TXA TXA Club

-Grubbing in Chicago
Creative Cooking in Logan Square

We’re more than halfway thru 2026 and I’m finding it tough to come up with a bunch of names as far as best new restaurants in Chicago go. I haven’t been everywhere but I’ve been to most of the spots I want to try that have opened thus far, there’s just not that many and it’s not for a lack openings either. Over the past few years a lot of restaurants in Chicago and beyond have gravitated toward concepts that feel safe. Stuff like smash burgers, pizza, chicken sandwiches, casual Italian, or steakhouse adjacent spots. I guess these formats have broad appeal but to me they all feel the same. I’m looking for spots that stand out in a crowded field and with that there’s only been a few exceptions lately. 

Recently Opened in Logan Square

TXA TXA Club is an all day cafe at 3268 W. Fullerton Ave. It went from a pop-up supper club to a permanent brick and mortar space earlier this year. Rather than fitting neatly into the "brunch spot" or "coffee shop" categories it gives off a European style cafe vibes. You can stop in for coffee at 8a or linger over lunch at high noon, meet friends for an aperitivo after work, or make a date place for cocktails and dinner in the evening. It’s a neighborhood type of spot. The name "TXA TXA" ("cha-cha") comes from the Basque word txoko, referring to social dining clubs centered on cooking, eating, gathering. That philosophy is reflected throughout as they host Sunday night supper clubs platforming chefs from around town while the menu isn’t really identifiable as far as one single cuisine goes. 

Pimento Cheese, Nam Prik Pao, lime cured pickles, saltines

The dishes here borrow ideas from the American South, Mediterranean and Southeast Asia often combining ingredients you wouldn't expect to see together. You’ll find a delicious rendition of housemade Pimento Cheese mixed with nam prik pao and served with lime cured lime pickles and classic saltine crackers. Nam Prik Pao is a Thai roasted chili jam that presents many flavor profiles ranging from sweet to smoky to funky and it pairs nicely with the sharp and creamy pimento cheese while the sweet pickles build even more flavor in what’s typically a very traditional dish.

Honeydew, Rhubarb Jim Jaew, Sweet Lime Oxalis

Depending on the season, you might find perfectly scooped balls of melon with rhubarb jim jaew, sweet lime, oxalis. As soon as I saw that on the menu I thought “that’s an interesting dish!” Jim Jaew is a Thai style dipping sauce usually made with chilis, toasted rice, herbs, lime juice, and fish sauce and I never thought to use it with sweet in-season melon but upon further review it’s a popular snack in Thailand. I love learning of new dishes thru restaurants which isn’t all that common for me anymore. I’d never even heard of Oxalis which is a little clover-like herb that adds a bright lemony tang and a nice visual finish to dishes. I appreciate a place where I can learn about new things. 

Butter Beans, Pea Shoot, Zhoug, Fenugreek, Egg

There is no burger or fried chicken sandwich on the menu. They do have a breakfast sandwich with a house made pork patty plus Umeboshi aioli and Salmoriglio that’s garnered buzz though I haven’t tried it yet. But you get the idea - Umeboshi is Japanese pickled plum and Salmoriglio is an Italian lemon and herb sauce. Quite an interesting combo. Some dishes switch in and out depending on the season such as a plate of butter beans with pea shoots, zhoug, fenugreek, and egg. Both my visits came on hot summer days and this dish was perfect paired with the heat. It was revitalizing. Same can be said for the cold noodles which are extra refreshing in their own right. Thin and slippery wheat noodles mixed with XO sauce, sesame, sweet soy, and a ton of fresh herbs is super satisfying.

Cold Noodles, XO Sauce, Sesame, Sweet Soy, Herbs

As you can see meat isn’t a focal point on the menu here. But they do have the previously mentioned breakfast sandwich as well as a pork curry. The latter is listed as BBQ Pork and described as a yellow curry with Chinese broccoli and Jasmine rice. It’s a pretty plain description for a dish with a ton of depth. I was transported to South Florida upon first taste in that it has a very Caribbean flavor profile to me. It’s been awhile since a dish got a real wow from me and there was more than one at that. I highly encourage people to check this place out and give them some encouragement for going against the grain at a time when most everybody else is playing it super safe. Now is the perfect time to do so with the summer harvest in full swing. The current menu pairs really well with the heat.

