Ox Bar & Hearth

-Grubbing in Chicago
Live Fire Cooking in Lincoln Park

Every time I travel I seem to come across a place like Ox Bar & Hearth. I’m talking about the restaurants that revolve around a hearth where live fire cooking is done in an open kitchen setting. These places are usually decked out in exposed brick giving it the feel of a loft. Another common trait you’ll find in these places is a commitment, or at least the claim of being committed, to seasonal and local ingredients. It was only a matter of time until a restaurant like this opened in Lincoln Park. 

Recently Opened in Lincoln Park

Ox Bar & Hearth is the product of two Chicago restaurant veterans - Chef John Asbaty and Restauranteur Alain Uy. Chef John previously helmed his chops in high end kitchens like Alinea and Trio, the latter of which is where he first met Alain Uy. Both of them were in the house on a recent Sunday night visit which came on a cold December evening. Upon being seated we warmed up quickly with a plate of potato pierogi with cabbage, sauerkraut, and horseradish sour cream. These were some of the better Polish Dumplings I’ve had the pleasure of eating. It felt like the dough was thinner than most and all of the condiments it came with were of the highest quality. The addition of dill gave these another layer of flavor that tastefully matched all the other flavors on the plate.

Pierogi at Ox Bar & Hearth

Next out was the ‘lettuces’ which is a bit of an undersell as far as the name of this dish goes. Crisp lettuce leaves are snowcapped with cave aged cheddar, anchovy vinaigrette and sourdough croutons in a wonderful rift on a Caesar Salad. It was super satisfying despite it being the dead of winter when salads don’t hit quite as hard. Unfortunately the ‘Salt Roasted Carrots’ with harissa and pickled cherries was a big miss. The carrots are cooked on the hearth and I love harissa which is a spicy North African chili paste but they came out burnt and flavorless. We brought it up with the waitress but she insisted they were supposed to come like that. There’s a big difference between charred and burnt and these were overcooked to where there was actually no texture or taste to them either. 

Lettuces at Ox Bar & Hearth

 A plate of Rainbow Trout with fried garlic and caramelized onion oil was the first of the entrees to come out. I got to try a little bite and it had that smoky flavor that you can only achieve using a live fire grill so that was a plus as was the crisp skin you get when it’s placed directly over the flames. But in the end it was the pork collar with rutabaga mostarda and black walnut-cider jus that really stood out. Mostarda is an Italian condiment from Northern Italy made from candied fruits preserved in a mustard-flavored syrup. In Italy mostarda is common with charcuterie but at Ox Bar it’s served next to a really well marbled and rich tasting piece of pork neck sitting in a flavorful black walnut cider au jus. This cheffed up version of a pork chop with apple sauce was one of the best things I’ve ate this winter. 

Rainbow Trout


Pork Collar at Ox Bar & Hearth

I’m not one to always order dessert but if you have one that speaks to me I’ll try it as I did with a Pavlova with raspberry sorbet and sage cream. I like most any meringue based dessert as well as contrasting textures so pavlova is one of my favorite deserts and the version served at Ox Bar is up there among my favorite desserts in town right now. It’s light and refreshing and was the perfect ending to a very satisfying dinner. I’ll be keeping my eye on the menu here as it changes up with the seasons.

Pavlova at Ox Bar & Hearth

Ox Bar & Hearth
1578 N Clybourn Ave
Chicago, IL 60642
(312) 763-2222
Website

Lincoln Park Eats

 -Grubbing in Chicago
Five of a Kind: Newly Opened in Lincoln Park

Lincoln Park has long been one of Chicago's premier neighborhoods in terms of living but only recently has it started to enter the chat of Chicago's best food neighborhoods. The food scene in the neighborhood I grew up in has exploded over the last five years or so. Take Lincoln Avenue for example. When I was a kid the stretch of Lincoln that cut thru Lincoln Park was mostly watering holes. I remember when the Bulls were winning championships and Lincoln Avenue was one of the main places people would go to celebrate when they won. Then in the early 2000’s it kind of became dead over there for quite a while until restaurants like Galit and more recently Nadu started setting up shop. Fast forward to today and LP has suddenly become one of the city’s most desirable neighborhoods when it comes to opening a restaurant. But how come? Two guesses 1) people have money to spend in that area and 2) it’s become much younger and much more diverse as a neighborhood leading to some interesting restaurant openings. Today we take a look at five spots that opened in Lincoln Park in the last year or so. The type of spots that would’ve been out of place in this area a decade ago. 

