Tank Noodle

Chicago has a pretty big Vietnamese community, so therefore has it's very own Little Saigon. My family and I decided to go to Tank Noodle on Broadway and Argyle last week to have some pho, which this place is known for. This definitely was the best pho I've ever had!


I had the pho consisting of beef noodles soup with sliced beef, well-done flank, skirt flank ($6.95). It also came with a generous helping of lime, bean sprouts, and other garnishes on the side. The broth was perfectly tasty and flavorful with the right amount of richness and saltiness. The refreshing taste from the spices the broth is cooked with was not masked at all by the beefy flavor of the broth. The beef itself was also quite tender and freshly cooked.

Aside from the pho, Tank Noodle also has lots of fresh fruit smoothies and bubble tea. I went with the avocado smoothie which was fresh and not too sweet nor creamy.

I think Tank Noodle will be my go-to spot for a bowl of pho.

Tank Noodle (Pho Xe Tang)
4953 N. Broadway St
Chicago, IL

Cafe Iberico

On my birthday, my family, friend Vadicel, and I went to Cafe Iberico for dinner. Even though it's a very large restaurant, the wait is supposedly ridiculous, especially on the weekends. We went on a Wednesday, and the place was basically filled up by the time we left around 9pm. Since we ordered a bunch of tapas plus paella, I won't post every picture. But overall, the food was really good and by far the best tapas I've had so far in Chicago.

Patatas Aioli ($4.95, red potatoes with garlic mayonnaise sauce) - this is something I've never seen in NY, but is on every single tapas menu in Chicago. This was pretty standard and good, though perhaps a bit too mayonnaise-y for my liking. Good taste though.


Jamon Iberico ($6.95, jamon iberico with pan tomate and manchego cheese) - I actually don't even know if this was really jamon iberico because I thought it's really expensive and not even really legal in the US, so it may have been serrano. Whatever type of ham it was, this was a really really really awesome tapas. Very simple.


Gambas al Ajillo ($6.95, shrimp in olive oil and garlic) - Also a very standard dish, and it certainly did not fail.


Pulpo a la Plancha ($7.95, grilled octopus with potatoes and olive oil) - I was pleasantly surprised with this one. It came in a heaping portion (for tapas), the potatoes were more like handcut fries, and the octopus was perfectly tender. While my dad would have preferred it a little saltier, I thought it was perfectly salty and seasoned for my taste.

Bacalao - This was a special, so it's not on the online menu, but I know it involved red peppers and that it was very good.

Lomo de Buey a la Brasa ($9.95, grilled beef tenderloin with potatoes and vegetables) - Really simple dish much like everything else, but I was happy that the beef wasn't too dry. Sometimes I worry about that when I'm not at a steak place and when the beef isn't doused in sauce. But while the beef was cook probably medium well (i typically only like medium rare), it still quite juicy and tasty.


Paella Iberico ($9.95) - This was your standard paella with chicken, chorizo, and seafood, and you better believe it was only $9.95 for a decently sized pan. I've read that some people don't like Cafe Iberico's paella, but this was actually really good in my opinion. Not too dry, not too watery. It was also perfectly tasty in my opinion.

For dessert, we also tried the fried plantains with vanilla ice cream. I also must mention that a pitcher of sangria is only about $13 or $14 there, and IT'S GOOD. They don't even fill the large pitcher with ice (the ice is in your glass), so it definitely comes with lots of sangria.

I would highly recommend Cafe Iberico for a big group since the tapas portions are actually pretty big. It's nothing fancy at all. Just solid, simple Spanish fare.

Cafe Iberico
739 N. LaSalle Drive
Chicago, IL 60610