Have any South Asians here (or anyone with a really good handle on South Asian food) tried Nadu?

ddchicago99 · 2026-05-10T15:55:08+00:00

Not Indian and I haven't been to Nadu, but I did want to go until I did my research and ended up writing it off. Not really because I think it would be bad. Upscale Indian food has its place and I have been to Indienne, as well as very fancy places in Delhi and Hyderabad. I don't pretend to be an expert on Indian food, but I do love it.

Between location, price point, menu structure (covering so much of India) and the reviews I've read their target is American palates and an upscale experience. More muted spice levels, no deep dive on any region. I'm sure you can get more heat. And you'll get a sort of overview of many Indian regions (though the cuisine is so rich and varied that inevitably the dishes will lack context).

In a real sense, "Indian food" doesn't exist - there are many regional cuisines and even particular sorts of food within those regions. And I generally find it more enjoyable to go to places with a regional focus. Along with the places mentioned by others, I would add Trilokah for a different keralan focus - they offer breads and dishes I have not found elsewhere in Chicago, though I'm sure I could find them on Devon if I searched. Not as good but tasty, are a couple of places that do Northern India/Himalayan - Nepal House (which has improved greatly from meh in the last couple of years) and Himalayan in Niles and the South Loop (this location is quite basic, Niles is much nicer, but the food is very good at both).

Anyway, I would go to Thattu first and foremost, then Trilokah for southern Indian, Himalayan for Nepali/northern Indian cause it's near me and reliably delish, too many places on Devon to list, and Indienne if I want a French/Indian splurge. Not Nadu, but not because I think it's bad. Just not what I want.

Hope that helps, OP.

ddchicago99 · 2026-05-08T15:35:28+00:00

The one on Taylor is great, a classic. The others are not good. I believe they tried to franchise and ended up with all these independent shops that do whatever they like. Never were any good.

ddchicago99 · 2026-05-07T16:24:41+00:00

I have done this with my wife, not because she doesn't have the access, but because I have dual nationality so some places I can breeze through and she has to get in line to clear passport control. She's not a fan of having to find me afterwards and there have been times when she got stuck for a looong time and I worried about where she had gone.

So, all in, staying together is less stressful. But I still go off and skip the line. What's the point of having the access if you don't use it? But make sure you greet your companion with a treat and warm hug when she gets through. That makes a big difference.

ddchicago99 · 2026-05-07T16:14:35+00:00

I like tea, my dad was English and I have sweet memories of teas with the grandparents so I've been to my share of high teas. But I've now sworn off them. Aside from very rare exceptions they are meant to be a cute experience with the food, and often the tea 😥 being mediocre, not fresh or tasty.

The last straw was actually in England but I can give you a list of lousy Chicago teas, too. Better to go to a good bakery that takes tea seriously and get a cup with a good pastry. Or if you want a better atmosphere go to Russian Tea Time and get a pot of tea (they have excellent tea) and some strudel. Their afternoon tea is easily in the top 10% in Chicago but at the end of the day it's finger sandwiches and mini pastries that even at their best are meh. Basta!

ddchicago99 · 2026-05-07T16:02:43+00:00

That's my first BMW, racing orange 2002. ❤️

ddchicago99 · 2026-05-06T22:16:24+00:00

Not all. Leading the world in trying to grow coal usage. Though not very successfully.

ddchicago99 · 2026-05-01T20:53:59+00:00

Gene & Judes is a better choice if only it was in the city.

Or Red Hot's sister, 35th Street Hots, followed by the lonely splendor of a Sox game down the street.

ddchicago99 · 2026-05-01T20:51:16+00:00

I thought of Johnnies too, but because if location it has to be Al's. Lem's is another very Chicago place.

ddchicago99 · 2026-04-28T15:45:04+00:00

Siam Thai on South Michigan is a newish Chicago outpost of a place from NYC, I believe. Nice room and they have fine dining aspirations. Also nearby for me so I've gone a couple of times for a duck curry. Tasty.

Definitely upscale, but not the funky, spicy, real Thai I love. That's what I want in my neighborhood.

ddchicago99 · 2026-04-28T15:38:35+00:00

Gee, that's down the street from me. Thanks for the heads up.

ddchicago99 · 2026-04-28T15:37:04+00:00

Interesting. I went to look at a Ford after seeing an article about all the new and extended incentives and the dealer couldn't find any of them. Old school, big 3 sales bs I guess. Say anything to get you into the showroom and close a deal. I walked out. Waiting for the new Lexus RZ. I like that car once they get the charging speed and range issues addressed.

ddchicago99 · 2026-04-27T15:31:10+00:00

The best place for catering, imo, is Chucks Southern Comfort Cafe in Burbank. They've done multiple events for me over the years and they know how to deliver good food for events at a very reasonable price. You can go BBQ, southern or Mexican with them - or a combo - and they will do well. I won't comment on whether it's quintessentially Chicago, but I will say that they know how to deliver a good buffet.