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KookKook Khao Man Gai

For our first stop we head over to Clark street which is also booming right now. The stretch of Clark between Fullerton and Diversey has seen a handful of international openings the last couple years. Kook Kook Khao Man Gai is one of the more recent spots to set up shop. It’s ran by a guy from Nashville by way of Thailand. So I was told the owner runs a bubble tea shop in Nashville but he wanted to do something a bit more personal here and he’s doing exactly that at 2532 N Clark where he’s serving up Thai style Chicken and Rice aka Khao Man Gai. This chicken and rice dish consists of boiled chicken, rice cooked in broth, sauce, and a chicken soup as a side. It's a Thai version of Hainanese chicken with which it shares a common origin, though they differ mainly in the sauce and accompaniments. Khao Man Gai is known for its punchy, complex dipping sauce, most often made with fermented soybeans, vinegar, and chili, and is typically served with chicken soup and cucumber slices. It’s not the most instagramable dish you’ll come across but it’s likely to be one of the more flavorful. Kook Kook serves up an excellent version that comes with or without the skin - get it with for extra flavor. All facets of this dish from the tender boiled chicken, to the rice infused with broth, and the garlic sauce are very well made. The menu is small with a few other options including what’s said to be a good Tom Yum  soup plus other chicken dishes like Khao Mun Gai - fried chicken and rice. 

Khao Man Gai at Kook Kook Khao Man Gai
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China Wok

Next we head a couple minutes down the street to China Wok located at 2485 N Clark I’ve featured this spot before as the owner here used to run a takeout spot called New China Station in Humboldt Park where I was a regular. The dry chili fish filet at New China Station was one of my favorite dishes in town until it suddenly closed out of nowhere. I spent a couple years trying to find a replacement for it often to no avail until one day I decided to try this newly opened spot called China Wok that had quite a few Sichuan dishes including dry chili fish filet. As soon as it came out I knew I had found my favorite version again as the owner of China Wok previously ran the kitchen at New China Station. So you know about the dry chili fish filet but what else is worth getting? Here’s my go to order when we go with a group as it’s great place to byob as the family is so accommodating. First up I suggest an order of their old school potstickers which are thick and chewy and bursting with pork and ginger flavor. I’d also go for an order of the Sichuan green beans which always come out crisp with a nice spice kick. Then I recommend a plate of the “Thai Crazy Spicy Noodle” for the noodle lovers in your group. These are made with thick stir fried rice noodles mixed with onion, Chinese broccoli, jalapeño and basil leaves. We usually get the shrimp as the beef is a bit chewy but the noodles are always cooked well with hints of wok hei abound. I also love the “Szechuan Fish Casserole” which seems to be an Americanized description of Shui Zhu Yu or Sichuan boiled fish. This is a popular dish where marinated fish is boiled, then hot oil is poured over it, with heavy use of chili and Sichuan peppers. But whatever you get make sure to try the dry chili fish which is still the best in town on my watch. 

