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Photo tour: Xoco

Photo tour: Belly Shack

Finally, they're catching on: Good food doesn't have to be synonymous with white tablecloths and a dude in a suit reciting the evening's specials. Increasingly, chefs who excel in fine-dining settings are taking it down a notch with counter service-only spots, offering a welcome alternative to $30-a-plate flagships. But don't get the wrong impression--casual restaurants like Xoco and Belly Shack are hardly Chipotle. Even without table service, a quick lunch for two easily creeps upward of $25. There are other trade-offs too, including less-than-desirable seating options and the occasional ridiculous wait. When all is said and done, here's a look at what you really get for your money.

Xoco (pictured)
Long waits and delicious tortas quickly have become the hallmarks of Rick Bayless' ultra-casual River North spot, where the celeb chef himself can be spotted behind the counter with some regularity. Xoco completes a Mex trifecta for Bayless, whose next-door spots Frontera Grill and Topolobampo are just as popular but less hectic thanks to reservation policies and roomier digs. Though Bayless keeps mid-day options affordable at Frontera and Topolobampo (many lunch entrees fall into the $14-$18 range), the toothsome tortas at Xoco consistently undercut those prices, starting at $8 and topping out at $12.
Lunch for two: $26-$30
Trade-offs: Cramped quarters, a line that sometimes snakes out the door, waits that can exceed 30 minutes at peak times

Belly Shack
With this Asian-Latin spot under the Western Blue Line "L" stop, former Le Lan chef Bill Kim serves notice that he's well on his way to becoming Chicago's counter-service king. It's his second counter spot after Avondale's Urban Belly, and from the skater-punk decor to the modest price tags, it's clear he's left fine dining behind in a big way--back at Le Lan, which closed in May, the $36 pre-theater menu qualified as a bargain option. At Belly Shack, Kim does full-on fusion, turning out intriguing mains such as cold somen noodle and olive-oil-poached shrimp salad doused in tangy salsa verde and served over tortilla chips ($11) and a tofu jibarito with Chinese black bean spread ($9).
Lunch for two: $24-$28
Trade-offs: Oddly timed food delivery, tiny one-size-fits-all glasses for BYO booze (beer drinkers, you're out of luck with itty-bitty wine tumblers), communal seating (though smaller tables are also available)

Marc Burger
The closest you'll get to Marcus Samuelsson at his cafeteria burger counter is a poster of his smiling likeness-not surprising considering the New York-based chef and cookbook author rarely is seen at his other local spot, high-end Streeterville restaurant, C-House. But hungry Loopsters don't seem to mind. They're focused on the menu of nine burgers and sandwiches, from the paprika-seasoned BBQ Burger ($8.50) to a cumin-spiced turkey burger ($7.95), not to mention the tempting custard shakes ($2.50). It all goes down in the Macy's food court--a far cry from the cushy booths across town at C-House, where lunch for two runs about $40.
Lunch for two: $22-$26
Trade-offs: Cafeteria noise, plastic trays and disposable plates, waits of up to 15 minutes during lunch

Lisa Balde and M. Kathleen Pratt are Metromix producers. metromix@tribune.com