Mom and Pops
Not to be confused with the adjoining but unrelated Vinh Phat, known for its fantastic barbecued ducks, La Banh Mi Hung Phat serves some of the best banh mi on Argyle—though you may have to work for it. On my first visit a helpful but strict woman named Michelle wouldn’t sell me the three sandwiches arranged on the counter because they’d been sitting there too long. Come back early in the morning, she told me. I appreciated this, but when I returned she’d make me nothing more than a single pork-skin banh mi—long chewy strands of skin dressed in nuoc cham, the sweet, spicy fish sauce. She advised me to return on subsequent mornings to sample other varieties. The extra effort was worth it: the tender roast pork is flecked with delectable bits of caramelized skin, and the shredded chicken is redolent of the spices applied to the ducks next door. Other varieties distinguished themselves as well: the Chinese barbecued pork had large chunks of meat, and the grilled marinated pork was cooked halfway to jerky (not a criticism) and steeped in a visibly herby spice mixture. My favorite, the “steamed pork ball,” is an eviscerated meatball, sort of like the coarsely ground, extrafunky Issan-style Thai sausage. —Mike Sula
$Latin American | Breakfast, lunch, dinner: seven days | Open late: Friday & Saturday till midnight | Reservations not accepted | BYO
Fattoush Restaurant2652 N. Halsted | 773-327-2652
I love the breaded fried pork and veal cutlets at Halina’s. The cutlets, each the size of an elephant ear, include Swedish style (stuffed with mushroom puree), cubao (with white cheese filling), and Wiener schnitzel (the Berghoff’s version was no match). They’re cooked to order and served hot enough to burn your tongue. Polish standbys like pork shank, stuffed cabbage rolls, and pierogi are good too. The indecisive should consider the Polish Plate, a greatest-hits platter with a breaded pork chop, three pierogi, a stuffed cabbage roll, and Polish sausage on sauerkraut. All dinners include buttery mashed potatoes and a trio of cold salads: sauerkraut, coleslaw, and beet. If you’re taking a date, be warned that the harsh lighting reflecting off wall-to-wall mirrors reveals every blemish. —Peter Tyksinski
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$Mediterranean, Polish/Russian/Eastern European | Lunch, dinner: seven days | Open late: Friday-Sunday till 1, other nights till 11 | BYO