Dinner at China Wok
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Trilokah Kerala and South Indian Restaurant

Moving along we head over to Clybourn just off Webster where there’s yet another string of recent openings including Trilokah Kerala and South Indian Restaurant at 2239 N Clybourn. Trilokah isn’t exactly new though as they moved to Lincoln Park from Mount Prospect. I never got a chance to try this regional Indian restaurant when it was in the suburbs but I’ve been a few times since they moved into the city. Trilokah is cooking up food from Kerala, a state on India's tropical Malabar Coast. Judging by the crowds on my visit they made the right call moving to Lincoln Park. They did a nice job on the inside giving it a fun feel with colorful pieces of art lining the walls. On my first visit, which was solo, I had to try the Kothu parotta - a popular South Indian and Sri Lankan street dish made up of shredded flatbread (parotta) stir-fried with assorted vegetables, eggs, and meat in a spicy masala. The name "kothu" literally means "minced" or "chopped," referring to its preparation method. This dish is kind of like fried rice except it’s diced flatbread instead. Trilokah serves up the best version I’ve tried in the States. It’s super fluffy and not mushy at all with a nice spice profile. I tried it with beef which might seem out of place at an Indian restaurant but not one featuring the food of Kerala which has a large Christian population that often eats beef. Actually beef seems to be the move here, the beef curry has a ton of mentions in online reviews and most of them are favorable. As far as appetizers go the Tawa Roasted Shrimp makes for a great group starter with a thick and flavorful coating. 

Tawa Roasted Shrimp

Beef Kottu Porotta

The menu at Trilokah features quite a few dishes I’d never had before including Kizzi Porotta - a popular and aromatic South Indian delicacy where flaky, layered parottas are combined with a flavorful, spicy meat or vegetable curry, wrapped tightly in a banana leaf, and then steamed or slow-cooked. I decided to try it with beef and even though I had never tried this hands on dish it brought back a ton of memories upon first bite as it tasted like an Al’s Italian beef to me. I can see myself returning on a cold day as this dish had the same warming effect as a pot pie does. On a more recent visit we very much enjoyed the Kottayam style fish curry which is a semi spicy curry from Kerala cooked with kudum puli (malabar tamrind) and red chili powder which produces a vibrant red color that really stands out on a crowded table of food. Be sure to add a side of flaky porotta for dipping purposes. I look forward to further exploring the menu at this exciting new spot. 

Kizzi Porotta at Trilokah

Kottayam Style Fish Curry
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Dimmi Dimmi Corner Italian

Tavern style pizza is having a big moment across Chicago right now with lots of chefs chasing the crowds that come with it. Dimmi Dimmi Corner Italian opened up at 1112 W. Armitage and it’s been a hot stop since first opening their doors this past August. It’s ran by the Cornerstone Restaurant Group which took over the former space of Tarantino’s, a family-run Italian spot that closed last year after a 30-year-run. The kitchen is helmed by executive chef Matt Eckfeld, who previously worked at some very popular red sauce joints in New York such as Carbone. I really like the dining room which gets very lively on the weekends with groups of friends and families sharing plates of pasta and super thin and crisp tavern style pizza. I haven’t had the pasta, prices on that are getting pretty ridiculous, but the pizza is pretty damn good. It reminds me of the version served at Middlebrow as it’s super thin and almost too sturdy if that makes sense. It comes out as if you requested it extra well done. The namesake salad was a perfect pairing with the pizza. Some people don’t like this recent trend of cheffing up a working man’s treat but I find it refreshing in that a lot of pizza out there is average at best. It's the same product at a lot of spots as they all use the same supplier (Sysco) for their cheese, and toppings and so forth but places like Dimmi Dimmi are giving it a bit of a more personal feel.

Sausage Pizza at Dimmi Dimmi
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Le Mistral

Last stop takes us over to the beautiful Belden Stratford building at 2300 N Lincoln Park West where S.K.Y. recently relocated after spending seven years on 18th Street in Pilsen. As was to be expected it’s a beautiful space and a quite large one at that though I only walked through there to get to their new hidden wine bar Le Mistral. It’s a sleek looking spot hidden in a back room that you have to pass thru the kitchen to get to. It has the feel of a posh hotel bar in Europe and I don’t mean that in a bad way. On top of cocktails and wine they also have a little food menu that’s separate from S.K.Y. but I think you can order off the standard menu too. I saw something about their French Onion Burger which comes with a dipping sauce though it’s not poured over the top like those viral ones you've seen on social media. But this burger felt like a bit more than a viral stunt with a nice juicy patty covered in buttery onions and melted gruyere cheese with a Parmesan crisp added for crunch. It’s served with a rich and indulgent gravy like you might find on an upscale version of poutine. It hit the spot but I thought the Parmesan crisp was a bit distracting though that sauce would be good on anything beefy. Not cheap ($24) but with a bit of a tweak they can make it worthy of the price. I look forward to trying the new iteration of S.K.Y. which has a few old favorites and some new dishes too. 

