Where should I eat tonight? {Little Brothers - Korean]

Improbably, ironically, pathetically even, for an LTH denizen, I rarely get out to eat.
I brown bag at work (often elaborately), and cook on the weekends. So I don't keep up on the ever-shifting landscape of fun, low-key, quick-bite places that make life so interesting in Chicago.
This evening I'll have some time to kill in Lakeview.
I want to get outside my obsolete go-to list.

Parameters are:
Virtually anywhere from Fullerton to Addison and east of the red line.
Dining alone.
* Informal, low-key.
* Don't feel like sushi, burgers/dogs, or middle eastern.
* Nothing too heavy bacause I need to be alert at 8:00. (Don't need alcohol for the same reason.)

Other than that I'm feeling wide open.
Deli to noodles to Indian to whatever else is out there.
Places I've already enjoyed that fit the bill for me in general include: Frances', Athenian Room, Zad, Fatoush, Erwin, Sapori di Napoli, Wllde's, Stellas, etc.
I realize that this is still ridiculously broad, but just looking for some quick general guidance or suggestions to keep me from wandering up and down B'way, Halsted, and Clark indecisively for an hour.

Get thee to TAC Quick. Order Kao Soy - noodles in coconut curry with pickled vegetables and chicken. Or, my favorite combo - app. of papaya salad (w/ blue crab - ask for mild if you don't like searing heat) and Thai fried chicken.

*edited - just noticed you said Fullerton to Addison. This is off the Sheridan stop (just south of Irving) - only a few blocks away from Addison and one stop on the red line.

I enjoyed my first visit to Crisp recently. Wings that hold their own against Great Seas', IMHO. Though, maybe a basket of spicy fried Korean wings doesn't satisfy your wanting to keep it on the lighter side.

Crisp
2940 N. Broadway
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 697-7610

It would be hard for me not to go to AR, for kalamata chicken. Maybe
Pequod's for pizza?
2207 N. Clybourn Ave
Chicago Il 60614

Sweets and Savories
1534 W. Fullerton Ave.
773-281-6778

Home Bistro would be a viable option for all things delicious. I'm a little embarssed to admit that I've left in such a food comatose that I've stumbled into a few less than comfortable bars/situations

3404 N Halsted
773-661-0299

the thing i miss most from that area is aloha grill/bbq/eats/whatever the hell they're calling it these days. tasty hawaiian plate lunch that will fill you way the hell up for <$10.

Aloha Eats
2534 N Clark
Chicago, IL
(773)935-6828

After all the good suggestions (TAC and Crisp are old friends), I ended up at Little Brother's on Fullerton.
I recall its getting a nice bit of press when it opened but hadn't seen anything posted here.
For what I was after, it was well nigh perfect0---bright, friendly, and cozy with WFMT wafting pleasantly down from the ceiling speakers.
It's basically Korean/'Asian', prices are excellent and preparation seems very careful. (Big eaters will probably want a bit more than comes with the standard meal, but it still won't dent your wallet much.)
You order up front, then take your seat and your name is called when your food is ready.
It's served on a plastic lunch tray with either western implements or chopsticks.
I had The Big Brother meal, which comprises a main dish and 2 sides. Drink is a la carte, as I recall. There is also a smaller "Little Brother" and an "LB Bowl" a la Crisp. A bibim bop variation.
You choose your protein (chicken, tofu, steak), then a sauce from among 3 (a brown sugar soy glaze, a cilantro infused chili sauce, and a hotter standard Korean chili sauce).
I had the tofu, which is done in roughly 1 1/2" cubes, dusted with corn starch and really delicately fried. The outside of each cube is beautifully crisp and light, the inside creamy. I chose the "medium" sauce with the cilantro and it worked very well. This is served with a lovely dome of white rice (brown can be ordered for another .99), ornamented with just a couple of little black sesame seeds on top.
My sides were vegetable dumplings---also perfectly crisped and shiny and hot from the fryer, in their own lightly spicy/sweet sauce, and mixed veggies which were undressed broccoli florets and carrot slices. These benefited from a dip in the other sauces on my plate.
Other available sides included edamame, a cucumber salad with sesame dressing, an asian slaw, and a few other things.
To drink I chose mint limeade (the other house-made choice was mango-lemonade, or a full complement of commercial pops, teas, and waters).
The limeade was not too sweet, and the mint was fresh.
My dinner was $7.99 (steak is $1 more).
I enjoyed everything about it.
It seems to me the best kind of "fast food" with none of the usual hazards that lurk within other "quick" Asian spots, e.g. the overcooked noodles or heat-lamp petrified rice, the one-note soy marinades, the corn syrup-shiny sugary sauces, etc.
Everything was made to order and you could see it and taste it.
It's not a place to linger as tables are smallish and the chairs are hard plastic, but for a quick, fresh, healthy bite of something with real flavor when you may only have a few minutes and need change back from your $10, I can't think of anything better.

Little Brother's - 818 W. Fullerton Ave.

Little Brother's is great.

When I was going to DePaul, I would head there at least once a week. I don't make it back as often now, but they still remember my name and my order everytime I make it in. The kitchen is run by a CHIC graudate who spent a lot of time in Korea getting his menu figured out. Time-Out did a nice write-up last year with more details.

Half boneless short rib ("steak") and half tofu, well-done, w/ Raging Bul saace ("hot" although it is really very manageable) with dumplings and wasabi coleslaw.

The coleslaw is awesome and has just the right hint of wasabi without being overpowering. They have pretty good limeade/lemonades, but they are a little pricey and sometimes too sweet for my taste. I usually just go for ice water...they have a self-serve tank.


A fantastic option in the land of overpriced, under-quality offerings indicative of that neighborhood.

It never occurred to me to go for a 50/50 split on the meat. Brilliant.