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Around the world in 80 days? How 'bout 80 blocks. Chicago is bursting with exotic eats from around the globe, making it the perfect exploration ground for a foodie in training. So whether it's Filipino or Cajun, Ethiopian or Georgian, let this city sate any craving you've got.
Boem
3912 W. Montrose Ave.
Chicago, IL
60618
(773) 463-1407 http://www.boemcafe.com Hours: open daily
For kids, the menu at this Eastern European eatery sounds like it's straight out of a fairy tale: schnitzel, goulash, and mounds of sauerkraut. Meals end happily ever after at this no-frills restaurant, though, that packs plenty of big tastes in its traditional dishes. Shish kebabs, stuffed meatballs, and smoked pork chops fill the menu, while live music regularly fills the air of this small spot.
Three Happiness
209 W. Cermak Rd.
Chicago, IL
60616
(312) 842-1964 http://www.centerstagechicago.com Hours: breakfast, lunch and dinner daily
Nothing says decadent adventure like a trip to Chinatown for dim sun on a weekend morning. And at Three Happiness, you can fill your belly with some of the best dim sum around. Here, ordering is half the fun as waiters push carts around the dining hall piled high with circular steaming baskets and metal dishes filled with bite-size bits of flavor. From steamed pork packed into bready buns to giant, chewy sesame balls to shrimp cloaked in translucent rice noodle rolls, your options for exploration are almost limitless.
Ed's Potsticker House
3139 S. Halsted St
Chicago, IL
60608
(312) 326-6898 http://www.centerstagechicago.com Hours: lunch and dinner daily
On an unassuming strip in Bridgeport sits one of the best Chinese restaurants in the city, slinging everything from octopus and intestines to pork and jellyfish. The namesake, cigar-shaped wonderfully taut and tasty, but the shao long bao (soup dumplings) are the real show stoppers. The soft, bready sphere is steamed with a pocket of rich, savory soup inside (pop it into your mouth whole to avoid a gushy mess). Equally tasty are the thick scallion pancakes topped with hoisin sauce, and the thick eggplant French fries covered in sweet, salty sauce.
Think of Ethiopian as the ultimate finger food: A huge platter of spongy, yeasty bread comes dotted with small mounds of veggies and meat. Rip off a piece of the bread, scoop up a redolent mouthful, and head back for seconds (and thirds). Try the gomen watt (collard greens with potatoes in a berbere sauce) or feast on flaky, stuffed sambusas, just bursting with bits of meat and veggies. The enormous tapestries and original artwork add to the decadent feel of the meal.
Dixie Kitchen & Bait Shop
5225-A S. Harper Ave.
Chicago, IL
60615
(773) 363-4943 http://www.dixiekitchenchicago.com Hours: lunch and dinner daily
Cajun and Creole creations are as big a draw for New Orleans visitors as the annual Mardi Gras. Happily, you can devour Big Bayou eats right here in Chicago, with a leisurely meal at Dixie Kitchen. Amid the tin pie plates and tall glasses of iced tea, enjoy jambalaya with andouille sausage and chicken, crawfish etouffee, gumbo and po'boys. Think of the po’boy as the Cajun sub – only 10 times better – with fried oysters piled high on crusty French bread that's slathered with remoulade sauce.
For Middle Eastern comfort food in a family-friendly atmosphere, head to The Nile. There, you can tuck into big plates of kifta with tomato sauce (a blend of ground lamb and beef, topped with fresh tomatoes and then baked), maklouba (a mix of sauteed cauliflower, carrots, chick peas and rice, loaded with pine nuts and home-made yogurt), or schwarma (uber-tender hunks of lamb wrapped in a warm, fresh pita).
Vosges Haut-Chocolat
951 W. Armitage Ave.
Chicago, IL
60614
(773) 296-9866 http://www.vosgeschocolate.com Hours: open daily
Chocolate may not sound exotic, but if you think that you've probably never been to Vosges. This purple-hued chocolatier offers up fanciful sweets that are anything but run of the mill. Think chocolate bars flavored with ginger, wasabi and black sesame seeds; goji berries and Himalayan sea salt; Indian curry and coconut; or even smoked bacon. For a really decadent drink, slurp a mug of thick hot chocolate laced with cinnamon, vanilla and chipotle peppers (trust us).
Spoon Thai
4608 N. Western Ave.
Chicago, IL
60625
(773) 769-1173 http://www.spoonthai.com Hours: lunch and dinner daily
Spoon Thai's simple interior belies its spectacular, authentic menu. Of course, you have to know to ask for it. While the standard menu isn't without its merits, ask for the translated Thai menu instead. There you'll find more exotic fare like mien camp (lettuce wrapped around dried shrimp, ginger, lime, cilantro and toasted coconut) and the haw mok (curried catfish steamed in banana leaf cups). Taro and sweet potato pearls in sweet coconut milk make for fantastic dessert.
