Entries tagged with 'Standing Room Only'
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[Photographs: Nick Kindelsperger] Budacki's Drive-In 4739 N. Damen Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625 (map); 773-561-1322 The Short Order: Juicy chicken wings in mutant Sriracha and buffalo wing sauce. Want Fries with That? Surprisingly no. Want Ketchup? Just to help get down the fries. Budacki's Drive In has it all wrong. Though this Lincoln Square stand in Chicago has a large sign proudly proclaiming their "pomme frites," that's not what all the fuss is about here. The city has a remarkably good French fry stand culture where even the dingiest, dirtiest places may take the time to fry potatoes from scratch (check out Chickie's, 35th Street Red Hots and Jimmy's Red Hots for proof)—but not not at Budacki's. These come out...
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The best bánh mì in Chicago? [Photographs: Nick Kindelsperger] Nhu' Lan Bakery 2612 W. Lawrence, Chicago IL 60625 (map); 773-878-9898 The Short Order: Freshly baked bread and perfect bánh mì. Want Fries with That? Nope, but some shrimp chips are possible. Want Ketchup? This sandwich needs nothing, eat it as is. You can keep your paninis. I'll forever give up the club sandwich or limit my meatball sub intake—but me and thebánh mì have a serious, committed sandwich relationship that needs constant nourishment. The bánh mì's power lies in its striking balance. The fatty meat, which can include head cheese and pate, contrasts with the acidic, pickled vegetables like daikon radishes, cucumbers, and carrots. Have I mentioned the slight jalapeño...
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"I don't need much in my life, just a 100% all-beef natural casing Vienna Beef hot dog with freshly fried French fries." [Photographs: Nick Kindelsperger] 35th Street Red Hots 500 W 35th Street, Chicago IL 60609 (map) The Short Order: Bare bones hot dog stand serving minimalist dogs with handfuls of handmade fries. Want Fries with That? The nearly perfect fries come lovingly heaped onto every dog. Want Ketchup? Come on. Not on these fries. Some things you just have to learn for yourself. During the swing of baseball season, I originally attempted to write about the best dining options of Chicago's two great baseball parks, Wrigley Field and U.S. Cellular. But as fellow Serious Eater Michael Nagrant pointed out...
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"If I've got one gripe with Chicago, it's that there aren't enough food carts." [Photographs: Nick Kindelsperger] Iyanzé Truck North Park Drive between East Illinois Street and East North Water Street, Chicago IL 60611 (map); 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday The Short Order: West African truck serving insanely spicy stews. Want Fries with That? No fries, but make sure to get the intense jollof rice. Want Ketchup? Your tongue will be too stunned. If I've got one gripe with Chicago, it's that there aren't enough food carts. We are way behind New York and Los Angeles—and we're not into that tweeting food cart madness either. The ones we do have tend to be hard to find and...
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"It's one of the best sandwiches you can get in Chicago for under $4." [Photographs: Nick Kindelsperger] Tropi Cuban 3000 W. Lyndale Street, Chicago IL 60647 (map); 773-252-0230 The Short Order: Friendly stand in Cuban grocery store, with incredible Cuban sandwich. Want Fries with That? Yep, and rice, and beans, and plantains. Want Ketchup? With the fries, but its better with the large bottle of hot sauce. Call me a heretic, but until last week I wasn't too sure the Cuban sandwich belonged in the elusive sandwich pantheon. Most versions I've munched on have been dry and tasteless, nothing more than a ham sandwich with overly pressed bread. The flaw was the lack of balance. I mean, I had a...
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[Photographs: Nick Kindelsperger] Roma's Italian Beef & Sausage 4237 N. Cicero Avenue, Chicago IL 60641 (map); 773-725-5715 The Short Order: Perfectly executed Italian beef and Italian sausage combo. Want Fries with That? Fries are standard. Want Ketchup? Maybe for the bland fries. Roma's Italian Beef & Sausage is, shall we say, a tad unassuming. Without the pomp of Susie's Drive Thru or the sass of Al's Italian Beef, it's easy to quietly drive by this stand along Cicero Avenue on the northwest side of Chicago and not think too much about it. Italian beef and hot dogs stands are a dime a dozen in this city and initially Roma's doesn't seem like its doing much to try and differentiate...
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[Photographs: Nick Kindelsperger] Hagen's Fish Market 5635 W. Montrose Avenue, Chicago IL 60634 (map); 773-283-1944 The Short Order: Fresh seafood, whether freshly fried or gorgeously smoked. Want Fries with That? Of the fried options, the fries don't really stand out. Want Ketchup? Nope, just their zippy tartar sauce. During my visit at Hagen's Fish Market, a man walked in with a rather large trash bag full of fish. He casually tossed in on the scale, said he'd like it smoked, and then walked away. This may seem a little odd for just an average fish market—but Hagen's isn't a traditional fish market. Sure, they sell fish, but they're really good at cooking it too. That's precisely why I, and...
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"Jerk wouldn't be jerk without the heat." [Photographs: Nick Kindelsperger] Tropic Island Jerk Chicken 419 E. 79th Street, Chicago IL 60619 (map); 773-224-7766 The Short Order: Juicy jerk chicken, laced with spices. Want Fries with That? No, but you'll definitely get some rice and red beans. Want Ketchup? Just some mind-numbing hot sauce. I knew Tropic Island Jerk Chicken would be good the moment I walked inside. It's not like you can fake this kind of authenticity. Who needs any coherent design theme, level floors, or more than one rickety table that nobody uses? I mean, the owner was speaking in what sounded like a Jamaican accent, but that wasn't even necessary. All I needed was the unmistakable sent of...
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"Susie's is a veritable wonderland of grease and the only advice I have is to submit." [Photographs: Nick Kindelsperger] Susie's Drive Thru 4126 W. Montrose Avenue, Chicago IL 60641; 773-283-6544 The Short Order: Eclectic diner fare, with incredible milkshakes. Want Fries with That? Absolutely. Don't pass up the cheese fries in the taco salad shell. Want Ketchup? No one can be a snob here. Susie's Drive Thru on the northwest side of Chicago must have a perverse sense of humor. It's basically just a stupendously small beef and hot dog stand with three stools and a few picnic tables lined up along a very busy street. But how else to explain something like the corn pole? It's a Polish sausage...
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[Photographs: Nick Kindelsperger] La Pasadita 1141 N. Ashland Avenue, Chicago IL 60622 (map); 773-278-0384 The Short Order: Oddly beefy grilled steak tacos. Want Fries with That? No sides are needed. Save room for tacos. Want Ketchup? Just bottles and bottles of bright and spicy tomatillo salsa. Let's get right to the reason I've eaten here twice in the past week. La Pasadita serves carne asada (steak) tacos that are gorgeously browned on a hot grill, chopped up into little bits, and stuffed into corn tortillas. They are then topped with a sprinkling of onions and cilantro, and squeeze bottles of tomatillo salsa are available for a little heat. That's it. No syrupy margaritas served in medieval chalice-sized cups. Just...
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