March 04--Recently I stopped into a neighborhood noodle shop (you know these shops -- they can be found in almost every mall or on corners in some Chicago neighborhoods).
Not being familiar with the menu, I asked the counter guy if they offered a flight of noodles, hoping I would find my favorite. Of course I was politely told to use my noodle and choose from the abundance of dishes on the menu.
This got me thinking: What is my favorite noodle dish? Do I prefer rice noodles over egg noodles? What about buckwheat noodles? Do I like them thin or thick? Can I include stir-fried? Should I include dishes with meat or only meatless dishes? The choices are endless.
So, I embarked on a quest to find my favorite noodle dish. To meet my criteria, the dish must have noodles. Second, it must be served with broth. Any extra condiments are welcome, but the noodles should be the stars. A rating of four spoons is the highest.
After checking in with many of my noodle-loving friends, I began my search. So let the slurping begin.
Xe Lua bowl; oxtail pho
Pho Xe Lua
1021 W. Argyle St., 773-275-7512
Price: $8.50 each
Description: Xe Lua bowl featured rice noodles with beef-eye round steak, flank steak, brisket, soft tendon, beef balls and tripe. Both soups were served with a complement of bean sprouts, basil leaves, hot peppers and a wedge of lime.
This was the first visit to a Vietnamese restaurant for my sister and her husband, and our server took extra time to explain the dishes and offer suggestions. With so many pho dishes to choose from, we finally decided on the restaurant's special Xe Lua bowl and the oxtail pho, and we were very happy. While I'm not a fan of the rice noodles served with both of these dishes, the broth was impressive. Our waiter offered tips on how to use the condiments for an extra layer of flavor. Pleasant dining experience -- we went early on a Saturday afternoon and had the place pretty much to ourselves.
Noteworthy: Don't worry if you're chopstick-challenged, the restaurant will gladly get you silverware.
Rating: 2 spoons (out of 4)
________________________________
Tonkotsu (ramen)
Slurping Turtle
116 W. Hubbard St., 312-464-0466
Price: $14
Description: OK, this is my second favorite ramen restaurant. But don't blame me for trying the noodles at the popular downtown spot. Because boy, did it deliver. The Tonkotsu noodles are thin homemade ramen in an amazing pork broth with mushrooms, greens, bok choy and chili oil. For those who only know packaged ramen noodles, this is a chance to enjoy the real thing.
Noteworthy: Lovely dining experience. A communal table that could serve about 24 or so and booths surrounding the table, this place is jumping for lunch. We arrived at 11:43 a.m. (it opens at 11:30), and the restaurant's booths on the second level were already filled.
Rating: 3 spoons
________________________________
Salt ramen
Santouka Hokkaido Ramen
100 E. Algonquin Road (inside Mitsuwa Marketplace), Arlington Heights; 847-357-0286
Price: $6.99
Description: Beautiful dish of ramen with roasted pork, bamboo shoots, fish cake, mushrooms, sour plum, green onions and sesame seeds.
I have found my noodle and it's called ramen. These delicious noodles served with a full-flavor soup knocked my socks off. Served steaming hot, this dish was all that we needed on a cold Chicago afternoon.
We shared a salt ramen, and it quickly became apparent that we each needed our own bowl. On a return visit with my friend Randy (who also recommended that I visit) we had the miso ramen. The dish was served with a bowl of flavorful miso broth with a side of pork cheek (tender and meaty), mushrooms and a fish cake that you add to the broth. A very enjoyable dish, but it didn't replace the tasty salt ramen noodles as my favorite.
The restaurant, located in the rear of Mitsuwa Marketplace, is small but popular. The line for ramen at Santouka never eased during our visit.
After slurping down our bowls, we did some shopping at the marketplace.
Noteworthy: This restaurant accepts cash only, no credit cards.
Rating: 4 spoons
________________________________
Beef noodle soup (No. 13)
Durebak Korean Restaurant
801 Civic Center Drive (located inside Super H Mart), Niles; (847-470-8825
Price: $15.99
Description: I was totally unprepared for the generous bowl of noodles served at this small food booth inside Korean grocery-electronic-clothing chain store Super H Mart. The dish was served on a cafeteria-style tray with kimchee, bean sprouts, broccoli and a side of rice. Inside the steaming bowl (that could be mistaken as vat of soup) was an assortment of mushrooms, cabbage, cilantro, bulgogi marinated beef and the most amazing Korean sweet potato noodles. Also known as Korean vermicelli, they are made from sweet potato starch and water. All these ingredients were swimming in an amazingly flavorful and rich broth. What a heaping bowl of goodness.
Noteworthy: The dining-in experience may be a challenge because of a really small seating area that serves all of the food court.
Rating: 3 spoons
________________________________
Beef noodle dish
Katy's Dumpling House
665 N. Cass Ave., Westmont; 630-323-9393
Price: $9.95
Description: The homemade Taiwanese noodles served at this small eatery were amazing. The noodles had the perfect texture -- soft but not mushy. The dish is served with the most tender beef imaginable, cabbage and mushrooms. The soup delivered a spicy kick for those who need a little heat. My dining companion Randy -- who recommended Santouka -- says, "I have been a fan of Santouka ramen for years, but I have found a new obsession with the handmade noodles and spicy beef broth at Katy's Dumpling House."
Noteworthy: The friendly staff was attentive and knowledgeable. Because it is a dumpling house, I also tried the pork and chive dumplings, and they were delicious. The chicken pot stickers were fantastic.
Also, this restaurant takes cash only.
Rating: 2 spoons
iwiggins@tribpub.com
Twitter @itascawiggins
