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Category: Asian Fusion [Edit]
Neighborhood: AvondaleTue-Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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Everything about Urban Belly seems so very well thought out. It feels organic yet calculated. My attention is constantly harnessed by every aspect of it's dining experience when it presents itself to me. The details are never lost.
The food put the beat down on my expectations. Normally I would be paralyzed by the idea of spending $12 for a bowl of noodles. The udon noodles have the most perfect texture of anything I've even eaten that lives in broth. The dumpling are hand grenades of flavor that explode with sublime texture in your mouth. I couldn't stop eating (and can't stop thinking about) the pork belly and pineapple rice. I can safely say that the best piece of eggplant I've ever consumed happened here.
The communal seating give the place a great faux-family-dinner energy when it is busy. And a seemingly Buddhist calm when there are only a few other patrons in the joint. Sturdy tables sooth my soul.
The staff is super friendly and attentive. And let's not forget BYOB! Urban Belly was the most pleasant surprise of moving to Logan Square. Belly Shack here I come!
First off, anyone who says this place is overpriced is an idiot. For the quality of ingredients you are getting alone, it's a good deal. Very flavorful, thoughtful food that you'll want to slurp down.
Please realize that yes, you order at the counter, and yes, it's communal seating. Please also realize that you're getting absolutely GREAT food for very little cash (most expensive item on their online menu as I write this is $13). The lack of sit-down service and other things you expect in a more traditional restaurant pays dividends on the bill. Totally worth it, definitely try it. I just wish I lived closer.
Who knew such a world-class noodle shop was nestled in a tiny strip mall in Logan square? I was already prepared for the communal seating which I thought would be a little awkward but turned out to be very cool and created an exciting sense of community-- if you will-- with the other diners. What threw me off however, was having to order at the counter--you don't typically expect to order anything other than standard fare for a particular type of cuisine. Well when I saw the menu I knew this place was anything but standard... and the price was right too.
Biting into he lamb and brandy dumplings and the short rib and scallion rice can only be described as a fireworks display for the palate. Soooo good! I would have never thought those flavor combinations would be so yummy. We also had the Udon and the wrinkle beans which were also good. Since its BYOB we brought a nice bottle of wine and proceeded to get our lunch-time tipsy on...I'll be back!
I really wish urban belly was closer to me, because I would probably eat here way more often.
My experiences here have all been great - the rice dishes, the noodle dishes - all fantastic. I love the Lamb and brandy dumplings - most definitely, so much so I crave them...
Prices are okay - I don't think its a great big bargain - but I don't think you are getting ripped off either..
Also, don't do carry out your first time - I've learned (because this is what i did) you miss a ton of the extras via carryout.
I'm definitely a fan of the belly
A friend suggested this place for a bday dinner..the food here is very good..very tasty flavorful asian food.. we tried their ramen kimchi , duck pho, chicken and shrimp dumplings ..Everyone in our group loved the food..
Pricewise...not bad..for the ambience and type of service,,i'd say borderline overpriced..but not a deal breaker.
The service was decent..it was a busy sat night ...
The only negative about this place is having to order at the counter before sitting down..so if u want seconds u have to go again and order..very fast food style.. the community seating does not help if you are in a large group too..
Urban Belly wow you are so overpriced, pretty pretentious for a strip mall location...$100 for 5 people, not including some tip, is a little overboard.
The noodle soups were just ok, nothing worth raving about. I had the Urbanbelly Ramen which was good but not noteworthy and it seemed that what they lacked in flavor they were trying to make up in hot spices to mask the blandness. My parents and boyfriend had the Udon and some vietnamese soup that is no longer on the menu which thankfully has been removed.
I did however like the dumplings, but again this was overpriced at $8 for about 4 small pieces. The duck and pho spices were tasty but again, nothing worth raving about. The true star here though is the PHAT RICE-this did blow me away with little bits of perfectly fried pork belly and short rib. This alone would have me coming back and is the cause for the 2 and not 1 star review. I just wish that they had an entree sized rice because I would be more than content having this as my meal. If you do choose to try this out, order the phat rice.
