Wow Bao – Chicago, IL

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Living in Chicago, it’s a lot harder now to eat with a modicum of health.  You’re surrounded by readily available, usually tasty, but always most likely unhealthy food.  Hell, we have a Giordano’s at the end of our block.  We’ve had more Giordano’s in the past three months than what usually filled a year.  So, sure I may be losing weight in my wallet, I’m definitely making up for it with cheese and fried goods.

And that’s why I’m thankful for Wow Bao, and the fact they opened up a new location at State & Lake.  I’ve been a fan of Wow Bao since first discovering them at Water Tower Place; and was even happier to have the one on Jackson open.  Now I could walk myself to some edamame stuffed dough on a lunch break.

What is a bao, you ask?  Well, as fans of Firefly and Serenity could tell you, bao are a steamed bun stuffed with meats or vegetable.  They’re a Chinese meal staple, and provide a quick, cheap meal that isn’t a Quarter-Pounder or Whopper covered in various secret sauces.

Each of the Wow Bao locations have the basics of bao: teriyaki chicken, spicy kung pao chicken, whole wheat edamame, thai curry chicken, spicy mongolian beef, and bbq pork.  But what makes the locations both great and sometimes aggravating is the special bao that may only be available at one location.  Water Tower was offering a Spicy Eggplant bao for a limited time, which was unavailble in the other stores.  And now the State & Lake location is offering up a Green Tea-8 Vegetable Bao.

Bao not your deal?  They also offer potstickers, salads, soups and rice bowls.  And the spicy peanut noodle salad?  That will wake you the fuck up.  It’s also highly recommended.

Some of the locations even have dessert covered.  The Jackson location now offers frozen yogurt.  All locations offer a coconut custard bao.  And the State & Lake location was even offering Green Tea Mochi during the fall months.

Top all the food off with some handmade ginger-ale or a Thai Iced Coffee, and hot damn, you have yourself a meal.

With a 2 bao/salad deal for 6 bucks, it may not be as cheap as the other fast food joints, but you definitely won’t be regretting your purchase like you would a Taco Bell meal.

Wow Bao
1 W Wacker Dr
Chicago, IL‎
(312) 658-0305

Elephant & Castle – Chicago, IL

Of all the chain-style UK pub houses I’ve been too, I think Elephant & Castle may be the best of the bunch.  Granted, if you can find something that’s a little more authentic, run to that place and make one of the barstools your own.  But for a quick bite and a pint of something that isn’t Miller or Bud, you could do worse.

And if anything, they had me at the idea of deep fried soft pretzels with mustard.  That is some seriously genius pub food right there.  Their bruschetta is also some of the tastier of its kind I’ve had recently.  The mini potato fritters were okay, paired up with apple chutney.  They weren’t bad, but since I don’t remember much about them, they obviously weren’t very memorable.

Main dishes range from pub classics to burgers to stir fry.  And surprisingly, the stir fry was the highlight of my meal.  Served with fried wontons and cashews over jasmine rice, the spices weren’t too intense and the wontons really added a nice crunch to the whole affair.  That’s not to say the veggie burger they also offer is a bad choice with its pesto and bruschetta toppings, but if a vegetarian has to pick, go for the stirfry.

The other nice thing about this place is when you have family visiting who aren’t too keen on trying anything crazy, but you may have to shoot someone if you end up at a Giordano’s, Lou Mal’s, or Pizzaria Uno one more time.  It’s just different enough that most of the food isn’t available in the burbs, but just familiar enough in that chain restaurant type way that family won’t get to weirded out by the fancier Chicago food.

But seriously, fried pretzels.  That’s all you need to know.

Elephant & Castle‎
185 N Wabash Ave
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 345-1710

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Duke of Perth – Chicago, IL

In the deepest, darkest recesses of my heart, I realize that I am truly an old English man desperately looking for the pub on the corner that’s quiet, dark, and doesn’t have a TV blasting the local sports.

I think I may have found the closest thing to that available here in Chicago with the Duke of Perth on Clark Street.

Located at the end of the block, complete with tiny step up, Duke of Perth is possibly my new favorite place to go get a drink.  If I lived up in that neighborhood, I’d be hard pressed not to go in for a pint and just relax at a table.

It’s dark.  It’s cozy.  It’s quiet.  You can’t go wrong.

And the food is pretty tasty too.  Seeing as how it IS a traditional Scottish bar, so vegetarian pickings are indeed slim.  You have your choice of veggie fries or Murrayfield Mac (deep fried mac & cheese squares), but I’m pretty sure they’re cooked in the same oil as the fish.

Dinner brings you a grilled veggie sandwich or a Hebridean Leek Pie.  The leek pie is some tasty comfort food.  Filled with cheese & potatoes, it’s perfect cold weather food.  K80 tried the Islay Chicken Sandwich, a fairly large burger for the 9 bucks it cost.

The beer list is typical, as are their prices.  The Tennant’s lager was nice and fresh, reminding you a bit more of spring weather the weather we had that day.  Their big draw (for drinkers) is the list of over 50 aged malts they have available.  If I knew anything about alcohol, I’m sure I’d be pretty impressed.

As much as I was won over by the atmosphere of the Duke, there were a couple near misses.  The Murrayfield Mac seemed like it was just deep-fried Kraft Blue Box Mac & Cheese.  I think if they took the time to find a thicker noodle and melt the cheese fresh, they’d have a much stronger appetizer.  And again, I’m pretty sure they deep fry everything in the same vat, because the mac & cheese had a definite fishy aftertaste to it.  For someone like me, it wasn’t a huge deal, but stricter vegetarians should beware.

Duke of Perth
2913 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 477-1741