South Side Cheap Eats: Yang Restaurant

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Nov 7, 2006 4:00PM

The words "Chinese" and "takeout" seem to fit together like a hand in glove. Like Mexican and Italian food, your Chinese options in the city spread across a wide array of options. Yang Restaurant is a relatively new alternative in the South Loop.

Located next door to Bongo Room's (formerly Room 12) Roosevelt Road location, Yang has been giving South Loop residents their Kung Po fix for close to three years now. One look at the menu and you'll see all the staples of great Chinese takeout: fried rice, chow and lo mein, moo shu, pot stickers, egg rolls, and an extensive selection of vegetable dishes.

We had a craving for some General Tso's Chicken. While we weighed the option of eating in Yang's small but comfortable dining area, we opted instead to have it wrapped to go, as we were right next to the Orange Line. The small version is still big enough to feed two, or the remaining "Top Model" contestants for a week. What separated Yang's version of General Tso over others we've had were the crispness of the broccoli and the spice: a pleasant, lingering heat that didn't intensify as we cleared our plate. Coupled with two egg rolls that weren't soaked in grease and didn't scorch the roof of our mouth, the total cost of the meal was $8.95. As po' as we are right now, that was definitely a price we could live with.

Walk into Yang, and you'll be assaulted by large blowup posters of their mention in the Tribune's "Good Eats" column. They're certainly worthy of the inclusion, whether you're eating in or on the run. Yang Restaurant is located at 29 E. Roosevelt Road. Their hours of operation are 11 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon until 9:30 p.m. on Sunday. Phone numbers are 312-986-1688/1689, or you can fax your order to them at 312-986-1687.