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Twenty new restaurants, including Chicagoist favorite Smoque, (chow pictured) were named Great Neighborhood Restaurants (GNR) today by our favorite (and the only) Chicago-based culinary discussion board, LTHForum. LTH members give the yearly awards to restaurants they believe "contribute to their neighborhoods' and the city's character by offering outstanding food, an authentic experience of their ethnic culture, and/or a welcoming (or in some cases, belovedly cranky) atmosphere for guests."
The GNRs are chosen in a sort of democratic, sort of not, type of system. People nominate restaurants on the discussion board, debate ensues, and then LTH moderators ultimately pick which restaurants will receive the designation. Joining Smoque on the list of newcomers are Vie, La Pasadita (strangely, only one of the three made the cut — anyone have an explanation?), Coalfire and a bunch of other places.
The complete list of all-time GNRs is also available on a helpful Google map.
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Sure, it's the only one that really stands out. The other two are just standard, average taquerias, but the one on the east side of the street has a lot more soul, and a few standout items. The west side ones don't.
To be fair to the moderators, receiving a GNR hinges on whether or not restaurants have really clicked with the community. That is, has there been a lot of discussion on the site, almost all of it positive, and is there something about the restaurant that makes it special.
Usually that last part comes from it either having a staff that have gone a long way to be welcoming to the community or who are doing something truly unique.
I think almost anyone on LTH can find a handful of GNR recipients they disagree with, but to me, it's a great list.
Another Chicagoist fave Kuma's Corner also made the list. Holla!
Healthy Food, as well.
I think it's interesting that there were almost no winners in many of the "major" (for lack of a better word) neighborhoods (i.e., nearly all of the near north side, up to Irving; Wicker Park; UKV; Bucktown).
Thanks for the plug, Laura. Honestly, I don't personally know if the east side Pasadita is way better than the west side ones, but people say so, and if anything defines LTHForum, it's making those teeny tiny distinctions (You ate at the WEST side one? Why did you bother even getting up this morning?)
To Olivia's point, I think that's no accident, and it's not reverse snobbery, either. We tend to love the authentic food of ethnic communities, which means naming restaurants in immigrant-rich areas like Albany Park, Chinatown, Pilsen, Cicero/Berwyn, etc., over the mainstreamed versions of the same cuisine available in yuppieville. It's also just true that our emphasis tends to be toward cheaper eats, and of course many of the best places in the hoods you mention are more upscale. We have given a few awards to high end restaurants (and Schwa would have won this time if it hadn't closed) but it takes a lot more for a place like that to stand out in our minds than for the taco place that kicks the butt of the three other taco places in its immediate vicinity.
The Hopleaf is excellent. GREAT selection of beers on tap... well worth the trip north.
Some of my co-workers loooove Paradise Pup. If you want a giant, juicy burger swimming in grease and tons of greasy fries, you've found heaven.
That's an awfully limited list of food types.
No Indian? No South American? No Sushi?
What the heck?
Matty - these are just the newest editions to a long running list (it's linked to in the original post).
Now I feel so foolish for stopping into one of the West side of Ashland La Pasaditas last week. Never again! East side only from now on...
Seriously, how different can they be?
Grab a carne asada taco from each and eat them side by side, Benjy, and decide for yourself.