Things to love about Urban Belly: casual atmosphere (but with great aesthetics), communal table seating, huge portions of soul-warming brothy goodness, and BYOB. I ordered the Udon bowl with shrimp with coriander and lime chili and it was deelish. Feels like a great place to visit on a cold evening.
This, definitely, was a record in my book.
In and out of the place in 20 minutes.
Really?!?!?!?
We ordered at the counter, were fed mere seconds afterward and gulped down our food (and our much beloved Perrier) like there was no tomorrow.
Kind of an eerie experience, especially when you are with girlfriends and have to catch up.
But no worries - we did so later around some liquor...
Not impressed overall:
- the lamb and brandy dumplings that were really flavorful; the duck and pho spices ones were more average. But then again I am not a big duck gal.
- the ramen soup was too pork-y for my taste...I know, I know...is there such a thing? Sorry to disappoint....for me, yes.
- the rice dish was hard to eat....big chunks of meat in a smallish bowl makes for awkward sharing. Our problem, I guess. But still.
- the eggplant side was good but after tasting Lao Beijing's take on them I am now too spoiled to try anything else....!!
- communal seating is ok but having just a little cube of wood under your butt makes it really inconvenient for coats, scarfs and other Chicago related items......
So yeah....quite forgettable. Chinatown is much closer to my place, and I would die happy any day with a mountain of chive dumplings. So cheap and yummy!!
Sorry UB!
I'm surprised I've just found out about this place as it's so close to my house! I'm not typically a huge fan of walk up ordering but it ended up being totally fine. The hostess was there running around and serving people but she also seated you so you didn't have to worry about sitting awkwardly next to some random. It is communal seating but I didn't really mind this. We sat next to a nice couple and while we did our own things, they were pleasant and friendly. We even offered to share our udon noodles!
It is BYOB so make sure you come prepared. We ordered the Soba noodles, the Udon noodles, the pork and cilantro pot stickers and the wrinkle beans. I highly recommend the wrinkle beans and the Udon noodles were my favorite dish although both noodle dishes were pretty spectacular. Also loved the potstickers.
They say that for two people one should order two entrees, an appetizer AND a rice. Well, this is not necessary unless you are 100% starving as it is a lot of food. We didn't order the rice dish, instead we had the wrinkle beans as a side dish, and it was more than enough food.
It is served "as it's ready" and I'm not a huge fan of this. The minute we sat down they had already served one noodle dish. It makes for a sort of rushed experience but we sat around for a little while after we finished eating to talk, etc. and nobody was necessarily shoving us out the door.
Give this place a shot. It's a quaint, different and affordable neighborhood joint.
Yeah, I can't jump on the bandwagon. I've flipped between 2 and 3 stars a bunch while writing this...
While I appreciate the concept of the place, the execution of the actual food is not for me. Food is heavily seasoned, refreshing in the midwest where bland is easy to come by. But the flavors for me go a little too far and end up one-dimensional. All that yummy stuff in my soup should combine into a complex blend of flavors and aroma. Instead I get tons of cinnamon and ginger in every taste of rice cake, broth, meatball, noodle, whatever. I've eaten here a bunch of times, both dine in and carry out, but still find myself having trouble getting excited about it.
Holy noodles, holy price!
Let me start by saying the food was delicious. The lamb dumplings were tasty though too much overpowering sauce, the duck dumplings were divine, the pork belly ramen was pretty tasty...it grew on me, and the seafood udon noodle was the highlight. All for over 50 bucks. To order at a counter. To pour my own water. Listen, like I said the food is good but man the price just doesn't sit well with me. No, we didn't have to order so much food which is exactly while my partner and I spent the whole time devising strategies, Such as, order one soup and one dumpling and share....ways to make it worth it. Some people around us were utilizing the byob aspect but the vibe of the restaurant doesn't personally make me want drink. Its so casual...from the "service" to the decor...I don't know...not really crackin' a nice bottle of wine type of place. Then again there are plenty of those places in town.
