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

Asian Homecook

-Grubbing in Chicago
Rohingya Style Malaysian Food in West Ridge

Grub is the main focus here but before we get to the food and flavors of Asian Homecook on Devon I have to give a rundown of what led to the recent opening of this family run Rohingya restaurant. The Rohingya crisis remains one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters. More than a million refugees live in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh after fleeing persecution in Myanmar, while those still in the Rakhine State face ongoing violence and severe restrictions. With global aid declining and dangerous sea crossings increasing, humanitarian groups continue urging greater international support and a long term political solution to this persecution. Malaysia is also one of the major destinations for Rohingya refugees in SE Asia as it’s a Muslim-majority country and there’s existing Rohingya communities there that can help with jobs in informal sectors. Malaysia is where the family behind Asian Homecook fled Myanmar before moving to Chicago which hosts one of the largest Rohingya communities in the country. The Rohingya Culture Center on Devon is at the center of that. The community nonprofit was founded in 2016 to support Rohingya refugees who resettled in Chicago. The center provides day-to-day services like ESL class, job support, case management, youth programs, and navigating healthcare and public services. It also acts as a cultural hub where families can stay connected to language, food traditions, and community life while rebuilding in the U.S. 

Rohingya Culture Center of Chicago (2740 W Devon)

I started to notice a few Rohingya owned grocers on and off of Devon the past few years so it was only a matter of time until a Rohingya restaurant opened which is where Asian Homecook comes back into the picture. It opened about two months ago, but you wouldn’t know it if just driving by as the sign from the previous business is still up. There’s a small sticker on the door and a picture of some dishes but there's not much else to let you know this is no longer an Indian kebab restaurant. 

Asian Homecook

On my visit it looked like a nice sized crowd of locals, older and younger, have embraced this place. The menu is made up of four sections (all Halal) starting with roti flatbread. Roti was brought to British Malaya by South Indian Tamil Muslim immigrants in the early 20th century, evolving from Indian parotta. An order of Roti Telur (egg roti) is a great starting point here. It’s made by stretching dough really thin, cracking an egg, and folding it into a square parcel, and pan-frying it until crispy. Asian Homecook serves their Roti Telur with a soothing lentil curry and a vibrant sambal chili sauce.

Roti Telur

Fried (goreng) noodles (mee) are another focal point. An order of ‘Mee Goreng Mamak’ was everything I love about stir fried noodles. Originating from the Indian-Muslim (Mamak) community, yellow egg noodles are stir-fried over a high heat and deliver a sweet, savory, and spicy flavor profile, achieved by tossing the noodles in sambal, soy sauces, spices. The Mee Goreng Mamak at Asian Homecook is a large and spicy portion with tofu, crisp veggies and crunchy chilis for just $7.

Mee Goreng Mamak at Asian Homecook

Fried Rice (Nasi) makes up the final section of food options (there's also a drinks page). Early reviews online point to Nasi Goreng Kampung aka Village Fried Rice. Nasi Goreng Kampung is a beloved, savory and spicy Southeast Asian dish featuring day-old rice tossed with rustic ingredients like pounded shallots, garlic, bird’s-eye chilies, shrimp paste, and crispy fried anchovies and it typically comes topped with a fried egg. The friendly English speaking waitress also recommended this dish as her personal favorite so I wasn’t going to pass it up. Unlike other fried rice variations, Village Fried Rice is extremely savory with a distinct umami punch and extra spice. The use of belacan (fermented shrimp paste) gives this dish a rich and extra aromatic flavor profile that pairs perfectly with the salty crunch of tiny dried anchovies. Diced chicken is included in the version at Asian Homecook but it’s basically a filler. The flavor, and there’s a ton of it in this dish, comes from all of the other stuff. 

Nasi Goreng Kampung aka Village Fried Rice

The most interesting options seem to be the daily specials showcased on their Instagram. That’s where I first learned about one of Malaysia’s most recognizable dishes - Nasi Kerabu. This vibrant blue colored rice dish comes from the the east coast states of Kelantan and Terengganuz. It's made with a delicately floral rice turned indigo blue by steeping it in a water made of bunga telang (butterfly-pea flower). It’s commonly served with fresh herbs, crispy fish crackers, and different proteins like fried chicken and fish plus a sweet and spicy coconut sauce. Wow I thought - this is one of the most vibrant dishes I've ever come across. I would be surprised to learn you can find this dish anywhere else in the city as Malaysian food is pretty scarce in these parts and the one spot we do have is Peranakan, an entirely different group with different origins, food cultures, and geographic locations. My visit to Asian Homecook reminded me of two things. The first was how despite all its flaws just how privileged it is to be born in the USA. The second thing was I really need to go to Malaysia which sits near the top of my bucketlist. The food is a vibrant, mouth-watering reflection of its multicultural society, blending Malay, Chinese, and Indian flavors with spices, chilies, coconut cream. It's said the people are warm, exceptionally hospitable, and famously united by their deep, shared passion for eating, socializing, and celebrating their diversity. A meal at Asian Homecook feels like a sneak peek. 

Nasi Kerabu

Asian Homecook
2739 W Devon Ave
Chicago, IL 60659
Instagram

The Clove

-Grubbing in Chicagoland
Excellent Indo-Chinese (and more) in Glenview

The Clove is a relatively new South Asian restaurant in the Northern suburbs but it also has a bit of history in the North Shore area. It opened in Glenview last summer but the guy behind The Clove used to run now closed The Red Hot Chili Pepper in Evanston which I visited Pre-Pandemic. 