BBQ Pork, Yellow Curry, Gai Lan, Jasmine Rice

TXA TXA Club
3268 W Fullerton Ave

Chicago, IL 60647 

(773) 799-8511

Website

The Radicle

-Grubbing in Chicago
Italian Coastal Vibes and Midwest Flair in Logan Square

For a while there Logan Square was seeing interesting bar and restaurant openings on the regular but it had been a bit stagnant of late. That was until recently when The Radicle opened their doors at 2523 N Milwaukee in early January 2026. It sits in the original space of Daisies, it's critically acclaimed sister restaurant that moved to a larger location down the block back in 2023. 

Newly Opened in Logan Square

The Radicle is the second project from Chef Joe Frillman - the owner and executive chef behind Daisies. He brought his team and culinary vision from Daisies’ original space to open The Radicle as a late-night cocktail bar and restaurant blending coastal Italian drinking culture with Midwestern flavors. It’s part of an effort to revive lively late-night bar culture in Logan Square, something that locals and industry folks alike have been eager to see return after changes from the pandemic era. Late night food options are few and far between compared to what was available before the pandemic but at The Radicle you can eat + drink until 1a Tuesday Sunday (closed Monday). If you plan to visit during normal dining hours reservations are recommended, it was busy on a recent visit.

Poached Tuna Bruschetta

The menu at The Radicle is small but not tiny. They break it down into four sections including both hot and cold plates plus the raw bar, pizza and sweets. They were doing a poached tuna bruschetta special on our visit and it was exquisite. Bite sized chunks of olive oil poached tuna are tossed with thinly sliced red onions and tomatoes plus beans and basil. There may have been some giardiniera in there too if not just diced carrots. I had meant to ask. So we were told this special has been so well received it might go over to the regular menu sooner or later. This is the type of dish I’d expect to come to across in a real locals type of spot in some small Italian coastal town. So far, so good.

Baby Beets

I always like to gauge the waiter / waitresses favorite dishes as this can help decide when you want to try it all. He had mentioned the Baby Beets as being his favorite dish on the menu and that sold me as I remember them doing some good stuff with beets over at Daises. The menu describes this dish as baby beets with fermented mushrooms and mojama (salt-cured tuna) but there was also some crispy quinoa and shredded parmesan on top. This was an outstanding dish, my favorite of the night actually. We also got an order of fried lake fish which was walleye with a wonderful tartar sauce and a tasty red slaw. The fish is battered crisp and perfectly moist in the middle. I’ve long lamented on the lack of lake fish on Chicago menus so hopefully this is the start of more to come. 

Fried Lake Fish at The Radicle

I’m not sure we need anymore pizza at the moment but it fits in nicely with the concept here. With the Radicle leaning into Italian aperitivo culture and late-night drinks at a reasonable pricepoint, pizza almost seems necessary. I would describe the style as Italian inspired. The menu lists ten options ranging from the classic Pizza Margherita to a Mortadella with pistachio pesto and a few interesting options such as a clam pie topped with Yukon gold potatoes and garlic. I tried the fennel sausage with red sauce, mozzarella, and red onions and enjoyed it for what it was. The sausage is better than most you’ll find outside the Chicagoland area and the crust has a nice chew. Overall this is the type of place that will draw in people on both Tuesdays and Saturdays. The food is easily approachable and drinks are around $10 each making it a good spot to go on a whim if you're in the neighborhood.

Fennel Sausage Pizza

The Radicle
2523 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(312) 488-4069
Website

Eatin' Good in the Neighborhood Pt. 2

-Grubbing in Chicago
Five of a Kind: Logan Square Favorites

Another calendar year is winding down and with it I have a collection of delicious dishes from Logan Square to share. Some readers may remember a post from last year where I declared Logan Square the city’s best food neighborhood and that's still the case today. If you want a little bit of it all when it comes to eating options Logan Square is your top spot in Chicago. Today’s post is a collection of five great things I’ve ate in the neighborhood of late - all from places I've previously featured on here.