Birreria Reyes de Ocotlan
1322 W. 18th St.
Chicago, IL
60608
(312) 733-2613 http://centerstagechicago.com Hours: lunch and dinner daily
Check your cravings for tortas and tacos at the door; this Mexican restaurant is all about the goat (known as birria). Steamed for six hours with dried chili peppers and a dash of cinnamon, the goat is wonderfully tender. Piled onto fresh tortillas or served straight-up with a bit of broth, it pretty much lives up to the sign hanging above the door: "la mejor birria del mundo," the best goat meat in the whole world.
There's plenty of sunshine to savor at this cozy Lebanese restaurant – from the food's bright, fresh flavors to the sunlight streaming in through the storefront's large windows. Try the zaalook, a colorful, tasty mix of diced eggplant sauteed with green pepper, mushrooms, onion and tomato. The menu is packed with fish, lamb and poultry dishes, as well as finger-licking vegetarian options (like savory mdardara, steamed mixed lentils and rice topped with roasted onion).
So Gong Dong Tofu House
3307 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
Chicago, IL
60659
(773) 539-8377 http://www.centerstagechicago.com Hours: lunch and dinner Thursday-Tuesday
This no-frills North Park Korean eatery specializes in guk (soup) and chi gae (stew). Slurp up eight different varieties, including ginseng, seafood, and pork and kimchi (pickled cabbage). A raw egg is cracked into the sizzling stew, so that diners can stir it stateside until little bits of just-cooked egg bob to the surface. Or opt for a chewier dish with the dolsot bibimbap, a big mess of julienned vegetables, chewy bits of beef and white rice, all served in a sizzling stone pot.
Taste of Peru
6545 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL
60626
(773) 381-4540 http://www.tasteofperu.com Hours: lunch and dinner daily
Live music and a family-friendly atmosphere keep this Peruvian restaurant regularly hoppin'. Grab a seat and sink your teeth into generous portions of tender ceviche, pollo en salsa de mani (chicken in peanut sauce) or papa a la diablo con bistek (potatoes and steak in cream sauce). The parihuela, soup loaded with shrimp, squid, crab, oysters, and octopus, is wonderfully redolent and delicious.
This Vietnamese deli is shockingly well priced, which makes it the perfect spot to try a bit of everything. First, head for the main course: banh mi, a crusty, Vietnamese sandwich that's usually layered with pate, pork and pickled vegetables. Totally unlike the American sub, this spicy Vietnamese staple is a deli delight of a different order. Pair it with taro root or tamarind candies, little packets of dried persimmon, or banana leaves stuffed with mashed fruit, rice and coconut milk. Everything is made in-house, so the limited but tantalizing selection rotates often.
It doesn't get more authentic than this. Stop in at this storefront Nigerian restaurant for steaming hot bowls of egusi and awedu, fishy soups that are traditionally eaten sans spoon. For a bit of an assist, tear off a bit of fufu, a starchy, bread-like side, and fashion it into a makeshift spoon to slurp up the savory broth. Of course, spoons are also available should you need them.
Don't let the word bakery fool you; the treats to be had in this Georgian (as in Russian) eatery are more savory than sweet. Look for hachapuri, an oozing flaky pastry of feta, mozzarella and farmer cheese, and flaky phylo pies stuffed with spinach. To top off a quick bite, try the lobiani, a type of baklava with walnuts and honey.
For fresh, tasty Indian food you can't go wrong with Hema's kitchen, located down a quiet side street off bustling Devon Avenue. Start with the kheema samosas, steamed, slightly crunchy little bundles stuffed with tender bits of well spiced lamb. Then it’s on to more hearty fare. For meat lovers, tempt your taste buds with fish cooked with dense, homemade yogurt curry, or tuck into a plate of nuna gosht, a medley of lamb and cauliflower. Vegetarians will have plenty of fantastic platters to choose from, such as the dal palak, a lentil and spinach stew seasoned with spices and lemon juice.
This glass-fronted Filipino spot is ripe for exploration by adventurous diners seeking toothsome dishes like glazed beef, pork and potato stew, and carrot fritters. For those who don't speak Filipino, this is mainly a smile and point kind of place, though be sure to order the bibingka by name. A mix of flour, sugar, eggs and cream cheese, this sweet treat comes wrapped in a huge banana leaf and is a wonderfully indulgent dessert that's quite unlike anything else out there.
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