Recently Opened in Glenview

The menu is split into two - there’s an Indian-Nepali and an Indo-Chinese menu. This is fairly common but what’s not is having two separate kitchens (and cooks) for each menu. The Clove is located in a large strip mall so there’s a nice amount of space inside including a full bar which along with the food is 25% off on Mondays. The Indo Chinese food at The Red Hot Chili Pepper was the best I’d had in Chicagoland so I had The Clove pretty high on my list but it took some time to find myself out that way. Well that recently happened not once but twice in the span of a week so I got to try a pretty nice portion of the menu and as I suspected it would be - the Indo-Chinese food here is excellent.

Gobi Manchurian

Indo-Chinese food is a blend of Chinese style cooking techniques with Indian spices and chiles. It comes from the Chinese community that was living in India back when it was said to be created in the 1970’s by Nelson Wong, the same guy said to create Gobi Manchurian. There’s a set of dishes you’ll see at every Indo-Chinese restaurant whether it’s in India, Pakistan, or the suburbs of Chicago and Gobi Manchurian is perhaps the most popular of them all. Crispy fried cauliflower is wok tossed in a spicy soy-garlic sauce but despite the name it has nothing to do with Manchuria in China. It’s said to be invented in India in the mid 1970s at China Garden in Mumbai. I’ve had my fair share of Gobi Manchurian over the years and the version served at The Clove sits at the top my list. First off it’s a dry version so it’s not gloppy from a sauce and it’s got a really nice spicing to it while the fry job is also done well. Resulting in a crisp and tasty product. I would highly recommend starting with an order. 

Dry Chili Chicken at The Clove

Chili Chicken is another dish you’ll find on every Indo-Chinese restaurants menu. It too comes served wet or dry depending on the spot but at The Clove they do both. Again I’m a dry guy when it comes to Indo style chili chicken. This can be traced directly to Yueh Tung in Toronto where they serve a legendary chili chicken that I still think about now and then (fyi the Indo-Chinese food in Toronto aka “Hakka Chinese” is as good as it gets). To me dry is better because it’s crisper and tends to be more intense as dry is the preferred way in places like Mumbai. I’ve been searching for something similar to the version served at Yueh Tung for years now and the chili chicken at The Clove is the closest I’ve found up to now. This is in big part due to it being dry when most spots serve it wet but it’s also got great flavor from the ginger and chiles, speaking of which if you order it hot they bring the heat.  

Manchow Soup

Just like its American-Chinese food cousin, Indo-Chinese is popular to eat in large groups. Usually you order for the table and get a few apps plus entrees and sides. Manchow Soup is another one of those standard Indo-Chinese dishes. The soup has a few defining features including a soy-based broth, strong use of garlic and ginger, and lots of chili flavor. It’s thickened with cornstarch and packed with cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, and a variety of other vegetables plus chicken, tofu and other stuff depending on the recipe. Supposedly the name has no meaning other than to sound Chinese. The Manchow soup at The Clove is flavorful and filled with a ton of crisp vegetables leading me to believe it’s made to order as they wouldn’t be that crisp if it was made ahead. The only thing missing was the crispy noodles on top that typically come with Manchow but all the crunchy vegetables made up for the lack of crunchy noodles (note: they were included on my return visit). 

Hakka Style Noodles at The Clove

The Hakka noodles at previously mentioned Red Hot Chili Pepper in Evanston were among my favorite noodles in town and they’re just as good at The Clove. They get a ton of wok hei in the flavor. You can add chicken or tofu but I like it as it is as it already comes with a ton of crisp veggies. I haven’t gotten to try the fried rice bc I can’t pass on the Hakka Noodles but I’m guessing it’s just as good if it’s cooked the same way with lots of wok hei given off by an extra hot wok. Momo Dumplings aren’t Indian-Chinese but the Nepali and Tibetan style dumplings pair well with the rest of the Indo-Chinese food here. I don’t think of Chicago as a great Momo town but the chicken ones at The Clove are as good as I’ve had in the city or suburbs. The wrappers are thin and soft and the chutney is on point. 

Chicken Momo Dumplings

On my initial visit I was with my wife who really likes Dal Makhani and any type of seafood curry. I'm also a fan of these things so we got an order of the Dal and decided to try the Goan style snapper curry alongside it. The former was good but not great, though it tasted even better the next day. The latter was really good. The coconut based gravy had a sneaky hot spice to it and the fish was perfectly cooked making them the perfect match for each other in the same way The Clove is the perfect match for Glenview. The space is large and clean while the food is fresh and flavorful. 

Dal Makhani and Goan Snapper Curry

The Clove Indian & Nepali Cuisine
1827 Waukegan Rd
Glenview, IL 60025
(847) 999-0862
Website

Dan Dan Noodles

-Grubbing in Chicago(land)
Dan Dan Noodles Roundup

I love me a bowl of Dan Dan Noodles. So much so I will travel back to China one of these days so I can try them in their natural habitat in the Sichuan Province. Closest I got was in Beijing where there was satellite location of a famous spot from Chengdu. I’ll kill two birds with one stone by going to see the Pandas there too. The origin of Dan Dan Noodles is said to trace back to Chengdu where it first appeared as a cheap, portable street food sold by vendors who carried the ingredients and noodles on a long bamboo pole (dan) balanced on their shoulders, which is now the dish got its name. 

One of the things I love about Dan Dan is how it varies from spot to spot. Ordering a bowl of Dan Dan is like getting a scratch off ticket. Much like a pot of chili there’s a base most recipes follow but exact ingredients vary. The blueprint for a bowl of Dan Dan starts with thin and chewy noodles served with preserved vegetables, minced meat, and scallions sitting in a puddle of spicy oil commonly made up of sesame paste, chili oil, Sichuan peppercorns, soy sauce, and black vinegar. Though regional variations abound and no two spots make them the same way. Some versions are soupier, other versions come served cold, in Taiwan they use peanut sauce. Lots of spots use chopped peanuts but some do not. Some bowls are spicy while others are savory. The noodles vary from spot to spot too. Chinese wheat noodles are the traditional choice but in Japan they have their own version called TanTan and it’s made with ramen noodles as it’s commonly consumed at ramen spots.

