Chicago Ethnic Restaurants

[ChicagoRon]

+1000 on Lao Sze Chuan! It's one of my favorites. Also like Ed's Potsticker House which is a little off the beaten C-town path on Halstead and 31st.

K-town I am a huge fan of Kang Nam (California and Lawrence) and Bu Il (Bryn Mawr... very far west). I try to avoid the buffets.

For some more americanized Indian food, Marigold on Broadway and Lawrence is quite good.

For Italian ..... Rose Angelis and Mia Fransesca are my favorites. And +1 on Specca Napoli .. great pizza. Also, I really like Bricks pizza, although it's not very ethnic at all.

If Sushi is ethnic, I would go with Mirai - my favorite for years.

I have not eaten any Thai in Chicago that I would write home about.

 

[Despos]

Bahbis is good Indian food, just across Devon from Hemmas. I will try the Hemmas in Lakeview from the reccs on this thread.

I am a Bayless fan. Topo is great but I prefer Frontera. I think they got a little sloppy for a while but have picked it up again.

I agree that I have not had great Thai in Chicago. Aruns may be interesting for the experience of dining there but not for the food or service. Thai is best when it is low key or a dive.

I eat a lot of Korean food. Jin Ju on clark for upscale presentation, bistro/bar setting, americanized menu but authentic flavors.
Solga on Lincoln, best overall.
Willow Tree House on Dempster for old school authentic. About a dozen items on the menu and 8 of them are soups. There is another on Dempster that is known for this Black Goat Casserole dish that was amazing. They actually make three dishes from the ingredients in one pot at your table. Don't know the name of the restaurant. Nothing was written in English and no one spoke English.

35th Street Red Hots for a polish and fries.

Cafe Central on Chicago Ave is Puerto Rican and has a fantastic chicken stew. I've been there over 30 times and that is the only dish I have tried.

 

[ChicagoRon]

DUH... speaking of Bayless.... can't forget Maxwell St. Market on weekend mornings with little old ladies making fresh tortillas for your enjoyment.

And there's a nice Cuban place on Chicago near Damen, although my knowledge of authentic Cuban is limited, so it might not be as good as I think, but their Cubanos are right on.

 

[kaxixi]

Hema's (I guess there's only one m) is BYOB. It usually takes them a while to bring the food out, so bring plenty of B.

 

[SWiFt08]

you guys are missing out on Ethiopian food.

 

[globetrotter]

Originally Posted by SWiFt08

you guys are missing out on Ethiopian food.

I named an ethiopian resteraunt. I also go to a senegalise resteraunt and a nigerain one. african food can be pretty good

 

[otc]

Originally Posted by Despos

I agree that I have not had great Thai in Chicago.

My favorite has to be the star of siam on illinois but even that pales in comparison to what I can get in mpls.

We've got a row of thai down here on 55th st in hyde park and they make some pretty good dishes (esp. the snail) but I tend to judge thai restaurants solely on the quality of their pad thai and so far chicago has mostly failed me.

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

I named an ethiopian resteraunt. I also go to a senegalise resteraunt and a nigerain one. african food can be pretty good

I remember the ethiopean one in evanston on Chicago ave...

basically you get a pile of slop and you mop it up with these spongy pancakes, almost like their version of naan. Flavors are bland and not terrible exciting. Dishes often look like something you'd serve to a dog. The staff is very friendly though.

 

[globetrotter]

Originally Posted by SField

I remember the ethiopean one in evanston on Chicago ave...

basically you get a pile of slop and you mop it up with these spongy pancakes, almost like their version of naan. Flavors are bland and not terrible exciting. Dishes often look like something you'd serve to a dog. The staff is very friendly though.

that's the place. well, I wouldnt say ethiopian is the most exciting food in the world, but it is good for a change. and one of my two year olds loves it.

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

that's the place. well, I wouldnt say ethiopian is the most exciting food in the world, but it is good for a change. and one of my two year olds loves it.

Probably because they don't mind if he smears it everywhere.

He likes the red lentils?

 

[globetrotter]

Originally Posted by SField

Probably because they don't mind if he smears it everywhere.

He likes the red lentils?

actually, I am a really good tipper, nobody minds if my kids make a mess.

I think that she likes the texture, she is really into curries and lentils, beans. that one eats pretty hot curries, too.

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

actually, I am a really good tipper, nobody minds if my kids make a mess.

I think that she likes the texture, she is really into curries and lentils, beans. that one eats pretty hot curries, too.

O it's a girl?

Yes, I don't think waiters care much about a mess if you tip well, and that kind of place is pretty kid friendly.

 

[globetrotter]

Originally Posted by SField

O it's a girl?

Yes, I don't think waiters care much about a mess if you tip well, and that kind of place is pretty kid friendly.

I learned a while ago, when I go into a resteraunt with my 2 year old twins, I ask who cleans up, and I give him a tip, before the food comes. usually 5 bucks, if its fancy sometimes as much as 20. then nobody has any complaints.

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

I learned a while ago, when I go into a resteraunt with my 2 year old twins, I ask who cleans up, and I give him a tip, before the food comes. usually 5 bucks, if its fancy sometimes as much as 20. then nobody has any complaints.

That's a very good idea, and in fact I did much the same with my nephew after reading your recommendation a while ago. Believe it or not we went to Moto, because I wanted to show the little ***** something cool besides what they regularly eat. It's pretty much as space aged as you can get besides Alinea.

It's not just the money that warms the cleaning person up to you, but the fact that you acknowledge them and that you don't just take what they're doing (which in your case will be above and beyond), for granted.

 

[globetrotter]

Originally Posted by SField

That's a very good idea, and in fact I did much the same with my nephew after reading your recommendation a while ago. Believe it or not we went to Moto, because I wanted to show the little ***** something cool besides what they regularly eat. It's pretty much as space aged as you can get besides Alinea.

It's not just the money that warms the cleaning person up to you, but the fact that you acknowledge them and that you don't just take what they're doing (which in your case will be above and beyond), for granted.

exactly. nobody pays attention to the guy with the broom

how did your nephew like it?