Chicago's best bowls....

Since last niht felt like the first sign cold weather was upon us, I thought that we would get something going about your favorite "bowls" or food to eat in winter, like chilli or pot pie and I have to start it off by saying that I visited Tank Restaurant with a friend last night and it was quite the eating extravaganza. I had the pho, which is a vietnamese beef noodle dish in broth with many different cuts of beef, there is about 18 different ways with diferent beef. The cuts i had were their regular slicedbeef(paper thin it melts in your mouth) and oxtail, also very tender and mouthwatering. Also included in pho dishes are glass noodle and then its topped off with cilantro, jalapenos, bean sprouts and a wedge of lime. This stuff was amazing and I can see myself going once or twice a week during the cold season. My friend had the steamed rice dish with grilled pork, shredded pork skin and egg yolk topping, this also was excellent.

A few other spots that I think are worthy of business in this foodie hot spot are Chili Mac's on broadway, they have 5 different type of chili that are pretty legit, for chicago anyway. My favorite of theirs is the Texas Mean Chilli done five ways, which is with everything plus the beans and spaghetti. Then theres simply soup on halsted, which is somewhat new to town. I have yet to go to the one here but I spent the last four years in school up in madison and that is where this place comes from and while I was in madison it never dissapointed. Some of my fvorite that I can remember are their spilt pea and ham, beef stew, wisconsin winter vegatable, jamaican turkey gumbo etc... the list could go on forever and the menu changes daily. This place promise's to have a warm bowl of soup you probaly didnt know existed. Anyone else have some cant miss spots or dishes?--The Top Ten Men.

Tank Restaurant
4953-55 broadway st.
chicago IL 60640

http://www.simplysoupco.com

That's not cilantro and those are not glass noodles in the pho.

But we all love Tank.

Topten,

As noted earlier, your attempts at creating top ten lists may be welcome on this site, but try to use a spell checker to lend more professionalism to your rankings. The pronoun "I" should always be capitalized and city names should always be capitalized.

KevinT

I think I get why some forum members are not big fan's of Topten's posts. What I don't get is the piss-and-vinegar tone of many of the responses (here and in other posts).

What's public flagellation for grammar/capitalization going to accomplish that a private message couldn't do just as effectively? By all means, solicit information, provide information, correct misinformation, or offer alternate takes.

But the rest just degrades the board.

Zee

KevinT wrote:but try to use a spell checker

Kevin,

I am not enamored of TopTen's posts and or posting style either, but content and enthusiastic participation are what's important on LTHForum, not splleing/graemr etc.

Enjoy,
Gary (who spell checks each and every post before clicking submit)

But I still graduated from Wisco. I didnt know that I was handing in a midterm paper for short stories class, I thought that people came to this site to talk about the greatest food city in the world, not to complain like schoolgirl's of people's grammer. Stop acting like snob's and do what the site was made for...talk about food in the Chi...oop's are people going to complain that im calling Chicago Chi-Town too now?!?!?!?!? As for our website I thought people on this site might want to know about it since I have been reading suggestions from people on this site for a while now and also to hear peoples voices and opinons and maybe find a gemmer that I didnt know about. Im born and raised here and the reason we are doing this site is because the rest of the sites out there dont get the trick done, alot of these articles and stories are written by people that work for some corporation that isnt even based in Chicago. Hate it or love it, its not going to make or break the site, but as I said before I like this forum and I announced it hoping to get some suggestions etc.. Not a bunch of trash talk about my grammer, again I care about good food. Im not doing the writing for the site so dont worry we have writer's to handle that. Anybody that has questions or comment's should just email me with anything you have to say because it seems to me posting doesnt accompilsh what I was trying to do here.

Jimpop3r@aol.com

Titus@ChiTowntop10.com (not working this second)

But I still graduated from Wisco

I guess that explains it all....


Just Kidding....

HaHa. The subject title was supposed to lead into the message, and people that go to Madison, call Wisconsin: Wisco. If that's what you were implying.