To sum it up: expensive. delicious. will come in handy during freezing Chicago winter nights.
Great upscale Asian street food.
If you're not into sitting with strangers, you should probably avoid.
It's BYOB! My gf and I got two entrees and some dumplings for less than $40. A great value for the money- more, better food than your neighborhood sushi place.
The food was some of the most amazing I've ever tasted- and I've traveled in Asia. The portions were huge. Hotter than gringo-spicy, but not inedible or unenjoyable. The spice made one of our companions (who loves spicy food) sweat, but in a good way.
If you're waiting for a table to open up Clyde's bar is across the street. A VERY local dive.
I quite enjoy this place. It reminds me of smaller version of Wagamama in London. That was my first experience with Asian noodle dishes and I loved it. Urban Belly does a nice job of creating a dining experience that is tasty, affordable and social. I like spicier foods so I tend to get the Asian egg noodles with spicy garlic chili, tofu and eggplant. I've tried some of the other dishes (and they even custom made some for me because of my shellfish allergies) but I keep going back to the egg noodles. Their dumplings are also full of flavor and should be enjoyed slowly so you can experience all of the tastes and smells. I think this is a great option for affordable but really good food plus inside is BYOB.
One of my favorite places to grab dinner. As someone with food allergies, I am unable to enjoy their fish but they can make a few things on the menu without it (I hear that the fish is amazing as well).
Not a huge fan of the communal eating arrangement, but it is less awkward than you would think.
I am not a fan of the interior, its very dark and dreary and the furniture, while very cool looking, is uncomfortable. Plus I HATE communal seating. I wonder if it was designed this way so as to reduce the amount of people lolling around after they eat and guaranteeing a quick turn over? hmmm...?
Anyway Andy M and I ordered a bunch of random stuff, (partly because we wanted a good sampling of dishes offered, mostly because he was convinced he was going to end up with a 1/2 teaspoon of food for dinner for some reason.) We started with the Duck with Pho Spices dumplings. OK these were simply incredible - soo delicious and flavourful. I did have an issue with the price vs the amount though - $8 for 4? And 4 that were on the small side? grrr...
Next that arrived was the brown rice, which was perfectly prepared with some little crispy onions on top. Then I had the Asian Egg Noodles, which were stir fried with a spicy garlic chili, tofu and chinese eggplant - extremely complex variety of flavours that were amazing!
I would definitely come back (if for no other reason than to try the foie gras dumplings) but I didn't like the interior so I dont think I would ever eat in again.
This place is great! I have been waiting for a place that serves good soups and noodles that uses fresh and local ingredients for a long time. You can tell they put a lot of thought and care into their food and it shows. The bacon and butter squash dumplings are amazing! I think this is going to be one of my number one spots for the winter.
The best it gets in restaurant innovation..could be bigger - just a little..plain rice would be great with all those rich dishes...find what you like and keep coming back...
What a fantastic find!! I guess this place has been there for a while, but we recently found it in Bon Appetit as one of the best noodle places. I really enjoyed the vibe and the community seating. The person who took our order at the counter was super friendly, outgoing, and helpful. She gave us a quick run down on the menu. We knew we wanted to try the potstickers and I got the Udan soup. It had a great broth filled with shrimp, thick noodles, lime, mushrooms and tofu. I would definitely get that again, however, I do want to try some other soups. \
I would have given this place 4 stars, but the prices were quite high. I could have made the soup for a lot cheaper or gone to a local Vietnamese restaurant. Plus, the soups are so large that you could share 1 with 2 people. That's the plan for next time.