Over the last year and change I tried as many desirable versions as I could find in the Chicagoland area. This isn’t a complete list but it’s the spots that talked to me in terms of trying the Dan Dan Noodles. For now the final count is 15 versions tried across the Chicagoland area and because everybody loves when foods are ranked I’m listing the top five that stood out in terms of quality and then I'll round up the rest in no particular order as I liked all of these versions in one way or the other. 

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Szechuan Bistro

First stop is in Chinatown at the Richland Center food court. The basement of this building is home to a collection of small food stalls including Szechuan Bistro - my pick for the best Dan Dan Noodles in the Chicagoland area. I’ve written about this place before and you can learn more by clicking HERE. This is likely the most traditional preparation of Dan Dan in town, down to the portioning of the ground pork and the usage of chewy wheat noodles. It’s also laced with a good amount of Sichuan peppercorn and has Ya Cai, both of which are crucial elements when it comes to a good bowl of Dan Dan Noodles. I also appreciate the pricing which as of this being published is still under $10 an order.

Dan Dan Noodles at Szechuan Bistro
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Sichuan Style Noodle & Mao Cao

Next up we head about 25 miles west of the city limits to yet another Asian food court. This one is called the International Mall in Westmont, it houses a handful of Chinese food stalls. One of them is called Sichuan Style Noodle & Mao Cao. The Dan Dan Noodles from here are very similar to the version listed previously. They use a chewy wheat noodle with a nice amount of Sichuan peppercorn, ground pork and it’s a smaller portion priced at $8.95 a bowl. I’m not sure if there’s any connection between here and Szechuan Bistro but you can’t go wrong with the Dan Dan Noodles at either spot. 

Dan Dan Noodles at Sichuan Style Noodle & Mao Cao __________________________________________________

Katy's Dumplings

We’ll stay in Westmont and head to Katy’s Dumplings. Katy’s is known for having some of the best noodle soups in all of Chicagoland. The Dan Dan is a full on bowl of noodle soup with their signature handmade noodles resting in a spicy chili slicked broth with a bright red hue. The price reflects the portion in that it’s a large bowl of soup ($14.95). Aside from the standout noodles which are perfectly chewy the broth comes loaded with Sichuan peppercorns giving it a very nice spice profile (order extra spicy to guarantee this). Ground pork, sesame seeds and stir fried bok choy round it all out. 

Dan Dan Noodles at Katy's Dumplings
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Akahoshi Ramen

The Tantanmen ($18) at Akahoshi Ramen in Logan Square is perhaps the highest quality bowl of noodles on this list. Akahoshi being the brainchild of Mike Satinover aka Ramen_Lord on Reddit where he shared his journey from Ramen Head to Master Ramen Chef. Tantanmen is a Japanese ramen variant derived from dandanmian aka Dan Dan Noodles. Tantanmen has been adapted into a rich, creamy, and nutty ramen soup with a more moderate level of spice. It’s a staple dish of "Chuka Ryori" (Japanese-style Chinese) and it’s becoming increasingly popular in ramen shops across the globe. The soupless version served at Akahoshi is a top shelf rendition with extra thick ramen noodles that are made on site plus ma-la spice and sesame. It’s topped with seasoned Japanese style pork soboro, green onions, blanched bok choi and it’s best to add a soft boiled egg ($2) into the mix. 

Tantanmen at Akahoshi Ramen
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Wei Dao Cheng Du

Wai Dao Chengdu is still relatively new. It's stationed next door to 88 Marketplace on Jefferson. The menu is full of Sichuan and Chengdu specialties with a heavy dosage of numbing Sichuan style peppercorns, chili oils, rich broths, and the option to make your order come out extra spicy and numbing. The ability to make it "Mala" is what really stands out here. The noodles themselves are just ok, they’re almost spaghetti like, but everything else about this bowl is spot on. It’s a large serving meant to be shared by the table but I made a complete meal out of it with leftovers for $13.95. 

Dan Dan Noodles at Wai Dao Chengdu
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Hing Kee 

The Dan Dan Noodles at this dumpling specialist in Chinatown Square are listed on the menu under the ‘Hand Pulled Noodles’. It’s served as a noodle soup and the broth is creamy with a slightly spicy kick although the noodles are a tad softer than you'd expect hand pulled to be. There’s also ground pork, sesame seeds, green onions, and half of a hard boiled egg. While it’s not the most traditional version it’s a very satisfying bowl of soup and a very good deal too at just $9.50 when dining in.

Dan Dan Noodles at Hing Kee
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Bowl of Fortune Express

Bowl of Fortune opened in Wheeling last year and they opened an express location at J Plaza in Niles not too long after that (formerly Assi Plaza). The express location sits in a food court with a handful of other spots including P Dern's Thai Kitchen. The Dan Dan ($14.95) at Bowl of Fortune is a soupier version but not a full on noodle soup. The broth has a nice spice going for it and the alkaline noodles are thin and chewy. The ground pork is browned well with green onions and bok choy added on top.

Dan Dan Noodles at Bowl of Fortune Express
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Noodleverse

Next we head back to the Richland Food Court for a visit to Noodleverse. This Chinese noodle specialist opened last year with a menu of about 15 different noodle options including Chengdu Dan Dan Noodles ($16.50). I went in blindly since it was very new at the time of my visit but I saw the light as soon as my number was called. This was a very well put together bowl with equal portions of ground pork, Sichuan chili crisp, green onions and peanuts on top of thin and flat noodles with a puddle of spicy oil on the bottom. I mixed it all up and was pleasantly surprised with the final product. 

