fried Lao Wings further solidified my feelings of Asian fried wings being far better than their American counterparts. Perfectly sized wings (not too big) are tossed in a mix of fish sauce, sugar and tamarind and topped with crispy garlic. These are some of my new favorite wings in town right now. Both times I visited they had a couple specials which on one visit was a spicy Lao style beef jerky which was crisp from a trip to the fryer and pungent from the lemongrass, garlic and chili powder it was rubbed with before it was fried. It also comes served with their delicious roasted tomato based jeow sauce. With summer seemingly near I'm glad to have easy access to Lao style Larb - also spelled laab, laap, larp, and lahb. Larb is traditional minced meat salad that's considered the national dish of Laos. It's known for its bold and botanical flavors and can be made with a variety of proteins including beef, pork, duck and chicken tossed with lime juice, fermented fish sauce, ground rice, and lots of fresh herbs. The 'Lab Gai' at Lao Der will be a go-to of mine in those dog days of summer as it taste even better cold out of the fridge the next day. You can't go wrong with any of these appetizers. 

Lao Wings

Lao Der Jerky

Lab Gai (diced chicken) at Lao Der

I consider Southeast Asia to be one of the worlds great soup regions as every country there has some fantastic noodle soups, including Laos. While Vietnam is the birthplace of Pho it's not the only spot where it's enjoyed. Laos has it's own adapted version due to the close proximity of the two countries. Pho gained popularity in Laos due to an influx of Vietnamese people combined with the fact Vietnam and Laos share cultural influences including food. Lao-style Pho adds sugar and a unique set of toppings including lime juice, chili peppers in oil, fried garlic, and a roasted peanut sauce. I thought the 'Lao Pho Beef' at Lao Der was decent as is but it really improved with the addition of the condiments it came with including the aforementioned peanut sauce. The broth was subtle without the extra stuff but it improved greatly with it. They use a combo of medium rare sliced beef and meatballs neither of which stood out plus they seemed to have forgotten the roasted tomatoes listed with it. 

'Lao Pho Beef' at Lao Der

The Lao style chicken noodle soup is the better pick of the soups. It's listed as 'Khao Piek Sen' on the and described as "homemade rice noodle, onion and cilantro, fried shallots, black pepper, homemade chicken meatball served in flavorful chicken broth" - flavorful is an understatement. That broth is some of the richest I've come across in Chicago. It's clearly home made with the sliced skin on chicken it comes with cooked in it. It tastes like Khao Man Gai in soup form. Khao Man Gai being the Thai version of Hainanese chicken rice (poached chicken served with a rice cooked in the broth). There were two other standouts in this fantastic bowl of soup: the meatballs and the noodles themselves. You could tell the meatballs were homemade from their delicate shape and the noodles are also made in-house which is easily distinguishable thanks to a terrifically chewy texture. This might be the best chicken noodle soup in town but don't wait until you're feeling under the weather to try it. We need more Lao food in Chicago but we may not get it if Lao Der isn’t welcomed with open arms.

Khao Piek Sen at Lao Der

Lao Der
3922 N Elston Ave
Chicago, IL 60618
(872) 241-4879
Website

Galit

-Grubbing in Chicago  
A Middle Eastern Tasting Menu in Lincoln Park

I first visited Galit back in 2019 when co-owner / chef Zack Engel was just getting started in Chicago. He moved here from New Orleans where he was chef de cuisine at Shaya which won the 2016 James Beard award for 'best new restaurant' in the country. He soon after moved to Chicago where he opened Galit next to the Biograph Theatre on Lincoln in the Spring of 2019. Looking back Galit was one of the spots that reenergized Lincoln Park's dining scene as quite a few places have opened since then with Galit remaining a big draw. It recently spawned a sister spot on the same block at Cafe Yaya where Engel and team serve pastries by day and a playful dinner menu at night. I have yet to get there but I recently got to try Galit for the first time since they switched to a tasting menu. 