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Superkhana International

I’ve never been a big brunch person but brunch has never been quite as exciting as it is these days. Omelets, Eggs Benedict, Pancakes and the likes just don’t excite like the Breakfast Dosa Hash at Superkhana does. For the uninitiated Dosa is a thin and savory crepe common in South Indian cuisine. It's made from a fermented batter of ground black gram and rice and is commonly served as a meal with pickles, chutney, and a variety of fillings. Masala Dosa comes with a flavorful spiced potato curry and is one of the most popular ways to enjoy it. At Superkhana they serve it with cabbage, curry leaf, a sunny side up egg, fried potatoes, and chile crisp and it’s been my favorite breakfast dish in town for a few years now even though it’s a vegetarian dish. But so what it has way more depths of flavor than a plate of bacon and eggs can bring. I just love what Chef Yoshi, Chef Zeeshan and their team are doing over at 3059 W. Diversey - one of my favorite restaurants in town.

Breakfast Dosa Hash at Superkhana International
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Best Intentions

Speaking of my favorite places in town, Best Intentions is another Logan Square spot on that list. I love what they did at 3281 West Armitage in turning an old neighborhood dive into a new neighborhood dive. Best Intentions has everything I want in a local bar - the drinks are reasonably priced and can range from a bottle of High Life to a well crafted cocktail - there’s a really nice sized patio and an outdoor bar to boot - and most importantly they have some damn good bar food. The burgers and fries are top notch but of late I’ve been planning my visits around the Filet ‘O’ Friday - their take on the Filet-O-Fish. It’s a pretty classic rendition down to the square shaped filet of breaded cod they use. The fried to order fish is dressed with a miso tartar sauce plus shredded lettuce and chile oil on a toasted potato bun and it’s the best fish sandwich in town right now (Friday's only).

Filet 'O' Friday Sandwich at Best Intentions
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Bar Parisette

Back in February I posted about ‘atta girl at 2829 W. Armitage which was a collabo between the Table, Donkey and Stick team and a chef from the now defunct Cafe Marie-Jeanne which was in Humboldt Park. Well despite my mostly glowing review it didn’t last long due to the head chef being a bit of a head case and it closed in May. But the team behind Table, Donkey and Stick did a bit of a rebrand and opened Bar Parisette this past July. The French bistro inspired neighborhood spot is led by Chef Madalyn Durant who was recently nominated in the Rising Chef category by the Jean Banchet Awards. I visited this past summer and had one of this year’s better burgers there. The ‘Cheeseburger Maison’ starts with a thick patty of high quality beef topped with a smoked onion mayo, shredded lettuce, pickles and cheddar, on a house baked sesame seed bun. The bun is incredible and I hope more spots start to take that part of the burger more seriously. Also of note are the fantastic fresh cut fries that come with it. I really liked the burger at ‘atta girl but the one at Bar Parisette is just as good.

Cheeseburger Maison at Bar Parisette 
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Izakaya Nomonomo

The family behind Ramen Wasabi continues to low key be one of Chicago’s best restaurant groups. They’ve built a bit of a mini empire over at the corner of Milwaukee and Maplewood where they also run Nomonomo Japanese Pub + Grill next door to Ramen Wasabi and Nomonomo Sushi across the street. I’ve been a repeat visitor at both places of late. We enjoy the happy hour deal(s) at Nomonomo Sushi which has $8 spicy tuna rolls and $14 Hamachi Kama (fried tuna collar) on Tues-Sat from 5p-7p. When it’s nice out they open the windows and you can people watch on Milwaukee and the rolls are always fresh. We also like hitting up their izakaya across the street which is kind of the opposite of the sushi spot in that it’s dark inside and instead of fish they focus on Japanese bar food including grilled meat skewers. As the weather starts to shift you’ll want to take note of their ‘Tan Tan Udon’ which is a Japanese version of Chinese Dan Dan Noodles using nikumiso pork, scallions, sesame, bok choy, chili oil plus thick and chewy udon noodles in a spicy bright red broth - good slurping.

