The truck-stop décor of yesteryear has been replaced by colorful umbrellas hanging from the ceiling, a sleek sushi bar and a few touches that try to mask the restaurant’s more humble origins. Yet there’s still something about Tong’s Thai that defies any attempts at a facelift. (The odor of cleaning fluids emanating from the restrooms is part of it.) Still, the food is solid with more than a few surprises.

If you can stand the heat, the kitchen will be… [More]

We might as well just publish the walls at Cascabel; covered as they are with culinary comments such as “The food is great here. There’s no other place like it.” and “Ésta es comida mexicana!” Said walls have only become denser with opinion and attitude over the years that this singular Southtown place has been open.

And every main dish was $7.50 at press time. (Breakfast, served all day, is less expensive.) Tlacoyos, huaraches, birria … these are not… [More]