Hmmm....my favorite bowls?
Does a curry in a little tureen count?
If so, I like the gaeng gari curry (chicken and sweet potatoes) from Opart Thai on Western.
I also like the spicy noodle soup at P.S. Bangkok on Clark.
I like Pozole a lot, too (the last time I had was at Zacateca's on Diversey and it was pretty good)
Mei Shung on Broadway has several spicy soups on the lunch special menu that I like.
Jane's on Cortland has very good soups (It's down the block from me, I'm not sure that I would travel far for them). I like the corn chowder.
Haven't had a good kreplach in a while but if anyone has any recs, that makes for a nice bowl in the winter, too.
Good luck with your top ten list,
From another spelling-impaired LTHer

thaiobsessed wrote:Haven't had a good kreplach in a while but if anyone has any recs, that makes for a nice bowl in the winter, too.

It's a bit of a drive, but Once Upon a Grill in Northbrook makes an excellent kreplach soup (or any other variation of chicken soup you might want). Enormous quantities, too. A bowl of this soup saved my life when I came down with a bad case of strep about 4 years ago!

Once Upon a Grill
2758 Dundee Road
Northbrook, IL
(847) 562-1411

toptenmen wrote:Not a bunch of trash talk about my grammer, again I care about good food.

You see, you would not have to keep telling folks that you care about good food if your writing style conveyed that...well, that and perhaps if you knew the difference between basil and cilantro

Snobbish no, discriminating tastes...oh, yeah baby!

I was at Tank last night as well. After the third time trying to convey my order over the thumping techno-blare, I got up and walked out. I went over to Thai Avenue, which thankfully decided to serve me at 9:15 (sometimes they refuse that close to closing). I had one of my new favorites, a very hot bowl of chicken tofu soup. The soup comes out almost boiling, it has cubed silken tofu, “meatballs” made of ground spiced chicken and a few pieces of greens…one time bok choy, something else a different time (not sure of the name). I am not a fan of chicken soup at all…having become extremely ill after eating some and not being able to even be in the same room with it for several years. However, this chicken soup is one of my new steaming bowl favorites.

I also like the Pho at Tank, however the hipper-than-thou attitude and scene being on the verge of becoming a teen/twenty-something hangout at the times I dine, has kept me away from Tank.

Toptenmen,

I, for one, kind of appreciate your near Joyce-ean, rambling, run-on style and, certainly, nobody can knock your enthusiasm. As one who has fanned the flames of controversy here on our beloved LTH from time to time, though, I think everyone needs to listen to the spirit of Rodney Dangerfield in Easy Money and "take it easy, willya?" (though that quote is verbatim and not amended to fit in my sentence in a grammatically correct manner, I think the point is made.) The one time I tried to tweak the spellings of one of Grand Poobah GWiv's posts, I was summarily (and, I admit, justifiably) smote down as a red-penciled, "Miss Hildebrand", nothing-better-to-do jerk. However, one of your (many) transgressions happens to be a major pet peeve of mine: namely, adding apostrophes to plural words. The "s" on the end of a word does the trick nicely. This, along with needless quotation marks (one often sees these on signs outside of shops or restaurants, advertising "fresh" soup or "home-made" bread or "clean" toilets or the like. I often wonder if the person who designed these signs realizes that the use of the quotes carries the intent opposite of what is being highlighted. Alternately, I imagine some cook in the back saying that the soup is "fresh," thereby allowing himself to be quoted, but not attributed. Sometimes, I just stare into space for hours on end and dream of horses and drum solos. This, though, is not your concern) are two sins which, for whatever reason, give me a greater-than-usual quotient of heartboin.