Not sure all the hype about this place. I first read about it in this month's issue of Bon Appetit mag. I was excited to try this place because I am a fan of ramen!!
We went last Friday night around 530p. Not busy at all. There are four communal tables in this small little dive. You go up to the counter, order your food and post your number until they bring it over to you.
We ordered the Asian squash and bacon dumplings (because that's what the mag raved about), urbanbelly ramen, and the rice noodles in kim chi broth. All of those with 2 sprites came to about $38. Not that cheap but not bad.
The dumplings are strongly fragranced with orange peel and orange segments. If you aren't into citrus then you won't like this app. The dumpling was tasty but my husband who is citrus-averse did not.
The ramen was ok. The broth was a little too sweet for my taste and not porky, meaty enough for me. The noodle dish that I ordered with the pork, rice cake, and kim chi was NOT good. It tasted slightly 'indian' in flavor which didn't seem to mix well with the kim chi.
I will stay away from this place in the future. It's not that great.
First statement: "It's a place you should try at least once." That's the universal sentiment from a very unscientific poll I've conducted with friends of mine who's been to Urban Belly. It's uncanny how unanymous this was, however. The food's undoubtedly good and is worth a try for sure, but there are two issues that hold people from progressing into "can't wait to go again" territory after the first statement.
One, it's expensive for what you get... the 'OMG, eight bucks for four pieces of dumplings?' factor still stings long after the savory goodness of the morsels themselves win you over. Same thing with the ramen noodles where 'wow, this is the new height of ramen-dom I've yet to experience' quickly is overturned by 'OMG, thirteen bucks for a bowl of ramen?' In the grand scheme of things, $8 appetizer and $13 main isn't shabby, but in Asian countries, these are considered quick and easy street snacks, and I can't seem to shake off this Asian-boy mentality.
Second, the decor. It didn't work for me. It's got the dark, hushed gray theme and wooden furnishings... a feeling of gravity to it which I'd normally find pleasing, but it's also got these self-service utility carts and exposed beverage cases that doesn't make it feel casual, as opposed to being just awkward. The wonderful wooden tables have a glass top to protect the wood, which lessens the natural impact of the wood, and all in all, I was amused by the decor than anything. It's just didn't create this linger-with-friends-over-BYOB-beverages type coziness I thought it was shooting for.
So, go try Urban Belly for sure. It'll probably become your favorite noodle place. You'll then have to do a bit of soul searching to figure out if you can justify the prices for yoruself.
Kind of a mixed bag. I really, REALLY love dumplings and their pork & cilantro dumplings were everything I could possibly hope for. They stayed together when I bit into them, had an excellent blend of flavors. The dipping sauce they had was a little thicker than lots of other places, which in my eyes, was a plus. You got more sauce on the dumpling in every dip. Yum.
The drawback? 7 bucks for 4 medium sized dumplings. My budget was screaming at me for not getting more food for my money.
I didn't, however, try the noodle dishes at all. My friend did, and he told me it was a great balance of texture & flavor. This place definitely had some tasty food, but I'm just not sure if it appeals to the value seeker in me.
If you have been to any one of the many noodle shops in Chinatown, Uptown, Lincoln Park and Lakeview, you've probably had a fine bowl of noodles. When the check came, it was probably so inexpensive that you began to wonder whether you could live off of noodles alone, so as to cut cooking and grocery shopping out of your life completely.
Urban Belly is not one of those noodle shops. The ambiance is very nice but the food isn't great and it's relatively pricey. I ordered the soba. The broth was very salty and there wasn't much else in my bowl that wasn't broth. I felt like Oliver Twist. Might I have another small scallop? Might I have another one of those unidentifiable tiny starchy ball type things? Another glass of water please...oh wait, I have to get that myself....never mind.
Food is definitely 4 stars, but dropped a star because it was a little expensive and because our order came out randomly.
