The pale fries themselves evoke straight-from-the-fryer McDonald's: delicately crisp on the outside, pillowy on the inside, and just as addictive. The fries are tossed in togarashi, a Japanese chili pepper blend that usually contains, among other things, red chili pepper, sansho, roasted orange peel, black sesame seed, ground ginger, and nori. Garnished with finely julienned cilantro and served with a curry mayonnaise, these fries do their best to evade establishing any sort of flavor frame of reference. More

Estrella Negra's Gorrito Croissanwich is a lighter, slightly more healthy option than the typical egg-cheese-meat trifecta. The end result is a refreshing, crisp way to start off the morning, so long as morning starts after 11 a.m, when the restaurant opens. More

While the atmosphere at Caffe DeLuca boarders on kitsch, that doesn't make the food any less worthy of sampling. Take, for example, the Mandoria ($11.00), which is aimed at striking the oh-so-delicate balance between savory and sweet. More

Birchwood Kitchen's Croque Madame is the ideal dish if you're not sure you want breakfast or lunch. The country ham, gruyere cheese, and Dijon mustard on hearty grilled sourdough bread all make for a memorable sandwich, but the sunny side up eggs on top of the dish serve as a nice reminder that the clock hasn't hit noon just yet. More

The lightly seasoned breading fiercely adheres to the shrimp and stays crunchy down to the last bite. And the shrimp themselves are perfectly pink and toothsome, each bite exploding with a briny flavor that is enhanced by the slightly spicy cocktail sauce that comes on the side. More

Located just west of the Damen/Milwaukee/North intersection, this Sultan's Markets is a long-time staple of the neighborhood for good reason—it's as delicious as it is reasonably priced. The falafel sandwich costs just less than four dollars, giving it one of the highest taste to cost ratios in the city. More

strong>Red Hen Bread has been providing freshly-baked goods to city folk and many of their favorite restaurants for nearly two decades. Given the role bread plays in sandwich making and Red Hen's place atop the list of Chicago's bread providers, it's hard to figure out why it's taken us sandwich bloggers so long to check this place out. Yet here we are, more than four months after the Chicago site's launch with nay a Red Hen sandwich post. No longer. More

When I spotted the Chicago-style tofu sandwich ($8.75) on the menu at vegan-friendly Handlebar in Wicker Park, I was eager to see how the classic combination of toppings could translate into a tofu sandwich. More

As the story goes, the jibarito—a sandwich that swaps out slices of bread for smashed and fried plantains—was invented in Chicago by Puerto Rican immigrants at Borinquen Restaurant in Humboldt Park. But it didn't take long for other ethnic groups in the surrounding neighborhoods to take notice. This helps to explain why Cafe Laguardia, a Cuban restaurant located a mile or so east in Bucktown, has a version of the dish on its menu right next to the Cuban sandwich. More

Las Aadas is a favorite in the northwest neighborhood for its late hours and made-on-the-spot Mexican cuisine. It's hard to go wrong with anything on the menu, but for the purposes of this blog, we'll stick to the torta menu. More

The Turkey ($6.00) at Olivia's Market in Bucktown consists of Boar's Head Ovengold Turkey, Havarti cheese, sliced cucumber, tomato, red onion, and crunch sprouts, all layered between Labriola multi-grain bread. More

For those who enjoy scarfing down greasy grub to the dulcet tones of Slayer and the like, look no farther than Santullo's Eatery. Located right in the heart of the Wicker Park/Bucktown area, this New York-style pizza joint is known for its blaring metal music and thin-sliced pie. That said, its sandwich selection is certainly worth a sampling, More

The assemblage is popped in a toaster oven just long enough for magic to happen: the cheddar and cream cheese amalgamate into a sharp, creamy base; the tomato gets a quick-roast that brings out its hidden sweetness; and the basil somehow maintains its herbal freshness through it all. More

When I think of the city's cozy, neighborhood restaurants, Jane's immediately comes to mind. Don't go expecting culinary fireworks—just fresh, flavorful, and comforting food. More

After a week of feasting on rib tips and hot links, one would think that the last thing I'd want to do is eat more barbecue. But I'm reasonably sure I will always make an exception for some tri-tip from Lillie's Q. More