Noodles in the Pot

Noodles in the Pot
2453 North Halsted St.
Chicago, IL
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Noodles in the Pot website
We've discovered that there are several decent Thai restaurants here in Chicago, but because they are so abundant, even the pretty good ones become average while the REALLY good ones are few and far between. One example of the good but not great Thai places is Noodles in the Pot, located near Depaul University in the Lincoln Park area.


Noodles had a pretty decent crowd on the Friday night that we went. The interior is simple but a little more hip than traditional Thai restaurant decor. I got the Chicken Coconut Curry and some Crab Rangoon. The curry is prepared with golden noodles (instead of traditional rice) and is topped with crispy chow mein noodles. I wasn't a huge fan of the golden noodles but liked how the chow mein added a welcome texture of crunchiness. The chicken was a little fatty but the curry sauce was very flavorful. The crab rangoon was decent but awfully small. Jenn got the green curry with tofu and a side of spring rolls. The spring rolls were filled with fresh and crunchy vegetables while the curry was pretty good but nothing too special. The portions are fairly large and most of the dishes are around $8 a piece. One thing we really liked about this place is that every table has its own variety of peppers and hot sauces so that customers can control the spiciness of their dishes.

Chicken Coconut Curry

Green Curry with Tofu

Noodles in the Pot offers decent but fairly typical Thai cuisine. Not to say that the food or experience were subpar, but we would certainly not rank Noodles among the Oparts and Spoon Thais in this Thai-abundant city. Still, pretty decent food and great service at a very reasonable price. We give Noodles in the Pot an 8.5 out of 10.
Quality of Food: 8.6
Value: 8.5
Atmosphere: 8.4
Customer Service: 8.6
Overall: 8.5

Spacca Napoli

Spacca Napoli
1769 W. Sunnyside Ave.
Chicago, IL
Neighborhood: Ravenswood
Spacca Napoli's website

As much as we love Chicago-style pizza, it's good to know that there are a plethora of thin-crusted pizza options in this city. One of those options is Spacca Napoli, a Neapolitan-style pizzaria in Ravenswood.


While Chicago-style pizza is thick, heavy and ultra-caloric, Neapolitan-style is perhaps the exact opposite: a light, extremely thin and often simplistic pie. We went to Spacca on a Sunday evening with my parents, and the large crowd (both inside and outside) told us that the pizza here must be pretty good. We got some Italian sodas and ordered two Margherita pizzas. As previously stated, the Neapolitan-style pizza is thin, light and simple. The pizzas are made in a large, custom-built wood-burning fire oven, creating a light char on the outer edge of the crust, while keeping the inside soft and chewy. We really loved the mixed texture of crunchy and chewy. The cheese was light and did not overpower, while the sauce was a unique blend of Italian herbs and spices.


Keep in mind that the pizzas come in one size (we think 12"), and while you may think (as we did) that one pizza can be adequately shared by two people, think again. We got two to split between four people, and were slightly unsatisfied. Perhaps an appetizer or two would have done the trick. We must admit though that the customer service was very good. Upon leaving the restaurant, we were each given a free pistachio canoli by the owner himself. Although the experience lacked in the value department, the free canolis were a nice added touch. If the pizzas would have been a little bigger or cheaper ($12.50 each) this place would really impress. Nonetheless, Spacca Napoli makes some tasty, traditional Neapolitan pizzas that are a far cry from Chicago's usual deep dish offerings. We give Spacca Napoli an 8.4 out of 10.
Quality of Food: 8.4
Value: 7.8
Atmosphere: 8.6
Customer Service: 8.8
Overall: 8.4