Eating in Albany Park

-Grubbing in Chicago
Five of a Kind: Albany Park Eats

Somebody on Twitter (I’m not calling it X) recently tweeted that “ethnic food” is better in the suburbs than it is in the city. There’s not many (if any) people out there more qualified than me to speak on this and it’s not. It's only true of a few cuisines. Chinese, Mexican, Thai etc is still way better in city. Some burbs do have some good mom + pop spots but it’s all scattered. Bridgeview has great Middle Eastern food but it’s nowhere near Wheeling where people think Pita Inn is the same thing (it’s not). What’s true is that there’s a ton of interesting spots to be found in the burbs but it’s so spread out to where it’s not really comparable. Somebody that lives in Chicago Heights doesn’t have the same options as someone from Morton Grove. But people in Highland Park don’t have close to what the folks of Niles have. You can do the same with the city in terms of the there being more options on the North Side than the South Side but the city is much more condensed when it comes to restaurants. Albany Park alone clears any suburb in a one on one matchup which takes us to this week’s post. Here’s five semi recently opened international dining options I’ve tried in Albany Park of late. 

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Xotikka

First stop is a very new spot at 4749 N Pulaski. It’s so new that Xotikka doesn’t have a sign up yet (Mahi’s Kitchen was the previous tenet). This is an efficient one man operation making some fantastic Indian sandwiches. The first menu item listed is Vada Pav, a Mumbai favorite that spread across India and has really started to take the States by storm too. Vada Pav is a spiced potato patty in a fluffy bun, accompanied by chutneys and sometimes cheese if you please. The potato patty, or vada, is mashed potatoes, herbs, and chickpea flour batter, and deep-fried until golden brown. It's placed in a pav, a soft, savory bun similar to a kaiser roll. I had to get one of these on my first visit as it’s the most mentioned menu item in the few online reviews and I always like a Vada Pav when I get one. This was bigger than any other I tried but still a very good deal at $8 with Amul cheese. The potato fritter was perfectly fried to where the exposed part was crunchy while the inside was soft and super flavorful with a nice and spicy profile. Mint chutney and the option to add cheese plus a well roasted sesame seeded bun round it all out. This was a very good version that filled me up right. I chose to add cheese but it’s shredded and not melted and didn’t really give off any clues that it was being used so I’d skip it. I’ll be going back for one of their Indian chicken sandwiches made in a variety of ways. 

Vada Pav at Xotikka
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Tikal Sabor Chapin

Next we’ll shoot over to 3216 W Lawrence street which is home to one of two spots serving the cuisine of Guatemala in these parts. The Central American country has a very interesting cuisine revolving around Mayan and Spanish traditions characterized by hearty stews, corn-based staples, and mild spices. The menu here is a what's what of Guatemalan favorites including ceviche, fried chicken and even stir fried chow mein noodles as “Chino-Chapin” food is very popular with Guatemalans. The trend began with Chinese immigration in the late 1800s, with immigrant-run food stalls, known as kodores chinos, becoming popular at local fairs. But first things first was an order of the Garnachas - a popular Mesoamerican dish found in both Mexican and Guatemalan cuisine, with distinct regional variations. The ones at Tikal Sabor are made with little puffs of fried masa topped with carne molida, sauteed onions, salsa and a sprinkle of cotija cheese with a vinegar cole slaw. These delicious one bite snacks pack a big punch of flavor. I could’ve easily ate two more plates. The chow mein was also tasty though pretty much something most people can make at home. 

Garnachas at Tikal Sabor Chapin
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Zaab E Lee

Zaab-E-Lee Thai Street Food opened at 3121 Lawrence last winter and immediately started to garner buzz. I visited on one of the coldest days of the year in hopes of warming up with some Isan style Thai food but it was a bit of a mixed bag. First we’ll start with the duds which were a bowl of seafood Tom Yum that had nothing distinct in taste and only came with shrimp. I felt like we might’ve been gringo’d (given the milder version) which sucks is still a thing. A plate of Crying Tiger wasn’t any better in fact it was worse. The steak was a cheap and chewy cut served at room temp. The winners were a very good plate of Sai Oua that was some of the better Thai style sausage I’ve had in Chicago and an order of the Moo Ping with Sticky Rice which was served piping hot off of grill with a very nice smokiness going for it. I might go back and try a few other things that have been propped up at places like Infatuation and r/ChicagoFood but for now I have to agree with Steve Dolinsky - it’s a mixed bag.