Dan Dan Noodles at Noodleverse
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Chengdu Bistro

This popular West Town spot recently opened a South Loop location. I've featured Chengdu Bistro before and I frequent it regularly as one of my go-to spots for takeout. Sichuan style noodle dishes are the star of the show and while I wouldn't list the Dan Dan among their best options I still get it regularly. It comes in two sizes with the small being a true single serving. At around $5 it pairs perfectly with an order of Sichuan string beans and Zhong's Dumplings. The noodles are on the soft side and it's not super spicy but the oil and the pork have good flavor and the bok choy adds a contrasting texture.

Dan Dan Noodles at Chengdu Bistro
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SzeChuan Alley

Bridgeport continues to see a surge in Chinese restaurants up and down Halsted street. SzeChuan Alley opened over a year ago and I stopped in to try the Dan Dan Mian ($15.95) around the time period when they first opened. I thought their version with thinner and slightly soft noodles topped with dark browned pork mixed with chopped peanuts and lettuce was a hit but more like a single or a double than a home run. The little puddle of chili slicked oil on the bottom could've been spicier and the noodles were softer than I like but it still hit the spot in a way that Dan Dan almost always does.  

Dan Dan Noodles at SzeChuan Alley
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Min's Noodle House

We'll stay in Bridgeport and head a bit further south down Halsted to get to our next spot - Min's Noodle House. This place is one of the elder Chinese spots on the block having opened almost ten years ago. As the name suggests the noodle dishes at Min's are front and center with options like their signature Chunking Noodles with your choice of toppings being very popular, as are the Dan Dan Noodles ($11.95). The Dan Dan are unique in that it's loaded with a pork mix that's wetter than most plus lots of lettuce. The noodles are thin and soft and there's a noticeable amount of peanut flavor in the sauce mix at the bottom. Not sure how I feel about the lettuce as it tends to get wet and becomes texturally unpleasing. It's not the spiciest version but you can amp it up upon request. 

Dan Dan Noodles at Min's Noodle House
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YooYee 

This Sichuan restaurant in Uptown on Broadway became a popular spot right out of the gate when it opened last year. People including myself flocked to YooYee for their spicy braised beef brisket noodle soup made with hand pulled noodles which are very good. The Dan Dan ($16) isn't quite as good but that's not to say you shouldn't try it. I just didn't think it was as well made as the brisket soup. Their Dan Dan is made with a much thinner egg noodle and its a drier version meaning there's no broth. The pork was a bit too dry and the texture was rather monotoned without any peanuts or bok choy. But the sauce on the bottom had a good spice to it and it clings to the noodles nicely.  

Dan Dan Noodles at YooYee
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Chef's Special

Chef's Special is different from all the previous spots on this list so it's only fitting that their Dan Dan is too. The term "Chef Driven" is overplayed but that's exactly what Chef's Special is. The menu is an ode to the Chinese food that Chef Jason Vincent grew up eating in Northeast Ohio as seen through his culinary lens which also gave us the critically acclaimed Giant in Logan Square. At Chef's Special in Bucktown the Dan Dan Noodles ($17) are unique in a few different ways. They use thick and chewy egg noodles that are stir fried and tossed with a mix of ground pork, sesame paste, peanuts, green onions, and Sichuan peppercorns. The end result is a bowl of steaming hot noodles with great texture and great flavor. You can even personalize it a bit with the trio of sauces that comes with it.

Dan Dan Noodles at Chefs Special
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Noodlebird

The Dan Dan at Noodlebird in Logan Square is a recurring special that seems to pop up in the summer months. Pretty much everything is solid at this place and that includes the Dan Dan ($15.00). They use long wheat noodles with minced pork sitting atop a puddle of spicy sesame Sichuan sauce and they give their own touch by garnishing it with yu choy, pickled peppers and shaved cucumbers.

Dan Dan Noodles at Noodlebird
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Lao Peng You

Our final stop takes us to Lao Peng You in Ukrainian Village. This is one of the city's most popular Chinese restaurants outside the Chinatown neighborhood. It's a new school spot that I featured when it first opened. If you ask where to find the best Dan Dan in Chicago odds are at least a few will tell you to go to Lao Peng You. Personally I prefer their dumplings which come swimming in a tangy broth but the Dan Dan ($19) is very good and worth getting when you're craving some noodles. The menu lists chopped pork, spinach, peanuts, soy, sesame, chili oil, brown peppercorns. Upon delivery it looks a bit off with a mound of greens on top but as soon as you mix it all up it starts looking the part. 

Dan Dan Noodles at Lao Peng You
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See ya next time @chibbqking

Eating in Downtown Chicago

-Grubbing in Chicago
Five of a Kind: Downtown Dining

After 17 years of almost nonstop posting I don't think it's hyperbole to say that I've covered more ground than most when it comes to food in Chicago. If there's an interesting place to eat in one of the city's 77 designated community areas I've likely stopped in there at some point. We've taken deep dives into places Hegewisch and the West Side and have gone up and down Howard Street over the years. But if there's one area of the city that's been under covered on here that would be the Downtown area. There's a few reasons for this including not going down there too often in part due to there not being a ton of interesting or under the radar spots to check out. But these days I find myself downtown on a regular basis and every now and then I'll go check out a spot while I'm down there and today's post is a collection of some of those spots. Downtown isn't a neighborhood - it's an area made up of a few neighborhoods. It most certainly includes Streeterville and the Loop and according to some it also includes River North and the South Loop but the former is also considered the Near North Side while the latter is kind of new as far as the neighborhood as a whole goes. Today's post will include spots from River North, the Loop and Streeterville. All of them are within a 20 minute walk from each other and could come in handy if you find yourself downtown in need of something to eat.  