We ordered the duck dumplings, the short rib rice (for me) and the urbanbelly ramen (for the husb). My entree came, then the dumplings, then his entree - odd.
We ended up sharing everything, and everything was very tasty. However, $32 for 4 little dumplings, fried rice with 3 little shortribs, and ramen noodles is a bit much. Had the meal been closer to $25, this would have been a steal.
well let see, where should I start.
this place is like a hole in a wall. the food quality and the services are good. but missing one ingredient. flavor.
I guess this place is cater to people who don't like flavor in their food. don't get me wrong, I have many friends who thinks that Pepper or paprika is a spice. so this place is crowded with patron like that.
if you like to try asian food but afraid of the asian spice, this is your place to try as a baby step toward a better food later once you are brave enough.
So, I've been to Urban Belly several more times since my initial visit and it's holding steady at five stars.
We've never had to wait which is always good.
We did do take out once and I would recommend that you don't go that route. It just wasn't the same.
I've also kind of decided that their pricing is a tad high. Easily 20% higher than I think it should be. Regardless, I continue to go back and pay. I guess that's why the prices are what they are, we all continue to pay!
In fact, I think I need Urban Belly this week. Gonna go raid my change jar.
Seriously, 190 reviews and only 3.5 stars? I'm a little shocked.
The communal dining and no table…
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Urban Belly lived up to the hype - big time. We went for dinner this evening and absolutely loved everything, from the counter ordering to the communal seating and especially the food. So much to choose from - I am already looking forward to my next trip back!
We sampled the duck and pho spice dumplings, the Urbanbelly Ramen (with pork belly, of course), and the Cold Udon with chicken and lemon grass. All were delightful, but the broth in the Ramen dish was especially memorable. Portions are quite large, so I ended up bringing home some udon. The asian juice beverages are really quite delicious - give them a try! We spent $40 total for the two of us - a pretty cheap Saturday night date for the quality of food you're getting here!
I love the atmosphere - from the moment you walk in, you forget you're in a random strip mall on a weird section of California. Distressed flooring with big communal wooden tables, great color scheme - it's very hip and urban - definitely lives up to its name. :)
We'll be back, and next time we'll bring friends. We didn't have to wait for a space at a table at around 7:00 on a Saturday night, but at 8:00 it started to get really busy.
Absolutely terrific Asian fusion in a unique setting. Go!
I've never eaten a soup as large as the one I ate here. The portion size of all the noodles and soup are almost comically large. The ramen (for me) is particularly delicious with some nice pork. But man, its enough for two or three people as an entree. The dumplings are delicous as well. Food comes out fast, and shared seating is, interesting. The place is dark inside, so that would make it hard for me to stick around for a long time anyway. The food is good, and portions are generous. Sort of hidden in a little mini mall, at least there is a lot of parking.
I felt compelled to create this account because I want to express my true love for this restaurant, and also to help counteract what I think is an unusually low rating for such an amazing restaurant.
This is a high-end, extremely thoughtful, and outright delicious noodles and dumpling shop. Plain and simple. Chef Kim takes the ordinary and puts so much depth into it. His dishes are very complex, but not muddled and overdone. Each ingredient seems to be there for a reason. It tastes like the broths for the soups have been cooked with utmost care, timing and experience. They are not watery and thin. They are rich and round.
The creativity really shines through. Chef Kim takes it to another level adding bell peppers and cilantro into a spicy soup with rice cake. Soba noodles with scallops and chinese broccoli. Watermelon with mong beans and pork belly. The flavors just work. They are not there to be pretentious. Each ingredient makes sense. And you'll really be wowed by how great they all are.
The dishes I've experienced:
- Soba with Bay Scallops in Thai Basil Broth (4.5 out of 5) // thinner broth than the rest (but lots of depth, maybe duck broth?); beautiful and abundant scallops (cooked perfectly), fishcake balls, chinese broccoli.