Now, for satisfying, wintry, "bowl" dishes, as you call them... well, certainly, a big bowl of soup can't be beat. While I love Pho and its many incarnations, I really dig the tofu, pork, and preserved vegetable soup available at many finer Chinatown outposts, but done especially well at New China Town (sic, as not to be confused with New Chinatown on Argyle) on Cermak, the place with the green sign next to LTH. While their regular menu is somewhat ho-hum, NCT does soups very well. The Beijing wonton soup at Ed's Potsticker House - Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall... like the (beautiful) Mt. Airy Lodge, I could eat that, perhaps, every day. I imagine that sub-zero temperatures only enhance the natural deep, smoky, hot, sweaty, sultry, tumescent (sorry, the food porn thread is elsewhere...) qualities of this superlative soup. It might be my "favorite" of any of the many good "Asian" soup's in Chitown or anywhere else for that matter butitis reely good two and a good one to try when it iz "cold" out-side in Chitown when Chi-town is cold in Winter and soup is hot and good when it is cold and soup's are wanted to eat by person's... (etc, ad nauseum, go Badgers....)

Rebbeleh

thaiobsessed wrote:Haven't had a good kreplach in a while but if anyone has any recs, that makes for a nice bowl in the winter, too.

Besdies my grandmother's kreplach (which my dear fiancee just spent an entire back-breaking day learning how to make), there are only a few places where I regularly order it.

Barnum & Bagel, discussed in this thread (along with others)

H.P. Schmaltz's, the Disney version of a Jewish Deli in Naperville, serves the finest kreplach I've had in a commercial establishment. Discussed here.

I also have had Manny's version twice in the past month and it ain't half bad. A little soft for my taste, but not bad.

Best,
Michael

hungryrabbi wrote:This, along with needless quotation marks (one often sees these on signs outside of shops or restaurants, advertising "fresh" soup or "home-made" bread or "clean" toilets or the like. I often wonder if the person who designed these signs realizes that the use of the quotes carries the intent opposite of what is being highlighted.

One of the funniest examples of this mistake was at an erstwhile hot dog stand on Lawrence & Clark that advertised "Chicken" Wings.

hungryrabbi wrote:... I was summarily (and, I admit, justifiably) smote down...

Do yoo meen 'smitten'?

The Beijing wonton soup at Ed's Potsticker House - Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall... like the (beautiful) Mt. Airy Lodge, I could eat that, perhaps, every day...

Don't forget the beef stew with noodle, my personal favourite.

... (etc, ad nauseum, go Badgers....)

Hey, that's a second declension noun there, buddy...

Go Crisco!



A

toptenmen wrote:and people that go to Madison, call Wisconsin: Wisco.

TT,

You're joking, right?

Enjoy,
Gary

# 29 Pho at Hai Yen is a good bowl, this week with culantro and basil

Geez guys, I am almost afraid to post anything, but I will.

For a reasonable price, I still think that Captain Nemo's soups are not bad. His pea soup is one of my favoriates.

hungryrabbi wrote:... I was summarily (and, I admit, justifiably) smote down...

Do yoo meen 'smitten'?

Err, let's see... past passive participle of "smite" (from the Old High German "bismizan," but, hey, who didn't know that?) according to my Webster's 7th... "smitten" OR "smote". Well, whaddya know about that - we're BOTH right! I knew that high school diploma would come in handy. I extend the olive branch of linguistic snob brotherhood to thee, master A.
"Bismizan" sounds like it comes from Old High Snoop Dogg....my Sophiezizzle Cazzizzle Prizize wizzining compazzadre....

... (etc, ad nauseum, go Badgers....)

Hey, that's a second declension noun there, buddy...

Yeah, like I had time for Latin in between the race track and knife fights (it was a public high school in Jersey, after all...)

Go Crisco!

I thought you said Latin, not Greek....


-- Reb

OK, toptenmen, I jumped in and confirmed one of your beef recommendations (Jay's) last week. But, I'm going to stand you straight up on the chili. What that place on Broadway passes off as chili is a runny underspiced abomination -at least in my humble and often non spell checked opinion.