Moo Ping at Zaab-E-Lee
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My Doner

Let's head west to 3806 W Lawrence where My Doner has been serving spit sliced Doner since last summer. Turkish style Doner is the original spit roasted meat traced back to the Ottoman Empire (modern-day Turkey) during the 19th century, when vertical cooking was common in the 1830s-1850s. I stopped in around the time they first opened and got a pretty good beef Doner wrap. Not the best not the worst. They’ve since added a “Berlin style Doner Sandwich” to the menu but it’s not going to change your mind there’s not any great Berlin style Doner options in Chicagoland. It’s a good sandwich but it’s lacking in the toppings department and is far from stuffed like the ones in Europe. 

Doner Wrap from My Doner
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Katkout

Last stop takes us to 4734 N Kedzie for more spit roasted meat. Katkout opened last winter in a packed little strip mall that also houses a new Yemeni coffee shop. The menu here has some typical things with shawarma and falafel being popular on top of options like a zinger sandwich and even some less typical dishes like Middle Eastern offal sandwiches. I asked the friendly guy about the offal but he didn’t have any ready to go yet. So instead I tried the “Krispy Shawarma” which is a bit of a viral dish at the moment. Unfortunately what I got was typical “Arab style” in that it was sliced into bite sized pieces and served with fries. I believe the owner is Syrian making this a Syrian style shawarma. It hit the spot but didn’t stand out outside the pricing which was $10 with fries and a drink - good deal.

Arab Style Chicken Shawarma at Katkout
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See ya next time @chibbqking

Eating BIG in Bogota

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
- A Quick Trip to The Fridge

We made a somewhat impromptu visit to Bogota on our trip to Peru at the end of last year. Because there are no non-stop flights to Peru we had to make a layover and one of the options was Bogota. The airline allows you to stay in Bogota for two nights and we also had a voucher from American Express for a two night stay just about anywhere so we chose to check out Bogota and stay at the Four Seasons while doing so. We only had two nights but we arrived at the crack of dawn giving us two full days. But even still I found it hard to crack Bogota in such a short amount of time. It's probably the hardest city I've ever tried to tackle in terms of eating and seeing my way through it. The main reason for this was the short amount of time but it didn't help that the traffic here was about as bad as I've experienced. I had a bunch of local favorite type of places I wanted to go eat at but the uber rides were always 40-60 minutes one way and it just didn't make any sense to spend that much time in an uber when we had such a short time to begin with. The highlight of our quick visit was a quick trip up to the very top of the city. The first thing we did upon arrival was ride the cable car up to the top of Mount Monserrate which was a real sight to behold. But after that and a visit to the iconic fruit market we mostly kept to the area around the hotel which is filled with nightlife and and shopping. It took me a day to get my bearings straight but by the time they were all aligned it was time to go. So consider this a sneak peak of a future trip as I really started to get comfortable right as it was time to leave.  

Pics from Bogota
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Empanaditas de Pipian

Empanaditas De Pipián was high on my list of places to try and I lucked out in that there was an outlet a short walk from our hotel. This local chain specializes in Empanaditas De Pipián which are a classic Colombian street snack popular in Bogotá though their roots actually come from the southwest of the country in the region around Popayán. At their core, empanaditas de pipián are small, deep-fried corn pastries filled with a distinct mixture called pipián. The dough is made from corn (maize) and filled with a mix of mashed papa criolla (a small yellow Colombian potato), roasted peanuts, onion, tomato, and spices like achiote. They're a popular snack as they’re small and affordable and fried to order. We got a handful and noted how similar the taste was to hash brown but with a much deeper potato flavor.  

Empanaditas de Pipian at Empanaditas de Pipian
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Plaza de Mercado de Paloquemao

After an early morning trek up to the top of Monserrate Mountain we ubered over to the Plaza de Mercado de Paloquemao which was at the top my list as far as sightseeing. Plaza de Mercado de Paloquemao is the iconic food market in Bogotá. Fruit is the big draw and so I read visiting here is a full-on sensory experience and cultural snapshot of Colombia all under one roof. The colors and the smells and the sounds were similar to other markets I’ve visited in Latin America but the fruit vendor section was a sight to behold in terms of all the different options. We thought about hiring a guide but it’s not that big in terms of size and we really lucked out by randomly meeting a Colombian girl from North Carolina who was visiting family in Bogota. She noticed we were visitors and asked where we from and she happens to love Chicago so she took us around and showed us some of her favorite fruits to eat before taking us to her favorite place to eat when she comes back to Bogota. It’s a stall at the market called Jugos y Ensaladas Vero and it’s exactly the type of spot that makes a visit to Paloquemao special. It’s here where you can grab a seat next to a local and grab some of the freshest fruit juicesin the city. We tried a few kinds like we were sampling wines which was a fun experience you won’t find many other places. They also make great Colombian arepas with melted cheese and a wonderful corn flavor. Arrive early and make this stand your first breakfast in Bogota.