French Onion Burger at Le Mistral
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See ya next time @chibbqking

Nadu

- Grubbing in Chicago  
Regional Indian Food in Lincoln Park 

It's not too often that a new and trendy restaurant offers up one of the best dining deals in the city but that's exactly what Chef Sujan Sarkar and his team at Nadu are doing, in the heart of Lincoln Park at that. Nadu opened at 2518 N Lincoln Avenue this past May. It's a sister restaurant to Indienne - Chicago's only Michelin starred Indian restaurant. Nadu is a bit more casual with an ala carte menu though they're also offering a $55 tasting menu that I thought was well worth the price of admission. 

Recently Opened in Lincoln Park

Nadu labels itself as a "Regional Indian" restaurant meaning the menu features dishes from India's 28 states and 8 union territories. The city's Indian food scene has taken another step forward with it's opening as it wasn't long ago that pretty much every Indian restaurant in town served watered down versions of Northern Indian food often in buffet form. Nadu does just the opposite with beautifully presented plates of regionally focused Indian food. The menu is broken down into sharing plates and large plates with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian offerings. There's also a few sides and different breads and rice to pair with your main dishes. Normally it would take a few visits with a few people to try most of the menu but the $55 tasting menu allows you to try a nice chunk of the menu.  So we were told the portions would be a bit smaller but I not only left stuffed I left with a doggy bag that made for a great lunch the next day. It was such a good deal I'm not sure how long it will last in it's current iteration which includes fives courses with the option to add a 6th or even a 7th for $11 each. 

To Share: Papad and Chutneys (L) Dahi Bhalla (R)

Nadu is one of those spots where the pictures do as much justice to the food as any description I could give so I'm going to keep the rest of my review short and sweet by saying this was one of my favorite meals of the year thus far with everything being delicious. I enjoyed every dish from the starters to the dessert. Since I was with my wife I got to try all of her dishes too and there really wasn't a dud in the bunch. Even the Dal Makhani which we both chose as our side was outstanding - as good if not better than the version that made London's Dishoom so famous. In fact Nadu feels a bit like a London Indian restaurant in terms of both it's bold flavors and colorful aesthetics. Whatever you do in terms of the ordering I recommend getting the Nool Porotta ($6) to go with your meal- it's not an option with the tasting but the flaky and buttery flatbread pairs perfectly with the rich and smooth dal makhani and also Meen Gassi which is a regional curry from Mangalore that I thought was awesome. I appreciated the use of walleye as opposed to salmon or something else. Here's how it went down -

Hers: Mushroom Galawat (Lucknow) - 

Velvety mushroom kebab seasoned with traditional kebab masala, served on a saffron sheermal bread, accompanied by refreshing mint and cilantro chutney

His: Chicken Kalmi Kebab (Delhi) - 
Deboned Chicken thigh (Boti) marinated in hung curd, garam masala, black pepper , yellow chili powder; cooked in tandoor and served with Old Delhi style butter emulsion


Nool Porotta ($6) - 
Flaky and soft Kerala-style flatbread


Side (choose one): Dal Makhani -
Black lentils simmered with tomato, fenugreek and finished with cream and white butter

Supplement Course ($11): Prawn Balchao (Goa) - 
Shrimp cooked in a tangy masala with garlic, tomato, fermented chili paste and peppers, flavored with coconut vinegar, kokum and cinnamon