Sushi, Fried Fish Collar, Udon at Nomonomo Sushi and Izakaya Nomonomo
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Bungalow by Middle Brow

You may already know this by now but ‘Tavern Tuesday’ is a thing over at Bungalow by Middle Brow in case you didn’t (2840 W. Armitage). Count me among the impressed when it comes to their take on one of the the hottest food trends in the country at the moment. It’s just called thin crust in Chicago but "tavern thin pizza" is a thing throughout the Midwest and now the rest of the country too due to hip spots like this putting their own spin on the preferred style of pizza among Chicagoans. They usually make a really great Neapolitan style pizza with a bit of sourdough starter except for on Tuesdays when tavern style thin takes over the menu. You can choose from a handful of offerings including a traditional version made with sausage or a more novel offering like the Cacio e Pepe. Whichever option you choose it’ll be a contender for the thinnest and crispiest pizza you’ve ever had. We got both of the aforementioned options and each of them was like a pizza mixed with a pasta. The sausage is loose like you might find in Northwest Indiana and the Quad Cities region and while I prefer it in chunks, this was like a hearty Bolognese spread on some crackers and it slapped. The Cacio e Pepe was giving off all the flavors of the Roman classic but in pizza form. It was rich and sharp and it was loaded with fresh pepper. This was the first time I’ve ever had a tavern thin pizza paired up with a seasonal salad. You won’t find any Old Style here but their signature Bungalow lager is a much better partner for your pizza. Only on Tuesdays in Chicago's best food neighborhood - Logan Square.

Tavern Thin Sausage Pizza at Bungalow by Middle Brow
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Eatin' Good in the Neighborhood Pt. 1

See ya next time @chibbqking

Vietnamese Food in Chicago

-Grubbing in Chicago
Five of a Kind: Vietnamese Favorites

Vietnamese food remains one of the world’s most underrated cuisines - it certainly has its fair share of fans but it’s not nearly as popular as Chinese, Japanese or Thai food. But I think you can make the case that a good bowl of pho is more readily available than alot of other things. It seems like you can find some good Vietnamese food in not just all the major cities but also in smaller cities and towns and such. The best Vietnamese food in the U.S. is found out west in Orange County but Chicago can hold its own when it comes to finding worthy options. Just like with Mexican restaurants or Chinese spots each place will typically have something they do better than most others around town. Today’s post will focus on five specific dishes that I enjoy when the taste for Vietnamese comes calling.

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Hai Yen (Uptown)

So I think one of the reasons Vietnamese food might not be as popular is bc it can be hard to pronounce the names of some of the dishes, which is pretty stupid but so are most people. For ex. one of my favorite dishes is BÒ CUỐN LÁ LỐT or beef wrapped in betel leaves. Little logs of spiced ground beef (Bo) are wrapped in betel leaves (lá lốt) and grilled. The end result are little flavor bombs with a distinct and delicious smoky fragrance. Bo La Lot comes served a variety of ways at Hai Yen Restaurant on Argyle, my favorite spot for the Southern Vietnamese dish. I like to order the platter which is customizable due to an assortment of fresh herbs and vegetables included with each order.

Bò nướng lá lốt at Hai Yen
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The Banh Mi Spot (Logan Square) 

While it’s impossible to pick a favorite style of sandwich it’s a little easier to name the best warm weather sandwiches with Banh Mi being a serious contender. Banh Mi is a product of France’s occupation of Vietnam hence the crisp and crunchy French bread used to make them. The majority of Banh Mi contain pickled carrots, daikon, chiles, cucumber slices, cilantro, mayo, and a protein of your choice. The most popular combination of ingredients is the Banh Mi Dac Biet - a special combo of cold cut ham, head cheese, pork, chicken liver pate, and the typical toppings. It’s basically Vietnam’s version of a cold cut and I really like the version served at the recently opened Banh Mi Shop in Logan Square. It’s all about the bread when it comes to a bangin’ Banh Mi and Banh Mi Spot bakes batches with just the right texture in terms of crunch. It’s not quite as good the gold standard, Nhu Lan Bakery, but it’s good enough to be one of the best Banh Mi in the city - super fresh and full of flavor.