Ill be the first to challnge you and anyone here to show me where one can really find a good bowl of chili in Chicago. Don't tell me Ramova Grill. It can be Cincinnati style, Texas style, or ground meat style. Hell, I'll even take a good chicken chili if you can find one (forgive me Wade Roberts).

I'm tired of making my own. It's laborious and unecessary.

Chili is an aftethought in this town. It gets no serious consideration. That fact shows in the end product served around town.

What, Will, you don't like Wendy's? Picky, picky.

How do you feel about Fox and Obel Cafe's chili?

YPW,

We find the Vegetarian Chili at Goose Island on Clybourn to be top notch, and quite a steal. No feux-meat here - just beans, peppers, onions and tomatoes seasoned with chilis and I think a hint of cocoa served with all the trimmings - red onion, cilantro, cheddar, sour cream, and Frontera Grill hot sauce.

Washed down with a fine beer - I find it to be a very respectable, and healthy, chili.

i like (oops, was i supposed to capitalize "i"?) to have soon dubu jigae - the korean spicy tofu soupish dish... i usually eat it with rice, but it definitely warm you up. it's comparable at most korean restaurants, but i've enjoyed it at

Hae Woon Dae Restaurant
6240 N. California Ave
Chicago, Illinois

hungryrabbi wrote:Err, let's see... past passive participle of "smite" (from the Old High German "bismizan," but, hey, who didn't know that?) according to my Webster's 7th... "smitten" OR "smote". Well, whaddya know about that - we're BOTH right! I knew that high school diploma would come in handy. I extend the olive branch of linguistic snob brotherhood to thee, master A. "Bismizan" sounds like it comes from Old High Snoop Dogg....my Sophiezizzle Cazzizzle Prizize wizzining compazzadre....

I believe this is an example from Japanese linguistics. If I recall correctly, it is termed "the paranoid perfect tense."

On another subject, I don't wish to make the same error you did, Reb, in piling on the Great One, but can you explain why he has transmogrified the well attested proper noun "Antonius" into an adjectival backformation "antonious" (defn: given to careful study, nuanced analysis, or penetrating examination)? It can be confusing, you know. I offer a modest example of the potential for confusion from my first meeting with Gary:

G Wiv: You're antonious, aren't you.
Choey: No, no, you flatter me. I'm just a dilettante, a low spectator with scalped tickets for the cheap seats in the theater of scholars.
G Wiv: Are you drunk?

Choey wrote:G Wiv: You're antonious, aren't you.
Choey: No, no, you flatter me. I'm just a dilettante, a low spectator with scalped tickets for the cheap seats in the theater of scholars.
G Wiv: Are you drunk?

Choey,

Funny, but not exactly accurate.

I knew you weren't Antonious and you were clearly, undeniably, drunk.

Enjoy,
Gary

As far as chili macs goes you may be right. I’m not saying that they have 5 star chili; it just seems to be the only place in town that serves up chili year round. Usually I find myself making my own but when I don’t have the time or energy every now and then ill take a ride over to macs. But I do agree its not the best, it just settles the crave when you want a hot bowl of goodness, by no means is it on any top ten list. Another spot that slang’s some pretty good chili is RJ Grunts in Lincoln Park. Other than those two I am hard pressed to name another spot. That’s why I brought it up.

I frequent Chili Macs for lunch only because they have Cincinnati-style & they're located really close to where I work. It does the trick when I get a craving for Cincy-style chili. I've actually never tried any of the other chilis they offer. And I probably never will.

Diner Grill, guys.

hungryrabbi wrote:I extend the olive branch of linguistic snob brotherhood to thee, master A.
"Bismizan" sounds like it comes from Old High Snoop Dogg....my Sophiezizzle Cazzizzle Prizize wizzining compazzadre....

I was joking with PIGMON last night, saying that The Reb and Antonius just did the linguistics-nerd version of bumping chests on LTH.

as the weather cools, i crave chilli. time for some chilli talk again! i plan on talking joe and claudette from J&C's into start cooking chilli again soon!