Arepas and Fresh Squeezed Juice at Jugos y Ensaladas Vero
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Diosa

Bogotá has a genuinely strong cafe culture, but it’s a little different from what you might expect given Colombia’s global coffee reputation. Colombia produces some of the world’s best coffee beans, yet for a long time those beans were exported and locals drank simpler, lower-grade coffee. But that’s changed especially in Bogotá where modern cafes are all the rage these days. Diosa Café is a low-key, design-forward café in Chapinero Alto that’s built around very chill vibes. I’m not a coffee drinker so the reason for our visit was to try some of the pastries including a very nice selection of arepas. 

Yucca Arepa at Diosa
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Afluente Restaurante

Afluente was the most interesting of the fast rising fine-dining spots in Bogotá right now. It’s a concept-driven restaurant built around Colombia’s páramo ecosystem—which is a pretty unique angle even in a city full of ambitious chefs. The Páramo is a high-altitude Andean ecosystem that basically acts as a natural water source for much of Colombia and the kitchen here explores how water, land, and ingredients are connected. Much of the product that the kitchen works with comes from páramo regions and small producers with  a strong focus on sustainability and regenerative sourcing. You know the drill, native ingredients mixed with modern techniques. Lots of local fruit, herbs, and locally grown potatoes made appearances in some visually stunning dishes. I was unfamiliar with much of it but that didn’t prevent me from enjoying each and every dish - the best meal we had in Bogota.

crab - citrus foam, granadilla, cuca cookie


shrimp - plantain, chuguas, squash


rice - shrimp, balu, tubers
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Humo Negro

Humo Negro is one of Bogotá’s pioneering modern restaurants. It’s a blend of fine dining with a relaxed and creative vibe. At its core, Humo Negro is a modern tasting-menu restaurant serving Colombian dishes with an izakaya influence. Japanese techniques are adopted in the form of grilling, raw prep, and precision plating with use of Colombian ingredients like Amazonian fish and local produce. There’s a strong emphasis on Smoke (Humo) and live fire cooking which ties into the name of the place. They do have a tasting menu but we went ala carte in an effort not to be stuck there all night after a long day of travel. Honestly I thought I would like this place more than I did. The plates were pretty but it felt like they were missing flavor. The best part of the meal was the first thing we ate in the form of a corn fritter taiyaki kind of fusion. It was a texturally delightful dish that didn’t skimp on flavor. The potato croquettes were soft and crisp and had a brininess to them from what was described as a seaweed based sofrito filling. The crudo del dia was pretty in appearance but it lacked a bit in flavor. I wanted to like a sticky rice with crab and shrimp dish but it was missing something.

Dinner at Humo de Negro
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Cactus

Cactus is the opposite of places like Humo Negro and Afluente. It’s neither trendy nor experimental. It’s a Bogotá classic, the kind of spot locals grow up going to and keep coming back to for decades on end. The design on the inside draws a thin line between a cheesy western themed restaurant and an actual old school spot as this place opened in 1977. The walls are lined with pictures of Texans from another era and old menus from diners in the States. It’s a popular lunch stop for the city’s politicians and business class. I watched it fill up quickly upon being seated shortly after opening. The menu here is a what's what of American grilling favorites like steak, ribs, wings. But it was a picture of the popular roast beef sandwich (and its location) that got me in. It’s a no frills version with freshly sliced rare beef in between a nice and sturdy sub style roll with a cup of au jus plus fries on the side. I could tell by the pictures this was going to be a good rendition of a rare roast beef sandwich but what I couldn’t see was the salt was lacking big time. Luckily it was a quick fix for the sandwich and fries. 

