help finding good ethnic restaurants in the North Shore

[cybera97]

I am seeking help finding good ethnic restaurants in the North Shore, preferably with a nice atmosphere and moderately priced.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[nsxtasy]

Some great recommendations have already been posted here. My favorite for Thai is Thai Sookdee.

For Indian - Mount Everest in downtown Evanston.

For pan-Asian - Lulu's Dim Sum in downtown Evanston. I like their variety, and their "Munch a Bunch" deal (weekend lunch, Monday-Tuesday dinner) is great, almost everything on their menu and almost everything in unlimited quantities for one price ($17.95 I think).

For Mexican - Yolo in Skokie (make a reservation, as it's small, and BYO), or Lupita's in Evanston

For Italian - Campagnola in Evanston

For French - Bistro Bordeaux in downtown Evanston

For Chinese - nothing's remotely as good as in Chinatown, sorry (if you HAVE to eat local Chinese, try Pine Yard in Evanston or China Chef in Morton Grove)

[jjo]

Kabul House, the superb Afghani restaurant, has reopened at 4949 Oakton in Skokie.
While Pita Inn is good for Middle Eastern, I prefer Larsa's at 3724 Dempster in Skokie, although I haven't been in a while.
Avli Estiatori in Winnetka is probably one of the best Greek restaurants in Chicago.

-----
Pita Inn
3910 Dempster St, Skokie, IL 60076

Avli Restaurant
566 Chestnut Street, Winnetka, IL 60093

[amoncada]

Hmm, interesting...I will have to check out Avli and Larsa's! What are a few of the standout dishes/sides/etc.? Avli's menu / vibe / space looks great...and hey have a
lovely courtyard too.

-----
Avli Restaurant
566 Chestnut Street, Winnetka, IL 60093

[weinstein5]

I enjoy Larsa's falafel and hommous -

[cybera97]

Thanks for the recommendation JJO. We had a wonderful lunch at Avli Estiatori and had superb Gigantes (baked giant beans, sweet tomato sauce, olive oil & herbed feta); whole broiled sea bass with Greek olive oil, oregano and lemon and Xilakia (three mini chicken skewers served with pita bread & tzatziki). Everything was delicious and we especially enjoyed the fish and baked giant beans. The service was excellent.

-----
Avli Restaurant
566 Chestnut Street, Winnetka, IL 60093

[jjo]

Glad you enjoyed it. Try it again on a warm summer night because the courtyard is lovely.

[ferret]

Really depends on how you define "North Shore." What's your comfort zone?

[velvetdc1]

Pita Inn! A north shore institution for Middle-Eastern with locations in Skokie (Dempster) and Wheeling.

-----
Pita Inn
3910 Dempster St, Skokie, IL 60076

[weinstein5]

Are you looking for any cuisines in particular? And how far into the north shore?

Some of my favorites are Taboun Grill in Skokie for Israeli, Kamahachi in Northbrook for Sushi, Ruby of Siam in Skokie for Thai, Siam Splendour and Thai Sookdee in Evanston also for Thai, and Joy Yee's in Evanston for asian -

-----
Joy Yee's Noodle Kitchen
519 Davis St, Evanston, IL 60201

Thai Sookdee Restaurant
1016 Church St, Evanston, IL 60201

Kamehachi
1320 Shermer Road, Northbrook, IL 60062

Ruby of Siam Skokie
9420 Skokie Blvd, Skokie, IL 60077

Taboun Grill
8808 Gross Point Rd, Skokie, IL 60077

Siam Splendour
1125 Emerson St, Evanston, IL 60201

[cybera97]

Thank you for the great recommendations. We live in northern Evanston and are seeking restaurants there, north of there, south as far as Dempster and/or west as far as Glenview/Northbrook, etc. Thank you!

[skokieam]

In that case, try the Himalayan Restaurant on Golf at Milwaukee, beside the IDOT office. Awful location. Very good Himalayan food. Attentive, welcoming service.

-----
Himalayan Restaurant
8265 W Golf Rd, Niles, IL 60714

[gordeaux]

Please, please look into the Pita Inn Lunch Special M-F. You're welcome. There may be better middle eastern, but the value for that quality of their lunch special is second to none. Might be the best deal in all of Chicagoland. I'm not just saying it's a bunch of food for the price - it's a bunch of really decent food for the price. I normally do a lunch special, with no chicken, and a small baba ghannouj. Please try one.

I work in Northbrook, and I'd say, for ethnic foods, look elsewhere. For sushi, look into the name Sushi Kushi. There are two or three locations in the areas you are searching for. I work with three or four ppl who scream about the Sushi Kushi places being best in the area for moderate price.

Seriously though, get to Pita Inn for one of those Business Lunch Specials. Watch this:
Anyone agree?

-----
Pita Inn
122 S Elmhurst Rd, Wheeling, IL 60090

[skokieam]

Absolutely agree!

[velvetdc1]

Agree (but I already said that)!

Also, I just checked out Shabu House in Niles, which may be a bit further west than your boundaries but is good value, for large quantities of veggies & meat with 3 dipping sauces and 3 choices of broth. Plus bottomless tea.

I also liked Akai Hana in Wilmette for the Bento boxes - I havent been in probably 4 years but I remember them making a yummy and filling dinner.

-----
Shabu House
8257 W Golf Rd, Niles, IL 60714

[gordeaux]

Great rec for PI earlier, but I was trying to specifically stress the lunch special.

[dlpens]

I have been eating at the Pita Inn in Skokie for many, many years and gordeaux is correct. The combo lunch is hard to beat and their hummos and babaganouj are outstanding. But this is only one of many wonderful ethnic restaurants along the North Shore.

-----
Pita Inn
3910 Dempster St, Skokie, IL 60076

[weinstein5]

Another spot I would add is Sea Ranch- A Japanese grocery store on Dempster east of Chicago Ave in Evanston - the Sushi is great and they have a $20 all you can eat special if you want to groge on Sushi

-----
Sea Ranch
518 Dempster St, Evanston, IL 60202