- Ramen with pork belly, shiitake and pho broth (4.5 out of 5) // clean but rich pork broth and amazing slices of delicious pork belly; tender shiitake, button, and oyster mushrooms.
- Rice Cake with chicken, mango and korean chilli sauce (5 out of 5) // rich, thick and hearty; spicy!!; red and yellow bell peppers; rice cakes and fishcake balls; dash of cilantro.
- Cold Udon with lemongrass chicken (5 out of 5) // absolutely amazing; cold udon in a thinner, more clarified broth, with delicately cooked lemongrass chicken; can't remember what exactly was in it because I was in a trance as I ate it; rotated out of menu as of one week ago.
- Watermelon with mong beans and pork belly (5 out of 5) // absolutely fantastic; thoughtful ingredients; watermelon cubes, mong beans, pork belly, rice noodles, dash of fish sauce; truly delicious, but slightly lacking in quantity for price.
- Foie gras & duck dumplings(4.5 out of 5) // delicately fried dumpling; blazing hot when presented; flavors out of this world for dumplings - I've tried 100's.
- Squash & bacon dumplings (5 out of 5) // delicious, you know the drill; steamed and al-dente wrapping around squash puree, with supremed orange segments and crunchy bacon; amazing.
Beyond expectations; service was friendly and the food was ridiculously good. I had the squash and bacon dumpling which was stupefyingly good served with orange supremes. For main course the pork belly and ramen noodles was excellent in the broth and my companion had the rice cake which had great flavor and really good texture. The portions were exceedingly large and quickly recognized that I'd be taking stuff home but who cares the food was smiling-bringing-ly tasty. Food was served in quite a prompt manner as cook times are rather rapid but by no means rushed and the order taker was quite knowledgeable and friendly. I can whole-heartedly say that this is a destination place for Chicago and Logan Square is quite lucky to have such an awesome restaurant in its midst. (Was there for my last meal before I left Chicago October 10, 2009)
.... [gchat transcript between myself and my good friend Elissa - NY Yelp Elite, slightly edited for grammar/flow.]
Elissa: I know I would I love chicago!
Me: I'm already planning our culinary journey for when you visit
Elissa: Though I've only been once.
Me: I'm going to make you so jealous about Chicago that you're going to want to puke. (from jealousy, that is!)
Elissa: Haha, not from over eating on the culinary journey?
Me: Exactly! What if i told you that i had had the best Soba
noodles ever?
Elissa: Mmmm, I love soba. I could eat an entire package
me: With scallions and mussels, for ~$12, in a cilantro lime broth that was heavenly. I could drink it every day instead of water, that's how good it was. In fact, this is going to be my yelp review!
Elissa: What?
Me: This convo right here.
[end gchat transcript]
Interesting flavors of Asian fusion cuisines, unsure what to make of it yet.
I tried Duck and Pho Spice Dumplings, Urbanbelly Ramen, Cold Udon with Lemon Grass.
Go watch the movie "Tampopo".... when you start drooling and have an uncontrollable urge for noodles, come here and order the Urban Belly Ramen with extra Pork Belly. The bliss that comes from these noodles is worth every penny of the somewhat expensive (for noodles) price.
Also, on Weds they have Foie Gras dumplings and on Thurs they have sweetbreads. Get the sauce on the side with the sweetbreads -- the delicately flavored glands are a bit overwhelmed by the spicy tangy sauce when it's served directly on top of them.
Food was good - nothing amazing.
The way their communal seating was set up was very irritating for some reason... I liked the communal seating style at Avec. But hated theirs, I think b/c it felt so rushed.
Their noodles were good, like a more Americanized version.. but good. Only worth trying if you're close to the neighborhood, otherwise don't make a special trip for it.
2 stars were it not BYOB. The food is fine, but nothing to rave about. I am not a fan of the dinning layout. I am glad I checked it out but I wont return and would not recomend the place to anyone.
