Thank you so much for this! We moved here from DC over two years ago and soooo miss our chicken fix at El Pollo Rico (the Wheaton branch). My little girl was raised on it. After reading this, we drove down to Flor De Lima from the northern burbs, and yes, the chicken has the same spice rub! Mmmmm! I missed the smell of the oven, and it wasn't quite as fresh and succulent as the chicken pulled right off the spit, but the sides were much better than what we were used to (we had fries and maduros, the same sides we used to get in DC), there were actual plates, and you could get alcohol! We'll be back, and hope that the place stays there.

Can you elaborate a bit on why the other three restaurants you mentioned didn't measure up? D'Candela is much closer to us. We were used to getting takeout from El Pollo Rico probably at least every two weeks, and this place is a bit of a hike from Evanston.

I haven't been, so I can't recommend it, but Seasons in Long Grove has a tea over the holidays that may be just what you're looking for. I'm not positive about the geography as we're new to Chicago, but I think it's in the area you're describing. We're planning to try it ourselves.

I too have bought Mallomars at Jewel. I believe they're made only at certain times of the year.

This really isn't what you're asking for, and I'm not generally a fan of Disney restaurants at all, but we did enjoy our dinner at Boma at the Animal Kingdom Lodge quite a bit. It's a buffet (another genre I'm not fond of), but some of the food was very unusual, everything was well-spiced, and the quality was high. I find buffets to be a pretty successful venue for my small child, as she doesn't have to sit still the whole time and can try a little of this and that. You can take a walk around and see the animals afterward. And no one is as good with small children as Disney.

Sorry I didn't see this until today. CJ Arthur's in downtown Wilmette has one for $9.95 during Lent. It is walking distance from the Wilmette Metra stop and a bit less than a mile from the Linden ell stop. Hope you got what you were looking for.

I don't know what they taste like, but the McD's in the Illinois Center (225 Michigan Av) has them.

For good dim sum, I think you need to go to the burbs. In Montgomery County, I'm familiar with Quality East in Silver Spring, A&J in Rockville, Good Fortune and Hollywood East Cafe in Wheaton. If you want a bowl of dumpling soup, all these places have them, plus some in Chinatown and many in Wheaton, like Full Key.

I too am a recent DC transplant and miss Two Amys and Peruvian chicken, as well as the quality cheap and convenient Asian and Latino restaurants in my old backyard (Silver Spring/Wheaton and environs). We went to Trattoria D.O.C. last night and were VERY disappointed. We tried the Margherita and it was more like mediocre NY style pizza than Two Amys, lots of cheese, slid off the crust, soggy crust, and tasted mostly of salt. The Napoli was the same. In fact, all the pizzas looked pretty much the same. I'm looking forward to trying Spaccia Napoli. I'm not a big fan of Chicago pizza, sorry guys!

What I've found here is that good cheap ethnic cuisine seems to be more centered around ethnic neighborhoods, rather than spread out in a melting pot like it is in the DC suburbs. If you want Indian, you go to Devon Avenue. There's good Chinese in Chinatown, but the general quality on the North Shore is not what I'm used to, to put it mildly. It's much easier to find good, casual Greek places than it is in DC, and it's easier to find a burger cooked medium rare. Beer and a brat are great. As you said, the ethnic food here is heavier than we're used to and more meat-centered. There's a lot of Japanese, so your sushi search should be successful. And I've found nice, reasonably priced seafood, including live BLUE CRABS, at the H Mart in Niles, which makes the one in Wheaton look like a slum. Just add some vinegar and Old Bay seasoning for a touch of home! If you can't find crabs, try it on shrimp. Serve with some nice local beer.

I would LOVE any chatters' recommendations on Vietnamese restaurants near Arglye! I've been very disappointed in the Vietnamese food here, big bland pieces and too sweet everywhere we've been. Thanks!

rack of lamb
mushroom turnovers
thai chicken sticks
frozen edamame
frozen haricots verts
two buck chuck, shiraz and sauvignon blanc
pork potstickers
precut fresh butternut squash

It doesn't sound like she's strictly kosher, so I think she will probably be able to find something in most places you would go to normally and order something that comes with rice, rather than bread. How about any branch of Teaism, any Asian restaurant, any Indian restaurant you'd normally frequent? Hard Times Cafe for chili? And remember, anyplace that makes a sandwich can also make a salad, and a hamburger or veggie burger can be ordered without the bun. Lots of options. Not so challenging. Don't worry!