110 W. Illinois St., River North
Billy Dec, Brad Young and Arturo Gomez, the trio behind hotspots Rockit Bar & Grill and The Underground are also behind this River North new Asian spot where Rodelio Aglibot, a.k.a. the "Food Buddha" (and former executive chef at L.A.'s Koi) is in the kitchen. The restaurant's name is a nod to the Sunda Shelf, a Southest Asian landmass, and incorporates modern takes on dishes from throughout the region. A large chunk of the lineup is devoted to China and Japan, but fare from other countries, including Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand, makes an appearance too. Expect new Asian dishes such as Malay-style Chilean sea bass, crab-crusted ahi tuna with Japanese hot mustard-soy glaze, pork shank confit with garlic-foie gras gravy and watercress salad, and a couple of Asian-inspired noodle dishes. There's also a full sushi bar. READ MORE
4959 W. 95th St., Oak Lawn
From the owners of Sesame Inn of Evergreen Park has sprung Sushi Thaime, which serves Japanese, Thai and Chinese cuisine. Sushi is the main event here, with a la carte nigiri, sashimi and hand-rolled, cone-shaped tamaki. Specialty maki rolls include the Godzilla Roll (tempura shrimp, spicy bean spouts and cream cheese topped with fish eggs), the Rainbow Roll (crab, tuna, salmon, yellow tail and snapper) and the Dragon Roll (freshwater eel, avocado, cream cheese and scallions). Popular dinner picks include orange chicken, basil shrimp, pad thai and various teriyaki dishes. Special parties of 6 to 8 can dine in the Japanese-style tatami room, where shoes are shed and diners lounge on pillows on the floor.READ MORE
212 W. 23rd St., Chinatown
This sunny Cantonese BYOB in Chinatown serves three meals a day in a bright, contemporary bi-level dining room. Breakfast brings a selection of congee (Chinese porridge), filled with meats such as beef, pork and shrimp. Moderately priced rice, noodle and fried rice dishes�are offered at lunch. There are the usual suspects�think mapo tofu and beef chow fun�but you'll also find more unusual selections�such as a fish fillet with cream of corn�and dried scallops and beef brisket over egg noodles. Dinner is a prix-fixe affair designed to accommodate groups of four, six, eight or 10. READ MORE
4145 Dundee Rd., Northbrook
Tong's Hunan Restaurant is located at 4145 Dundee Road, Northbrook.READ MORE
5346 N. Milwaukee Ave., Jefferson Park
800 N. Clark St., Near North
This casual River North BYOB plays it safe with basic Thai standards. Expect a lineup of familar classics such as tom yum, lard na, pad woon sen and several curries, including green, red and (of course) panang. You'll also find some Chinese options (cashew chicken, chinese broccoli and beer with garlic sauce, et cetera) thrown in for good measure. READ MORE