Roast Beef Sandwich at Cactus
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Obleas Bless

After lunch I took a stroll around the city and dipped into a few areas including a car free street that lasted for more than a few blocks. There were lots of interesting storefronts and stalls including this small one person stand where a friendly lady was making Obleas con Arequipe. Obleas are a thin wafer dessert commonly found in several Latin American countries, and Colombia in particular. It’s typically made up of two thin, round wafers filled with sweet ingredients such as Arequipe which is regional terminology for dulce de leche. 

Obleas con Arequipe
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El Tizconcito

Upon my return I decided to try tacos al pastor from at El Tizconcito. The chain from Mexico City lays claim to being the creator of the taco al pastor. I got two tacos but unfortunately I still have yet to have a great taco outside of Mexico and the USA to boot. The meat was barely charred and the salsas were made for a clientele that doesn’t like spicy food. The better bet is going to La Lucha Sangucheria a few stores down - it's a famous sandwich chain from Lima which I was headed too later this trip. 

Tacos al Pastor at El Tizconcito
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Bar Ruda

For our last meal in Bogota we met up with an old friend who’s been teaching there for more than a decade now. I came upon a newish spot from Chef Álvaro Clavijo - chef/owner of El Chato, which is ranked among Latin America’s best restaurants. It also happened to be a short walk from my friends house so it was the perfect call. Bar Ruda is the more casual, nightlife-driven project when compared to El Chato. It’s a bar with a creative kitchen where Chef Clavijo and his team dish out high-end, ingredient-driven dishes with a more relaxed and social vibe inside. The only thing that really annoys me about small plates is they’re usually served on small tables as was the case with Ruda. Nonetheless they put out nice plates of food starting with a simple but super good bowl of confit criolla potatoes. Growing up I was taught that the Irish are the world’s foremost potato heads but this trip showed me I wasn’t taught right. The best most intense tasting potatoes are found in South America. Aside from getting to catch up with an old friend a plate of crab ceviche was the best part of the meal. After that we walked over to a local bar and played a fun Colombian bar game called Tejo. A 500-year old tradition that involves throwing heavy metal discs (tejos) at a clay target packed with small, explosive gunpowder triangles called mechas. It's played in taverns across Colombia and the goal is to hit the target, cause an explosion, and score points while drinking beer. It was then and there I started vibing real hard with with Bogota but we had a flight to catch in the morning. Doh!

Papa criolla confitada suero costeño

tomato, cereza sambal de camaron y menta

Croquetas de morcilla, mayonesa de rocoto

ceviche de cangrejo y maiz tierno

Contramuslo de pollo, salsa de maíz

Cordero ahumado, babaganoush de berenjena
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Eating BIG in Lima (and Cusco) (2026)

Eating BIG in Panama City (2026)

Eating BIG in Cartegena (2019)

See ya next time @chibbqking

Viral Chicago Food

-Grubbing in Chicago
Five of a Kind: Gone Viral

I started to do these five of a kind posts as a way to showcase specific dishes. It’s much easier writing a paragraph on a piece of pizza I tried than it is doing an entire post. It’s also a way to get a little more content up and not left on my phone to forget about. So I’m always thinking of ways I can combine five different things I ate and this post kind of came about when I recently tried two places I knew of due to their popularity on social media apps like Instagram. I thought to myself hmm what other things did I eat that were directly influenced by Instagram and I was able to come up with five spots (and dishes) that I likely learned of online by appearing on my food dominant timelines. So today’s post is about five places that have gone viral. It’s true that a lot of viral foods are gimmicks but not all of them are. Some are just good and catch on in a way that’s organic in terms of specific dishes like pizza, bagels, burgers, pasta, and hand rolls being popular with the younger TikTok demographic. 

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Tilly Bagel (South Loop)

We start with bagels but not at the spot in Lincoln Park that had lines around the block last week. I don’t have plans to go there as I already tried an outlet in Delray Beach and the bagels there reminded me of the packaged ones you get at the supermarket. Today we check out Tilly Bagel which was a popup during the pandemic that turned brick and mortar in 2023. Tilly is known for its sourdough bagels that people have been known to line up for. No lines when I visited on a Tuesday morning (St. Patrick's Day) to try their popular cacio e pepe bagel with a smear of caramelized onion cream cheese. Simply put I’m not a big bagel guy so make of this what you will. I thought it was ok. The bagel had decent chew but maybe needed a little more. The cream cheese didn't really have much of a grilled onion taste and I thought there was too much of it on mine but I’ve seen people complain at places that put much less so maybe overloaded is the preferred normal for most but not for me. In the end I felt about these how I do about most bagels - it was fine for what it was - a bagel.

