BYOB Asian Bistro in the West Loop

The Lake Street corridor, just under the Green and Pink Line El train tracks, can be dicey. Businesses that aren't in the meat packing industry seem to come and go frequently. At any given time, about 25% of store fronts are empty and the roar of the train passing overhead blocks daylight and masks neighborhood sounds of bird chirping, children playing and even cars driving by.

While Lake Street may not be the most scenic street in the city for a stroll, it and nearby Randolph Street offers excellent dining options, including the recent addition of Anna's Bistro.

Anna's emphasizes its take out and delivery business, but if you eat at the restaurant, Anna's menu resembles a constitutional law book. It's filled with a wide variety of Asian cuisine--Thai, sushi, Laoatian, Vietnamese, Indian and more. I'm wary of dining at restaurants that seem to be a jack-of-all-trades, and Z and I were initially overwhelmed by the options when we dined on a busy Friday night. We took our time with the menu and eventually decided on a variety of dishes representing nearly all of the ethnicities that Anna's menu covers.

Z loves shumai, so we started with that. While it is difficult to disappoint with shumai, we were genuinely impressed with Anna's. Our other favorite dishes on the menu included the Peking Duck Bun, The Samurai sushi roll and the Filipino Pansit Noodles. The best part about Anna's: our delicious meal was about $50, thanks to the affordable food prices and BYOB liquor policy. We'll definitely be back to Anna's.

You probably won't need it, but you can make a reservation at Anna's on Open Table.

Slurp your dinner in River North

Slurping Turtle opened at the perfect time of year in Chicago--late November. What makes Chicagoans want to eat hot, salty noodles more than blistery winds and freezing temperatures? With perfect timing and the reputations of its predecessors Takashi in Bucktown and Noodles by Takashi Yagihashi at Seven on State paving the way, Slurping Turtle has been mobbed since it opened.

I finally had a chance to go on Tuesday night with my friend Tamara. At 7:30 p.m. we were seated right away at a booth. Tamara ordered a sake, while I opted for a glass of Vouvray. The menu offers an impressive selection of items from the bincho grill and sashimi, dumplings and other hot tapas, but Tamara and I went straight to the noodles.

Tamara's Shoyu Ramen was predictably delicious, but I was more impressed with the broth in my Slurping Noodles. My dish contained a healthy dose of cilantro, which I will never protest.

Red Bean Macaroon at Slurping Turtle

We concluded our meal with a couple of macaroons. While Slurping Turtles' macaroons may be inspired by the traditional French cookies, the cookie portion is much heavier and the fillings much more unique. Tamara's was filled with traditional red bean paste, while mine contained a delicious caramel soy concoction. 

Caramel Soy Macaroon

Slurping Turtle does not take reservations, so I recommend going at an off time, like a weeknight or an early lunch or dinner on a weekend. Bear in mind that it closes from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and doesn't open until 5 p.m. on Sundays.