What were those little balls in my Udon noodles? It reminded me of freshman biology where we disected fetal pigs and removed the brains from the pig for inspection. Was that pig brains floating in the broth?
Last night before the Pearl Jam concert (which is what I'd really LOVE to be writing a review for -- f-ing awesome), I went to Urban Belly for dinner. i had no idea where we were going and was -- as always -- pleasantly surprised.
The inside of the restaurant almost made you think of like German beer hall, as it is just long tables that they seat you at. It's a very "close" atmosphere. Last night it was nice becuase there were not a lot of people there. I don't think I'd have liked it as much had it been crowded, as I like to hear who I am talking to when I'm out.
I got a Undon shrimp noodle dish. The broth was VERY spicey, which I'm not normally a huge fan of, but it was still really good. My particular dish had this huge-ass noodles, with shrimp, mushrooms, and then these interesting fish balls of some sort. All the noodle dishes are basically huge bowls of the ingredients and then a lot of broth, which I just thought was fantastic. The entire experience was very good, but honestly I think this place would be FANTASTIC in the winter, as I love to eat soups in the winter.
It is also BYOB which again, is always convenient. I think ultimately if I went back there I would probably be picking up and it would be winter. They have a lot of interesting things on the menu, and from what my partner-in-crime tells me, their dumplings are supposed to be fabulous. Unfortunately for me though they are all apparently made with meat. On Wednesdays though I noticed they do have foie gras (sp?) dumplings, and that I VERY definitely would be up for trying.
The owner and his wife wonder around and seat you while you are there, and they are very cordial and nice couple. They just seem to be happy having people eating at the their restaurant and enjoying themselves.
Ummm...have you heard about Urban Belly? Yes, if not from Jeff Ruby at Chicago Magazine, you might have heard me yapping about it for the last month. Well, it lived up to every expectation.
Purely, excellent food. Every bite, I was saying out loud, "it's just so good." The flavors are amazing. I got a recommendation from the boys in line behind me (the line process is a little weird, but the wait staff guide you, so it's not like that lunch scene from middle school). For two, we ordered the rib rice (fantastic), the lamb brandy dumplings (yum) and the noodles with chicken and mango dish (wasn't in love, but i polished it off). There was one spice in that dish that I didn't like, but i couldn't identify it. Regardless, the food is fabulous, extremely flavorful, beautifully presented. I just can't stop raving.
The space was awesome. I really enjoyed the unconventional seating and the decor was funky.
And lastly, the location. If only they would put this fabulous restaurant (and fabulous prices) somewhere in, like, Skokie. I know, I know...keep dreaming. Chef Bill Kim, please call me if you're considering this idea. The restaurant currently stands in little ole' Logan Square. It kind of surprised me that the place was packed, but then again after tasting the food...not so much surprised.
Thank you staff, chefs, architects...thank you. Such a fabulous experience!
This place definitely lived up to its hype! We tried 3 different types of dumplings to start with and that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. The bacon and squash were light and sweet and the lamb and the duck were robust with flavor and left me wanting more. But I still had my main dish coming, and I had no idea the flavor that was in store for me. I ordered the signature ramen noodles with pork belly and I had never had ramen like this before! With each delectable bite came one new flavor after another. The pork belly was succulent and I had to restrain myself from eating it all right away. I was nice enough to share with my husband and friend and although their dishes were also quite tasty, my taste buds were hooked on my ramen. I will definitely be coming back for more soon!
You should note that there is no easy way to get to this place without driving but it is worth the trip!
Our first time at Urban Belly was a birthday treat from my brother.
On the way there, I pulled out of the garage and ran over what looked like the latching handle from an old car's quarter window. That front tire started bleeding air fast! I made it to a local gas/service station and got a education on quick tire repair. The mechanic yanked out the offending spear and then re-punctured the tire! But this time, he used a tool that left behind a strip of glue-soaked leather as a plug. This tire has held a constant pressure ever since.
