We’ve had Belgian beers and pork aplenty at The Bristol and The Publican. We’ve swooned over notable chefs at L20 and Graham Elliot. And we loved the alfresco scenes at Piccolo Sogno and Perennial.
However, our tastes are simple and our pocketbooks small. As amazing as these high-profile spots are, they weren’t where we regularly quelled our hunger pangs. New in ’08, these low-key spots are where we frequently found ourselves dining.
Late Night Thai (pictured)
Want to soak up evidence of late-night drinking with food you’re unlikely to regret in the morning? Swing by this months-old BYOB near Lakeview bars The Pony, Belly’s and Fizz, open daily from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Addiction: The veggie egg rolls ($2.50 for two) kill pesky after-hours cravings for deep-fried food, while the namesake Late Night Fried Rice ($7.95) packs a more substantial punch with shrimp, veggies and egg in a special sauce.
Quirk: It’s not the greenest restaurant in town. Everything in this bright, minimalist space is packaged to go—even if you’re dining in.
Dawali Mediterranean Kitchen
With all due respect to neighboring Middle Eastern restaurants Semiramis, Salam and Al-Khaymeih, we’ve got a new love. Dawali, a counter-service spot that’s got a familiar menu of kebabs, shawarma and hummus, opened quietly in June and we’ve been steadily seeing her ever since.
Addiction: The falafel sandwich ($4.25)—which includes potato, eggplant, cauliflower and a tomato salad, unlike the standard falafel sandwich—is made to order and the best we’ve had. Plus, we’ve convinced ourselves that it makes for a healthy dinner.
Quirk: This spot has more granite surfaces than one of Chaz Walters’ hot properties.
90 Miles Cuban Cafe
Owner Alberto Gonzalez is probably about to stage an intervention, he’s seen us in this almost 4-month-old Cuban spot so many times. But we’re not going quietly. The Cuban sandwiches, easy on the wallet and always served super hot, are a hard habit to break.
Addiction: Gonzalez’s own twist on the classic lechon sandwich ($6.50). It’s stacked with the traditional roasted pork, grilled onions and garlic mojo, but there’s one game-changing difference: He adds sweet plantain.
Endearing quirk: The best "wallpaper" of any joint in town. The tiny dining room is plastered with vintage ads, photos, postcards and posters from pre-Castro Cuba.
Tumbao Bar & Grill
This Latin-inspired spot, which opened quietly in February in Logan Square, just a few blocks west of Street Side, serves up live salsa music on Saturday nights and spicy eats such as grilled shrimp doused in a mango-rum sauce. We can’t stop thinking about the solid 'ritas and sangria, best sipped on the comfy, oversized leather couch in the front of the bar.
Addiction: The sweet red wine sangria topped off with guava nectar ($5) and the margarita made with silver tequila and Grand Marnier ($8).
Endearing quirk: Stop in Monday nights to find folks lining the bar trying their hand at the lost art of dominoes.
Crisp
In January, small Lakeview storefront Crisp began serving unique, Korean-American on-the-bone fried chicken.
Addiction: We’re bonkers for boneless chicken and the Jessica’s Boneless Chicken Super Strips (3/$5.95, 6/$8.95, 9/$12.95), a guilty pleasure that was added to the menu in December and really lives up to its, uh, superiority. The tender, juicy chicken becomes even more flavorful thanks to Crisp’s homemade Korean BBQ sauce, which is sweet and tangy with the slightest kick.
Quirk: The downside to finger-lickin’ goodness: Nearly all of Crisp’s seating is, surprisingly, at communal tables, which allows friends and strangers to watch as your tongue pokes around your fingernails for that last speck of sauce.
Yats
Nothing says winter comfort food ... like a steaming plate of jambalaya. But we’ve been hooked on Yats’ Cajun menu since the West Loop spot opened in August. And why not? The first Chicago location of this Indiana favorite serves up big portions of tasty, New Orleans-inspired classics at easy-to-swallow prices—$6.50 for a plate with toast, $7.50 for a two-entree combo. The uber-friendly staff, loungey dining room and BYOB options are merely the hot sauce on top.
Addiction: Chili cheese etouffee with crawfish ($6.50). Some like their gumbo with chicken, we like ours with cheese!
Quirk: Yats doles out its food from large pots behind the counter. But hey, if that means our crawfish Creole is ready faster, the school-kitchen vibe doesn’t faze us.
Lisa Arnett, Lisa Balde, Matt McGuire, Matt Pais, Rebecca Palmore and M. Kathleen Pratt are Metromix producers. metromix@tribune.com