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Jian

Mall kiosks and food court stalls aren’t dead yet, in fact they may be making a comeback thanks to Asian spots of all sorts setting up shop and bringing crowds of hungry customers in. Chicago's original Jianbing house is located in the basement of Block 37 where it shares a kitchen with a bubble tea brand. I've stopped in here a few times to grab a classic jianbing which is a popular street food crepe in China that rivals any and all handheld breakfast items. A thin crepe-like pancake made from flour batter and mung bean are spread on a griddle and topped with egg, scallions, cilantro and savory sauces like hoisin and sweet bean paste and it also includes a crunchy element like fried wonton strips or a Chinese donut. It's all folded or rolled into a convenient and flavorful wrap. Jian serves a bunch of different varieties which can include bacon, ham, spam or even fried chicken but I'm a fan of the original version which doesn't include any meat but is known for its contrasting texture of a soft and eggy exterior with a crispy and savory interior. Jian has been packed both times I've gone which was in the morning so be prepared for a short wait as these are made to order. 

Jianbing at Jian
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Oasis Cafe

Next up is a spot that evaded me until this past summer when I decided it was finally time to try this place that many people who work in the Loop swear by. Oasis Cafe is one of those spots that is very well known by people that have worked in the Loop but not so much by the outside world. The first thing that's always mentioned about this place is that it's located in the back of a jewelry store under the train tracks on Wabash. It's a cool setup but if I'm being completely honest it's a pretty standard Middle Eastern restaurant which isn't meant to be a shot at this place or the people who like it. It serves a purpose for people that lunch in the Loop and don't want to eat cheap fried food but also don't want to drop $50+ at a trendy sitdown spot. Oasis Cafe is a great option when you need something fresh and reliable that wont break the bank. I've been in a couple times now and enjoyed a falafel sandwich and Kushari which is a Wednesday special. The kushari at Oasis Cafe is a mix of brown lentils with rice and sauteed onions, served with salad and your choice of meat. It's a hearty plate of food and it'll hit the spot if you have a taste for Middle Eastern cuisine but it's not destination dining. Though many swear by the Moroccan Chicken which is served on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Kushari at Oasis Cafe
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Gus' Sip & Dip

Gus' Sip & Dip feels a bit out of place in River North but it also feels like a throwback to the city’s past. It's a slick but unpretentious spot brought to Hubbard Street by the mighty Lettuce Entertain You restaurant enterprise. It feels like a blast from the past in terms of its dark and lively dining room paired with a menu of timeless classics. The cocktails here are also a throwback at just $12 each and there's quite a few to choose from. All that said it's the French Dip that got me thru the door. I'm a born and bred Chicagoan so I'll always take the Italian Beef when it comes to sliced beef sandwiches but every now and then a French Dip can really hit the spot and I had heard very good things about the one served at Gus' which they label as "The Original Wagyu Beef Dip" and it comes with cups of whipped horseradish and au jus plus a $25.95 pricetag. It's not cheap but it is a filling sandwich loaded with rare sliced prime rib sitting in between thin and crisp Spanish pan de cristal bread.

Wagyu Beef Dip at Gus' Sip & Dip
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Shang Noodle & Chinese

Chinese food continues to ascend in Chicago and it's starting to become readily available in the Downtown area as evidenced in our first stop and now our next stop - Shang Noodle. The Streeterville outpost is one of three Chicagoland locations. They're all known for their modern looks and some pretty good Chinese and Taiwanese food including hand-pulled noodles, dim sum, hot pot, and even a few Korean-Chinese dishes too. They have booze and vegetarian and gluten free options so you can go with a group and shouldn't have any problems finding menu items for everybody to eat. I've been in a few times and each visit was much more satisfying than the other spots on the block would've been. I very much like their Hong Kong style Beef Chow Fun which is served dry with a decent amount of wok flavor and well seared beef that's tender with just the right amount of chew. 

Beef Chow Fun at Shang Noodle
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Magnolia Bakery

We head back to Block 37 where Magnolia Bakery brought their famous classic American style desserts to Chicago from New York City. People from all over the world are attracted to this "small-batch bakery" for cupcakes, cookies, and their nationally recognized banana pudding. I'm a big banana pudding fan so I do find myself stopping in from time to time for the best banana pudding north of the Mason Dixon line. Actually I used to think this was the absolute best but then I went to Alabama and found there’s way better. That said they make a very tasty batch for a corporate brand.

Banana Pudding at Magnolia Bakery
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BONUS STOP!!!


The Walnut Room

Last year around this time I dined with my family at The Walnut Room. My mom, dad, sisters, brother and spouses were joined by my nieces and nephew on the 7th floor of Macy's on State which most of us knew as Marshall Fields. The historic restaurant was the first in a department store and is known for its beautiful Circassian walnut paneling, Austrian chandeliers, and a massive Christmas tree displayed each holiday season. It's a big tradition for Chicagoans and it was actually pretty fun going back for the first time in forever. I went in thinking that the famous Mrs. Hering's Pot Pie was really just a frozen Marie Callender's but I was mistaken as it's made there though no bottom crust. It wasn't a memorable pot pie but I cant remember any that were but it did hit the spot in a throwback way. 

Mrs. Hering's Chicken Pot Pie at The Walnut Room
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See ya next time @chibbqking

Eating BIG in Mexico City Pt. 3

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
- Ciudad de Mexico

I spent four nights in Mexico City this past April after attending a bachelor party in Cabo San Lucas (report coming soon). I figured if I was going to go to Cabo I might as well go somewhere else that was a little more desirable as far as travel in Mexico goes. Well it’s tough to get more interesting than Mexico City - one of the world’s great cities not just for food but for exploring too.