Bánh mì đặc biệt at The Banh Mi Spot
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Hoanh Long (Peterson Park)

Pho (Vietnamese beef noodle soup) might be Vietnams most famous dish but it’s not the only Vietnamese soup you should be seeking out. Hiu Tieu Sate isn’t nearly as common as Pho but if you ever see it on a menu you should try it. Hoanh Long Vietnamese near Lincoln and Devon is one such spot you can taste this spicy, peanut buttery soup. It too is a regional dish out of Southern Vietnam making it particularly popular in Ho Chi Minh City. Doing a bit of research I came to learn it’s a product of Chinese immigrants. Specifically those in in the Cholon District of Ho Chi Min City’s Chinatown neighborhood which is fitting as Hoanh Long is a Viet-Chinese restaurant. According to at least one story Sa Tế - a multipurpose sauce that is used as a marinade, condiment, and dressing - resulted in a nostalgia for home and today the sauce is used in all sorts of Vietnamese dishes (Note: pretty much all Asian food can be traced back to China). The difference in Pho and Hiu Tieu Sate can be pretty minimal in terms of the main ingredients (beef broth, noodles, toppings) but it’s how the broth is made that differentiates them. Hiu Tieu Sate starts with sautéing aromatics like onion, chilies, spices, peanut butter pepper sauce and beef bones with the meat. Water is slowly added and brought to long simmer resulting in a deeply flavorful and semi spicy broth that will warm you up right on a cold winter night.

Hiu Tieu Sate at Hoanh Long 
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Pho 777 (Uptown)   

Let’s head back to Argyle for our next stop - Pho 777. I’m not sure how long this place has been open but it’s one of the older spots on the block despite having just moved to a new location across the street. The first time I ever went here it was because I saw a pic in their window for Cha Ca Va Long which is a fried turmeric fish dish with dill popular in Hanoi. It’s actually my favorite Vietnamese dish but I’ve still never had it in Chicago bc every time I go here (or call) and ask about it they tell me they don’t have it today (or any day apparently). But they do make a pretty good Bun Cha aka Bun Cha Hanoi aka Bun Cha Obama. Bun Cha is a Hanoi specialty of charcoal grilled pork patties and noodles served with a ton of herbs and a nuoc chom dipping sauce (fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, water). This regional dish gained worldwide notoriety when then President Barack Obama joined Anthony Bourdain for a bowl on his ‘Parts Unknown’ show when both of them were in Hanoi at the same time.

Bun Cha Hanoi at Pho 777
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Ocean Grill & Bar (Chinatown)

Lastly we head to Chinatown where Ocean Bar and Grill is serving up some delicious Vietnamese seafood. Something about the heat makes me crave Southeast Asian food and seafood too and this place is great for both of them. So the story goes the owner comes from California where he has seafood supplier connections he uses for here. The stir fried clams in Tom Yum sauce taste like a dish you might find in Da Nang if not Orange County. One of my favorite dishes this year. I loved the spicy nose popping broth and the clams were plump and easily extracted from their shells. I’ve only been here once but plan on going back very soon specifically for those clams. We also tried an order of razor clams which had turned out to be two massive clams topped with fried garlic and some lip licking sauces with delicious Southeast Asian components. If not for the seafood an order the Bun Cha Hanoi would’ve been the meals big hit as it was excellent but it’s the seafood that really stands out. H/T to my colleague John Kessler who wrote Ocean Bar and Grill in Chicago Magazine in May.

