Hutong Cafe, Oak Park Kornamthaipanese

Who wouldn't want to have bibimbap, ramen, Mongolian beef, spring rolls, and pad thai from the same kitchen, served in tiny but very pretty portions in a space apparently designed by Paper Source and constructed from fragrant Penzeys crates? The ramune and gummis say konnichiwa, but the kung pao whispers over by dere.

A study in disOrientation, Hutong is a dolsot times better than any padsushi joint in the area (and there are many), and a Tsingtao levels below the aspirations of Tony Hu's tongs. However, the "beef with leeks" is essentially Xinjiang style, blanketed in cumin seeds, dry peppers, and sliced garlic, and something I'm delighted I can get this close to home. Gyoza-style pot stickers and dryish bao are standard issue and served without sauces, but the wok-fried noodles are full of flavor, including wrinkled string beans and slivered ginger. Bibimbap beef was sparse but savory, and the composed dish is simply missing a few fixings. A visually arresting cabbage salad with noodles, Craisins, almonds, and scallions dressed with sesame oil seemed nostalgic for 1980s Burbank.

I find the space lovely and the menu puzzling and miserly-portioned, but the few hits have been well above average for the environs, and I look forward to exploring some more of the Chinese entries after the strong cumin beef showing and learning some of the Beijing background of the nice proprietors. I think I'll pass on the ramen. They also have boba smoothies.

Hutong Fresh Asian Cafe
1113 Lake St
Oak Park, IL 60301
(708) 383-9888
http://www.hutongcafe.com

Beef with leeks was our favorite, too. We enjoyed the jerky-dryiness of the meat, and Hutong is a good-to-have among the 20 or so Asian restaurants within the general Oak Park area (China Chop Suey, Happiness Chinese, King and Thai, King Chop Suey, Luo's Peking, Number One Chop Suey, Pacific Café, Penny's Noodle Shop, Seven Ocean, Sagano, Sen Sushi, Sushi House, Szechuan Beijing, Saigon Pho, Coral Sushi & Thai, Bua Hana, Yum Thai, Sushi Grill).

While I would prefer a straight Chinese menu, the Chinese ON the menu is the best I have had in Oak Park. I kinda even liked their beef and leeks better than Katy's.

We have never had a problem with portion size, so all-in-all Oak Park dining is WAY better because of Hutong. I wish they had brought Hutong to Oak Park before the Sushi House.

We had an enjoyable lunch there sunday. I agree with Santander on the bibimbop, barely any beef and too much rice, but tasty. Kids enjoyed the honey chicken, which was fried, but not all greasy and not too sweet. Singapore noodles were good, a lot of chicken though, I would have preferred a bit more noodle. Egg rolls were forgettable, slimy, tasteless interior. Mango smoothie, sadly, was bland and a few tapioca balls were weirdly tough. But way more hits than misses and we will definitely be back.
LO