It's too easy to walk into Ba Le, take one look at the menu, and order the Number 1: the classic bánh mì. But next time you're craving the assurance of satisfaction that comes with a well-known classic but want something a little different, the Meatball Bánh Mì ($3.95) is a great place to start. More

It was with a conflicted heart that I made my (wildly overdue) inaugural visit to Sun Wah BBQ recently with the express intent to eat noodles. Would it be laughably misguided of me to finally hit up such a well-known haven of grilled meats and subsist solely on its slurpables? Turns out, it's not the crippling dilemma I thought it'd be. More

The wings were crispy, with the skin achieving the crackly, fat-rendering induced texture most wing places screw up. Beyond the fish sauce, I think I tasted garlic, sambal oelek, and lime juice, but I'll never really know for sure. More

Willfully ignoring for a moment my slippery grasp of even the most basic tenets of the Vietnamese language, I'm going to go ahead and translate Phở 777 as "noodle-soup jackpot." And despite that slippery grasp (read: no knowledge of whatsoever), I feel like I'm on to something. More

While it's unique to find soda bread studded with bacon and cheddar (which she also sells), Cynthia has been careful to not stretch the ingredients in her different breads too far. In her Cranberry Walnut bread, the only ingredients that differ from her grandmother's Original Raisin are the chopped specs of walnuts and dried cranberries, and yet every single bite is moist and jumps with sweet and nutty flavor as though the dough had been infused. More

The four duck egg-sized wedges were expertly breaded (if I had to guess, I'd say with Panko), and fried to a crisp golden brown. The penne noodles within were ensconced in a cheese sauce so velvety, it could only have been the work of Velveeta. More

I could be wrong, but when people think of Chicago institutions, they tend to think of steakhouses, hot dog joints, and the like. But Sun Wah BBQ has been open for years. Though it really isn't a secret, it has stood the tough test of time for a reason, and that reason is The Peking duck. More

It takes a determined soul to brave the endless brunch lines at Uptown's Tweet, but I figured an unseasonably warm Sunday morning was the perfect time to see if Tweet lived up to its reputation. Approximately one hour and one cocktail later, I finally found myself seated with a menu in hand. Upon noticing that Tweet had not one, but SIX different variations of a breakfast burrito on their menu, I knew I had to try one—but which one? More

The whole experience is somehow elevated to the "leftovers sandwich eaten over the kitchen sink late Thanksgiving night" level. I was all of a sudden really excited for Thanksgiving, which is exactly the feeling I was searching for the whole time. More

While the pizzas at Chicago's Fontana Grill (Uptown) are not worth going out of the way for, as a neighborhood spot, I'm a fan. The staff could not have been nicer, and the outdoor patio may well be calling my name once summer gets here. Also, the prices are not bad at all. All pizzas are buy one, get one free Sunday through Thursday and bottles of wine are half price on Tuesdays. More

"I mean, it wasn't like some dude tweeted me and told me he was sleeping with my wife, but it was still a surprise." Whatever your take on social networking, the Internet, and all manner of digital time-stealing inventions, one... More

Serious Eats contributor Daniel Zemans checks in with another piece of intel on the Windy City pizza scene. Daniel also blogs about Chicagoland pizza with his friends on the Chicago Pizza Club blog. --The Mgmt. Gigio's Pizzeria 4643 N. Broadway... More

We asked Michael Nagrant, our normal Chicago go-to guy, to handle this week's Serious Eats City Guide. From deep-dish pizza to the best taqueria and meatiest Eastern European butcher, Michael tells how a missionary of the delicious should visit Chicago. As always, chime in with agreement, or feel free to alert us to any Chicago eats we've overlooked. More

Bad pho doesn't mean the rest of the menu isn't worth trying. Even though one burned down last week due to an unfortunate fire, it feels like there are almost more Vietnamese restaurants on or near Chicago's Argyle Street in... More

-->In Chicago, we have not yet been blessed with a noodle god like Momofuku's David Chang. We've instead had to settle for noodles from a handful of lower level deities, like Tony Hu at Chinatown's Lao Szechuan or Vanna Gumtrontip... More