OK. On arriving at Urban Belly, it was initially a puzzle to find the entrance. Not that you can't find the restaurant (or the small strip mall that it's in), but to provide an entrance "air-lock" that doesn't take up any of the interior space, a canvas-covered "tunnel" with doors on each end protects the whole front of the place. Figuring this out takes a second or two, since from the front, no doors are evident. This set-up will probably prove welcome come the cold winds of winter.
Inside, it's an airy space with a high ceiling and the seating is family style (sometimes shared.) It's not clear if they want you to stay too long, since the "chairs" are pretty hard wood benches or blocks of hard wood (without backs or arms.)
You go to the back counter and place your order from what's on the menu or posted on the wall. You then get a number that you take to your table and your food is served to you using that number. You return to this counter when paying your bill. Cold beverages are available in a self-serve fridge unit.
We shared the lamb pot stickers and each of us chose a different ramen bowl. The pot stickers are the "tube" shaped kind and were well made and cooked. Although they were delicious, the texture of the filling was somewhat uniform and on the soft side. These could have used some contrasting crunch or denser ingredients. The ramen bowls were massive and very savory and spicy. The ramen noodles were done just right. The pork belly in my bowl was tender and smoky. I would have finished the broth if it were not so spicy.
Not a lot of variety in Urban Belly's menu (as others have mentioned), but I could imagine an expansion of it by offering the same ingredients in other combinations. I for one would love to have a dish that used the pork belly without the ramen or the broth.
I unfortunately chose a chilled can of juice that was made from green grapes. The taste was aromatic and sweet, but a pull tab top is the wrong container for a drink that has whole grapes (peeled) floating in the liquid. Every other gulp brought a grape to the opening, blocking all liquid from coming out. So using a straw would only solve part of this. A full pull-top opening would have made it much more enjoyable.
Every time I eat at UB, I feel so... satisfied - not that heavy, I just ate a cow and now I can't move satisfied... I get this emotional satisfaction out of eating here. The Chef must be a genius when it comes to broth! How can something so simple taste so different, so amazing, so clean and so decadent all at the same time!? Genius... simply genius. I figured that eating on week night at 6:45 would help to avoid the crowds, but clearly all of Chicago is as excited about UB as I am... On a Wednesday early night, the lines were absolutely tremendous. Just goes to show that genius is appreiciated!
Update: the chairs are DEFINITELY wood blocks (and they still hurt my tush).
That being said, the…
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Small menu, but everything is done well!
Finally had the chance to try this place after reading about it over and over again in Chicago Mag(featured 3 mths straight). I must say the food did not disappoint! As soon as you walk in, you feel like you're having dinner at your friend's house. I love the beautiful long wooden tables and benches!
So, here's the process: 1. order at the counter, pay, receive # to place on your table 2. there will be someone to seat you & your posse 3. the food arrives. The place isn't very big, so you'll definitely be sitting next to people you may not know but isn't that a great way to meet new friends?
I've tried the Ramen, Udon Noodes, Rice Cake, and Short Ribs & Scallion Rice - it is all very tasty. Although I expected a bigger portion for $8 worth of short ribs & scallion rice (2 skinny pieces of short ribs just seemed like they were being a little cheap). On certain days they have special dishes that they do. For example, we tried their sweet and sour sweetbreads on Thurs - which were delicious as well. The broth for the soups were well-balanced between sweet, salty, sour, and slightly spicy.
I haven't tried one bad thing in this place... yet.. but I also think that a bowl of noodles shouldn't cost $13 either. I mean Pho is only $6 a bowl!
They are also a BYOB, so it's great place if you're watching your wallet!
Final thought: If you're a foodie and your mission is to try the good food, then I wouldn't miss out on this place!
Neighborhood: Avondale
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: Avondale
Category: Fast Food
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Neighborhood: Chinatown
Category: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Uptown
Category: Vietnamese
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