Locals Favorite in Lincoln Park

I'm not sure exactly when Galit made the switch to a full fledged tasting menu but it's been that way for a little while now. It's currently among the five finalists for 'Outstanding Restaurant' at the 2025 James Beard Awards. They describe the tasting menu as a four course "choose your own adventure" as it lets you choose from a handful of options for three of the courses. The 'Salatim' is the same for every diner as it's a general term in Israeli cuisine for a variety of spreads, dips, and salads that are commonly served at the opening of a meal. Salatim at Galit includes labneh, wood roasted snap peas, ezme and pickles. They were all refreshing and came served alongside the second course which is your choice of a few different hummus preps. My waiter said the one with brisket was his favorite which made it an easy choice as that's what I was leaning towards. Hunks of smoky brisket are cooked down with tomatoes and carrots and served over an extremely smooth blend of hummus and wood roasted pita to go with it. The pita might not have been quite as good as I remembered them to be as it was a bit dense but it was still the perfect delivery vehicle for the first course. 

Salatim + Hummus at Galit 

For the third course diners get to choose between seven different mezze options ranging from falafel to foie gras. I originally went in with plans to get the foie gras which is served as a mousse with black raspberries and tahina on toasted challah bread. Then I asked the waiter what his favorite of the bunch was and he mentioned the Iraqi Kubbeh Halab which also caught my eye. Kubbeh Halab is crispy fried rice on the outside, fluffy rice on the inside, and a lightly spiced lamb within - it's very similar to arancini except it has Middle Eastern flavor profiles instead of Italian. I first tried these last year in London's Borough Market and have been waiting for the chance to compare those I had in London to others so I could get an idea of just how good they were. As it turned out they were as well made as I thought they were as the Kubbeh Halab at Galit wasn't quite as good but still hit the spot. 

Iraqi Kubbeh Halab

You have six choices among the main course selections and most of them are cooked over coal. All six options are dishes I would consider ordering if this was an ala carte menu so it was a tough decision as far as what to choose. I really liked how they incorporated walleye into the menu in the form of a masgouf which is a butterflied carp seasoned with a tomato sauce and grilled over an open flame. But I had also just cooked walleye the night before (just my luck). I also thought hard about the pastrami which the menu describes as "Armenia meets the Lower East Side" but I also love me some lamb kebabs and that's what the waiter recommended so I continued on with following his lead. I love the taste of lamb meat grilled over an open fire so I was pretty sure I was going to be happy with this dish but I was a bit taken aback when it arrived. What was a big steaming hot bowl covered in dough doing in front of me? Well I should've asked a few more questions as this dish is cooked like a pot pie would be and not on a skewer like a kebab should be. On top of that the lamb is ground (I was expecting the opposite) and served in chunks with melty leeks and fondant potatoes sitting in a broth of bubbling bordelaise with miso pickled garlic. After I realized this wasn't going to be what I thought it was I readjusted my expectations and came away liking it though it was still a bit of a letdown. 

Lamb Kebab al Babor at Galit

The final course is dessert, of course. You can pick from three options with the Pistachio Tiramisu being extremely popular in online reviews. I love pistachio and I'm impartial to dates and caramel which is what the other two desserts are made with so this was the easiest choice of the night and the right one at that. Made with black tea, candied lemons and Antep pistachio this was extremely pleasing in bot texture and taste as there was a crispy and crunchy element going on with it. Overall this was a very enjoyable meal but the price ($105 per person) does add up with taxes and an automatic 20% gratuity plus an extra add on for insurance. I also dislike like when places don't specify what the service charge is for as far as who it goes to. The grand total was $150 with two locally produced beers but you do get a ton of food and a complimentary tahina cookie to take home. 