Cacio e Pepe Bagel with Caramelized Onion Cream Cheese at Tilly Bagel
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Chomp Pizza (Pilsen)

Next up we head over to Pilsen where we’ll pop into the 18th Street Pink Line stop where Chomp Pizza runs a slice stand. It’s ran by a guy named Travis who used to worked at Paulie Gee’s in Wicker Park before doing his own thing at Chomp Pizza where they pretty much serve just one thing - a slice of cheese pizza ($5). I saw this place making the rounds online and made a point of trying it. I arrived right around opening time so the pizza had just come out of the oven. The pizza is made with a simple blend of tomatoes, Grande Cheese Co. mozzarella and some oregano but the magic is in the dough which is taken very seriously. The color on the crust is slightly darker and the texture is crisp and crackly. I can see why this place has become popular with people passing thru the 18th St. Station. 

Cheese Slice at Chomp Pizza
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Smash Jibarito (Humboldt Park)

A lot of these viral food spots started as pop-ups as is the case with our next stop - Smash Jibarito in Humboldt Park. These guys paid their dues on the pop-up circuit and now have a spiffy new brick & mortar on Division. It’s the perfect fit for their hit smash burgers inspired by the classic Jibarito sandwiches that originated in this Puerto Rican enclave. This means instead of buns they’re using flattened and fried green plantains aka tostones to hold their smashed beef patties. The menu is tight with just a few burgers, some sides, and one wildcard item which is their twist on a pizza puff. The plantain “bun” on these burgers holds up better than you’d think and adds some extra crunch to the mix. Pictured below is “estilo Animal” aka Animal Style ala In-N-Out and it's a damn good burger. 

Jibarito Smash Burger at Smash Jibarito
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Italian Homemade Co. (Fulton Market)

Pasta is a dish that tends to go viral as often as any and Fulton Market is a place where restaurants commonly go viral so of course a pasta spot on Fulton Market is going to go viral. The Italian Homemade Company got started in San Francisco circa 2014 before opening their Chicago location around 2024 as made from scratch pasta spots have really taken off. As soon as you walk in you’ll see the setup they have for making pasta from scratch plus a fridge with a bunch of that pasta packaged for home use. Or if you want to eat there you can pick a pasta and pick a sauce to go with it or choose one of their specialty pastas. Seems like most of the people working here are Italian, for whatever that’s worth. I saw some videos about the lasagna and they list it among their specialties so I stopped in with a friend when he said he had a taste for lasagna. There was some sort of meet and greet going on so the place was packed and our table was surrounded by annoying people with no sense of their surroundings and it was loud but that's to be expected in this area. I got the meat lasagna which is made with a beef and pork bolognese, bechamel, parmigiano. This was a textbook version. The pasta was fresh and soft and the meat sauce had a nice beefy taste to it. A very hearty dish. I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here but if you're already near there it’s a pretty good option. 

Meat Lasagna at Homemade Italian Company
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Noriko Handroll Bar (West Loop)

Last stop takes us over to Perilla Korean Fare in the West Loop. Perilla is a Michelin-recognized Korean BBQ restaurant group with a Steakhouse in the Loop. They also have a tiny handroll bar located in the basement of their West Loop location. It’s called Noriko Handroll Bar and it’s a hot reservation in big part due to it being such a small space with seating for around 20. The menu is revolved around handrolls with starters and a few crudo options. They have a few different sets you can get that mixes and matches a variety of rolls. Every seat is at the chef’s counter and all handrolls are made to order and meant to be eaten immediately. We started with a couple crudos which were just ok. I chose to go with the chefs handroll set with yellowtail, California roll, bluefin tuna poke, bluefin tuna toro, and bay scallop dynamite. I think I paid around $42 for the five rolls. They were all pretty good but the bay scallop dynamite roll was perfectly named as it was a lot more dynamic than the others as far as flavor. It’s described as a baked/spicy scallop with toppings like masago and sweet soy and it gets a kiss of flame with a blowtorch that gives it a smokiness that almost resembles a hot dog. That might sound funny but this was a really satisfying taste to me and one of the best things I ate last year. If I ever go back I’ll probably order a few of those and make a meal out of them.

Bay Scallop Dynamite Roll at Noriko Handroll Bar
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See ya next time @chibbqking