Clams in Tom Yum Sauce at Ocean Bar & Grill
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See ya next time @chibbqking

Smash Burgers in Chicago

-Grubbing in Chicagoland
Five of a Kind: Smash Burger Special 

Happy 4th of July week to my fellow Americans. I’ve been watching a lot of soccer this summer with both the Euro and Copa America Cups going on at the same time. The topic of food has come in broadcasts and online as is commonly the case when two countries go head to head in sports. You know the drill, silly generic comparisons like Pasta vs Paella when Italy plays Spain. Then just recently there was a viral tweet from someone in England who claimed the USA has no cuisine to call its own. First off how about having a little self awareness as an Englishman - what they call food is more like slop. Haha. Ok not entirely but let’s be real nobody is naming English food when it comes to the world’s best cuisines. What the f-ck are mushy peas?! I’ll tell you what American food is - it’s fried chicken, it’s bbq, and it’s hot dogs and burgers among other things and it’s all very regional. The bbq is different in Texas than it is in North Carolina. In New Mexico they put green chiles on burgers while in Oklahoma they smash balls of ground beef into thinly sliced onions. Have you ever had a burger outside of the United States? They’re never as good despite the fact all you need is ground beef, a bun and some cheese. Yet that hasn’t stopped people in other parts of the world from making burgers. In fact the biggest trend in food right now is the smash burger which is a regional specialty from right here in Illinois. I’ve seen ads and or posts about smashburgers everywhere from Paris to Jakarta. They’re so big right now we went from having a few spots in Chicago that make them to an innumerable number. I can’t keep up. But here’s five I’ve tried over the last six months or so.

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The Leavitt Street Inn & Tavern (Bucktown)

This corner bar tucked away in a residential part of Bucktown is commonly mentioned when the city's best smashed burgers are discussed. They got on the train early and have been serving them for a good while now. Although it's on the expensive side ($15 with fries) the patties are smashed to perfection and a bit larger (1/3 lb) than your typical smashed burger - think Schoop’s in terms of size. Burgers come served with sauce, grilled onions and pickles in a turn back the clock tavern setting.

Leavitt Street Smash at The Leavitt Street Inn & Tavern
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PrimeTime Bar & Grill (Albany Park)

This family owned sports bar on Lawrence opened about six months back and has stayed relatively under the radar despite putting out a fantastic burger. They smash ‘em crispy here by which I mean the edges are as crisp as a potato chip. I feel like these are closest in-style to the ones you’ll find down in Central Illinois. The price is about as close as you’ll get too at just ten bucks for a double which incl. grilled onions, pickles, PrimeTime sauce. Visit on a Thursday and all burgers are $2 off.

PrimeTime Burger at PrimeTime Bar & Grill
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Small Bar (Logan Square)

Believe it or not I had never been to this recently revamped tavern in my neck of the woods. I don’t think I knew it was there until I read it was coming back at Eater and Block Club. According to that press the corner tavern itself is over 100 years old and was recently rehabbed by new owners. They’ve upgraded the interior, fixed up the patio, added a new sign and teamed up with the couple behind Taco Sublime who despite the name are well known for smash burgers served up at spots like Marz Brewing in Bridgeport and Desert Hawk in Wicker Park. They’re calling this outlet “Patty Please” and just like the bar, the menu is small with a couple smash burger options, cheese curds, fries and a grilled cheese for the kids. “The Pleaser” is their version of an Oklahoma Onion Burger meaning fresh balls of beef are smashed into wafer thin onions and dressed with pickles and pleaser sauce on a heavily steamed bun. I tried a double ($12 without fries) and it tasted like they’ve been making them as long as booze has been served at this address by which I mean they tasted old school. 

The Pleaser at Small Bar 
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Big Star (West Town)

At some point Big Stars West Town location ditched its mariscos forward menu and added a Monday only burger special ($8) that's been so well received I wonder if their next move at this location is to go from a taco spot to a burger place. They tap into not one but two popular food trends with a cheese skirt crust mashing well with the lacy edged patties. Lettuce, diced onion and special sauce round it all out and although it looks like a mess and you need two hands to hold it, it’s actually rather sturdy.

Smash Burger at Big Star 
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Centro Burger (Lombard)

For our last stop we head out to the suburbs where there’s numerous smashburger specialists. Centro is a no frills spot sitting in a Lombard strip mall. It opened a few years ago so it was one of the first out there. They make burgers, dogs and shakes all of which is halal. The namesake includes two nicely smashed patties with cheese, grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, jalapeño, and Centro Sauce.