Pistachio Tiramisu

Galit
2429 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 360-8755
Website

Steak Tacos in Pilsen

-Grubbing in Chicago
Five of a Kind: Pilsen Taco Tour

The days of Chicago being just a steak and potatoes town are done but it’s most definitely still a steak taco town. There’s been mini empires built off chopped carne asada loaded into locally produced corn tortillas. The steak taco is to Chicago what the fish taco is to San Diego meaning it's a part of the city's culinary identity. So much so that steak tacos never seem to taste as good outside of Chicago and that's including Mexico. Now I'm not saying that Mexican food in Chicago is better than that in Mexico or even that the tacos here are better than they are down there but I will say the quality of the steak tends to be better in the States. I'll take it a step further and say the quality of steak tacos in Chicago seems to be a step above the rest of the country. Today we're going to hone in on five specific steak tacos in the Pilsen area which help solidify this statement. Please note this isn't a best steak tacos in Pilsen list - it's simply five delicious steak tacos in Pilsen that are worth seeking out. 

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Taqueria El Milagro

We start with what might be the most iconic taco in Chicago - the Bistec Asado at Taqueria El Milagro. The El Milagro brand has been a part of the city's food scene since they first started making tortillas all the way back in 1950. I don't know exactly when they added a cafeteria to their main operation in Little Village but it's served more than a few generations of Chicagoans. They also have an outpost in Pilsen and a stall at the North Riverside Mall. I really miss their long gone Lakeview location which me and my buddies ate at regularly back in high school. But at some point in the last few years I tried the Pilsen location and found the famous steak tacos to be a bit better than those in Little Village. It's the exact same taco in terms of ingredients which starts with a thin slice of flame grilled arrachera left intact (not chopped) and paired with thick refried beans, fluffy Mexican rice and a vinegar tossed cabbage on a warm El Milagro corn tortilla. Each taco comes served with fresh pico de gallo.

Steak Taco at Taqueria El Milagro
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Cecina Grill

Next stop is this cecina specialist on 18th street. Cecina is simply salted air dried beef and it's prevalent in Central Mexico. Here in Chicago it's commonly featured at the city's Guerrero linked restaurants. Cecina Grill showcases cecina in many ways including platters with different toppings like cactus and salsa molcajate and also tacos de cecina. Whichever way you go your order will include some wonderful made to order corn tortillas. I'm partial to the ‘Taco Mejica’ which is an absolute beauty. Sliced cecina goes into a soft but sturdy corn tortilla stamped with a glistening cheese crust. It's all topped with a dollop of guacamole which works wonderfully with the salty beef and cheese. 

Taco Mejica at Cecina Grill 
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Taqueria Victor Bueno

The Tacos de Arrachera at Taqueria Victor Bueno have a bit of a cult following as this spot has alot of history in Pilsen. Don Victor started out selling tacos on the street way back when before becoming a taquero at a long gone spot called La Unica. He's since opened his own spot on Cermak where you can find his signature steak tacos. Ask for the pico de gallo and don’t sleep on the tacos de guisado which come served the same way, slathered with fluffy rice and extremely creamy beans.

Tacos de Arrachera at Victor Bueno
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De Luna Taco Grill

Chicago doesn't have a ton of good taco trucks but there's a few including De Luna Taco Grill which always sets up shop at the same spot on Blue Island. They open at 4p Tues.- Sat. and you'll know when they're open based on the smell of smoke permeating the block. De Luna has become known around the neighborhood for their excellent carne asada tacos which they grill right there in the truck resulting in a cloud of smoke hovering over it. The traditional steak tacos are great as is but don't pass up a chance to try a lesser seen taco. The ‘Taco Vulcan’ is a roasted chile guero that’s slit in half, gutted, and stuffed with melted cheese topped with chunks of super smoky carne asada. 