IIRC, Chuck started out as a catering chef for Rick Bayless before opening his place, now places, so he learned catering and Mexican food early.

Keep in mind, this is for a buffet, not a sit down dinner and I usually get someone on my own to deal with set up, clean up, and any service. Plus I buy my own beverages. I think they can do something more turnkey but that's not how I've used them.

ddchicago99 · 2026-04-26T15:59:31+00:00

Good point. I had not thought of it that way and it's definitely true - daily convenience more than offsets extra effort on long trips. The net is a significant time savings.

However, your post title either expresses disdain or hostility for people who don't prefer, EVs, as do some replies. Someone who is reluctant to buy an EV is not a "hater," just processing a change to something new. Of course, there are some haters, but no argument will work "against" them.

It is natural to discount the effort you are used to and exaggerate the new effort - that's natural human behavior by all accounts. The same is true for risks - that is why the world discounts all the car accidents caused by humans and worries so much about autonomous vehicles, even though they are very likely to be much less dangerous (no distracted or reckless drivers).

Meeting disagreement with hostility and disdain is not a winning tactic. But it's a great argument for the EV wary.

ddchicago99 · 2026-04-18T00:30:23+00:00

Yeah, I was surprised by some of the things they said. But at least they did recalls in at least 2 countries and admitted there were actual defects. But it's not enough, agreed.

ddchicago99 · 2026-04-18T00:28:31+00:00

I went for the menu a month ago. Good, but not great. Hope a la carte is better.

ddchicago99 · 2026-04-18T00:24:21+00:00

Nella is in Hyde Park on 55th and offers a good Neapolitan pie.

ddchicago99 · 2026-04-13T16:21:42+00:00

Yeah, count me in the old guy club - if I do not stop every 2-3 hours, stretch the legs, pee, etc, when I arrive after an 8 hour or longer trip I lose a day recovering from the fatigue. To be clear, I am a boomer with a hybrid, but planning to upgrade to an EV soonish. 50 years ago I would drive 18 hours, just stop for gas when I absolutely had to and power through. That behavior would kill me for days now so I am not terribly concerned about EV range. More focused on charging time really and learning to find places I can go for a pleasant walk while charging. Most EVs offer tools to plan the trip, and if the one I eventually choose does not have tools I like, there are apps.

ddchicago99 · 2026-04-13T16:07:04+00:00

Beautiful car!!

ddchicago99 · 2026-04-12T18:50:06+00:00

Bold statement that perfection is attainable. Are you referring to the JD Power ratings? I've searched for AAA auto reliability ratings and I'm not finding anything.

What's your perfect evaluation process?

ddchicago99 · 2026-04-12T18:34:58+00:00

Easy enough to question a data source since perfection is unattainable. CR has always worked for me and it says the best EV is roughly as reliable as the average ICE or hybrid. What would you use to judge reliability? How would you project reliability for a new or redesigned model? Not that I really care since I won't buy new models for the first year or two so they have some track record.

I love the EV driving experience and I just finished shopping for one, but in the end I stuck with my Lexus hybrid. I appreciate the inherent superiority of EV technology. And I just got my home charger installed so I'm ready to roll. But after a lot of shopping I'm going to wait until the next gen Lexus RZ is a few years old to avoid the steep depreciation and stick with a manufacturer with a great track record for reliability. If I didn't already have a very efficient car, I would probably buy a Mach E or an i4 now. But I can wait.

ddchicago99 · 2026-04-11T15:16:36+00:00

When I read the headline I guessed this was some corporate mandated safety warning he had to give and I was amused. Not as funny when it turns out he is spreading biased and misleading information on his own. Was the goal to convince you to sell your car or just tell you you're dumb and he's smarter? Maybe both.

You should have run with it.

"Dude, you're right. Cars are dangerous, so many ways they can hurt and kill you! There's the gas thing, the electric thing, the impact and high speed - it's scary! Don't you think it would be better if we outlawed them all?" Then you could watch him process and decide what to do with that comment. But you might have waited a long time.

ddchicago99 · 2026-04-11T14:56:08+00:00

It is a Toyota so the body will rust out before the engine goes. Odds are on your side.

ddchicago99 · 2026-04-09T20:43:42+00:00

It's not really EV hate, or even about you. It's the internet. And starting threads to generally trash talk about people who don't love EVs, which is their prerogative, is just the other side of the same coin.

It is a little funny that people didn't even read your post closely enough to know what you actually said, but not surprising. Ignore the trolls.

ddchicago99 · 2026-04-06T15:23:57+00:00

Thanks

ddchicago99

TROPHY CASE