Centro Burger at Centro
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See ya next time @chibbqking 

Akahoshi Ramen

-Grubbing in Chicago  
Next Level Ramen in Logan Square 

As we continue to get caught up with all of the worthy openings from last year it’s time to check out one of 2023's best. I know I’m a little late to the party but it’s just getting going at Akahoshi Ramen on California just south of Fullerton. It’s story started when owner / ramen head Mike Satinover went to Japan to study abroad while in college at the University of Wisconsin. While he was in Japan he developed a deep love for the local ramen culture that he brought back with him. At that time there wasn’t a lot of ramen spots in Chicagoland and those that we did have didn’t satisfy like the bowls in Japan did. So he went to work and started making his own ramen and he documented most of it on Reddit where he has a cult following who know him as u/Ramen_Lord. Mike spent years on end experimenting with ramen in all of its various forms and if you go back and look at some of those Reddit posts you’ll see why I used the word experiment to describe what he was doing. Reading some of his posts is like trying to read a lab report of a scientific experiment from NASA.

Recently Opened in Logan Square

As Mike grew more confident in his product he began to do pop-ups that would sell out within minutes if not seconds of the tickets going on sale. In doing so Mike became an underground legend of sorts and with that the demands for a brick and mortar were met with the opening of Akahoshi Ramen at the end of November. To call this a passion project just doesn’t cut it. This is a story of kodawari in the form of a Ramenya. Mike has spent a large chunk of his life on the never ending quest of perfecting his craft and with that comes one of Chicago’s best restaurant openings last year. It’s also one of the most hyped - reservations go quick when released online and there’s always people lining up before they open. I live near there so I’ve been able to walk over and hop in line. My first visit came back in December when I arrived at 4:50p to a line of people 33 deep (they open at 5p). I was inside by 5:10p and put my name down upon being told I would get a text within an hour or so which is how it went down. I returned and was quickly seated in a slick and clean space with zero trace of appropriation.

a peek inside 

It seems like everything from the spacing to the lighting to the eye catching open kitchen setup was given much consideration. The menu is small with a selection of four different styles of ramen ranging from shoyu to a soupless Aburasoba selection. With my first visit being the first time I ever got try Mike’s ramen I decided to go with the namesake bowl. The Akahoshi Miso is described as a “blend of misos, homemade crinkly Sapporo-style noodles, and plenty of lard topped with beansprouts, green onions, menma bamboo shoots, pork chashu.” It’s the style of ramen Mike fell in love with while studying abroad in Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido is where miso ramen first originated. I added an Ajitama egg (soft boiled) and a side of white rice which I used to finish off the broth. Every component of this bowl was given preferential treatment from the creamy and extremely flavorful broth to the wholesome made in-house noodles and masterfully seared Chashu (Japanese braised pork belly). I knew it was going to be good but I didn’t know was just how good a bowl of miso ramen can be. It can be tough for places to meet the hype when it’s as big as this but I can’t go against the grain on this one - it was some of the best ramen I’ve ever had, as good as many of the bowls I had in Japan.

Akahoshi Miso Ramen (click pics to enlarge)

I recently returned to try the tantanmen and that was also fantastic. I first tried Japans spin on Chinas dandan noodles when I was in Osaka and happened to come upon a satellite location of a famous place from Hiroshima. Tantanmen is a soupless ramen made with spicy and numbing Sichuan peppercorns and loads of green onion with minced pork and ramen noodles. The rest of the ingredients will vary by ramen shop but at Akahoshi they use extra thick noodles, ma-la spice, sesame, pork soboro, house-made chili oil, green onions, and bok choy. Add an egg to your order and mix it up really well and you got one of the most toothsome bowls of noodles in the city right now. Mike and team whip up a different special each month but aside from that there's nothing else on the menu and I like it that way. You might find the pricing ($25+ with a 20% tip included) a bit off-putting but you wont find a better bowl of ramen in the Chicagoland area. Logan Square is where it's at!

Tantanmen 

Akahoshi Ramen 
2340 N California Ave (Suite B)
Chicago, IL 60647

Website