Pics from Mexico City

This was my fourth trip to North Americas largest city. I don’t rank my best food cities in order as it’s pretty much a preference when it comes to liking a place like London or Paris better. But what can’t be debated is the greatness of the world’s best food cities of which Mexico City is without a doubt included. Simply put it’s one of my favorite food cities in the world with few if any true weaknesses. You can get some of the best street food here as well as interesting chef driven world class dishes. It’s always a good idea to mix it up as far as these type of spots go. I will always give a slight preference to the mom and pop stands that have served their neighborhoods for multiple generations but good food knows no limits in this city despite what a recent article in the NYT might say.

Pics from Mexico City
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Mixiotes Garrido Estilo Hidalgo

We arrived in Mexico City on an early Tuesday morning. Unfortunately my friend who I was traveling with was feeling sick (as were others from our group in Cabo). But we had to wait to check into our Airbnb so we dropped off the luggage and walked over to the Tianguis Condesa which is an open air market every Tuesday in the hip and happening Condesa neighborhood. There’s an excellent taco stand here ran by a family from Hidalgo that takes the 80 minute drive into CDMX each week. They sell lamb mixiote - a traditional pit-barbecue meat dish popular in central Mexico, in which the meat is cooked inside a wrapper, traditionally in the outer skin of an agave leaf. Mark my words readers, these mixiote tacos are some of the best tacos in all of Mexico City. If I’m in town on a Tuesday this place is a must for me. I think I’ve been here every visit to town that I've made. Unfortunately I fell ill about a half hour after eating here and me and my buddy had to post up at a park and wait to get into our Airbnb where we passed out for the rest of the day. Note: it was very likely a touristy spot in Cabo that got us sick, as a handful of others from our group were also sick. I should've known better. 

Lamb Mixiote Taco at The Tianguis Condesa Market
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Canton Mexicali

After passing out for the rest of the day and night we woke up the next day feeling a bit better after my buddy went to the local Farmacia to get us some meds. After that we walked over to Koots Canna for some herbal remedies. FYI cannabis is legal for medicinal purposes and decriminalized for recreational use in Mexico City, and there’s a full blown dispensary that may or may not be licensed although it’s temporarily closed according to Google. The flower that we got at Koots really saved us as we were both feeling much better after smoking and we started to develop an appetite too. Chinese food seemed like a good move as far as eating and we were off to Canton Mexicali, a popular Chinese restaurant named after the Baja California capital that’s home to Mexico’s largest Chinese contingent. The Chinese food in Mexicali is similar to American Chinese but with Mexican influence - think jalapeños in the fried rice and so forth. Canton Mexicali is serving up that style of Chinese food and locals are loving it as this place stays busy. We kept our order rather tame as we weren’t fully recovered but a bowl of Dan Dan, spicy wontons, and fried rice had us feeling better.

Mexicali Chinese food at Canton Mexicali
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TACOS METEORO

Every time I visit Mexico City I come with a list of new and hot taco spots that I want to check out. I keep it handy when walking around and if we happen to pass by any of them I’ll make a stop out of it. That’s how we ended up at Tacos Meteoro in Roma. They serve up traditional Yucatecan-style tacos including a taco de trompo yucateco that grabbed my attention when I was doing a bit of research. I also liked that they only had five total tacos on the menu. I tried the trompo taco and the taco de lechon made with slow roasted piglet and both of them hit the spot. The trompo was super small and the slices were tiny too but as to be expected at a Yucatecan taco spot the salsa bar was stellar.

Yucatecan Tacos at TACOS METEORO
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Fideos Chinos 

By the time dinner time had rolled around my friend wasn’t all that hungry so I pulled out my map and took a look at what was nearby with this Chinese noodle shop being that nights winner. Asian food is really booming in Mexico City right now and I had quite a few spots on my to try list including this Chinese noodle specialist that for some reason calls their bowls of noodles ramen. For those wondering why I would eat Asian food in Mexico City well I eat Asian food all the time and also bc a bowl of noodle soup sounded exactly like what I needed as far as getting better goes. This was a really well made bowl of noodle soup with both the broth and the noodles being better than expected.

Chinese Noodles at Fideos Chinos
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El Remolkito de Sirloin

When my friend decided to call it a day I started to get a bit of FOMO (fear of missing out) and decided I would go check out one of the newly opened taco spots on my list with El Remolkito de Sirloin not too far from our Airbnb. They’re serving up tacos de trompo de sirloin which are all the rage in Mexico City these days. Trompo de Sirloin is the beef version of al pastor and I counted more than eight cones of spinning meat in action at El Remolkito on my visit which was a bit later in the night so there was only like a 10 minute wait granted I was all by myself. I ordered two tacos de sirloin with corn tortillas plus one on flour with cheese. The tacos were delivered with a killer salsa tray that included a bunch of awesome condiment toppings too. The meat for these is sliced fresh to order by one of countless taqueros working in the open air kitchen. Great taste and texture on these.

Tacos de Sirloin and Salsas at El Remolkito
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Tacos de Canasta Los Especiales

We were each feeling much better by our third day in town and we were up early to go check out the Centro Histórico district which is the city’s beating heart. We had no idea that 1000’s of locals would also me making their way over there as it was May 1st aka May Day - a public holiday in Mexico celebrated on May 1st every year in commemoration of workers' unions. The area was packed with tons of different union groups from all over Mexico and many of them had the same idea as us - tacos de canasta for breakfast. As this was my friend’s first trip to Mexico City I made sure to take him to quite a few of the classics and Tacos de Canasta Los Especiales is among the city’s most iconic taco stops. They’re known for their “basket tacos” which are corn tortillas stuffed with stews like tinga, potatoes, or beans, that are fried by dumping a bunch of hot oil on top of them and they’re left to sit and seep up all the oil feeding a ton of flavor in the process. The tacos are then kept warm in a basket for serving. Los Especiales has been serving up tacos de canasta for more than four decades and they sell over 40,000 a day so you can imagine how busy this place was on what’s one of the busiest days of the year in Centro Histórico. That said we just beat the rush but if you do meet a line do know they move it fast. They only offer four types of tacos de canasta so I always get one of each and load them up with the incredible avocado salsa sitting in massive jugs for customers to add as they please. These tacos always hit the spot and are especially good if you drank too much the night before.

