Chicago - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner with Chris Pandel
1 August 2014
Chris Pandel, chef of Chicago restaurant The Bristol, reveals his favourite places to eat in the city
Breakfast
Uncle Mike’s Place on Grand Avenue is the only Filipino breakfast joint that I have found in Chicago, and I was lucky enough to live around the corner from it for a while. Uncle Mike’s is a bit of a dive, if I’m being honest, but it’s incredibly friendly and no matter which Filipino breakfast you order you will certainly be more than satisfied. There are plenty of other options for those looking for a more traditional American breakfast, but my personal favourite dish on the breakfast menu has to be the Filipino longaniza and tocino combo.
Uncle Mike’s Place
1700 West Grand Avenue
Chicago
Tel: +1 312 226 5318
unclemikesplace.com
Lunch
For lunch I really enjoy the sandwiches at Rick and Deann Bayless’ XOCO. Boasting Mexican marketplace flavours, it serves up wonderful street food and snacks from flaky empanadas to churros and crusty tortas. From the house-made hot chocolate to the wood-fired sandwiches, it’s tough to find something not to like on their menu. The agua frescas are also amazing to refresh the palette while walking around downtown in the summer time. And, if you are in a rush, you can also order online to guarantee this awesome Mexican hit of goodness.
XOCO
449 North Clark Street
Chicago
rickbayless.com/restaurants/xoco
Dinner
Dinner in Chicago is a little difficult to pin down as there are just so many great options and it depends on what one is in the mood for. For something fun and casual, I really like taking my family to Lao Szechuan for some of Chef Tony Hu’s authentic Chinese cooking. It’s so good that even my three-year-old requests a visit on a monthly basis. The dried chili beef is one of the standouts on the menu, but bring a towel because you’re going to break a sweat.
Lao Sze Chuan
4832 N Broadway
Chicago
Tel: +1 773 293 4653
chicagolaoszechuan.com