Supplement Course ($11): Benne Masala Dosa (Bangalore) -
Crisp and golden-brown on the outside with a soft, airy inside, this Dosa gets its signature flavor and texture from the generous use of white cultured butter ("benne" in Kannada), stuffed with a lightly spiced potato filling and served with traditional coconut chutney and thakali (tomato) chutney

Hers: Meen Gassi (Mangalore - Karnataka) - 

Walleye cooked in a rich coconut and tamarind curry, infused with dry chili, turmeric, and curry leaf

His: Beef Roast (Kerala) -
Beef short ribs double roasted in a shallot and coconut masala, flavored with black pepper, curry leaf and dry chili

His / Hers: Tutti Frutti Cassata (Mumbai) -
 Layers of vanilla sponge, mango ice cream, coffee ice cream and tutti frutti, finished with a sprinkle of toasted pistachio nougatine crumble

Nadu
2518 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 590-5676
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

Favorite Asian Dishes

-Grubbing in Chicago
Five of a Kind: Personal Favorites  

“How do you choose which restaurants to try?” and “How do you decide what to order when you go to a restaurant?” are two questions I often get asked and I figured I would use this week’s post to answer them. The first question is a bit tougher to answer bc I kind of just know what I’m looking for be it a little taco spot on the south side or a big opening in Fulton Market. Basically if the menu intrigues me I’m adding it to my list of spots I want to check out. Things that intrigue me are unique dishes and or regional offerings you won’t find elsewhere. I’ll also look at a restaurants reviews on google, specifically the most commonly mentioned words in the reviews. This is a good way to figure out what a restaurant does well. If I’m looking at a Chinese spot and there’s 50+ reviews mentioning the Jianbing well that’s probably what I’m going to try. I also like to look at the pics bc I know what I’m looking for. For ex. I love the Indian dish that goes by the name Chicken 65. It’s a common menu item at Indian restaurants but not all Indian restaurants do it well. I like the drier versions as opposed to the wetter ones so a quick peek of a pic is really all I need to see if it’s going to be to my liking. It doesn’t always mean I love what I ordered but it’s a good starting point as far as figuring out what to get. The other tool I use as far as deciding where to eat and what to order is the word of reliable food people or those whose food opinions I trust knowing that our tastes align together. These can be friends, writers, and people I know through the social media sphere. So what does all of this have to do with today’s post? Well this week I’m going to feature five spots I visit on and off for five specific dishes. All of them happen to be Asian as I happen to eat a ton of Asian food, in big part due to its diversity but also bc I love both noodles and rice and also dumplings and stir fried vegetables and curries and so forth. So without further ado here are five Asian dishes in Chicago that I commonly crave -

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Hong Huah (Belmont Cragin)

I somehow missed this place back in 2014 when I did a super deep dive on old school Chinese restaurants in the Chicagoland area. I don’t know exactly how long Hong Huah (5924 W. Fullerton) has been open but it’s been around for at least a few decades going back to when local sports radio station 670 The Score was broadcasting out of a studio on Belmont in Belmont Cragin. Some of the hosts like Terry Boers and Dan McNeil used to eat here and I don’t think the dining room has changed much since they were last here. It’s still a family run spot that caters to the neighborhood which is mostly Hispanic these days. I stop in at least a few times a year for the old school potstickers. You know the type I’m talking about? They’re thick and plump and juicy and the good ones are crisped up really nicely and have a slight chew to them. Hong Huah has one of the best versions around and you can’t beat the price ($8). I’ve also enjoyed their mu shu pork as they still make the pancakes in-house. 

