Visiting Chicago from Toronto - feedback on food list?

Hi everyone,

I've been reading LTH with much pleasure for the past few months while researching for my first trip to Chicago. This forum is fantastically informative and full of like-minded food nerds. I especially like the idea of GNR's!

I'm hoping that y'all can provide some advice on my restaurant list. I'll be in Chicago in April for 6.5 days and staying downtown. In winnowing down the choices, I particularly focused on:
- cuisines not easily found (or not well done) in Toronto: e.g. Latin American, Central American, Thai
- proximity to CTA bus and El routes
- affordable to budget hole in walls
- Chicago-related (polish? pizza)
- not too stuffy (no dressing up required)
- pastries!

The list:
Pequod
Lou Malnatti's
Doughnut Vault
Cafecito
Do-rite Donuts
Big and Little’s
Manny’s
Spoon Thai
Sticky Rice
TAC Quick
Aroy Thai
Alliance Bakery
Swedish Bakery
Nha Hang VietNam
Red Apple Polish
La Chaparrita Taqueria
Papa's Cache sabroso
Delightful Bakery
Hot Doug’s
Floriole Bakery
Purple Pig
Tierra Calinete
Maxwell St Market

Any obvious contenders that I'm missing? Any above that are not worth going? Are there good taquerias closer to downtown? Are paczki available year around at Delightful Bakery or only before Lent?

Many thanks in advance!

That's a fine lookin' list. Based on your parameters, might I suggest Cemitas Pueblas and Nhu Lan? Cemitas Pueblas is home to the mighty cemita, one of the great sandwiches known to civilization. Grab some tacos arabes while you're there. Pure awesome. Nhu Lan serves up some fine, fine bhan mi sandwiches (plus it's almost laughably inexpensive), and it's close to the Lincoln Square neighborhood, which is worth a walk around if you want to get out into Chicago neighborhood. Have a great time. I'm quite sure you'll eat well!

I would recommend switching out Red Apple for Podhalanka 1549 W. Division. I'm sure there is a thread on LTH. Have a great time. If you manage to hit all those spots, I know you will

You should probably note that:

Do-Rite is only open Mondays through Fridays, until they sell out. They make batches regularly throughout the morning. I believe the last batch is made at 11am.

Doughnut Vault is only open Tuesdays through Saturdays, until they sell out. IIRC, they only make one big batch at the beginning of the day. Follow them on Twitter for line and inventory updates.

Hot Doug's is only open Monday - Saturday, 10:30 am - 4:00 pm, and they close for random holidays/vacations. Check the web site before you go. The famous duck fat fries are only on Fridays and Saturdays (I thought they were good but not amazing).

Purple Pig is open all day long, so go at off hours to avoid a wait.

In addition to other thoughts, more Mexican, esp. Zaragoza; I'd sub Aroy for Spoon these days in Thai; for Polish, in addition to Podhalanka, Starapolska (the one on Milwaukee) rather than Red Apple, though I thought Polish was a major cuisine (or at least major ethnicity) in Toronto anyway. I know that Chinese and Indo-Pak are very strong in Toronto, and pardon my ignorance if these are well-covered, but do consider also: BBQ, German, Korean, all "musts" if these are not strengths whence Chicago vistiors come. Also, bars. Also, if it's appealing and not covered in CAN, and you like meat, South American such as Argentinian, Peruvian, Colombian, Ecuadorian. Also booze. Chicago is one of America's last bastions of the corner bar and a strong spot for the modern cocktail lounge. Vietnamese/Green Mill is a potent combo, to list one of many GNR/bar opportunities.

Luckyguy wrote:That's a fine lookin' list. Based on your parameters, might I suggest Cemitas Pueblas and Nhu Lan? Cemitas Pueblas is home to the mighty cemita, one of the great sandwiches known to civilization. Grab some tacos arabes while you're there. Pure awesome. Nhu Lan serves up some fine, fine bhan mi sandwiches (plus it's almost laughably inexpensive), and it's close to the Lincoln Square neighborhood, which is worth a walk around if you want to get out into Chicago neighborhood. Have a great time. I'm quite sure you'll eat well!

Nhu Lan has just opened a second location at 604 W. Belmont, which is also pretty close to public transportation. Closed Tuesdays.