'Taco Vulcan' at De Luna Taco Grill

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Taquerías Atotonilco

The Atotonilco name is one of those mini taco empires I spoke of in the opening paragraph. Much like El Milagro they got started as a tortilleria and have branched off into taquerias too. Tortilleria Atotonilco was founded by Oscar Muñoz back in the early 70's. The founder grew up on a farm and purchased land in Illinois where he began growing and harvesting his own corn. They opened their first taqueria in Little Village and now have a few locations though I think they might be separately owned by different family members. The Pilsen location on Blue Island is likely the most consistent and it's open late so this is a good stop for late night tacos. They make a pretty unique taco al pastor with thick cuts of spit roasted pork slathered in a smoky salsa and I always like to get one of those paired with their namesake taco. The 'Taco Atotonilco' is chopped skirt steak topped with a mound of sour cream plus wafer thin sliced tomato and onions. It’s got the flavor profile of a Mexican gyro.

Taco Atotonilco at Taqueria Atotonilco 
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See ya next time @chibbqking

Dhanteraz Indian Fusion

 -Grubbing in Chicago  
An Indian BYOB in Roscoe Village

I've been hooked on South Asian food ever since my first visit to London back in September of 2024. Then I returned to London last month (report coming soon) and became even more hooked. London isn't solely responsible for my love but it drove up an interest in all things Indian Cuisine and beyond. The truth of it is Indian food is much better in London than it is anywhere in the States but the gap has been closed over the last five years or so as Indian food is having a moment in NYC and other places across the country too including Chicago. There was a time when Indian food in the States was mostly associated with buffets but those days are in the past similar to how Italian food or Mexican food are no longer associated the same way they once were. Indian food is becoming mainstream as evidenced at Dhanteraz Indian Fusion which opened up in Roscoe Village right around the new year.  

Recently Opened in Roscoe Village

I had been hearing good things about Dhanteraz from people who's palettes I trust but it took me a few rounds to convince Erica to give it a try with me (we continue to frequent Kama for our fix). Although the name implies that it's Indian fusion food there's really only a few dishes that I would place into that category including a couple of pasta options made with tiki and butter masala. The rest of the menu is pretty straight forward Northern Indian classics sprinkled with a few Indo-Chinese options and vindaloo too. We visited on a Saturday night and brought some spirits with us as Dhanteraz is BYOB. We arrived to a lively dining room where all of the tables were filled showing the popularity of this place on the weekends (reservations recommended). We started with the onion pakora which are served in a similar fashion to the onion chips at Superdawg so no complaints there as these were a more spiced up version of an old favorite. The chili mushrooms came recommended after our waitress asked us if we like spicy dishes and they really do bring the heat with these medium sized button mushrooms stir fried with bell peppers and tossed in a highly spiced red chili glaze. 

Onion Pakora / Chili Mushrooms

Everybody has their go-to dishes when it comes to gauging the kitchen at an Indian restaurant like this. For us that's the Dal Makhani and the garlic naan. The former should be rich and creamy and really well seasoned and neither too thick nor too thin. The Dal Makhani at Dhanteraz passed all those inspections and I would happily get it again. I like my garlic naan both soft and chewy but also crisp and crunchy in some parts but this version fell a bit short. That said you cant have one without the other so it still served it's purpose as a delivery vehicle for the dal. I just wish it was a bit thinner.

Dal Makhani and Garlic Naan at Dhanteraz Indian Fusion

Lots of the online reviews make note of the namesake Dhanteraz claypot biryani which I had also heard good things about from the people whom I can actually put a face to their reviews. This was a very nice bowl of rice that can easily feed two if not three to four with a few other dishes included. My lamb biryani arrived piping hot covered in a golden baked crust that releases a fantastic fragrance when removed. The rice was steamed perfectly to a slightly chewy texture with none of it sticking together. The medium spiced option was not mild by any means and my only real complaint was that the lamb could've been cut into smaller more bite sized pieces and some of those pieces also could've been a tad more tender. But you can also get it with chicken, shrimp or vegetarian. If you’re looking for a BYOB stop and you like spicy and well seasoned food then give this family run spot a shot - but remember it's best to make a reservation ahead as it’s relatively small and really popular.

Dhantarez Claypot Biryani

Dhanteraz Indian Fusion
2116 W Roscoe St
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 799-8585
Website