Potstickers at Hong Huah 
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Peking Mandarin (Albany Park)

Here’s another spot I missed putting in my epic post on old school Chinese restaurants. Walking into Peking Mandarin (3459 W. Lawrence) is like walking into a Time Machine. From the Zodiac Chinese placemats, to the diner style bar seating and the booths that you sink into, this place just oozes old school American-Chinese and the menu has orange chicken etc. if you want that. But it’s Korean owned so there’s also a bunch of Korean - Chinese staples like tangsooyuk (sweet and sour pork) and jjajangmyeon (noodles in black bean sauce). But it’s the shrimp fried rice that keeps me coming back. It’s a terrific blend that’s on the lighter side in terms of color but it’s packed with flavor and always served steaming with a nice sear meaning it was properly cooked in an extra hot wok. Typically I’m a 'no peas in my fried rice' type of person but they only put a few of them in and they don’t distract at all. The carrots are crisp and the shrimp isn't awful. The other thing I love about this fried rice is the chili sauce that’s served with it. Make sure to mix a bit of it in to reach the peak. 

Shrimp Fried Rice at Peking Mandarin 
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Jess Cafe (Belmont Cragin)

Jess Cafe (5819 W. Belmont) is the type of place where there’s just too many things on the menu. So going in blind is likely to lead to disappointment though it’s been around for more than a decade so they clearly have fans. I’m one of them though I’m more of a fan of a specific dish - the beef cubes over tomato rice. This is one of those dishes you don’t see too often. Whenever I see something that’s new to me it catches my attention. I first decided to try this due to a few of the reviews and also bc I could tell from the pictures it was my type dish and that it is. They take tender chunks of beef tenderloin and sear them up really nicely with soy sauce and other seasonings before throwing it all on a big plate of tomato rice. This exquisite Viet dish with French and Chinese influence is the only thing I’ve ever tried here aside from a smoothie. If the mention of smoothies and beef cubes makes you think of Joy Yee, yep me too. There could be a connection but I’m not entirely sure. 

Beef Cubes Over Tomato Rice at Jess Cafe 
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My Place (South Loop)

I’ve featured this popular Cantonese spot before but they’ve moved twice since then. My Place (1906 S. State) used to be in the Chinatown Mall before heading to the South Loop right before the pandemic. Its proximity to Chinatown and a classic Cantonese menu means lots of the areas Chinese residents are regulars. I was first turned onto here by Brian Eng whom some of my readers may know. He lives in the area and is a great resource for restaurants in Chinatown and beyond. The house special Portuguese baked rice with curry sauce has been a favorite of mine since he first put me on. You can get it with fried chicken, pork chops or fish but only the fried chicken is listed as a house special and for good reason. Chunks of dark meat chicken are breaded and fried and slathered in a mild curry sauce with melted cheese and served over white rice mixed with stir fried egg.  

Baked Chicken Rice at My Place 
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China Wok (Lincoln Park)

Our last stop takes us to 2485 N. Clark in Lincoln Park and it comes with a bit of a backstory. Back in 2017 I was put onto a little Sichuan takeout spot on North Ave in Humboldt Park. It was called New China Station and they had a dish called dry chili fish filet that I absolutely loved to where I was preaching about it on a regular basis. As time went by New China Station developed a cult like following and their dry chili fish filet became their signature dish of sorts but then they closed out of nowhere in 2021. It was a big blow to me as I probably ordered their dry chili fish more than any other dish in town during its tenure. I very much missed it when they closed, so much so I went on a mission to find a replacement. As time went on I’d check the menus and sometimes try newly opened Sichuan spots hoping the folks from New China Station would reappear. As time went by my hope began to fade until one day I was driving down Clark and saw a new spot called China Wok. I had to make a mental note bc I already had plans that day but the next day I looked them up online and the menu was pretty similar to that of NCS. Not only that but dry chili fish filet was listed as a house specialty so I decided to try it later that day and I knew the dry chili fish filet from New China Station was back as soon as it was placed in front of me. I was quick to ask the young waiter if there was any sort of connection but he didn’t know so instead I asked the older lady who gave me a take out container and sure enough her husband, the cook, used to own New China Station. Together again at last! I crave this as much as anything. So much so I’ve already gone back twice since being reunited. 

Dry Chili Fish Filet at China Wok 
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See ya next time @chibbqking