Saucy Porka South Loop — Restaurant in Chicago

I walked by here in the warmer months, thinking it sounded creative and I would try it another time...then forgot about it. Today, as I walked away from one of my usual spots because they were sold-out of the daily special, I was relieved to come back across this place--which made up for my earlier disappointment, and then some! I was greeted by the wafting smell of curry, which I was informed was probably coming from the delicious krinkle-kut curry sweet potato fries that had just been served to another customer. Since it was tough to make up my mind with so many good options, I ended up trying a couple of Bacos (to be able to sample a wider variety of flavors) along with a half-order of the Posole. With all of the standard ingredients of a traditional Posole, but kicked up with some lemongrass and other elements of Thai--very similar to Tom Yum soup--it was spicy and flavorful and the most perfect antidote to the cold, wet weather outside. I can see myself eating here often in the near future!

1/2014 - I feel the need to amend my original rating and post an update. Today was my third visit in the past month, second time dining in. The small space does see great competition from groups and pairs of coworkers who visit during lunch, and the carryout crowd ensures a chill (due to the lack of an entryway to buffer the cold), which they have helped through the use of a strategically-placed space heater.

Alas, I can't say this will be a regular lunch spot for me, as I value consistency. Came in craving their Posole, and found it to be very off from what I've had both times before. The portion seemed smaller, the soup seemed thinner /less fortified with the typical yummy ingredients like shredded cabbage and pork....and it was served to me luke-warm at best (rather than the usual piping hot). Maybe it was an off day, or some kind of mixup in the kitchen...but I certainly won't be...

Saucy Porka is a solid lunch / takeout spot in the Loop for creative Vietnamese & Latin American fusion. Though overall, it’s a bit pricey for the portions (which aren’t that large), it offers pretty fair and standard prices for the Loop area.

As for Banh mis, so far I’ve tried the Ropa Vieja Beef Banh Mi, Cheesy Buddha Banh Mi, Soy Ginger Tofu Banh Mi. The banh mis are creative and unique, but tasted pretty average overall. The Ropa Vieja Beef was very flavorful with the meat seasoning and kimchi flavor combo, but the beef was a little dry and the sandwich itself was really soggy. The Cheesy Buddha and Soy Ginger Tofu banh mis were both pretty solid, but neither really stood out for me.

I also tried the Tofu, Duck, and Grilled Shrimp Bacos. The tofu baco tasted pretty standard. The duck baco was good, but a bit lacking in flavor, unfortunately. The grilled shrimp taco was my favorite, pairing very well with the sauce and corn toppings for a nice tangy flavor.

I’ve both gotten takeout and dined in here. It’s very casual and you sit wherever there’s space. The takeout orders are usually filled pretty fast and wrapped nicely. —

Price (relative to peers): 4.1/5 Food: 4.1/5 Ambience: N/A Service: N/A Overall...

This was a real let-down.

Having been away from SoCal for the past six years, I perk up any time I discover a new Korean joint here in what, if we're to be honest, is essentially the midwest.

Last week, I was working downtown at Sears, and happened across this place with those enticing words "Banh Mi" posted up outside. So I of course went in.

Having ordered the standard pork Banh Mi, what I received was nothing at all what I've become accustomed to in the Koreatowns of LA and NYC, to say nothing of Seoul itself. The baguette was of good quality, but it was utterly devoid of the fresh, crisp vegetables, saucy Kimchi, and savory dry-roasted pork, containing instead a uniform slurry of greasy, roughly homogenous filling which I could best describe as a mixture of cheap canned kimchi and oily pork trimmings, with no discernible texture.

I'm sorry if you're the owner and you're reading this. Maybe I just showed up on an off day. But this was really, without question, the worst Banh Mi sandwich I have ever eaten. No crunch. No diversity of flavor. No discernible evidence at all of carrot, cucumber, daikon, or anything else besides a sickly meat slurry bathed in weak...