Opart in Near S. Side (Edited for geographical correctness)

A new location (since the name is identical to the one on Western, as the decor, I'm assuming they are of the same ownership) just opened this last week on S. State just south of Archer intersection, next door to Palaggi's. A great and much needed Thai alternative four block east of Chinatown for the near south side.

Yes, but how's the food?

Food is great! I've dined (actually carried-out) there twice so far and haven't been disapointed with anything.

On my first visit I had the tom yum kai soup (chicken breast in a hot & sour coconut milk broth with lemon grass and lime juice) and pad lard nar with chicken (I asked for pork). Both were very good in flavor, portion size and freshness. I wasn't even all that bothered by the fact that they gave me chicken instead of pork, I'm just so greatful to have thai in my neighborhood.

On my second visit I had pork pad see-iew, chicken satay, spring rolls w/peanut sauce and my co-worker had tom yum koong soup (shrimp). I enjoyed everything, though I felt there was something missing in my pad see-iew. I took care of that with some chili garlic sauce that I keep handy. I didn't taste the soup.

Overall, I am very pleased with the food, service and decor. They have a parking lot which makes it very easy to pick up or dine in. One thing I noticed was that they don't put any sauces (chili, soy, etc.) in the bag. But then, I didn't ask for it either.

-turtle

tortuga wrote: I enjoyed everything, though I felt there was something missing in my pad see-iew. I took care of that with some chili garlic sauce that I keep handy.
-turtle

I don't know if this is the "correct" condiment to go with pad see-iew, but I was taught that the white vinegar with the sliced chiles in it compliments sweetness of the pad see-iew perfectly.

Mmmm.... I think that's a good idea for lunch!

So far, I've had the following dishes there, in no sequence of preference.

Pa Kra Praow Pla or "Sauteed Sole": very flavorful, the dryness of the fish goes well w/ the well greased veges that goes w/ the dish.
Thai Fried Rice: not as smokey-flavored as some others Thai FF I've had, which was the downside, but had more eggs and bean curd than the others I've had, which was the upside.
Pad Thai: bit dry, not enough flavor for me, but I'm a picky asian food eater.
Gaening Gari or "Gari Curry": very good and strong flavor, just the way I like it.
Tom Yum Koon (shrimp) soup: so so, not bad, not great.
Crab Rangoon: one of the better ones I've had. Not too greasy, thinner than usual thus crispier, and interestingly, slightly larger per piece than (by 10% or so?) than what I normally see in other places.
Egg rolls: so so.

Quiet and tranquil ambience/decoration prompted me to even host a lunch meeting there. Great Asian alternative to Triad on the east and Chinatown on the west for the area.

Just fyi: State St. south of Archer AIN'T the South Loop.

Christopher Gordon wrote:Just fyi: State St. south of Archer AIN'T the South Loop.

CG:

... That 'liberal' usage surely arose in the parlance of real estate agents... the folks who call fire escapes 'urban verandas'...

A

Oh...I'm a loyal subscriber to Urban Veranda magazine.

Christopher Gordon wrote:Just fyi: State St. south of Archer AIN'T the South Loop.

I'm curious to know why you think State St. south of Archer is not the South Loop?

tortuga wrote:

Christopher Gordon wrote:Just fyi: State St. south of Archer AIN'T the South Loop.

I'm curious to know why you think State St. south of Archer is not the South Loop?

T:

Discussions of the boundaries of neighbourhoods have come up before here, including the more specific topic of the boundaries of the Loop. Even if one takes the view that the 'Loop' is no longer purely defined in terms of the el-tracks, it seems to me a pretty grand, even wild, extension of the term to include the area in question. For some, the South Loop ends at Congress, for some at Roosevelt (itself an extension of the original term). The area around Archer/20th/State is a good mile south of that.

Of course, the applications of such terms can and do change over time but from the perspective of this (now ex-) long time Printers' Row resident, calling the area around Archer and 20th and State the South Loop smacks of the less than straight-forward (i.e. false) advertising that real estate folks like to use.*

Anyway, to me, it's the Near South and all the time I lived in Printers' Row, I don't remember anyone ever talking of that area south of Roosevelt as the South Loop.

Antonius

* Along similar lines I see ads using the term Tri-Taylor, a very easily and simply defined neighbourhood, to describe the location of places well to the west. And doesn't Lakeview now extend to the Iowa border?

Just kidding.

What Antonius said.

My thinking went like this last night: during intermission at the symphony I mentioned to the s/o that there might be a new sister Opart in the "South Loop." We're Opart fans from wayback and an accessible loop location for weekday lunch is exciting news. We get home and I dutifully check for the address on LTH.

To which he responds, "thbttt! That ain't the South Loop!" Hopes dashed and all...

Antonius wrote:And doesn't Lakeview now extend to the Iowa border?

Just kidding.

Yes, and just to its south Bucktown stretches just as far--at least as far as I've been able to tell from my recent (and reluctant) perusal of the apartment ads.

I've been living in the area for 10 years and invariably I've always understood South Loop to be bounded by Congress, da lake, Cermak and da river. Near South is the land beyond Cermak.

Does Opart deliver? I've been Star of Siam'ing for an eternity, would be nice to have some variety.

Speaking of delivery: Spring World in Chinatown will deliver IF the owner is present. I've lucked out a few times, the owner personally delivers to your door which is pretty cool - he even refuses a tip. He sprints right over too, you'll have it 15 minutes after ordering. Great food and unbelievably extensive menu, takes forever to decide what to order.

Spring World
2109 S China Pl.
(312) 326-9966

Opart does deliver, and their delievery service has been really good for me so far.

They even deliever all the way over to the south lo- I mean museum ca- I mean prairie dist- to where I live.

Thread title edited =)

fenger wrote:Thread title edited =)

F:



Make a note about this thread, though. It propably won't be long till the 'South Loop' extends down to Hyde Park and you can change it back.

We'll likely be back in that neighbourhood (whatever one should call it) on an almost daily basis during the summer, so it's good to have another dining option there, so thanks for the tip.

By the way, how is Palaggi's?

A

Although I agree that I wouldn't call that area the South Loop, the "Greater South Loop Association" thinks everything on this map is the south loop:

It is compromised of an alliance of residents living between the Congress Parkway on the North, the Stevenson Expressway on the South, the lake west and the river east

on the other hand:

South Loop Neighbors serves members and residents within the area bounded by Congress Parkway to approximately 15th Street and from the Chicago River to Lake Michigan.

The GSLA has annexed Chinatown? As audacious as the Anschluss.

reciprocity wrote:on the other hand:

South Loop Neighbors serves members and residents within the area bounded by Congress Parkway to approximately 15th Street and from the Chicago River to Lake Michigan.

That sounds like a much more reasonable area, and more in line with what I'd say. I do think Opera/Gioco/etc are firmly South Loop, despite being just south of Roosevelt.