Tacos de Canasta at Tacos de Canasta Los Especiales
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Mercado de Jamaica

Next move was to take my friend to my favorite market in town - the Mercado de Jamaica aka the flower market. This lively market is packed with fresh flowers, colorful fruit, and one of the best tacos in town too. I’m by no means a floraphile but like most people I find flowers to be pretty and smell good too and you’ve likely never seen as many as you will at the city’s flower market. It’s truly a sight (and smell) to behold. But truth be told I always come here specifically for the green chorizo taco at a popular food stall inside the market. You can find this life changing taco at a stand called Las Más Altas Montañas however they do not have a sign so instead you’re looking for the food stand with a yellow awning. It’s ran by a man from Toluca, a city located about an hour west of DF that’s well known for its chorizo. Each day of the week, except Tuesday, the owner and his staff make the trip from Toluca to DF to set up shop at the market. Red chorizo, blood sausage, and cecina are all options but the green chorizo is why I come here every time I’m in town. Chilangos come from every direction far and wide to buy meats which are sold raw by the kilo and also tacos too. Green chorizo gets it color from a bunch of herbs used when stuffing the pork. It’s also loaded with pine nuts, peanuts and almonds which are what give green chorizo its unique taste and crunch. The salsas here are also spot on so add whatever looks good and get ready to experience taco nirvana upon first bite.

Tacos de Chorizo Verde at the Mercado de Jamaica
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Tacos el Paisa "Lengua"

My buddy loves lengua (cow tongue) so I did a lil digging and dug up a working man’s stand said to have some of the best tacos de Cabeza and lengua in town. It’s a little corner cart called ‘Tacos El Paisa’ on Google but there’s tons of spots that have that name in some form or fashion so it seems like the locals call this stand ‘Tacos El Paisa Lengua’ but the address is basically Tehuantepec 56B in Roma Sur so it’s easy to find. Just look for the stand with the line that starts forming before they open at 5:30 in the afternoon on every day but Sunday. I could tell those in line with us were all locals, some of whom were finishing their work day while others that were just starting it. I must admit the tacos de cabeza were different then what I was expecting and not the more typical finely chopped meat that I'm used to. But one taco here is more like 3 or 4 as you get a plate loaded with meat and a few tortillas on top to eat it with. I feel like this place is about as local as you can get in these parts.

Tacos de Cabeza at Tacos El Paisa
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Taqueria Los Parados

Taqueria Los Parados was the second stop of a pre-dinner taco crawl consisting of a couple spots that were on the route we were walking. I’d been here before as this was actually the first place I ever tried tacos de trompo de sirloin on my first trip to the city back in 2017. Some people say Los Parados was the first spot to serve beef trompo tacos in Mexico City but we were here for their tacos de arracharra which those in the know say are the best steak tacos in CDMX. These are made with real skirt steak that’s grilled over a live fire before being chopped and crisped up on a hot flattop and you can immediately taste the quality of the beef upon first bite. Believe it or not skirt steak isn’t all that common with steak tacos in Mexico so these cost a little more than the normal steak tacos made with bistec. It’s well worth the small upcharge as we both agreed these were outstanding steak tacos.

Tacos de Arracharra at Taqueria Los Parados
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Voraz

We met a friend of mine from the food world who lives in Mexico City for dinner at a hot and trending place called Voraz. My buddy is from the Chicagoland area originally but now lives with his Chilango wife in Mexico City where he runs a popular pizza place. We had both heard things about Voraz so we decided we would meet up for some food and drink and catching up as this would be the first time we crossed paths since the last time I was in Mexico City back in 2022. Voraz is a self described “Gastro Cantina” working out of a an old mechanics garage in Roma Sur. The menu leans into the food and flavors of Northern Mexico where head chef Emiliano Padilla is originally from. This is a great place to go with a group as the menu is very shareable and there’s some very lively vibes on the inside where there's an open air kitchen utilizing an open fire cooking technique. We sat outside where the restaurant where the surrounding area felt like we could be at a bistro somewhere in Paris. The food however was not mistakable for somewhere in Paris as this was real Mexican food executed at the level of a well trained chef and while there’s plenty of well trained chefs in Paris there’s no such thing as good Mexican food there. All three of us agreed this was a very good meal. I don’t recall there being a dud in the bunch but if I had to pick I would say the fried oyster Gordita was my favorite bite of the meal. That said the McAllen taco, a chef driven crispy taco, was also really, really good.

