The Best Dishes Eater Chicago Editors Ate This Week: July 25

Eater

a day ago

The editors at Eater Chicago dine out several times a week, if not per day, which means we're always encountering standout dishes that deserve time in the limelight. Here's the very best of everything the team has eaten this week.
Rasam from Thalaiva's Indian Kitchen and Bar in Park Ridge
Rasam from Thalaiva's Indian Kitchen and Bar. Ashok Selvam/Eater Chicago
Chicago is coming off a streak of consecutive 90-degree days. So why am I telling you to travel to the Northern Suburbs and try some soup? Because South Indian food is just so haute right now. As common with other international cuisines, Americans are realizing that first to market doesn't always tell the full story and that there's more to Indian food than butter chicken (though butter chicken allegedly is making a little bit of a come back). Americans loved tiki, so might as well give them some tropical vibes off the Malabar Coast in Southern India. Particularly Keralan cuisine, where beef and pork often shine, has seized the spotlight and Chicago is seeing more and more restaurants. Having South Indian blood, I've been skeptical about what dishes are getting attention, and I've seen some restaurants flounder despite being hailed as the next big thing. In Park Ridge, Thalaiva's Indian Kitchen and Bar soars with an ideal mix of fun items — like fish fries and an array of Indian coffees — as well as the stuff I grew up eating at home in Chicago. I feel 'homestyle' is kind of dismissive, but the rasam served hit all the right notes; it's a healing vegetarian elixir full of tamarind and tomatoes that helped power me through a number of bitter Chicago winters. We ate it with a little basmati rice mixed in. At Thaliva's, they'll bring out a small gravy boat, a ladle, and cups. You might opt to slurp it down with a spoon or sip it slow with a utensil. Remember: South India is no monolith. We like both dosa AND idily, thank you. We just love our carbs which brings me to a realization: How can you tell if an Indian restaurant is good? Just keep an ear out for the sweet sound of a glucose monitor alarm. That's our people's tell, and I heard a chorus of them at Thalaiva's. — Ashok Selvam, lead editor, Eater Midwest
Shrimp lumpia from Cebu in Lincoln Square
Shrimp lumpia from Cebu. Ashok Selvam/Eater Chicago
There is such thing as bad lumpia. It can be soggy. The wrapper to filling ratio can go awry. The fillingcould be rancid, even when fried to a golden crisp. I write this as a reminder not to take quality lumpia for granted. Along Lincoln Avenue, Cebu has found a niche as an all-day restaurant with Filipino American flavors. The mid-afternoon menu is great on weekends for families, and the pork lumpia might be the best in the city. These aren't the bite-sized lumpia you might prefer. They're a little longer and meant to be savored. For dinner, Cebu amps its lumpia up with shrimp. As a big fan of the pork version, I was skeptical: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. But after a single bite, my tastebuds were singing a different tune. Shrimp was a simple yet decadent upgrade. I don't know if there's such thing as a perfect lumpia, but Cebu's nighttime offering has me wondering if we're getting close. — A.S.
Neapolitan pizza from Coda di Volpe in Lakeview
Coda di Volpe specializes in Neapolitan pizzas. Sandy Noto/Coda di Volpe
Chicagoans seemingly love to debate pizza just about as much as they enjoy eating it. Deep-dish versus tavern-style is an eternal battle that will never be decided, but they're not the only pies deserving of your attention. Detroit-style squares have exploded in popularity in recent years, and there are also plenty of quality options for New York slices (no judgement) and traditional Italian pizzas. This past week, I visited Southport Corridor favorite Coda di Volpe to try some of its Neapolitan offerings. The restaurant is one of few in the city that's VPN-certified, a designation given to pizzerias by the American affiliate of the Naples-based Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. This means the pies are made under certain parameters with approved equipment, which in theory should produce more consistent and superior results. Of course, it's still possible to have a bad Neapolitan pizza while adhering to these guidelines, and vice versa, so the certification isn't the be-all and end-all. It's been several years since I'd been to Coda di Volpe, but the three pies I sampled that night — margherita, mortadella and pistachio, sausage and soppressata — all hit the mark. The blistered, chewy crust surrounds a soft and gooey center, making it the perfect base for a smattering of toppings. The mortadella and pistachio pie stood out in particular — the savory pork, buffalo mozzarella, and nutty pistachio pesto all complementing each together harmoniously. It was worth braving the congestion around the neighborhood that coincides with a Cubs home game. — Jeffy Mai, associate editor, Eater Midwest
Taiwanese beef noodle soup from Minyoli in Andersonville
Minyoli is a Taiwanese restaurant offering noodle soups, popcorn chicken, and more.
It's been a hot week in Chicago, so naturally I was in the mood for… noodle soup. Taiwanese restaurant Minyoli opened in Andersonville last year, giving the North Side a much-welcome spot to enjoy the East Asian country's specialties. While the chilled sesame noodles might've been more appropriate given the weather during my visit, I decided to go with what the kitchen is best known for, and also Taiwan's national dish — niu rou mian, or beef noodle soup. A bowl of eight-hour bone broth arrives teeming with bouncy, homemade noodles, pickled mustard greens, and tender beef (with the option of adding tendon as well) that's braised with black bean and spicy broad bean sauces. I added a little more heat with some chile oil, which really made the dish sing. Temps be damned, you should order this complex and wholly satisfying noodle soup year-round. — J.M.