French lettuce salad with avocado dressing. Topped with toasted beef machaca, cured egg yolk, and Cotija cheese foam

Taco with flour tortilla on the outside and crispy corn inside, intense cheddar cheese sauce, marinated black angus, onion caramelized with mezcal, lettuce and pico de gallo. Accompanied by sauce morita's tatemada


Wood-fired broccoli rabe with epazote butter and chile piquin, served with roasted pumpkin seed milk, hoja santa oil, fried corn powder, and pasteurized egg yolk

Freshly made butter flour gordita filled with fried oysters, avocado, and a celery salad with mizuna and herbal mayonnaise

Baja California rockfish, grilled with garlic butter. Served over black recado emulsion. Finished with tortilla ash and seaweed. Accompanied by charred avocado and tortillas
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Tacos del Valle

As I had mentioned earlier Tacos de Trompo de Sirloin are very popular in Mexico City right now. The trend comes from Monterrey which seems to be a place that heavily influences Mexico City’s taco scene these days. There’s been a handful of Monterrey taco spots to open locations in Mexico City of late. Tacos del Valle in Roma Norte is as popular as any of them or at least it was when we were there in April - food trends can die as fast they rise in CDMX. That said the product here was very good with not one but three different types of tacos de trompo on offer as well as eight different salsas ranging from mild to extra hot. For the tacos de trompo they make a classic with pork belly slathered in red adobo, a carne asada trompo, and a black pork belly version coated in a carbonized-chile rub. They’re all slivered to order and stuffed into very good corn tortillas that were being made by an older lady right in front of us at the taco bar. The charro beans were also of note - some of the best I’ve had.

Trompo Orden Mixta at Tacos Del Valle
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Taquería El Jarocho

On our final day we struck out at a favorite street food stand of mine that was randomly closed but that opened up the door for Taquería El Jarocho which I hadn’t visited before this. El Jarocho is a colorful spot known for their tacos guisados which they’ve been serving up since 1947. The tacos options here are abundant with tacos de milanesa soaked in salsa morita being a big seller so that was an easy call for me while my buddy got the Veracruz style lengua guisado taco. I can’t believe this was my first time here as these were outstanding tacos that I’ll be adding to my regular rotation.

Tacos de Guisado at Taquería El Jarocho
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El Hildalguense

Speaking of regular spots in the rotation we managed to get over to El Hildalguense as it happened to be a Friday which meant it was one of the three days of the week this iconic barbacoa restaurant is open, Saturday and Sunday being the others. El Hildalguense is named after Hidalgo, the state where lamb mutton is pit roasted for barbacoa. Both the sheep and the goat are rubbed down with salt, wrapped in maguey leaves, and buried underground with coals and left to roast overnight. The meat is trucked into DF from Hidalgo and you can order it by weight or get a taco plate made with thick blue corn tortillas and served with salsa, white onion, cilantro, and avocado. An order of consommé is considered an essential part of the meal. Both tacos and salsas were as good as I remembered them to be. If you’re in town over the weekend I wound consider El Hildalguense to be an absolute must.

Barbacoa Tacos at El Hildalguense
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Comal Oculto

We had a lovely little lunch at Comal Oculto where the focus is heirloom corn in many forms. First up was the flauta ahogada which tasted even better than it looks - a chicken flauta is smothered in salsa verde and mole both of which melded so well together. Then there’s the enmolada which is similar to an enchilada except it’s covered in mole which in this case was one of the most complex versions I’ve come across as one bite it was sweet and the next bite it was savory - just so, so good. Lastly I knew I had to try the Taco Chamorro as 1) it came rec’d by a friend in the food world and 2) I watched a guy pull up on a bike and drop off a bag of pristinely cut pork shanks. All of this was made in a kitchen that can fit 3-4 people max. Safe to say this place is great but be prepared to wait as there’s only 14 seats and people are there to try a few dishes each so it’s not quick like a street food stand even though you do eat in the street. After lunch we took a stroll thru the San Miguel Chapultepec neighborhood and it’s a really lovely area that I will try to explore more of the next time I’m in Mexico City.

Flauta Ahogada


Taco Chamorro


Enmolada at Comal Oculto
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Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú

My friend and I have hit up a few baseball games over the years while traveling and we decided to add the Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú to our list of stadiums visited. That’s where the Diablos Rojos del México aka the Mexico Red Devils play their home games in the Mexican League. The Red Devils have won a record 18 league championships and are a popular draw when they play. hey currently feature former New York Yankee Robinson Cano at second base. We got tickets online and took an uber over there which was unfortunately during the height of rush hour thus it took at least an hour to go what was only 10 or so miles. But the experience was worth it as both the play on the field and the food in the stands was fun. We tried a bunch of things including the stadiums most popular and well known food offering, tacos de Cochinita, which were so much better than your typical stadium food.

Food and Beisbol at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú
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Tacos al Pastor and Vulcans at Tacos El Vilsito

After the game we had one final stop in the taco rich Narvarte neighborhood, or rather two final stops in one swoop. First up was Tacos El Vilsito which for me serves up the best tacos al pastor in Mexico City and the world by extension. Believe it or not there’s not an unlimited number of great taco al pastor options in DF. There’s more here than just about anywhere but not all trompo cones are created equal. Many sit untended for hours and those are the ones you want to avoid. The best tacos al pastor spots aren’t hidden bc the best al pastor comes from a constant crowd of customers resulting in a spit of pork that’s always being tended too. Tacos El Vilsito is open until 1a and it stays pretty busy during the evening hours which is when I like to go. I always get a few tacos al pastor con todo which includes cilantro, onion, pineapple and salsa and are sliced to order. My other go-to item here is the Vulcan al Pastor which is a crisped up corn tortilla that's grilled and not fried resulting in a crisp but semi chewy tortilla that's loaded up with fresh sliced al pastor and tons of melted cheese. Tacos Tony is right across the street and they're popular for their tacos de suadero which is Mexico City's other claim to fame in Mexican gastronomy. Suadero comes from cuts of beef that are fried and chopped to order and it's just as good as al pastor. Some have said they noticed a decline in Tacos Tony which now has a full fledged sit-down spot across the street from their original stand. Sure there's better suadero out there but not paired in an easy 1-2 punch like this. That's it for this trip!

Tacos de Suadero at Tacos Tony
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Previous Posts You Might Like:

Eating BIG in Mexico City (2017)

Eating BIG in Mexico City Pt.2 (2022)

See ya next time @chibbqking

Click HERE from my Google Maps Guide to Mexico City